Three-level digital-to-analog converter
US8456341B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 3, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 25, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M3/464
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for processing a signal includes a detector configured to detect a two-level stream of bits; a converter configured to generate a three-level control signal based on two adjacent values within the two-level stream of bits; and a switch configured to determine which of three different paths to couple a current source to based on a value of the three-level control signal. Thus, based on adjacent values of the output stream a three-level control signal is generated which controls coupling of the current source to one of three different paths. This type of three-level digital-to-analog converter can be, for example, part of the feedback loop of an analog-to-digital converter. Similar techniques can also be utilized in a multi-segment digital-to-analog converter in which each segment of the DAC is controlled by a 3-level control signal and the DAC is implement using PMOS devices. The current source for each DAC segment is diverted to ground, the M-node, or the P-node depending on the value of the 3-level control signal.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.