Small-area digital to analog converter based on master-slave configuration
US8004441B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 18, 2010 |
| Grant date | Aug 23, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 18, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M1/745
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A digital-to-analog (DAC) converter that includes a plurality of dynamically operated slave digital-to-analog (DAC) converters, each having a switched current mirror and a storage capacitor, and a static master digital-to-analog (DAC) converter in communication with the plurality of dynamically operated slave DAC converters, that distributes a current to at least one of the plurality of slave DAC converters such that voltage across the storage capacitor of the at least one slave DAC converter controls the switch current mirror so that the at least one slave DAC converter outputs currents that are equivalent to digital codes applied to the static master DAC converter. A ring counter is used to periodically refresh the charges on the storage capacitors that are lost by leakage. In addition to the periodic updates, an end user may perform immediate updates of selected slave DACs if necessary, via the ring counter.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.