Patents Represented by Attorney Robert H. Handy
  • Patent number: 5889482
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (100) has a first path (110) with a first sigma-delta modulator (114) which transforms an analog input signal X.sub.0 (111') from an input terminal (101) to a digital output signal Y.sub.0 at an output terminal (102). In a second path (120), a digital dither signal D (121') is combined with a digital intermediate signal Z.sub.0 (115') from the first modulator (114) and digitally processed by a second sigma-delta modulator (124) to an intermediate signal Y.sub.1 (125') Y.sub.1 is fed to the first modulator (114) and to the output terminal (102) with opposite sign ("+" and "-", respectively). Thereby, multipliers (133 and 127) attenuate Y.sub.1. The dither signal D (121') is used substantially only within the converter (100), and is substantially canceled before the output terminal (102). This features preserve a high SNR of the converter (100) and low spectral tones in output signal Y.sub.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Zarubinsky, Yachin Afek, Vladimir Koifman