Gain adjust for SAR ADC

• US 20070001890A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Piasecki, Douglas, Odland, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/161
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/186 in feedforward mode, i.e. by determining the range to be selected directly from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/403 using switched capacitors

Abstract

A SAR analog-to-digital Converter (ADC) is disclosed with variable gain having a SAR capacitor array with a plurality of switched capacitors therein with varying weights and a SAR controller for sampling an input voltage thereon in a sampling phase, and redistributing the charge stored thereon in a conversion phase in accordance with a SAR conversion algorithm. A gain adjust register is provided for defining an amount of charge to be added or subtracted from the capacitor array prior to the conversion phase relative to a predetermined amount of charge. A charge control device varies the amount of charge stored in the array prior to the conversion phase in accordance with the contents of the gain adjust register such that the amount of charge redistributed during the conversion phase is adjusted.

Claims

1. A SAR analog-to-digital Converter (ADC) with variable gain having a SAR capacitor array with a plurality of switched capacitors therein with varying weights and a SAR controller for sampling an input voltage thereon in a sampling phase, and redistributing the charge stored thereon in a conversion phase in accordance with a SAR conversion algorithm, comprising:

a gain adjust register for defining an amount of charge to be added or subtracted from the capacitor array prior to the conversion phase relative to a predetermined amount of; and

a charge control device for varying the amount of charge stored in the array prior to the conversion phase in accordance with the contents of said gain adjust register such that the amount of charge redistributed during the conversion phase is adjusted.

2. The ADC of claim 1, wherein the predetermined amount of charge is associated with unity gain.

3. The ADC of claim 2, wherein:

said charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on at least one of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is decreased;

wherein said gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by said charge control device;

which said at least one capacitor is utilized for the charge redistribution operation associated with the conversion phase.

4. The ADC of claim 2, wherein:

said charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is decreased by an amount proportional to the number and weight of the capacitors inhibited;

wherein said gain adjust register defines the ones of the SAR array capacitors on which sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by said charge control device;

which said select ones of the SAR array capacitors are utilized for the charge redistribution operation associated with the conversion phase.

5. The ADC of claim 2, wherein:

an additional capacitor is added to the SAR capacitor array during sampling to increase the amount of charge added to the SAR capacitor array;

said charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on at least one of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is unity and when not inhibited, gain is increased, said at least one capacitor substantially equal to said additional capacitor;

wherein said gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by said charge control device;

and which at least one of the array capacitors is utilized in the conversion phase.

6. The ADC of claim 2, wherein:

an additional capacitor is added to the SAR capacitor array during sampling to increase the amount of charge added to the SAR capacitor array;

said charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is unity and when not inhibited, gain is increased by an amount proportional to the number and weight of the capacitors not inhibited, said select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array substantially equal to said additional capacitor;

wherein said gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by said charge control device;

and which select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array are utilized in the conversion phase.

7. A SAR analog-to-digital Converter (ADC) with variable gain comprising:

a SAR capacitor array with a plurality of switched capacitors therein with varying weights each having a common plate connected to a common node and a switched plate;

a comparator for comparing the voltage on the common node of the capacitor array with a common reference voltage;

a SAR controller for sampling an input voltage on said capacitor array in a sampling phase, and redistributing the charge stored thereon in a conversion phase by selectively increasing the voltage on select ones of said capacitor array in accordance with a SAR conversion algorithm;

a gain adjust register for defining an amount of charge to be added or subtracted from the capacitor array prior to the conversion phase relative to a predetermined amount of charge; and

a charge control device for varying the amount of charge stored in the array prior to the conversion phase in accordance with the contents of said gain adjust register such that the amount of charge redistributed during the conversion phase is adjusted.

8. The ADC of claim 7, wherein said common reference voltage comprises a common mode voltage and wherein said common node is connected to said common node voltage, and the switched plate is connectable to the input voltage during the sampling phase and, during the conversion phase, the switched plate of each of said array capacitors are connectable to conversion reference voltage to redistribute the charge thereon to the array and change the voltage on the common node.

9. The ADC of Clam 8, wherein said charge control device selectively controls the connection of said switched plate of at least one of said array capacitors to force connection thereof to the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, the gain adjust register defining whether said at least one of said array capacitors is connected to the input voltage or the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, wherein gain is decreased when connected to the common reference voltage.

10. The ADC of Clam 8, wherein said charge control device controls the connection of said switched plate of select ones of said array capacitors to force connection thereof to the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, the gain adjust register defining whether said select ones of said array capacitors are connected to the input voltage or the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, wherein gain is decreased when connected to the common reference voltage.

11. The ADC of Clam 8, wherein said charge control device controls the connection of said switched plate of at least one of said array capacitors to force connection thereof to the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, the gain adjust register defining whether said at least one of said array capacitors is connected to the input voltage or the common reference voltage during the sampling phase, wherein gain is decreased when connected to the common reference voltage and, wherein an additional capacitor equal in value to said at least one of said array capacitors is connected with one plate thereof connected to said common node and a switched plate controlled by said charge control device so as to sample the input voltage thereon during the sampling phase and connected to the common mode voltage during the conversion phase.

12. A method for varying the gain of a SAR analog-to-digital Converter (ADC) having a SAR capacitor array with a plurality of switched capacitors therein with varying weights and a SAR controller for sampling an input voltage thereon in a sampling phase, and redistributing the charge stored thereon in a conversion phase in accordance with a SAR conversion algorithm, comprising the steps of:

defining in a gain adjust register an amount of charge to be added or subtracted from the capacitor array prior to the conversion phase relative to a predetermined amount of charge; and

varying with a charge control device the amount of charge stored in the array prior to the conversion phase in accordance with the contents of the gain adjust register such that the amount of charge redistributed during the conversion phase is adjusted.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined amount of charge is associated with unity gain.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the step of varying with the charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on at least one of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is decreased;

wherein the gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by the step of varying;

which the at least one capacitor is utilized for the charge redistribution operation associated with the conversion phase.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the step of varying with the charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is decreased by an amount proportional to the number and weight of the capacitors inhibited;

wherein said gain adjust register defines the ones of the SAR array capacitors on which sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by the step of varying;

which select ones of the SAR array capacitors are utilized for the charge redistribution operation associated with the conversion phase.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

an additional capacitor is added to the SAR capacitor array during sampling to increase the amount of charge added to the SAR capacitor array;

the step of varying with the charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on at least one of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is unity and when not inhibited, gain is increased, the at least one capacitor substantially equal to the additional capacitor;

wherein the gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by the step of varying;

and which at least one of the array capacitors is utilized in the conversion phase.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

an additional capacitor is added to the SAR capacitor array during sampling to increase the amount of charge added to the SAR capacitor array;

the step of varying with the charge control device is operable to inhibit sampling of the input voltage on select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array to remove charge from the SAR capacitor array wherein, when inhibited from sampling, gain is unity and when not inhibited, gain is increased by an amount proportional to the number and weight of the capacitors not inhibited, the select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array substantially equal to the additional capacitor;

wherein the gain adjust register defines whether sampling of the input voltage is inhibited by the step of varying;

and which select ones of the array capacitors in the SAR capacitor array are utilized in the conversion phase.