Stochastic resonance as dithering

A direct correspondence is demonstrated between the phenomenon of "stochastic resonance" in static nonlinear systems and the dithering effect well known in the theory of digital waveform coding. It is argued that many static systems displaying stochastic resonance are forms of dithered quantizers, and that the existence or absence of stochastic resonance in such systems can be predicted from the effects of "dither averaging" upon their transfer characteristics. Also, results are introduced regarding stochastic resonance in certain nonlinear systems with memory (e.g., hysteretic systems).