Converter Compensation Patents (Class 341/118)
  • Patent number: 10804919
    Abstract: A time-interleaved SAR-ADC employs calibrated SAR-ADC circuits to convert sampled voltage levels into serial digital data. Variable delay clock circuits synchronize clock signals received at the respective SAR-ADCs to sampling points of analog serial data. IC and environmental fluctuations cause delay in the variable delay clock circuits to skew the clock signals. A calibrated SAR-ADC detects changes to the delays in the variable delay clock circuits. By delaying a first clock signal in the variable delay clock circuit, and comparing a phase of the delayed clock signal to a phase-shifted clock signal having a known phase shift relative to the first clock signal, a change in the delay of the variable delay clock circuit can be detected as a phase difference. Based on an indication of a phase difference, a delay control signal is generated to control the delay in the variable delay clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Hayden Cranford, Michael Raymond Trombley
  • Patent number: 10804865
    Abstract: A current integrator includes an operational amplifier, an integration capacitor and an offset cancelation capacitor. The operational amplifier includes a first input stage and a second input stage. The first input stage is coupled to an input terminal of the current integrator. The integration capacitor is coupled between the first input stage of the operational amplifier and an output terminal of the current integrator. The offset cancelation capacitor is coupled to the second input stage of the operational amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chieh-An Lin, Yen-Ru Kuo, Jhih-Siou Cheng, Ju-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 10790848
    Abstract: A digital to analog converter (DAC) that receives a binary coded signal and generates an analog output signal includes a binary-to-thermometer decoder and a resistive network. The decoder receives the binary coded signal, and decodes it into thermometer signals. The resistive network has branches that are coupled to an output terminal of the DAC in response to the thermometer signals. Each of the branches includes first and second resistors, and a switch. The first resistor is coupled between a first reference voltage and the switch, and the second resistor is coupled between a second reference voltage and the switch. The switch couples either the first resistor or the second resistor to the output terminal in response to a corresponding thermometer signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Yizhong Zhang, Stefano Pietri, James Robert Feddeler, Michael Todd Berens
  • Patent number: 10790840
    Abstract: Analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuitry to convert an analog signal to a digital signal is disclosed herein. The ADC circuitry can utilize pipelined-interpolation analog-to-digital converters (PIADCs) with adaptation circuitry to correct regenerative amplification cells of the PIADCs. The PIADCs can implement a rotational shuffling scheme for correction of the regenerative amplification cells, where the correction implemented by the regenerative amplification cells allows for offsetting of latches of the regenerative amplification cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventor: Jesper Steensgaard-Madsen
  • Patent number: 10771084
    Abstract: A double data rate comparator includes a double data rate comparator core, the comparator core configured to compare a voltage of an input signal to a reference signal during each of a rising edge and a falling edge in a single clock cycle of a clock input to the comparator core, and a double data rate set-reset flip flop circuit, the set-reset flip flop circuit comprising a set input and a reset input connected to respective outputs of the double data rate comparator core, the set-reset flip flop circuit configured to perform a set-reset operation during the rising edge in the single clock cycle and the falling edge in the single clock cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimmo Koli
  • Patent number: 10763881
    Abstract: A voltage reference noise filter is provided that substantially eliminates noise with minimal external components for any circuit where the reference load current is a constant load and the circuit uses external components that have values that may vary with temperature, over time, and the like. The drift on an output of a voltage reference due to variation of resistor of the external filter is mitigated by moving the external resistor onto the chip containing the circuit. The voltage drop across the resistor is digitally compensated by a scaling factor determined during calibration. When more than one converter is provided on the chip, a further adjustment to the outputs of the converters is made based on the number of converters powered on or off. Also, error in output of converters due to mismatch among the converters is digitally compensated by a further scaling factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Venkata Aruna Srikanth Nittala, Abhilasha Kawle, Rajasekar Rajendran
  • Patent number: 10763890
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for performing computational operations on input unary bit streams using one or more scaling networks. In some examples, a device is configured to perform a digital computational operation, where the device includes a plurality of input wires and a plurality of output wires. Each input wire is configured to receive a respective input bit of an encoded input value, and each output wire is configured to output a respective output bit of an encoded output value. The device also includes scaling network circuitry configured to apply a function to the encoded input value by electrically routing at least one input wire of the plurality of input wires to at least two output wires of the plurality of output wires. The device can also include hybrid binary/unary computations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Regents of University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Soheil Mohajer, Zhiheng Wang, Kiarash Bazargan, Sayed Abdolrasoul Faraji
  • Patent number: 10756752
    Abstract: A circuit device includes a selector to which first to n-th voltages are input, an A/D converter circuit to which output voltages of the selector are input as input voltages, and first to n-th quantization error hold circuits that hold charges corresponding to quantization errors in A/D conversion of the first to n-th voltages. The A/D converter circuit performs A/D conversion of an input voltage by a successive approximation operation using a charge redistribution type D/A converter circuit and performs k-th A/D conversion on an i-th voltage by using a charge held in an i-th quantization error hold circuit in (k?1)th A/D conversion of the i-th voltage to output A/D conversion result data DOUT in which the quantization error is noise-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10756744
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a segmented R-DAC are disclosed. In one embodiment, a segmented R-DAC includes first and second DACs arranged to receive most and least significant bits, respectively. The segmented R-DAC also includes a first capacitor coupled between an output of the first DAC and an output of the second DAC, and a second capacitor coupled between the output of the second DAC and a ground node. The capacitance of the second capacitor has a value that is a predetermined multiple of the capacitance value of the first capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Utku Seckin, Simone Gambini, Michael D. Scott
  • Patent number: 10749544
    Abstract: Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first integrator to receive an input signal and to generate a first output; a second integrator to receive the first output or a version of the first output and to generate a second output; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to quantize the second output into a digital representation, the ADC including a detection circuit to detect an overload condition in the second output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: John G. Kauffman, Krzysztof Dufrene
  • Patent number: 10749542
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an asynchronous successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC) with word completion algorithm may include a SAR ADC comprising a plurality of switched capacitors, a comparator, a metastability detector including a timer having a tunable time interval, and a successive approximation register. The SAR ADC may sample input signals at inputs of the switched capacitors; compare signals at outputs of the switched capacitors, each for a respective bit; sense whether a metastability condition exists for the comparator using the timer and setting a metastability flag upon each metastability detection for each bit; increase a value of the tunable time interval if more than one metastability flag is set during conversion of a sampled input signal; decrease a value of the tunable time interval if no metastability flags are set; and use the flags for a word completion in the cases when not all the bits have been evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Luxtera LLC.
    Inventor: Oleksiy Zabroda
  • Patent number: 10742229
    Abstract: A system includes an input shuffling circuit and digital-to-analog conversion circuitry. The input shuffling circuit includes a data input, a data output, and a control input. The input shuffling circuit is operable to receive, via the data input, an N-bit binary value, where N is an integer. The input shuffling circuit is operable to route each of the N bits of the N-bit binary word to one or more of M bits of the data output to generate an M-bit value, where M=2N, and the routing is based on a control value applied to the control input. The input shuffling circuit can be configured either in a dynamic element matching (DEM) mode or a regular binary to thermometer mode. The digital-to-analog conversion circuitry is operable to convert the M-bit value to a corresponding analog voltage and/or current. M different values of the control value may result in M different routings of the N bits of the binary word.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: MAXLINEAR, INC.
    Inventors: Rakesh Kumar Palani, Suman Sah
  • Patent number: 10742226
    Abstract: The invention discloses a multi-channel high-precision ADC circuit with self-calibration of mismatch error, belonging to the technical field of integrated circuit. The multi-channel high-precision ADC circuit with self-calibration of mismatch error comprises a gain error compensation circuit, a clock phase error compensation circuit, an N-bit analog-digital converter of M-channel, a gain error quantization circuit, a clock phase error quantization circuit and a control circuit. The multi-channel high-precision ADC circuit with self-calibration of mismatch error can automatically choose the calibration precision according to system precision and hardware overhead, and has the characteristic of low power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: The 58th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenhai Chen, Jinghe Wei, Ningye He, Yan Xue, Zongguang Yu, Jianghua Gui, Yu Zhou
  • Patent number: 10735021
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a multi-bit Delta-Sigma modulator is disclosed herein. The method includes at least one main multi-bit digital-analogue converter in a return loop for generating a return signal subtracted from an input of the modulator. The main converter includes a plurality of elementary source cells at least some of which, referred to as active cells, are associated with the various input bits of the converter for generating the return signal. The output level of these active source cells is adjustable under the action of a matching signal that comes from a calibration circuit receiving an output signal from the modulator at its input. The calibration circuit includes a generator of a calibration sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: SCALINX
    Inventor: Marie Hervé
  • Patent number: 10735115
    Abstract: This specification discloses methods and systems for implementing a chip integrated scope (i.e., chip scope (CS)), which is a feature that allows a user to scope RF signals (internally and externally to the DUT (device under test)), by using the RF receive path (including amplifier, filter, ADC, DSP) to capture and store signal traces. In some embodiments, this specification discloses methods and systems to enhance the resolution and accuracy of these signal traces by using raw and correction data for gain/phase compensation of gain/phase impairments introduced in the Rx (receiver) path. In some embodiments, the correction data is generated from one or more of the following: simulation data, characterization data, production test data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Gernot Hueber, Ian Thomas Macnamara
  • Patent number: 10734981
    Abstract: A method for generating a periodic ramp waveform may include in a sampling phase of each period of operation of a ramp-generation circuit, sampling a reference voltage onto a sampling capacitor. The method may also include in a transfer phase of each period of operation of the ramp-generation circuit: discharging the reference voltage from the sampling capacitor through at least one resistor to generate a current and generating the periodic ramp waveform by integrating the current with at least one integrating capacitor, wherein a duration of the transfer phase is significantly smaller than a time constant defined by a capacitance of the sampling capacitor and a resistance of the at least one resistor, such that the reference voltage discharges linearly from the sampling capacitor as a function of time during the transfer phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Cirrus Logic, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramin Zanbaghi
  • Patent number: 10735014
    Abstract: An error compensation correction device for a pipeline analog-to-digital converter includes a correction pipeline stage and a conventional pipeline stage. For each correction pipeline stage, a corresponding error estimation circuit, a level edge detection circuit, a random level generation circuit, and MUX circuit being provided. The present disclosure can track and correct non-ideal properties and mismatching errors in real time over time along with the change of the surroundings without interrupting the ADC normal work of the pipeline. Thus the correction value is closer to the real situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: CHINA ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, 24TH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Jie Pu, Gang-yi Hu, Dong-Bing Fu, Xi Chen, Xing-Fa Huang, Yu-Xin Wang, Guang-Bing Chen, Ru-Zhang Li
  • Patent number: 10727853
    Abstract: A DAC has a plurality DAC cells, and timing mismatch among the DAC cells can introduce errors in an output of a DAC. An efficient technique can be implemented to extract the timing error of a DAC cell. The technique involves a mixer to mix the timing error to DC (DC stands for direct current, where signal frequency is zero) and a VCO ADC to observe the output of the DAC cell to measure and extract the timing error. A first measurement is made using a first quadrature phase signal and a second measurement is made using a second quadrature phase signal. A difference between the first measurement and the second measurement yields the timing error of the DAC cell. Advantageously, the mixer can be integrated within a voltage-to-current converter of the VCO ADC. The timing error can be corrected in the digital domain or analog domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES INTERNATIONAL UNLIMITED COMPANY
    Inventors: Jialin Zhao, Matthew Louis Courcy, Wenhua W. Yang, Gerard E. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10728063
    Abstract: In a PAM-N receiver, sampler reference levels, DC offset and AFE gain may be jointly adapted to achieve optimal or near-optimal boundaries for the symbol decisions of the PAM-N signal. For reference level adaptation, the hamming distances between two consecutive data samples and their in-between edge sample are evaluated. Reference levels for symbol decisions are adjusted accordingly such that on a data transition, an edge sample has on average, equal hamming distance to its adjacent data samples. DC offset may be compensated to ensure detectable data transitions for reference level adaptation. AFE gains may be jointly adapted with sampler reference levels such that the difference between a reference level and a pre-determined target voltage is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventor: Nanyan Wang
  • Patent number: 10727885
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for intermodulation product (IMP) cancellation. In one embodiment, the method comprises: acquiring copies of source signals that create IMPs in a passband of interest; creating copies of the IMPs for use as IMP cancellation signals by either multiplying the source signals together as a series of digital samples such that the multiplied signals create a near real and continuous time copy of the IMPs or creating a sum of the source signals in near real and continuous time and convolving the sum of the source signals with a mathematical model to effectively multiply the signals together to create a copy of the IMPs; adjusting one or both of phase and amplitude of the copies; and using the copies to cancel the IMPs inband of the passband of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: FINESSE WIRELESS, LLC
    Inventor: Francis J. Smith
  • Patent number: 10727861
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital convertor circuit converts the output of a loop filter circuit to a digital signal. A random sequence generation circuit generates a random sequence. Adder circuitry adds the random sequence to the digital signal to generate a randomized digital signal. Noise transfer function impulse response detection circuitry processes the randomized digital signal and the random sequence to determine a noise transfer function impulse response. Loop filter configuration circuitry configures the loop filter circuit based on the noise transfer function impulse response. The random sequence generation circuit may comprises a high-pass sigma delta modulator. The noise transfer function impulse response detection circuitry may determine the noise transfer function impulse response, and the loop filter configuration circuitry may configure the loop filter based on the noise transfer function impulse response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: MaxLinear, Inc.
    Inventors: Chandrajit Debnath, Abhishek Ghosh, Rishi Mathur, Anand Mohan Pappu
  • Patent number: 10720933
    Abstract: Comparator input noise or offset suppression can include an error detector circuit that can operate in a feedback loop, such as during an autozero phase. The error detector circuit can include a time-varying filter response to improve accuracy and convergence time. The comparator can be used in a successive approximation routine (SAR) or other analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit, such as to control a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), such as can be used to adjust a tuning circuit within the comparator to compensate for noise or offset. The DAC can be combined with a DAC used for carrying out SAR bit-trials or bit decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: Hongxing Li
  • Patent number: 10715160
    Abstract: Noise sources in an ADC circuit can include kT/C noise of a sampling capacitor, noise coupling on to sampling capacitors from digital circuits, and amplifier noise. Also, charge injection from mismatch in sample switches can cause offsets. These various noise sources can be largely canceled or reduced using described techniques. As a result, the size of the sampling capacitors can be greatly reduced, while still achieving significantly improved noise performance and power efficiency for the overall converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices International Unlimited Company
    Inventors: Sanjay Rajasekhar, Jesper Steensgaard-Madsen, Hongxing Li, Christopher Peter Hurrell
  • Patent number: 10715163
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for Successive Approximation Register Analog-to-Digital Converter (SAR ADC) by coupling an ADC capacitive network coupled to a comparator; and performing binary search using a comparator output using a capacitive DAC calibration process to enhance SAR ADC linearity and performance. In one implementation, the calibration process starts with the least significant bit (LSB) capacitor calibration then proceed to higher bit capacitors until all the capacitors are calibrated. Each capacitor consists of fixed-value base capacitor and value-adjustable capacitor. The capacitor calibration logic is implemented based on the process then incorporated into SAR ADC. ADC performs capacitor calibration first before normal conversion operation. The non-ideal aspect of normal conversion operation is preserved and accounted during capacitor calibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: IPGREAT INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Yuan-Ju Chao
  • Patent number: 10715172
    Abstract: Disclosed is an analog-to-digital converter with an adjustable operation frequency for noise reduction. The operation frequency of the analog-to-digital converter is adjustable, and if an input signal or a circuit is affected by a noise, the noise can be reduced by spreading the frequency distribution of the noise. A clock generator generates a clock signal for controlling the operation frequency of the analog-to-digital converter. Additionally, a clock controller receives a setting signal and a counting signal, controls the clock generator, and adjusts the frequency of the clock signal. In addition, a counter counts the number of periods of the clock signal, and generates the counting signal. Furthermore, a selecting signal makes the frequency of the clock signal gradually increase or decrease with time, thereby allowing change rate or change amount of the frequency of the clock signal to be adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HYCON TECHNOLOGY CORP
    Inventors: Po-Yin Chao, Hung-Wei Chen, Shui-Chu Lee
  • Patent number: 10707781
    Abstract: Systems, methods, techniques and apparatuses of power converters are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment is a method of controlling and modulating a converter with a controller including forming a mathematical representation of the electrical system including the converter, providing reference values for controlled variables, calculating gradients of controlled variables based on the mathematical representation of the electrical system, determining possible switching sequences in the modulation period, the switching sequence defining the order in which the switches are switched, for each possible switching sequence, minimizing the error between the provided references and the corresponding controlled variables based on the calculated gradients by optimizing the switching time instants of the switching sequence, selecting the switching sequence with the smallest error, and applying the switching sequence with the corresponding switching times in the modulation period to modulate the controllable switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Tobias Geyer, Petros Karamanakos
  • Patent number: 10693484
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibrating a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is disclosed. A method includes reading a first output level from a first sub-ADC, reading one or more additional output levels from one or more additional sub-ADCs, combining the one or more additional output levels from the one or more additional sub-ADCs into a combined output level, and adjusting a comparator threshold of the first sub-ADC when the first output level and the combined output level meet a set of predetermined conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE. LIMITED
    Inventors: Mo Maggie Zhang, Chun-Ying Chen, Massimo Brandolini, Pin-En Su
  • Patent number: 10694007
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for detection and mitigation of defects within a preamble portion of a signal, such as a data sector preamble recorded to a data storage medium. In certain embodiments, an apparatus may comprise a circuit configured to synchronize a sampling phase for sampling a signal pattern. The circuit may sample a preamble field of the signal pattern to obtain sample values, split the sample values into a plurality of groups, determine defect groups having samples corresponding to defects in the preamble field, remove the defect groups from the plurality of groups, and synchronize the sampling phase based on the plurality of groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jason Vincent Bellorado, Marcus Marrow
  • Patent number: 10693491
    Abstract: A receiver is described, the receiver comprising an ABB filter stage, an ADC stage. The ABB filter stage comprises an ABB filter stage input configured to receive an analog baseband, BB, signal and an ABB filter stage output configured to provide a filtered analog BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC stage input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal and an ADC stage output configured to provide a digital BB signal. The ADC stage comprises an ADC comprising an ADC input configured to receive the filtered analog BB signal or a signal derived therefrom as an ADC input signal, and wherein the ADC is configured to perform an analog-to-digital, A/D, conversion of the ADC input signal to derive the digital BB signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimmo Koli
  • Patent number: 10680639
    Abstract: A circuit device includes an A/D converter circuit that performs A/D conversion by successive approximation using a charge redistribution type D/A converter circuit having capacitor array circuits on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side, and quantization error hold circuits that hold charges corresponding to a quantization error in the A/D conversion. The quantization error hold circuits include quantization error hold circuits on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side having one ends connected to sampling nodes of the capacitor array circuits on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side. The quantization error hold circuits on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side are placed on a second direction side orthogonal to a first direction in which the capacitor array circuits on the positive electrode side and the negative electrode side are placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Tanaka, Fumikazu Komatsu
  • Patent number: 10680630
    Abstract: An interleaved analog to digital converter (“ADC”) includes a first ADC having an input for sampling an analog signal during a first time period, an output for providing a digital signal, and a power supply terminal for receiving a first power supply voltage, a second ADC having an input for sampling the analog signal during a second time period, an output for providing a digital signal, and a power supply terminal for receiving a second power supply voltage, a first skew estimator for estimating a skew value of the first ADC, a second skew estimator for estimating a skew value of the second ADC, and a comparator for comparing the skew values, adjusting the first power supply voltage in response to a first output value of the comparator, and adjusting the second power supply voltage in response to a second output value of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: STMICROELCTRONICS S.A.
    Inventor: Olivier David
  • Patent number: 10673448
    Abstract: A system and method for regulating transfer characteristics of an integral analog-to-digital converter are provided. The system comprises a cascade N-stage integrator structure having N integrators, the input end of the first integrator is connected to a voltage, the output end of each integrator is connected to the input end of the adjacent integrator, and the output end of the Nth integrator is connected to an output node (VRAMP). Wherein, the N is positive integer greater than or equal to 2. In the cascade multistage integrator structure, the voltage of the output node (VRAMP) is in direct proportion relation with the time to the power of N. By adopting a cascade multistage integrator according to the present disclosure, it is simple to regulate transfer characteristics of the ADC, and the cascade digital signal processing is convenient, which can reduce the ADC conversion time and improve the ADC conversion rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: SHANGHAI IC R&D CENTER CO., LTD, CHENGDU IMAGE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xuehong He, Changming Pi, Hailing Yang
  • Patent number: 10663928
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device comprises an integrated circuit and a processor. The processor is configured to: determine whether there is an abnormality occurring in the integrated circuit; and stop power supply to the integrated circuit if there is an abnormality occurring in the integrated circuit, and supply power to the integrated circuit after stopping the power supply for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Yonemoto
  • Patent number: 10659069
    Abstract: Analog circuits are often non-linear, and the non-linearities can hurt performance. Designers would trade off power consumption to achieve better linearity. An efficient and effective calibration technique can address the non-linearities and reduce the overall power consumption. A dither signal injected to the analog circuit can be used to expose the non-linear behavior in the digital domain. To detect the non-linearities, a counting approach is applied to isolate non-linearities independent of the input distribution. The approach is superior to and different from other approaches in many ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: ANALOG DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Ahmed Mohamed Abdelatty Ali, Paridhi Gulati
  • Patent number: 10637424
    Abstract: Systems and methods for processing information present in a digital audio stream to obtain a measure of gain of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) preamplifier are disclosed. In one implementation, a method of processing information present in a digitally sampled stream to obtain a measure of ADC preamplifier gain used to digitize the output of a known transducer comprises transforming time-domain digital samples into the frequency domain through use of a discrete Fourier transform (DFT), and using knowledge of the maximum effective frequency associated with the frequency response of the transducer to process frequency-domain data to obtain a measure of the gain of the ADC preamplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: ShotSpotter, Inc.
    Inventors: Murphey L. Johnson, Mark A. Sompel, Robert B. Calhoun
  • Patent number: 10631251
    Abstract: A gain control circuit in a wireless distribution system (WDS) is provided. The gain control circuit generates a combined digital communications signal based on a number of received radio frequency (RF) communications signals. The combined digital communications signal has a digital amplitude(s) representing a summed analog power level(s) of the RF communications signals in a predefined number of binary bits. When the summed analog power level(s) exceeds a maximum analog power level represented by the digital amplitude(s) in the predefined number of binary bits, the gain control circuit determines a selected RF communications signal(s) causing the summed analog power level to exceed the maximum analog power level and attenuates the selected RF communications signal(s) to reduce the summed analog power level to below the maximum analog power level. As such, it is possible to achieve a calculated balance between performance, complexity, and cost in the gain control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC
    Inventor: Dror Harel
  • Patent number: 10623012
    Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for a digital-to-analog (DAC) converter, that can be part of a variable capacitor and/or a match network. The DAC can include a digital input, an analog output, N contributors (e.g., switched capacitors), and an interconnect topology connecting the N contributors, generating a sum of their contributions (e.g., sum of capacitances), and providing the sum to the analog output. The N contributors can form a sub-binary sequence when their contributions to the sum are ordered by average contribution. Also, the gap size between a maximum contribution of one contributor, and a minimum contribution of a subsequent contributor, is less than D, where D is less than or equal to two time a maximum contribution of the first or smallest of the N contributors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gideon Van Zyl
  • Patent number: 10615692
    Abstract: A series capacitor buck converter includes a first half-bridge circuit including a first high side power switch (HSA) and first low side power switch (LSA) connected in series having a first switching node (SWA) therebetween which drives a first output inductor, a second half-bridge circuit including a second HS power switch (HSB) and second LS power switch (LSB) connected in series having a second switching node (SWB) therebetween which drives a second output inductor. A transfer capacitor (Ct) is connected in series with HSA and LSA and between the first and second half-bridge circuits. A first current source is coupled for precharging Ct with a charging current (I_in) and a second current source is coupled to Ct for providing an output current (I_out). A feedback network providing negative feedback forces I_out to match I_in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Joseph Maurice Khayat, Sergio Carlo-Rodriquez, Michael G. Amaro, Ramanathan Ramani, Pradeep S. Shenoy
  • Patent number: 10608657
    Abstract: An AD conversion apparatus includes an AD conversion unit; a reference voltage switching unit that is disposed between an output of a sensor and an analog input terminal of the AD conversion unit and is connectable to the output of the sensor and a plurality of reference voltage lines; and a control unit to control switching the reference voltage input to the AD conversion unit by connecting the reference voltage switching unit to one of the reference voltage lines and to the output of the sensor. An analog output value of the sensor is input to the analog input terminal of the AD conversion unit via the reference voltage switching unit and is converted into a digital value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Ito, Satoru Ishizaka, Keiji Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 10602590
    Abstract: A transceiver in a lighting system may include a digital isolation component having multiple channels and an isolation barrier. The digital isolation component may accept an outbound digital signal or an inbound digital signal. On a first channel, the outbound signal may be modulated with a high-frequency signal, and provided across the isolation barrier to the non-isolated side. On the non-isolated side, a modified outbound signal may be generated based on the modulated high-frequency signal. On a second channel, the inbound signal may be modulated with a high-frequency signal that is provided across the isolation barrier to the isolated side. On the isolated side, a modified inbound signal may be generated based on the modulated high-frequency signal. The transceiver may include a voltage level comparator configured to adjust voltage levels of the signals, or an edge transition or duty cycle balancer configured to adjust edges of the signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ABL IP HOLDING LLC
    Inventors: Dalibor Zulim, Stefan-Cristian Rezeanu, Nathaniel Christopher Herwig
  • Patent number: 10594330
    Abstract: Methods adapted for digital-to-analog conversion compensation and systems are described. In a compensation method, inputs of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) are adjusted to provide an even number inputs for the DAC. Further, one or more analog input signals are converted to generate one or more corresponding digital output signals. The one or more digital output signals are compensated to compensate for the adjustment of the inputs of the DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Francesco Conzatti, Patrick Torta, Lukas Doerrer, Marco Bresciani, Claus Kropf
  • Patent number: 10594333
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit is present, which is particularly suitable for use in an image sensor. The ADC circuit includes a comparator and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit. The DAC circuit includes two or more charge paths electrically coupled to the output node. Each charge path is formed by one or more charge-injection cells electrically coupled via a gain capacitor to the output node, and a charge conversion capacitor electrically coupled in parallel with the one or more charge-injection cells. Each charge-injection cell is configured to transfer a fixed amount of charge from a charge source to an associated charge path and includes at least one switch configured to isolate the charge source from the output node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Kyojin Choo, Dennis Sylvester, David T. Blaauw, Li Xu
  • Patent number: 10587280
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) device includes a DAC circuitry, a calibration circuitry, and a randomization circuitry. The DAC circuitry includes a first DAC circuit and a second DAC circuit. The first DAC circuit is configured to generate a first signal according to least significant bits of an input signal. The second DAC circuit is configured to output a second signal. The calibration circuitry is configured to compare the first signal with the second signal, in order to calibrate the second DAC circuit. The randomization circuitry is configured to randomize most significant bits of the input signal, in order to generate first control signals, in which the second DAC circuit is further configured to generate the second signal according to the most significant bits or the first control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chih-Lung Chen, Shih-Hsiung Huang
  • Patent number: 10581445
    Abstract: A system can include an analog input port; a digital output port; and a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The SAR ADC can include a voltage comparator Vd having a first input, a second input, and an output; a first plurality of capacitors Cp[0:n] that are coupled with the analog input port and each have a top plate and a bottom plate; a second plurality of capacitors Cn[0:n] that are coupled with the analog input port and each have a top plate and a bottom plate; and a SAR controller coupled between the output of the voltage comparator Vd and the digital output port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Avnera Corporation
    Inventors: Jianping Wen, Garry Link, Wai Laing Lee
  • Patent number: 10579086
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, a circuit is provided that includes a current source with a calibrated trim circuit whose output current varies with transconductance of the current source, and tracks a current mismatch between the current source and another current source under varying bias currents and temperatures. The trim circuit may include at least one calibration digital to analog converter (CAL DAC), which may be driven by a bias circuit generating current proportional to the transconductance of the current source. In an example embodiment, the trim circuit may include at least two CAL DACs, whose output current may vary with bias current only, and with bias current and temperature. A method to calibrate the CAL DACs includes varying calibration settings of the CAL DACs under different bias currents until the output current of the trim circuit substantially accurately tracks the current mismatch under disparate bias currents and temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Analog Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Haiyang Zhu, Wenhua W. Yang, Nathan T. Egan
  • Patent number: 10574257
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a delta sigma modulator. A first portion of the delta sigma modulator may form a digital predictor while a second portion of the delta sigma modulator may form an analog approximator. An output of the analog approximator may be coupled with a quantizer. The digital predictor, the analog approximator, and the quantizer may form a digitizing loop configured to convert an analog input into a digital output. The digital predictor may be configured to generate, based on a polarity of one or more digital outputs from the quantizer, a digital prediction of an expected amplitude of the analog input. The quantizer may be configured to respond to the digital prediction by adjusting a dynamic range of the digitizing loop including by changing a quantization step size used by the quantizer to quantize the analog input. Related methods are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Chul Kim, Siddharth Joshi, Gert Cauwenberghs
  • Patent number: 10574249
    Abstract: Capacitor arrays and methods of operating a digital to analog converter are described. In an embodiment, a capacitor array includes a unit capacitor (Cu) structure characterized by a unit capacitance value, a plurality of different super-unit capacitor structures, and a plurality of different sub-unit capacitor structures, each different sub-unit capacitor structure having a different capacitance defined by a division of the unit capacitance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Tao Wang, Mansour Keramat, Yi Chun A. Fu
  • Patent number: 10574250
    Abstract: Digital calibration systems and related methods are disclosed for multi-stage analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). For one embodiment, a multi-stage ADC includes an initial ADC, an additional ADC, and calibration logic. The initial ADC generates an output signal and N-bit digital values that are based upon an input signal. The additional ADC receives the output signal from the initial ADC and generates M-bit digital values that are based upon the output signal. The calibration logic receives the N-bit digital values and the M-bit digital values and generates correction values. The correction values are based upon differences between maximum values and minimum values for M-bit digital values associated with different regions determined by the N-bit digital values. Digital conversion outputs for the multi-stage ADC are provided as combinations of the N-bit digital values and the M-bit digital values corrected with the correction values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: NXP USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandt Braswell, George Kunnen, Mark Lancaster
  • Patent number: 10560112
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that has a configurable capacitor array. Based on measurements of differential nonlinearity (DNL) and/or integral nonlinearity (INL) error by an external test computer system, an order for use of the DAC's capacitors can be determined so as to reduce DNL error aggregation, also called INL. The DAC includes a switch matrix that can be programmed by programming data supplied by the test computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas Fuchs, Rudiger Kuhn, Bernhard Wolfgang Ruck
  • Patent number: 10560252
    Abstract: An apparatus for time aware audio streams is described herein. The apparatus includes a converter and an alignment unit. The converter is to perform sample rate conversion of data from a first clock to a second clock. The alignment unit is to indicate valid sample points in the data based on a relationship between the first clock and the second clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony S. Bock, Kevin B. Stanton, Christopher S. Hall