Technique for improved linearity of high-precision, low-current digital-to-analog converters
US6703956B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 8, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 9, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M1/747
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A high-precision high-linearity digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a method for converting a digital input signal having N bits to a substantially equivalent analog current output signal is presented. The DAC segments the digital input signal bits into groups separate processing. The invention includes a first current-steering digital-to-analog converter configured to receive a first group of i input signal bits and a first reference current to produce a first current signal. A second current-steering digital-to-analog converter is configured to receive a second group of j input signal bits and the first reference current to produce an intermediate current signal. The intermediate current signal is scaled down by a factor of 2j to produce a second current signal. A summing circuit sums at least the first and second current signals to produce an analog current signal representative of the digital input signal value.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.