SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVING DATA CONVERTERS

• US 20080231485A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Strandjord, Lee K., Greening, Thomas C., Keith, Gregory W., Newlin, Matthew P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,561,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/588 Random number generators, i.e. based on natural stochastic processes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/0641 the dither being a random signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/201 by dithering
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/661 Improving the reconstruction of the analogue output signal beyond the resolution of the digital input signal, e.g. by interpolation, by curve-fitting, by smoothing

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving efficiency of a data converter. An example method generates a noise signal, alters the spectrum of the noise signal based on operation of an associated data converter, and supplies the altered spectrum noise signal to the associated data converter. The data converter is a digital-to-analog converter or an analog-to-digital converter. The altered spectrum noise signal is notched at frequencies of interest. The spectrum is altered by sending a signal generated by a random number generator to a delay device and adding the output of the delay device from the output of the random number generator. Also, the spectrum is altered by seeding first and second identical random number generators, delaying the operation of the first random number generator, and adding the output of the delayed first random number generator from the second random number generator.

Claims

1. A method for improving efficiency of a data converter, the method comprising:

generating a noise signal;

altering a frequency spectrum of the noise signal based on operation of an associated data converter; and

supplying the altered frequency spectrum noise signal to the associated data converter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data converter is a digital-to-analog converter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the converter is an analog-to-digital converter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the altered spectrum noise signal is notched.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the notches are based on a frequency of interest.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the spectrum includes sending a signal generated by a random number generator to a delay device and adding the output of the delay device to the output of the random number generator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the spectrum includes seeding first and second identical random number generators;

delaying the operation of the first random number generator; and

adding the output of the delayed first random number generator to the second random number generator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating includes generating a random number.

9. A system for improving efficiency of a data converter, the system comprising:

a generator configured to generate a noise signal;

a component configured to alter a frequency spectrum of the noise signal based on operation of an associated sensor; and

a summator configured to add the altered frequency spectrum noise signal to a signal received by the data converter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the altered spectrum noise signal is a digital signal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital signal is sent to a digital-to-analog converter.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a digital-to-analog converter configured to convert the digital signal to an analog signal, the analog signal being sent to an analog-to-digital converter.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the altered spectrum noise signal is notched.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the notches are based on a frequency of interest.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the component includes a random number generator having a delay device and an addition component configured to add the output of the delay device to the output of the random number generator.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the component includes:

first and second identical random number generators configured to generate random numbers;

a seeding component configured to seed the first and second identical random number generators;

a delay component configured to delay the operation of the first random number generator; and

a addition component configured to add the output of the delay component to the output of the second random number generator.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the noise signal includes a random number.