Patent · US Active

Current-time digital-to-analog converter

US7764213B2 · kind B2 · utility

35Cited by
6References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 2008
Grant dateJul 27, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M1/82
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A high resolution digital-to-analog converter comprises a programmable n-bit current digital-to-analog converter (IDAC), an m-bit programmable counter/timer, an integrator that converts the IDAC constant current charging a capacitor over time into an a precision (high resolution) analog voltage, and a sample and hold circuit for storing the precision analog voltage. The constant current from the IDAC is applied to the integrator for a time period determined by the programmable counter/timer, then the sample and hold circuit will sample the final voltage on the capacitor and store it as an analog voltage. The analog voltage resolution of this high resolution digital-to-analog converter is n+m bits or binary 2n+m. In addition, a plurality of sample and hold circuits may be utilized for maintaining a plurality of analog output voltages.

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