Vernier voltage-to-digital converter with a storage capacitance selectable in magnitude
US5155445A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 18, 1991 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 18, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01L1/2281
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A voltage-to-digital converter comprising a storage circuit for providing a storage capacitance with a plurality of selectable magnitudes. The storage circuit provides a charge output representative of applied voltage input signals and the selected capacitive magnitude. A charge accumulation circuit is coupled to the charge output. The total charge accumulated is proportional to the integral of the amount of charge discharged from the storage circuit. The charge accumulation circuit provides a balance output representative of a comparison of the accumulated charge and a reference charge. A control circuit is coupled to the balance output for providing feedback signals as functions of the balance output for periodically charging and discharging the storage capacitance whereby a first sequence of charge packets is provided on the charge output for driving the accumulation of charge toward the reference within a first set of limits when a first capacitive magnitude is selected in the storage circuit and whereby a second sequence of charge packets is provided on the charge output for driving the accumulation of charge toward the reference charge within a second set of limits when a sec…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.