1. Sampling:
- The continuous analog signal is sampled at regular intervals.
- The sampling rate determines the resolution of the digital representation and should be high enough to capture all significant variations in the analog signal.
2. Quantization:
- Each sample from the analog signal is quantized to a discrete value.
- Quantization involves dividing the input signal range into a finite number of levels and assigning a digital code to each level.
- This process introduces quantization error, which is the difference between the original analog value and the quantized digital value.
3. Encoding:
- The quantized values are then encoded into a digital format.
- Various encoding schemes can be used, such as binary, Gray, or two's complement.
- The encoded data is then processed and stored in a digital format.
4. Processing:
- The digitized data may undergo further processing, such as filtering, amplification, or compression, to enhance its quality or reduce its size.
5. Analog Reconstruction (optional):
- In some cases, it may be necessary to reconstruct an analog signal from the digital representation.
- This can be achieved using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
By going through these stages, an analog signal is successfully converted into a digital format that can be processed, stored, transmitted, and manipulated using digital electronic systems.