Data conversion methods and systems
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Abstract
Methods and systems for implementing high-performance data converters remove analog technology bottlenecks and provide higher converter resolution and higher speed. A preferred embodiment of the method comprises the steps of transforming a time domain input signal into a frequency domain signal in a digital form, processing the frequency domain signal and the input signal using at least two lower-performance data converters in order to obtain at least two processed signals, and recombining the at least two processed signals to obtain a final output signal from the high-performance converter. Inventively and advantageously, the processing includes dividing the frequency domain into at least two frequency domain parts, one related to a low-resolution signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the other elated to a high-resolution SNR, and using frequency information resulting from the division to obtain the at least two processed signals.
29 Citations
82 Claims
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1-40. -40. (canceled)
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41. A high-performance apparatus for data conversion, comprising:
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a. a conversion unit that includes at least two lower-performance converters, each said converter having at least one lower performance parameter than the high-performance apparatus for data conversion, said conversion unit operative to convert an input signal obtained in a time domain;
b. a processing unit coupled to said conversion unit and operative to process frequency domain information extracted, from said input signal, and, based on said processed frequency domain information, operative to provide in combination with said conversion unit at least two processed signals; and
c. a recombining unit operative to combine said at least two processed signals into a single high-performance output signal. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A high-resolution, high-speed apparatus for data conversion, comprising:
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a. a first, low-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC1) operative to output a first digital output signal in a time domain;
b. a first spectral signal processor operative to use a frequency domain to both convert said first digital output signal into an output analog subtraction signal and to provide a processed digital signal;
c. a second low-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC2) operative to convert an analog error signal formed in a subtraction operation involving said output analog subtraction signal into a second digital output signal; and
d. a digital combining unit operative to receive said processed digital signal and said second digital output signal and to combine both said signals into a final digital output signal;
whereby the apparatus has a higher resolution that either said ADC1 or said ADC1, and whereby the data conversion is performed in the frequency domain using spectral tools, thereby providing an improved dynamic range and quantization noise, a reduction or elimination of critical analog circuit requirements and bottlenecks, and an increase of the sampling rate relative to existing pipeline/subranging architectures. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A method for implementing a high-performance converter comprising the steps of:
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a. providing a conversion unit operative to convert an input signal obtained in a time domain, said conversion unit including at least two lower-performance converters, each said converter having at least one lower performance parameter than the high-performance converter;
b. providing a processing unit coupled to said conversion unit and operative to process frequency domain information extracted from said input signal, and, based on said processed frequency domain information, operative to provide in combination with said conversion unit at least two processed signals; and
c. providing a recombining unit operative to combine said at least two processed signals into a single high-performance output signal. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method for implementing a high-performance data converter comprising the steps of:
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a. processing a time domain input signal into a frequency domain signal in a digital form using at least two data converters having each at least one lower performance parameter than the high-performance converter in order to obtain at least two processed signals; and
b. recombining said at least two processed signals to obtain a final output signal from the high-performance converter;
whereby the method provides higher performance and other advantages vs. other data conversion methods. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82)
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Specification