Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for converting a multi-bit signal to a serial pulse stream

US6781435B1 · kind B1 · utility

27Cited by
13References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 3, 2003
Grant dateAug 24, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 3, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M1/12
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A circuit for converting an n-bit number to a serial stream of single-bit pulses includes circuitry for generating n different sets of pulses; each set of pulses corresponding to a bit of the n-bit binary number; the number of pulses in a set of pulses corresponding to a bit “j” being equal to 2(j−1) pulses, where “j” is an integer which varies from one (1) for the LSB to n for the MSB. The circuit also includes n switches each switch having an input port, an output port and a control port. Each different bit is applied to the control port of a switch and the set of pulses corresponding to the bit is applied to the control port of that switch. The output ports of the n switches are coupled to a common point for combining the signals at the output ports and producing a serial stream of single-bit pulses at the common point which is equivalent to the n-bit binary number. A shift register capable of storing 2n−1 pulses may be connected to the common point and digital to analog circuitry may be connected to the output of the shift register for producing an analog voltage.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.