Abstract: An electrical circuit used for measuring times is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrical circuit has a counter, a decoder and a multiplicity of time trap elements. At least the counter and the time trap elements are located together on an integrated semiconductor component. Each time trap element has a data input, a clock input, a delay output and a output port. The time trap element contains a delay element and a flip flop. The delay element outputs a signal change at the data input with a time delay at the delay output. The flip flop has a data input, a clock input and an output port, the data inputs, the clock inputs and the output ports of the flip flop and of the time trap element being connected to one another. The time trap elements are connected as ring oscillator.

Abstract: A method for converting an analog input signal into a digital value with successive approximation. A first comparison operation is provided before a first approximation, which subdivides a predefined input voltage interval into five partial intervals according to four reference potentials. During the comparison operation, a partial voltage interval determined is used in the ensuing approximation for the selection of a new reference potential pair to be used. This method enables higher sampling rates. At the same time, the range of the input signal is increased.

Abstract: An electrical circuit used for measuring times is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrical circuit has a counter, a decoder and a multiplicity of time trap elements. At least the counter and the time trap elements are located together on an integrated semiconductor component. Each time trap element has a data input, a clock input, a delay output and a output port. The time trap element contains a delay element and a flip flop. The delay element outputs a signal change at the data input with a time delay at the delay output. The flip flop has a data input, a clock input and an output port, the data inputs, the clock inputs and the output ports of the flip flop and of the time trap element being connected to one another. The time trap elements are connected as ring oscillator.

Abstract: An output clock signal is generated from a main clock signal having a predetermined main frequency and from a secondary clock signal generated by a quartz crystal. A frequency synthesizer is preprogrammed to generate two output clock signals whose respective frequencies are slightly greater than and slightly less than the frequency of the main clock signal. The synthesizer switches between the two output clock signals depending on the phase error between the selected output clock signal and the main clock signal.