Patent · US Active

Dither injection for continuous-time MASH ADCS

US9838031B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
14References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 23, 2016
Grant dateDec 5, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 23, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03M3/414
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

For continuous-time multi-stage noise shaping analog to digital converters (CT MASH ADCs), quantization noise cancellation often requires estimation of transfer functions, e.g., a noise transfer function of the front end modulator. To estimate the noise transfer function, a dither signal can be injected in the front end modulator. However, it is not trivial how the dither signal can be injected, since the dither signal can potentially leak to the back end modulator and cause overall noise degradation. To address some of these issues, the dither signal is injected post the flash analog to digital converter (ADC) of the front end modulator. Furthermore, dummy comparator structures can be used to synchronize the dither with the quantization noise of the targeted flash ADC.

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