Apparatus and method for pipelined analog to digital conversion
US7978116B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 2009 |
| Grant date | Jul 12, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M1/167
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for pipelined analog-to-digital conversion are disclosed. In some embodiments, a pipeline analog-to-digital converter includes a plurality of multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) stages coupled in cascade. At least one of the MDAC stages includes two or more flash ADCs connected in parallel, operating alternately to generate digital signals from an analog input voltage. In one embodiment, the flash ADCs provide the digital signals in an alternating manner to a capacitor block that receives a delayed analog input voltage. In another embodiment, the at least one MDAC may include two or more capacitor blocks, each of which is associated with a respective one of the flash ADCs, forming two or more sets of a flash ADC and a capacitor block. In yet another embodiment, the at least one MDAC also include three or more capacitor blocks, each of which can be randomly selected for one of the flash ADCs.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.