Multiplex Patents (Class 341/141)
  • Patent number: 8937566
    Abstract: In a method of processing an abnormal digital/analog convertor (DAC) of a video card, the video card comprising a first DAC and a second DAC, the video card connecting to an output interface. The method controls the video card to use the first DAC for converting data to the output interface through a first switch and at least one second switches in the video card. The method further detects whether the first DAC works normally. When the first DAC is determined to work abnormally, the method switches the first DAC to the second DAC for converting the data to the output interface through the first switch and the at least one second switches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chih-Huang Wu
  • Patent number: 8928514
    Abstract: A harmonic time interleave (HTI) system can include a sample clock to provide a reference signal, a summing component to receive the reference signal and a second input, a splitter component to receive an input signal, and delay blocks to each receive an output from the splitter. The HTI system can also include digitizing components to receive the reference signal from the sample clock and an output from each of the mixing components, and a poly-phase filter matrix block to receive an output from each of the digitizing components. The HTI system can also include an interleave reconstruction block to receive an output from the poly-phase filter matrix block and interleave time domain signal samples from each digitizer to create a reconstructed waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventor: John J. Pickerd
  • Patent number: 8907825
    Abstract: Imbalance and distortion cancellation for composite analog to digital converter (ADC). Such an ‘ADC’ is implemented using two or more ADCs may be employed for sampling (e.g., quantizing, digitizing, etc.) of an analog (e.g., continuous time) signal in accordance with generating a digital (e.g., discrete time) signal. Using at least two ADCs allows for the accommodation and sampling of various signals having a much broader dynamic range without suffering degradation in signal to noise ratio (SNR). Generally, the signal provided via at least one of the paths corresponding to at least one of the respective ADCs is scaled (e.g., attenuated), so that the various ADCs effectively sample signals of different magnitudes. The ADCs may respectively correspond to different magnitude and/or power levels (e.g., high power, lower power, any intermediary power level, etc.). Various implementations of compensation may be performed along the various paths corresponding to the respective ADCs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas J. Kolze, Bruce J. Currivan, Ramon Gomez, Loke Tan, Lin He
  • Patent number: 8907828
    Abstract: A method for testing the material of a test object (8) in a nondestructive manner, said test object being moved relative to a probe (1) at a variable relative speed, comprises the following steps: detecting a probe signal (US) by means of the probe (1), subjecting the probe signal (US) to analog-to-digital conversion in order to generate a digitized probe signal (USD) in the form of a sequence of digital words with a predefined, in particular constant, word repetition rate, n-stage decimation of the word repetition rate of the digitized probe signal (USD) or of a digital demodulation signal (UM) derived from the digitized probe signal by means of n cascaded decimation stages (5_1 to 5_n), where n?2, selecting an output signal (UA_1 to UA_n) of one of the n decimation stages (5_1 to 5_n) depending on the instantaneous relative speed and filtering the selected output signal by means of a digital filter (7), which is clocked with the word repetition rate of the selected output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Institut Dr. Foerster GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Bernhard Holzmayer, Michael Halter
  • Patent number: 8896757
    Abstract: There is provided a delta-sigma A/D converter including a first integrator, a second integrator located on an output side of the first integrator, a quantizer located on an output side of the second integrator, and a first current D/A converter receiving an output of the quantizer and providing a negative feedback signal to an input side of the quantizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8890739
    Abstract: A time interleaving Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) comprises a plurality of ADCs; a timing generator that generates a clock signal for each of the ADCs such that edges of said clock signals trigger sampling of an input signal by the ADCs; and a timing adjustment circuit to receive and adjust the clock signals before the clock signals are received by the ADCs such that samplings of said input signal are spaced in time and occur at a rate of 1/N times a desired sampling rate; and circuit for adjusting the bandwidth of the plurality of ADCs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Crest Semiconductors, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald E. Lewis, Ryan James Kier, Rex K. Hales, Yusuf Haque
  • Patent number: 8890730
    Abstract: An apparatus for calibration of a signal converter is disclosed. This apparatus includes a first digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”) and a calibration system coupled to an output port of the first DAC. The calibration system includes a second DAC. The calibration system is configured to provide an adjustment signal responsive to a spurious spectral performance parameter in an output of the first DAC. The spurious spectral performance parameter is sensitive to a timing error associated with the first DAC. The calibration system is coupled to provide the adjustment signal to the first DAC to correct the timing error of the first DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Xilinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Donnacha Lowney, Christophe Erdmann, Edward Cullen
  • Patent number: 8890728
    Abstract: According to one mode of implementation, a method includes an estimation including on the one hand a correlation processing involving at least one part of the sampled signal, at least one part of at least one first signal gleaned from a derived signal representative of a temporal derivative of the sampled signal and at least one part of N partial filtered signals respectively representative of N weighted differences between N pairs of bracketing versions flanking the sampled signal, N being greater than or equal to 1. On the other hand, the estimation includes a matrix processing on the results of this correlation processing. Correction processing of the M?1 trains involves respectively M?1 second signals gleaned from the derived signal and the suite of M?1 shift coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics SA
    Inventors: Nicolas Le Dortz, Thierry Simon, Pascal Urard, Caroline Lelandais-Perrault
  • Patent number: 8884629
    Abstract: A digital sensing device includes a sensor diagnostic system for detecting sensor fault conditions. The sensor diagnostic system including an input multiplexer applying a first burnout current or a second burnout current to a selected input channel and a near-rail detector configured to detect when an input voltage of the digital sensing device is near a positive power supply or near a negative power supply. The burnout current injection is applied without interfering with the sensor data. In other embodiments, the sensor diagnostic system may further include an overload detector configured to detect an overflow or underflow condition at the analog-to-digital converter. The sensor diagnostic system may further include a window comparator to detect when the ADC digital output is near a zero digital value. Finally, the sensor diagnostic system may further include a sensor flag generator to generate data flags indicative of sensor fault conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: D V J Ravi Kumar, Theertham Srinivas, Gururaj Ghorpade
  • Patent number: 8878570
    Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a configurable interface. The configurable interface includes an operational amplifier, a programmable gain amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter and a first select circuit. The first select circuit is configured to selectively couple the operational amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to a first control signal. The first select circuit is further configured to selectively couple the programmable gain amplifier to the analog-to-digital converter in response to the first control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Axel Thomsen
  • Patent number: 8878709
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a semiconductor integrated circuit including: line buffers; an alpha channel first selector; an alpha channel digital-to-analog converter; a beta channel digital-to-analog converter; a redundant digital-to-analog converter; an alpha channel second selector; a beta channel second selector; an alpha channel amplifier; and a beta channel amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hyodo, Takashi Ichirizuka, Takuya Kimoto, Minoru Togo
  • Patent number: 8860591
    Abstract: An ADC which samples an analog input signal at a sampling frequency and converts the analog input signal to a digital output signal, has N analog digital converter (ADC) channels which convert the analog input signal into the digital output signal by time interleaving, a channel synthesizer which synthesizes channel digital signals output respectively by the ADC channels to generate the digital output signal, an adaptive filter provided at at least one output of the ADC channels, and a correction circuit which generates a coefficient of the adaptive filter in accordance with the digital output signal. The correction circuit calculates a DC component of an image signal component, from among an analog input signal component and the image signal component corresponding to error, both being included in the digital output signal, and calculates the coefficient such that the DC component is suppressed on the basis of the DC component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventor: Takeshi Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20140300500
    Abstract: The objective of the invention is to provide an A/D converter that exhibits fewer malfunctions due to variations in manufacturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: JAPAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Hao San, Tsubasa Maruyama, Masao Hotta
  • Patent number: 8854241
    Abstract: A method and system for monitoring an output of an electronic processing component which detects an out-of-range value in the output of the electronic processing component during one time period during which one channel of input channels of a time multiplexer provides an input signal to the electronic processing component. Corrective actions are performed based on the detected out-of-range value. The corrective actions including excluding further multiplexing of signals from the one channel of the input channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Hess, Kirk Lillestolen
  • Publication number: 20140292551
    Abstract: A sampling and interleaving stage device for use in an analog-digital-converter and for providing a sampling output signal and an analog-to-digital-converter. The sampling and interleaving stage device for use in an analog-digital-converter, including: a receiving unit having a clock unit with a plurality of clock-driven switches for receiving an input signal; for each of the plurality of clock-driven switches, a first demultiplexer, for receiving the input signal via a clock-driven switch and for providing a number of first demultiplexer outputs; for a first demultiplexer output, at least one storage element for a stored input potential depending on the input signal; and an output demultiplexer for receiving an indication about the stored input potential and for outputting a corresponding sampling output signal to a respective sampling output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lukas Kull, Thomas H. Toifl
  • Patent number: 8847802
    Abstract: An ADC module includes an analog to digital converter coupled with an analog bus, wherein the an analog to digital converter comprises a main sample and hold capacitor; and a plurality of additional sample and hold capacitances which can be programmably coupled in parallel with said main sample and hold capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Zeke Lundstrum, Keith Curtis, Burke Davison, Sean Steedman, Yann LeFaou
  • Patent number: 8791850
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital conversion system includes at least two analog-to-digital conversion units configured to receive a plurality of analog signals and convert the analog signals to digital signals. The system further includes a delay unit including at least one delay circuit, wherein the analog-to-digital conversion system is configured to convey trigger signals to the analog-to-digital conversion units, and wherein at least one of the trigger signals is delayed via the at least one delay circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventor: Pablo Yelamos Ruiz
  • Patent number: 8779961
    Abstract: A system including a clock generator configured to generate a clock; a plurality of analog-to-digital converters each configured to convert a signal based on the clock, and to output a first number of bits in response to converting the signal based on the clock; and an averaging module configured to receive the first number of bits from each of the plurality of analog-to-digital converters, and to output a second number of bits. The second number of bits is greater than the first number of bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell World Trade Ltd.
    Inventors: Sehat Sutardja, Giovanni Antonio Cesura, Francesco Rezzi, Rinaldo Castello
  • Patent number: 8742963
    Abstract: A recording circuit is provided. The recording circuit includes a multiplexing circuit configured to receive a plurality of input signals and to produce a multiplexed output signal including the plurality of input signals, and a plurality of sampling circuits electrically coupled in parallel to each other, each sampling circuit being configured to sample a portion of the multiplexed output signal corresponding to an input signal of the plurality of input signals and the sampling circuits configured to alternately produce an output signal corresponding to the sampled portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Xiaodan Zou, Jia Hao Cheong, Lei Yao, Minkyu Je
  • Patent number: 8730069
    Abstract: A double data rate serial encoder is provided. The serial encoder comprises a mux having a plurality of inputs, a plurality of latches coupled to the inputs of the mux, an enabler to enable the latches to update their data inputs, and a counter to select one of the plurality of inputs of the mux for output. In another aspect, the mux provides a glitch-less output during input transitions. The mux includes an output selection algorithm optimized based on a priori knowledge of an input selection sequence provided by the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: George A. Wiley, Brian Steele, Curtis D. Musfeldt
  • Patent number: 8717210
    Abstract: A method includes accepting an analog input signal including a sequence of pulses of a given pulse shape. The analog input signal is distributed to multiple processing channels (40) operating in parallel. The analog input signal is sampled by performing, in each of the multiple processing channels, the operations of: mixing the analog input signal with a different, respective modulating waveform to produce a mixed signal; filtering the mixed signal; and digitizing the filtered mixed signal to produce a respective digital channel output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Technion Research & Development Foundation Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonina Eldar, Kfir Gedalyahu, Ronen Tur
  • Patent number: 8711023
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an event and sampling first value from a pin in response to the event. For example, the event is identified by a signal object of a plurality of signal objects stored in a memory. Each signal object of the plurality of signal objects identifies a single analog input pin and a trigger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics America, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel J. Guido, Jeremy Brodt, Jeff Sieber
  • Patent number: 8704693
    Abstract: A signal interface system and method of interfacing signal input sources with user output destination devices are provided. The signal interface system is configurable to accept one of a plurality of types of inputs. The signal interface system includes a common section, and a module section including two or more monitor modules. The two or more monitor modules condition a received signal for consumption by a user output destination device. The common input section allows monitor modules to be removed without impacting the function of other monitor modules in the system. The signal interface accepts either discrete inputs or process variable current inputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Thomas Clemens, Garth Maury Jackson
  • Publication number: 20140055292
    Abstract: An apparatus for sharing embedded analog-to-digital conversion resources across multiple hardware and software sample conversation queues includes an analog front end, a least one FIFO buffer, a plurality of configuration registers and a sequencer. The sequencer admits a higher priority hardware stepping sequence until the higher priority stepping sequence is completed. After completion, the apparatus reverts to completing pending conversions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Thomas J. Shepherd, Vijaya B. P. Sarathy
  • 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: 8654000
    Abstract: Processing a signal by receiving an analog input signal located outside of a first Nyquist zone that is between 0 and fs/2; passing the analog input signal through an M-channel time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (TI-ADC) to generate a TI-ADC output signal; and estimating and correcting a timing skew error in the TI-ADC output signal. Alternatively, an electronic circuit that includes an input for an analog input signal, an M-channel time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (TI-ADC) and a timing skew error estimating and correcting circuitry. The analog input signal is located outside of a first Nyquist zone that is between 0 and fs/2. The TI-ADC receives the analog input signal and generates a TI-ADC output signal. The timing skew error estimating and correcting circuitry estimates and corrects a timing skew error in the TI-ADC output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: IQ-Analog, Inc.
    Inventor: Mikko Waltari
  • Patent number: 8643522
    Abstract: A system including a sample-and-hold circuit for receiving a plurality of analog input signals; an analog-to-digital converter for converting each of the analog inputs to a digital signal; and a processor configured for implementing fractional delay recovery for the analog-to-digital converter. In some embodiments, the fractional delay recovery includes converting each of the plurality of analog input signals to a digital version in the predetermined order; upsampling each digital version in the predetermined order; digitally filtering each upsampled value in the predetermined order; and downsampling each filtered value in the predetermined order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Microchip Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrea Panigada, Jorge Grilo, Daniel Meacham
  • Patent number: 8643523
    Abstract: An apparatus for sharing embedded analog-to-digital conversion resources across multiple hardware and software sample conversation queues includes an analog front end, a least one FIFO buffer, a plurality of configuration registers and a sequencer. The sequencer admits a higher priority hardware stepping sequence until the higher priority stepping sequence is completed. After completion, the apparatus reverts to completing pending conversions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Thomas J. Shepherd, Vijaya B P Sarathy
  • Patent number: 8629792
    Abstract: An electric device includes first, second and third selectors. A first node connects to a first input of the first selector, a second node connects to a first input of the second selector, a third node connects to a second input of the first selector, and a fourth node connects to a second input of the second selector. A first switch connects to the first node, and a second switch connects to the second node. A first capacitor connects between the first switch and the third node, and a second capacitor connects between the second switch and the fourth node. A fifth node connects between an output of the first selector and a first input of the third selector, and a sixth node connects between an output of the second selector and a second input of the third selector. An A/D converter connects to an output of the third selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Katsuki, Shinichirou Saitou
  • Patent number: 8610613
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a T-type switch circuit TS[k] that is between an input port A[k] and an input terminal Ain of an analog/digital conversion circuit and that includes first, second, and third PMOS transistors MP1, MP2, and MPc, and first, second, and third NMOS transistors MN1, MN2, and MNc; and a fourth PMOS transistor MPu for pre-charging the input terminal Ain to a power supply voltage VCCA. In detecting the presence or absence of a disconnection from the input port A[k] to a signal input terminal Vint[k], first, the input terminal Ain is pre-charged to the power supply voltage VCCA via the fourth PMOS transistor MPu and also the second NMOS transistor MN2 and the second PMOS transistor MP2 are turned on, and the first NMOS transistor MN1, the first PMOS transistor MP1, the third PMOS transistor MPc, and third the NMOS transistor MNc are turned off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiko Ebata, Takuji Aso
  • Patent number: 8587461
    Abstract: A data acquisition system includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having a MUX control outputs, a controller coupled to the ADC, a multiplexer coupled to the MUX control outputs of the ADC, and an operational amplifier coupling an analog data output of the multiplexer to an input of the ADC. An ADC having integrated multiplexer control includes control logic circuitry, ADC circuitry, MUX logic and an oscillator coupled to the control logic circuitry, the ADC circuitry, and the MUX logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Jamaal Mitchell
  • Patent number: 8564466
    Abstract: To increase the number of analog inputs at low cost, an analog input system includes: one or more analog slave units each connected to a bus to which a CPU unit is connected, and each including an A/D-conversion device converting an analog value outputted by an external device into a first digital value, a buffer memory buffering a second digital value to be transferred to the CPU unit, and a nonvolatile storage device containing specific information of its own unit; and an analog master unit connected to the bus and including an operation section performing operation processing based on the specific information stored in the storage device with the first digital value being used as an input, to calculate the second digital value, the master unit performing on each of the slave input units the operation processing and processing of transferring the calculated second digital value to the buffer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Hoshikawa, Shigeaki Takase
  • Patent number: 8564468
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter device may include an input multiplexer circuit having analog input terminals configured to receive a respective plurality of analog input signals. The input multiplexer circuit may be responsive to a first select input. The device may also include a trigger multiplexer circuit having input terminals configured to receive respective triggering signals. The trigger multiplexer circuit may be responsive to a second select input. Analog-to-digital converter circuitry may be configured to convert the selected analog signal into a digital signal. A sequence arbiter may be coupled to the first and second select inputs and may have input terminals configured to receive a respective plurality of conversion sequence configuration signals. The sequence arbiter may be configured to manage each conversion sequence of the analog-to-digital converter circuitry based upon the relative conversion sequence configuration signal received, and control the conversion sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.R.L.
    Inventors: Gianluigi Forte, Stello Matteo Bille′, Dino Costanzo
  • Patent number: 8564465
    Abstract: An analog to digital conversion includes a multiplexor circuit for receiving analog input signals and, responsive to a select input, an analog to digital converter circuit to convert a selected analog signal into a digital signal, a conversion starting device to send a conversion start signal on the basis of a trigger event, the conversion starting device being responsive to a select input, a sequencer to control the analog to digital converter circuitry to execute one sequence conversion on the basis of one conversion sequence instruction, and a FIFO register block to receive conversion sequence instructions and being able to queue each new received conversion sequence instruction if an actual conversion sequence is in progress and to control the sequencer to execute a new sequence conversion instruction after the conversion sequence is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics, Srl.
    Inventors: Gianluigi Forte, Dino Costanzo, StelloMatteo Bille′
  • Patent number: 8508394
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit, having a central processing unit, a clock generating unit, an A/D converter and a sample and hold signal generating circuit, noise from an element that operates in accordance with operation timing that is difficult to predict beforehand is reduced. In a calibration operation, in response to a clock signal from the clock generating unit, a sample and hold signal generating circuit supplies a plurality of clock signals sequentially to a sample and hold circuit of the A/D converter. By analyzing a plurality of digital signals that are sequentially output from an A/D conversion circuit of the A/D converter, a timing of a holding period for allowing A/D conversion under a low noise condition is selected from the clock signals. In normal operation, a clock signal selected by the calibration operation is supplied as a sample and hold control signal to the sample and hold circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ishioka, Takuji Aso
  • Publication number: 20130201044
    Abstract: The semiconductor integrated circuit device has: more than one analog port; an A/D conversion part operable to execute an A/D conversion process for converting an analog signal taken in through each analog port into a digital signal for each preset virtual channel; and an A/D conversion control part operable to control an action of the A/D conversion part. The A/D conversion control part includes: virtual channel registers on which correspondence between the virtual channel and the analog port can be set; and a scan-group-forming register on which a start position of a scan group and an end position thereof can be set. The A/D conversion control part controls the A/D conversion part to successively execute an A/D conversion process on a plurality of virtual channels from a virtual channel associated with the start pointer to a virtual channel associated with the end pointer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Renesas Electronics Corporation
  • Patent number: 8498086
    Abstract: A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) includes a first DAC core, a second DAC core, and a butterfly switch. The first DAC core generates a first output. The second DAC core generates a second output. The butterfly switch includes at least one of switch transistors and cascode transistors. The butterfly switch selectively connects the first output and the second output to an output stage of the DAC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. McMahill, Ajay Kuckreja
  • Patent number: 8493255
    Abstract: A method for digitizing at least a portion of a selected analog input signal of a plurality of analog input signals by using a multiplexer having a plurality of channels is provided. Each channel for the multiplexer is associated with at least one of the analog input signals and is associated with a pair of select signals, and wherein each channel includes a cell having an input terminal, an output terminal, and a boosted NMOS switch. According to the method, a first select signal from each pair of select signals is asserted to decouple the input and output terminals for each cell. A boost capacitor is also charged during the non-sampling or conversion phase while the first select signal from each pair of select signals is asserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Shankar Thirunakkarasu, Robert E. Seymour
  • Publication number: 20130181855
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converting circuit includes a reference circuit and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The reference circuit provides a base voltage, which has one end grounded. The ADC receives an analog input signal and a base voltage signal. The ADC includes a first DC buffer and an ADC core unit. The first DC buffer internally receives an offset voltage signal and a data voltage signal to be digitized, and outputs two converting control signals. The ADC core unit receives the two converting control signals from the first DC buffer and an ADC input range voltage signal, and outputs a digital code. All of the offset voltage signal and the data voltage signal and the ADC input range voltage signal have been added with the base voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: NOVATEK MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Chun-An Tsai, Chi-Chun Liao
  • Patent number: 8483246
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates multiplexing low-speed Ethernet channels onto a high-speed channel. During operation, the system receives a number of low-speed Ethernet channels. Next, the system derives N bit streams from the number of low-speed Ethernet channels, and feeds each bit stream to an input of a serializer, which is conventionally used to serialize bits from a single channel. Each input of the serializer comprises one bit of an N-bit-wide parallel input bus, and the data rate of the serializer output matches the data rate of the high-speed channel. The system then transmits the output of the serializer onto the high-speed channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventor: Jaroslaw Wojtowicz
  • Patent number: 8477058
    Abstract: A method for a successive approximation register ADC which includes at least one capacitor array and a plurality of switches is provided, in which the capacitors of the capacitor array are one-to-one corresponding to the switches. The method includes the following steps: firstly, at least one multiplexer is configured. Then, a first comparison voltage is outputted based on the terminal voltages on the terminals of the capacitor array, and a comparison result is outputted according to the first comparison voltage and a second comparison voltage. Afterwards, a sequence of comparisons is controlled based on the comparison result to enter into a sequence of comparison phases. Finally, the switches are orderly selected, by the multiplexer based on the comparison phases, to switch directly according to the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignees: NCKU Research and Development Foundation, Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Soon-Jyh Chang, Guan-Ying Huang, Chung-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 8466817
    Abstract: An electronic device and a method for driving an internal function block of a processor of the electric device to operate in a linear region. The electronic device comprises a processor having two multiple purpose pins (MPP1 and MPP2), an external device connection port, and two resistance elements. The external device connection port is further connected to the MPP1 and at a tested voltage. The first resistance element is connected between a high level voltage and the external device connection port. The second resistance element is connected between the external device connection port and the MPP2. The processor is configured to output the high or low level voltage at MPP2 when the tested voltage is in a non-linear operating region, to guarantee the tested voltage to a linear operating region of the function block which is coupled to the MPP1 by a multiplexing design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Wei-Chih Chang, Yu-Peng Lai, Ching-Chung Hung
  • Patent number: 8431908
    Abstract: A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes a plurality of tracking calculation units to calculate a deflection amount of the charged particle beam in regard to a movable substrate, a switching unit for each of a plurality of virtual small regions of the substrate, to input an end signal indicating completion of charged particle beam emission to a respective small region, and to switch from output of one of the tracking calculation units to output of another of the tracking calculation units, and a deflector, while a substrate is moving, to deflect the charged particle beam to an n-th small region, based on an output from one of the tracking calculation units before switching and to deflect the charged particle beam to an (n+1)th small region based on an output from another of tracking calculation units after switching the plurality of tracking calculation units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideo Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130093609
    Abstract: A method for a successive approximation register ADC which includes at least one capacitor array and a plurality of switches is provided, in which the capacitors of the capacitor array are one-to-one corresponding to the switches. The method includes the following steps: firstly, at least one multiplexer is configured. Then, a first comparison voltage is outputted based on the terminal voltages on the terminals of the capacitor array, and a comparison result is outputted according to the first comparison voltage and a second comparison voltage. Afterwards, a sequence of comparisons is controlled based on the comparison result to enter into a sequence of comparison phases. Finally, the switches are orderly selected, by the multiplexer based on the comparison phases, to switch directly according to the comparison result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicants: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED, NCKU RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Soon-Jyh CHANG, Guan-Ying Huang, CHUNG-MING HUANG
  • Patent number: 8416110
    Abstract: A multi-channel analog digital conversion circuit includes a plurality of sampling circuits for sampling and buffering a plurality of analog input signals, a single output circuit coupled to the sampling circuits and shared by the sampling circuits and a single analog digital conversion core coupled to the output circuit and shared by the sampling circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Novatek Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chun-An Tsai
  • Patent number: 8410964
    Abstract: A disclosed AD conversion circuit includes a holding portion storing sequence information, signal selection information and time information; a sequencing counter to be initialized by receiving a timing signal output at a predetermined period and counting upon receipt of a matching signal to obtain a sequencing counter count value; a time period counter to be initialized by receiving the timing signal or the matching signal and counting a time period counter count value; a comparator generating the matching signal when the time information matches the time period counter count value after comparison by referring to the sequence information using the sequencing counter count value; a selecting portion selecting analog signals of one type corresponding to the signal selection information obtained by referring to the sequence information using the sequencing counter count value out of analog signals of various types; and an AD converter converting the selected analog signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 8339298
    Abstract: A digital counting circuit with multiple outputs is used to clock interlaced 16-bit data words into separate digital-to-analog converters in the correct sequence for each of eight hydrophone channels. The circuit utilizes a programmable memory to detect a synchronizing bit pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: James D. Hagerty
  • Publication number: 20120299759
    Abstract: An analog to digital conversion includes a multiplexor circuit for receiving analog input signals and, responsive to a select input, an analog to digital converter circuit to convert a selected analog signal into a digital signal, a conversion starting device to send a conversion start signal on the basis of a trigger event, the conversion starting device being responsive to a select input, a sequencer to control the analog to digital converter circuitry to execute one sequence conversion on the basis of one conversion sequence instruction, and a FIFO register block to receive conversion sequence instructions and being able to queue each new received conversion sequence instruction if an actual conversion sequence is in progress and to control the sequencer to execute a new sequence conversion instruction after the conversion sequence is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics, Srl.
    Inventors: Gianluigi FORTE, Dino COSTANZO, StelloMatteo BILLE'
  • Publication number: 20120299760
    Abstract: An analog-to-digital converter device may include an input multiplexer circuit having analog input terminals configured to receive a respective plurality of analog input signals. The input multiplexer circuit may be responsive to a first select input. The device may also include a trigger multiplexer circuit having input terminals configured to receive respective triggering signals. The trigger multiplexer circuit may be responsive to a second select input. Analog-to-digital converter circuitry may be configured to convert the selected analog signal into a digital signal. A sequence arbiter may be coupled to the first and second select inputs and may have input terminals configured to receive a respective plurality of conversion sequence configuration signals. The sequence arbiter may be configured to manage each conversion sequence of the analog-to-digital converter circuitry based upon the relative conversion sequence configuration signal received, and control the conversion sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Gianluigi Forte, Stello Matteo Bille', Dino Costanzo
  • Patent number: 8310387
    Abstract: A wide band analog-to-digital converter used in a frequency multiplexed communication system. The converter includes a plurality, M, of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter subunits (ADC subunits). The sampling rate, FS1, of the M ADC subunits is selected to locate one or more integer multiples of a Nyquist frequency of a respective subunit ADC in one or more guard bands, and/or such that one or more integer multiples of FS1 are also located in the guard bands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Intersil Americas Inc.
    Inventors: Brannon Harris, Sunder S. Kidambi, Michael P. Anthony