ROTARY FLASH ADC
First Claim
1. A system for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, the system comprising:
- a multiphase oscillator having a period of oscillation and providing a plurality of phase signals, each oscillating at the period of the multiphase oscillator;
a sample and hold circuit for capturing and holding the analog signal in response to a phase signal of the multiphase oscillator;
an integrator for converting the held analog signal into a pulse having a duration that is proportional to the magnitude of the analog signal; and
a time-to-digital converter for converting the pulse into a digital signal, the time to digital converter including a plurality of sampling elements, each activated by the pulse and capturing one of the phases of the multiphase oscillator, and a binary counter for counting the periods of the multiphase oscillator;
wherein the plurality of flip-flops and the binary counter provide the digital signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for converting an analog signal to a digital signal is disclosed. The system includes a multiphase oscillator preferable a rotary oscillator, a sample and hold circuit, an integrator and a time-to-digital converter. The multiphase oscillator has a plurality of phases that are used in the time-to-digital converter to measure the time of a pulse created by the integrator. The edges of the pulse may optionally be sharpened by passing the pulse through a non-linear transmission line to improve the accuracy of the measurement process. To cut down on noise a tuned power network provides power to the switching devices of the rotary oscillator. Calibration is performed by fragmenting the sample and hold circuit and integrator and performing a closed loop calibration cycle on one of the fragments while the other fragments are joined together for the normal operation of the sample and hold and integrator circuits.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A system for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, the system comprising:
-
a multiphase oscillator having a period of oscillation and providing a plurality of phase signals, each oscillating at the period of the multiphase oscillator;
a sample and hold circuit for capturing and holding the analog signal in response to a phase signal of the multiphase oscillator;
an integrator for converting the held analog signal into a pulse having a duration that is proportional to the magnitude of the analog signal; and
a time-to-digital converter for converting the pulse into a digital signal, the time to digital converter including a plurality of sampling elements, each activated by the pulse and capturing one of the phases of the multiphase oscillator, and a binary counter for counting the periods of the multiphase oscillator;
wherein the plurality of flip-flops and the binary counter provide the digital signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method for converting an analog signal to a digital signal, the method comprising:
-
sampling and holding the analog signal in response to one of a number of phase signals of a multiphase oscillator; and
after holding the analog signal, creating a first transition of a pulse, integrating a constant reference current until the hold analog signal has a known voltage value to create a second transition of the pulse, and between the first and second transitions of the pulse, counting oscillator cycles and capturing the state of the oscillator phase signals, wherein the count of the oscillator cycles and the captured state of oscillator phase signals become the digital signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification