Analog To Digital Conversion Followed By Digital To Analog Conversion Patents (Class 341/110)
  • Patent number: 8928504
    Abstract: A multiplying analog-to-digital converter is provided. A sample-and-hold unit samples an analog signal, to obtain a sample level. A analog-to-digital converting unit converts the analog signal to a digital signal. A digital-to-analog converting unit converts the digital signal to a recovered signal level. A operating unit provides an output signal according to the difference between the sample level and the recovered signal level. A comparator compares a level of the output signal with an upper threshold level and a lower threshold level, and accordingly provides an indicating signal, wherein the upper and lower threshold levels define a predetermined level range. When the indicating signal indicates that the level of the output signal is outside the predetermined level range, a controller shifts a value of the digital signal and accordingly provides an adjusted digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Tung-Ming Su
  • Patent number: 8928505
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an audio processing system includes a frequency control block that forms a system clock and a master audio clock. The frequency control block is configured to change a frequency of the system clock and change a relationship between the system clock and the master audio clock so that the frequency of the master audio clock remains substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Ivo Leonardus Coenen, Paulo Jorge Duarte de Jesus
  • Patent number: 8928506
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter with dynamic search algorithms are provided. In some embodiments, a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter includes a digital-to-analog converter, a comparator, and a search and decode logic modules which cooperate to generate a digital output code representative of the analog input voltage based on a dynamic search algorithm. The dynamic search algorithms may alter a sequence of reference voltages used to successively approximate the analog input voltage based on one or more characteristics of the analog input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Raja Pullela, Curtis Ling
  • Patent number: 8922401
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for interference cancelling data conversion. In one embodiment, an input includes an interfering signal and a signal of interest. In one embodiment, a system extends the received signal dynamic range of an analog-to-digital conversion system by partially cancelling an interfering signal with multiple analog-to-digital converters, a digital-to-analog converter, a programmable delay block, a gain block, and a difference amplifier, inverse non-linear blocks, and digital signal processing to reconstruct the received signal in the digital domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Robert Narumi
  • Patent number: 8917195
    Abstract: A system including a first circuit, a second circuit, and a feedback circuit. The first circuit is configured to provide input signals. The second circuit is configured to receive the input signals and provide digital output signals that correspond to the input signals. The feedback circuit includes a chopping circuit, an integrator circuit, and a digital to analog converter circuit. The digital to analog converter circuit is configured to convert an error signal into an analog signal that is received by the second circuit to reduce ripple error.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Mario Motz, Udo Ausserlechner
  • Publication number: 20140368363
    Abstract: A sampling front-end for analog to digital converter is presented that shares a high speed N-bit ADC at front-end and interleaves the pipelined residue amplification with shared amplifier, which achieves high speed, low power and compact area with high density capacitive DAC structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Yan ZHU, Chi-Hang CHAN, Sai-Weng SIN, Seng-Pan U, Rui Paulo da Silva MARTINS
  • Patent number: 8913762
    Abstract: A capacitive transducer circuit comprises a capacitive transducer having first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are biased by respective first and second bias voltages. An amplifier is connected to receive a first analog signal on an input terminal, the first analog signal being generated by the capacitive transducer, and to generate a second analog signal on an output terminal. A digital feedback circuit is connected between the output terminal of the amplifier and the input terminal of the amplifier. The digital feedback circuit is configured to provide one of said first or second bias voltages. The output of a voltage source which provides the other bias voltage for the capacitive transducer may be filtered by a low pass filter. The low pass filter may comprise a switched capacitor filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Wolfson Microelectronics Ltd.
    Inventors: Colin Findlay Steele, Goran Stojanovic, John Paul Lesso
  • Patent number: 8907824
    Abstract: A fieldbus adaptor connected between a fieldbus that handles a digital signal and a field device that handles an analog signal, the fieldbus adaptor comprising a first connection unit detachably connected to the fieldbus, a second connection unit detachably connected to the field device, and a conversion unit provided between the first connection unit and the second connection unit, the conversion unit bidirectionally converting the digital signal handled by the fieldbus and the analog signal handled by the field device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Yokogawa Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro Washiro
  • Patent number: 8903092
    Abstract: A system includes a first circuit including a scrambling module that receives N digital data streams and that scrambles the N digital data streams using a scrambling sequence. A data bus receives the N scrambled digital data streams and the scrambling sequence. A second circuit communicates with the data bus and includes a first processing module that processes the N scrambled digital data streams and that outputs M digital data streams, where M and N are integers greater than one. The second circuit includes one or more descrambling and processing modules that receive the M digital data streams, that descramble the M digital data streams based on the scrambling sequence, and that further process the M digital data streams. The second circuit includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) module that receives an output of the one or more descrambling and processing modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Geir Sigurd Ostrem, Brian Paul Brandt
  • Patent number: 8884797
    Abstract: A method for converting a multi-bit digital value to an analog value. The method includes, in a first conversion cycle, converting a first set of digital bits to a first analog voltage using passive charge-sharing. The method also includes, in a second conversion cycle, converting a second set of digital bits to a second analog voltage added to the first analog voltage using active charge-sharing. The first set of digital bits and the second set of digital bits are different bits of the multi-bit digital value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Chow Peng, Jui-Cheng Huang, Ching-Ho Chang, Nang Ping Tu
  • Publication number: 20140327560
    Abstract: A SAR ADC and a method thereof are provided. Particularly, in each bit determining duration of last several bit determining durations, a comparer is used to consecutively compare a first potential with a second potential on a sampling and digital-to-analog converting circuit a plurality of times to obtain a plurality of comparison results, and then an SAR control circuit generates a corresponding output bit according to the obtained plurality of comparison results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORP.
    Inventors: Jian-Ru Lin, Shih-Hsiun Huang
  • Publication number: 20140300499
    Abstract: Aspects of a method and system for a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter with dynamic search algorithms are provided. In some embodiments, a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter includes a digital-to-analog converter, a comparator, and a search and decode logice modules which cooperate to generate a digital output code representative of the analog input voltage based on a dynamic search algorithm. The dynamic search algorithms may alter a sequence of reference voltages used to successively approximate the analog input voltage based on one or more characteristics of the analog input voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Raja Pullela, Curtis Ling
  • Patent number: 8855579
    Abstract: A method may include measuring a frequency difference between an actual frequency and an expected frequency associated with a frequency control calibration signal value for each of a plurality of frequency control calibration signal values during a calibration phase. The method may additionally include generating integral non-linearity compensation values based on the frequency differences measured The method may further include generating the applied frequency control signal based on a frequency control calibration signal value received by the digital-to-analog converter during the calibration phase. The method may also include generating a compensated frequency control signal value based on a frequency control signal value received by the integral non-linearity compensation module and an integral non-linearity compensation value associated with the frequency control signal value during an operation phase of the wireless communication element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventors: David Harnishfeger, Kristopher Kaufman
  • Patent number: 8854550
    Abstract: A data processing device includes a clock converter, a data converter, and an error detector. The clock converter is configured to receive a first clock signal, convert the first clock signal into a second clock signal, and output the second clock signal. The data converter is configured to receive first data, convert the first data into second data using the second clock signal, and output the second data. The error detector is configured to check whether the first clock signal is in a first clock state or a second clock state upon the first data transitioning to a first data state, and output an enable signal to the clock converter upon determining that the first clock signal has transitioned to the first clock state from the second clock state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Pyeong Kim, Han-Kyul Lim, Cheon-Oh Lee
  • Publication number: 20140270261
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a circuit includes an oscillator having an oscillation frequency dependent on an input signal, a digital accumulator having a first input coupled to an output of the oscillator, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) coupled to an output of the digital accumulator, an analog loop filter coupled to an output of the digital-to-analog converter, and a comparison circuit having an input coupled to an output of the analog loop filter and an output coupled to a second input of the digital accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andreas Wiesbauer, Dietmar Straussnigg, Luis Hernandez, Fernando Cardes
  • Publication number: 20140266821
    Abstract: A converter may include multiple converter stages connected in series. Each converter stage may receive a clock signal and an analog input signal, and may generate an analog output signal and a digital output signal. Each converter stages may include an encoder generating the digital output signal, a decoder generating a reconstructed signal, a delaying converter generating a delayed signal, and an amplifier generating a residue signal, wherein the delayed signal may be a continuous current signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Hajime SHIBATA
  • Publication number: 20140247169
    Abstract: A multi-level sigma-delta Analog to Digital converter provides multi-level outputs using a quantizer with reduced quantization levels. The converter comprises a direct path comprising a computation block, an analog integrator and the quantizer with reduced quantization levels. Further, the converter comprises a feedback path arranged to provide to the computation block a feedback analog signal. The direct path comprises a first amplification block having a gain factor which is the inverse of the gain factor of a second amplification block of the feedback path. The converter allows reduction of the complexity of the quantizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: ST-Ericsson SA
    Inventor: Carlo Pinna
  • Publication number: 20140210653
    Abstract: A successive operation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit includes a bit reliability circuit that detects a delay time of the voltage comparator and, if the detected delay time is greater than a delay threshold time ?MV, outputs a bit reliability decision signal; a digital noise reduction circuit that is selectively activated if the bit reliability decision signal indicates the detected delay time is greater than the delay threshold time ?MV and produces a noise-reduced decision output that supersedes the decision output of the voltage comparator. In a preferred embodiment, the digital noise reduction circuit uses a multiple voting logic to produce a majority vote value as the noise-reduced decision output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Pieter Joost Adriaan Harpe
  • Patent number: 8792521
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an area, cost, and power efficient multi-service transceiver architecture. The multi-service transceiver architecture simplifies receiver/transmitter front ends needed for a multi-service architecture, by replacing significant portions of multiple receiver and/or transmitter front ends with a single ADC and/or DAC, respectively. In embodiments, a plurality of received service contents are combined into one composite analog/RF signal and applied to an ADC. The ADC converts the composite signal into a composite multi-service digital signal. Digital techniques are then used to separate the plurality of service contents into a plurality of respective digital streams that each can be independently demodulated. Similarly, in the transmit direction, a plurality of digital streams, including a plurality of service contents, are combined into one composite digital signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Ray (Ramon) Gomez, Len Dauphinee
  • Patent number: 8786747
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus including a pixel, a current source, and a signal processing circuit. The pixel outputs signal charge, obtained by imaging, as a pixel signal. The current source is connected to a transmission path for the pixel signal and has a variable current. The signal processing circuit performs signal processing on a signal depending on an output signal to the transmission path and performs control so that a current of the current source is changed in accordance with the result of signal processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Sato
  • Patent number: 8786474
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for inserting delay into a start signal of a metastable ring oscillator chain-based time-to-digital circuit (TDC). Included therein is a signal generating circuit that generates the start signal, a plurality of carry elements connected as a chain, each of the carry elements having an input to receive a stop signal, a delay chain circuit including one or more delay modules selected from the plurality of carry elements, at least one feedback line connected between at least one of the delay modules and the signal generating circuit, and a plurality of enable inputs each provided in a respective one of the delay modules. The delay chain circuit generates an amount of delay based on a delay selection signal that is received at the enable inputs and that selects the amount of delay. The delay chain circuit additionally provides the selected amount of delay to the signal generating circuit, which incorporates the delay into the start signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Gregory J. Mann
  • Publication number: 20140197971
    Abstract: Systems comprising: a first MDAC stage comprising: a sub-ADC that outputs a value based on an input signal; at least two reference capacitors that are charged to a Vref; at least two sampling capacitors that are charged to a Vin; and a plurality of switches that couple the at least two reference capacitors so that they are charged during a sampling phase, that couple the at least two sampling capacitors so that they are charged during the sampling phase, that couple at least one of the reference capacitors so that it is parallel to one of the at least two sampling capacitors during a hold phase, and that couple the other of the at least two sampling capacitors so that it couples the at least one of the reference capacitors and the one of the at least two sampling capacitors to a reference capacitor of a second MDAC stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Jayanth Kuppambatti, Junhua Shen, Peter Kinget
  • Publication number: 20140184432
    Abstract: A method for evaluating capacitor weighting of an analog-to-digital (ADC) is provided. An equivalent weighting value of each composed capacitor in each sub-capacitor-array may be obtained by adding the switch device to the ADC which enables each sub-capacitor-array in a digital-to-analog (DAC) to be measured by each other. The ADC can calculate and then obtain a correct digital output by using the calibrated equivalent weighting and successive approximation result of each input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Xuan-Lun Huang, Hao-Jen Lin, Jiun-Lang Huang
  • Patent number: 8766837
    Abstract: The disclosed device easily and precisely satisfies a requested output range, and is provided with: a ??-modulator (12) which converts a digital input signal to a pulse signal; an input comparison device (11) which compares an input value that corresponds to the digital input signal, and a pre-set threshold value; and a thinned output control unit (14) which, when the result of the comparison by the input comparison device (11) shows that the input value is less than the threshold value, reduces the output value corresponding to the input value in accordance with the size of the difference between the input value and the threshold value, and sets the output value to 0 when the input value is 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Azbil Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kajita, Seita Nashimoto, Naoki Nagashima, Kouji Okuda
  • Publication number: 20140167988
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a DAC circuit and a weight error estimation/calibration method thereof. In the method, an output switching circuit dynamically selects several conversion cells (at least containing know weight conversion cells (KWCC)) as a reference conversion cell group (RCCG) from all conversion cells, and dynamically selects at least one unknown weight conversion cell (UWCC) from all UWCCs. An ADC digitalizes the difference of the output of RCCG and the sum of the outputs of the UWCCs, and inputs the result to a digital controller. The digital controller controls the input of the RCCG according to the output of the ADC to make the output of the RCCG approximate the output of the UWCC. The digital controller uses the outputs of the ADC to work out the actual weights of the UWCCs and stores the actual weights in a calibration memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: HAO-CHIAO HONG, YU-SHIEN WANG
  • Publication number: 20140125504
    Abstract: A continuous time sigma delta analog to digital converter is provided. The continuous time sigma delta analog to digital converter may include, but is not limited to, an analog to digital converter having a feedback loop, and a feedback loop controller coupled to the analog to digital converter, the feedback loop controller configured to adjust delay in the feedback loop by controlling a variable delay component in the feedback loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: Freescale Seconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandt Braswell, Luis J . Briones
  • Patent number: 8717207
    Abstract: A system for processing signals includes an original wave outputting module, a signal sampling module and a signal processing module. The signal processing module includes an SCM, an FGPA chip and an amplifier electrically connected to the SCM. The original wave outputting module outputs an originating wave. The signal sampling module samples the wave, and outputs a plurality of signals. The signal processing module receives the plurality of signals, and outputs an amplified wave. The SCM has a predetermined wave frequency value and a predetermined wave amplitude value. The FGPA chip generates digital signals according to the predetermined wave frequency value. The amplifier amplifies the digital signals according to the predetermined wave amplitude value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kang-Bin Wang
  • Patent number: 8711980
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a receiver may include a downconverter configured to demodulate a modulated wireless signal to produce a current-mode baseband signal and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the current-mode baseband signal into a digital output signal. The downconverter may be coupled to the ADC without an intervening filter element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Intel IP Corporation
    Inventor: Omid Oliaei
  • Publication number: 20140097975
    Abstract: A method for estimating capacitance weight errors of a digital-to-analog converter and a successive approximation (SA) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using the same are disclosed, and the SA ADC includes a comparator, a capacitor set, a switch set and a controller. The capacitor set includes a primary capacitor array including a plurality of binary-weighted capacitors, and a secondary capacitor array including a plurality of binary-weighted capacitors with known capacitance weights. The controller controls the switch set and repeats the steps of pre-charging the primary capacitor array, redistributing electric charges to the primary capacitor array and the secondary capacitor array, and performing a successive approximation binary searching on the primary capacitor array and the secondary capacitor array to calculate the capacitance weight error of each capacitor in the primary capacitor array. The calculated capacitance weight errors are used for calibrating the output of the successive approximation ADC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: National Chiao Tung University
    Inventors: Hao-Chiao HONG, Tsung-Yin HSIEH
  • Publication number: 20140091954
    Abstract: A delay locked loop (DLL) includes a delay line that delays a clock signal to generate a delayed clock signal, a phase frequency detector (PFD) for detecting a phase and/or frequency difference between the clock signal and the delayed clock signal, and a charge pump having an adjustable bias current for converting the phase and/or frequency difference taking into account a bias current adjustment into a control voltage, in which the control voltage controls an amount of delay in the delayed clock signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ning Zhu, Hajime Shibata
  • Publication number: 20140077979
    Abstract: A higher-order DAC and a lower-order DAC each have a plurality of capacitive elements having capacitance values weighted with a binary ratio and are configured so that a first terminal of each of the capacitive elements is connected to a common node and a second terminal thereof is connected to either a first or second voltage selectively. The higher-order DAC and the lower-order DAC are coupled by a coupling capacitor. A higher-order DAC control circuit outputs either a correction control signal or a digital signal output from a successive approximation circuit selectively to the higher-order DAC. The lower-order DAC has at least one variable capacitive element of which a first terminal is connected to the common node and a second terminal is connected to either the first or second voltage selectively depending on a higher-order bit of the digital signal output from the successive approximation circuit to the higher-order DAC.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuji MIKI, Shiro SAKIYAMA, Naoshi YANAGISAWA
  • Publication number: 20140077978
    Abstract: An improved quadrature bandpass-sampling delta-sigma analog-to-digital demodulator is provided, which includes a loop filter, an A/D responsive to the loop filter, and a first feedback D/A responsive to the A/D up-converted in frequency by a first multiplier and a clock. A first summing circuit is responsive to the first D/A and an RF input for providing an input to the loop filter. A plurality of feedback D/As is responsive to the A/D up-converted in different frequencies by a plurality of multipliers and a plurality of clocks for providing feedback inputs to the loop filter. The loop filter comprises a plurality of resonators arranged in cascade configuration, a plurality of analog mixers to provide frequency shifting of the error signals propagating through the resonators, and a plurality of summing circuits responsive to the feedback D/As.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventor: Phuong HUYNH
  • Publication number: 20140070968
    Abstract: An intermediate set of bits of a SAR ADC are converted into first intermediate analog value and a second intermediate analog value respectively from a first set of representative capacitor and a second set of representative capacitor. A capacitor in the first set and second set are selected as not same. A SAR ADC output code is generated from the first intermediate analog value and the second intermediate analog value. The resolution of a N bit SAR ADC can be enhanced by generating more than one N bits digital codes correspondingly operating the N Bit SARADC with more than on transfer functions. Each transfer function is selected such that they are offset by a fraction of LSB value. The more than one N bits digital codes are then added to form P bits digital code such that P is greater than N due to addition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Seetharaman Janakiraman, Minkle Eldho Paul
  • Publication number: 20140062736
    Abstract: A pipeline ADC (analog-to-digital converter) (14) includes a residue amplifier (7) for applying a first residue signal (Vres1) to a first input of a residue amplifier (11A) and to an input of a sub-ADC (8) for resolving a predetermined number (m) of bits and producing a redundancy bit in response to the first residue signal. A level-shifting MDAC (9A) converts the predetermined number of bits and the redundancy bit to an analog signal (10) on the a second input of the residue amplifier, which amplifies the difference between the first residue signal and the analog signal to generate a second residue signal (Vres2). The MDAC causes the residue amplifier to shift the second residue signal back within a predetermined voltage range (±Vref/2) by the end of the amplifying if the second residue signal is outside of the predetermined voltage range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Gautam S. Nandi, Rishubh Khurana
  • Publication number: 20140062737
    Abstract: In an ultra-wideband communication system, a 1-trit ternary analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) having dynamic threshold adaption and providing an output in ternary form [+1, 0, ?1]. The ternary ADC includes a pair of 1-bit binary ADCs, one being configured in a non-inverting form, and one being configured in an inverting form. Each binary ADC includes an feedback network mechanism, thereby allowing for simultaneous and independent adaptation of the pair of thresholds, compensating for the effects of any DC offset that may be present. The use of a trit-based ternary encoding scheme improves system entropy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Decawave Limited
    Inventors: Michael McLaughlin, Mici McCullagh, Ciarán McElroy
  • Publication number: 20140062734
    Abstract: A method is provided. An analog signal is received. The analog input signal is compared to first and second reference signals to generate a first comparison result, and the first comparison result and a first time stamp corresponding to the first comparison result are registered. A first portion of a digital signal is generated from the first comparison result. If the comparison result remains substantially the same for a predetermined interval, an ADC is enabled to generate a second comparison result at a sampling instant. A second time stamp that corresponds to the sampling instant is generated. The second comparison result and a second time stamp corresponding to the first comparison result are registered, and a second portion of the digital signal is generated from the second comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ganesan Thiagarajan, Udayan Dasgupta, Venugopal Gopinathan
  • Publication number: 20140062735
    Abstract: A method is provided. An analog signal is received. The analog input signal is compared to first and second reference signals to generate a first comparison result, and the first comparison result and a first time stamp corresponding to the first comparison result are registered. A first portion of a digital signal is generated from the first comparison result. At least one of the first and second reference signals is adjusted. A second comparison result is generated if the analog signal reaches an adjusted one of the first and second reference signals within a predetermined interval, and a second portion of the digital signal is generated from the second comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Udayan Dasgupta, Ganesan Thiagarajan, Venugopal Gopinathan
  • Publication number: 20140055291
    Abstract: The present invention provides a data processing system which can increase resolution and which has excellent tracking with respect to the switching of a conversion range and is small in conversion error.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Inventors: Kakeru Kimura, Yoshimi Iso, Masakazu Okamura, Masashi Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 8659453
    Abstract: A digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) comprises a plurality of time interleaved analog to digital converters (ADCs) in cooperation with a plurality of time interleaved digital to analog converters (DACs) to provide an effective sampling rate which may be greater than the clock rate of the system. A higher sampling rate at the ADC increases instantaneous bandwidth, while a higher sampling rate at the DAC improves spectral purity. The ADCs and DACs are time interleaved by supplying a clock signal to each ADC/DAC which is skewed with respect to the previous and subsequent skewed signal. In order to process the higher effective sampling rate, a pre-computation of DAC values for each high rate sample is performed by an SDAC algorithm that pipelines the calculations of the processed sample values provided to the DAC. A DAC bias correction is provided to adjust for drift in the DACs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan E. Low, Shawn Walters
  • Patent number: 8660506
    Abstract: There is provided with a residual signal generating circuit in which the capacitive DA converter generates a first difference signal with respect to an input signal based on a criterion voltage, the criterion voltage being indicative of an input range of the input signal, the reference voltage generating circuit divides the criterion voltage to obtain at least one partial voltage signal, the residual signal generating section generates 2N?1 first residual signal according to a difference between the first difference signal and 2N?1?1 first reference signal, the 2N?1?1 first reference signal being 2N?1?1 partial voltage signal among said at least one partial voltage signal generated by the reference voltage generating circuit, the comparator compares the 2N?1 first residual signal with a fixed voltage to obtain 2N?1 first comparison signal each indicative of a logical value, and the decoder decodes the 2N?1 first comparison signal to obtain first data of N bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masanori Furuta, Hirotomo Ishii
  • Publication number: 20140043175
    Abstract: An asynchronous successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC), which utilizes one or more overlapping redundant bits in each digital-to-analog converter (DAC) code word, is operable to generate an indication signal that indicates completion of each comparison step and indicates that an output decision for each comparison step is valid. A timer may be initiated based on the generated indication signal. A timeout signal may be generated that preempts the indication signal and forces a preemptive decision, where the preemptive decision sets one or more remaining bits up to, but not including, the one or more overlapping redundant bits in a corresponding digital-to-analog converter code word for a current comparison step to a particular value. For example, the one or more remaining bits may be set to a value that is derived from a value of a bit that was determined in an immediately preceding decision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Fogleman, Sheng Ye, Xuefeng Chen, Kok Lim Chan
  • Publication number: 20140035767
    Abstract: A main ADC (analog-to-digital converter) for converting an analog input signal into a digital data, and an auxiliary ADC for converting the same analog input signal into an auxiliary digital data, wherein: the main ADC is a successive-approximation-register (SAR) ADC of a first resolution with a first conversion speed; the auxiliary ADC is of a second resolution with a second conversion speed; the second resolution is lower than the first resolution but the second conversion speed is higher than the first conversion speed; and the main ADC generates the digital data by undergoing a process of successive approximation comprising a plurality of steps including a fast-track step that is based on a value of the auxiliary digital data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventor: Chia-Liang Lin
  • Publication number: 20140014821
    Abstract: According to this A/D converter, a first A/D conversion operation for performing integral A/D conversion and a second A/D conversion operation for performing cyclic A/D conversion are realized based on control of operational procedures in a same circuit configuration. Moreover, in the first A/D conversion operation, since a capacity of a capacitor used in the integration of an output signal is greater than a capacity of a capacitor used for storing an input analog signal and a standard reference voltage, the analog signal that is input in the integral A/D conversion is attenuated according to the capacity ratio and subject to sampling and integration. Consequently, the voltage range of the analog signal that is output in the integral A/D conversion also decreases according to the capacity ratio of the capacitors, and the A/D converter can be therefore constructed with a single-ended configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventor: Shoji Kawahito
  • Publication number: 20140015699
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for converting an analog input value to a digital output value is disclosed. A successive approximation is performed. The analog input is quantized to a first quantized value, which is converted to a first analog value using a DAC. The first analog value is subtracted from the analog input value to form a first residue. The first residue is quantized to form a second quantized value, and a second residue is formed by converting the second quantized value to a second analog value using the DAC and subtracting the second analog value from the first residue value. The second residue is then quantized to form a third quantized value. The first, second and third quantized values are converted into a digital output value. The first, second and third quantized values each have at least three levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jian Hua Zhao, Yuxing Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140009316
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a switched capacitor amplifier that includes a switched capacitor network and a complementary push-pull amplifier. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can provide a larger fraction of the charge provided by a power supply and flowing through the amplifier to a capacitive load at the output of the amplifier compared to switched capacitor amplifiers that use single-ended class-A amplifiers. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can be used in a converter stage of a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to improve the ADC's power efficiency and/or bandwidth. It can be further generalized to be used in other applications other than pipelined ADCs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Te Chou, Jiangfeng Wu, Wenbo Liu
  • Patent number: 8624763
    Abstract: An offset cancellation circuit for canceling an offset voltage in an amplifier is provided herein. The offset cancellation circuit includes a current source configured to provide an offset current, a switching stage comprising first and second switches, and a cascode stage. The cascode stage comprises a first cascode device configured to receive the offset current from the first switch and inject the offset current into a first differential end of the amplifier, and a second cascode device configured to receive the offset current from the second switch and inject the offset current into a second differential end of the amplifier. Offset voltages are common to many differential circuits as a result of mismatch. The injection of current by the offset cancellation circuit can reduce or eliminate an offset voltage, while the cascode stage can prevent parasitic capacitance associated with the offset cancellation circuit from creating further mismatch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Bo Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130342376
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital conversion loop adapted to generate a digital output signal corresponding to a low-pass filtered replica of an analog input signal, including an analog adder configured to receive the input analog signal and an analog feedback signal, adapted to generate an analog error signal corresponding to the difference between the analog input signal and the analog feedback signal; an analog-to-digital converter having a nonlinear input-output conversion characteristic defining a larger quantization step the more the input to be converted differs from a null value, configured to receive the analog error signal and to generate a corresponding digital error signal a digital integrator configured to receive the digital error signal, configured to generate the digital output signal corresponding to the time integration of the digital error signal; a digital-to-analog converter, configured to receive the digital output signal and to generate the analog feedback signal as analog replica of the digital out
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Vanni Poletto, Carlo Antonini, Salvatore Cannavacciuolo
  • Publication number: 20130335245
    Abstract: An analog to digital converter includes a digital to analog converting circuit, a comparator and a signal processing circuit. The digital to analog converting circuit samples and holds an analog input signal, and converts digital output data to an analog signal to generate a hold voltage signal. The comparator compares the hold voltage signal with a reference voltage signal in response to a rising edge and a falling edge of a clock signal to generate a comparison output voltage signal. The signal processing circuit performs successive approximation based on the comparison output voltage signal to generate the digital output data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Jung-Ho LEE, Sung-Sang Lim, Yong-Woo Kim, Michael Choi
  • Publication number: 20130331052
    Abstract: Techniques and devices provide analog-to-digital conversion at two or more signal frequencies or frequency hands and can be used to construct multi-mode analog-to-digital converters in various circuits, including receivers and transceivers for wireless communications and radio broadcast environments. Adjustable analog-to-digital converters based on the described techniques can be configured to adjust circuit parameters to adapt the technical specifications of different input signals at different signal frequencies or frequency bands, such as FM, HD-radio, and DAB radio signals in radio receiver applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Henrik Tholstrup Jensen, Jianhua Gan, Seema Anand, Aminghasem Safarian
  • Publication number: 20130321184
    Abstract: A method for operating a SAR assisted pipelined ADC includes enabling a SAR ADC in a current stage circuit for converting an input analog voltage into a digital code during a first time interval, resetting an operational amplifier of an MDAC in the current stage circuit during the first time interval, maintaining the SAR ADC of the current stage circuit in an enabled state for outputting during a second time interval, and enabling the MDAC in the current stage circuit during the second time interval. The method also includes enabling the SAR ADC in the current stage circuit for sampling during a third time interval and connecting the output terminal of the MDAC in the current stage circuit to the input terminal of the next stage circuit during the third time interval. The first, second, and third time intervals are continuous and do not overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventor: Jin-Fu Lin