n-bit analog-to-digital converter with n-1 magnitude amplifiers and n comparators
US5684419A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 4, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F2203/45722
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A serial-type A/D converter uses magnitude amplifiers("magamps") and comparators for effecting the conversion of analog signals to Gray scale code signals that are then converted to binary digital signals by a Gray scale code-to-binary portion of the serial-type A/D converter. More specifically, a serial-type A/D converter uses an n-bit converter that has n-1 magamps and n-comparators. The n-1 magamps are cascaded such that the V.sub.OL and V.sub.OH outputs of a stage are the inputs to the next stage. The output of the comparators are input to the Gray scale code-to-binary portion of the serial A/D converter. The latching of the comparators occurs outside of the magamps. This allows for the parallel latching of the n comparators. The speed of the serial-type A/D converter is determined by the bandwidth of the magamps. The serial-type A/D converter includes an offset method that significantly reduces the effects of early voltage, V.sub.A, on the output waveforms. Each stage of the serial-type A/D converter may have any desired gain and not limited to a particular gain.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.