A Delta-Sigma Modulator Using a Non-uniform Quantizer Adjusted for the Probability Density of Input Signals

Abstract

A novel delta-sigma modulator that employs a non-uniform quantizer whose spacing is adjusted by reference to the statistical properties of the input signal is proposed. The proposed delta-sigma modulator has less quantization noise compared to the one that uses a uniform quantizer with the same number of output values. With respect to the quantizer on its own, Lloyd proposed a non-uniform quantizer that is best for minimizing the average quantization noise power. The applicable condition of the method is that the statistical properties of the input signal, the probability density, are given. However, the procedure cannot be directly applied to the quantizer in the delta-sigma modulator because it jeopardizes the modulator's stability. In this paper, a procedure is proposed that determine the spacing of the quantizer with avoiding instability. Simulation results show that the proposed method reduces quantization noise by up to 3.8dB and 2.8dB with the input signal having a PAPR of 16dB and 12dB, respectively, compared to the one employing a uniform quantizer. Two alternative types of probability density function (PDF) are used in the proposed method for the calculation of the output values. One is the PDF of the input signal to the delta-sigma modulator and the other is an approximated PDF of the input signal to the quantizer inside the delta-sigma modulator. Both approaches are evaluated to find that the latter gives lower quantization noise.