Bipolar element averaging, digital-to-analog converter
First Claim
1. An apparatus including a bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal converter, comprising:
- a sampling controller configured to receive a multiple bit digital signal and a sign signal and in accordance therewith provide a plurality of sampling control signals, whereinsaid multiple bit digital signal includes a plurality of digital magnitudes representing a plurality of numeric values having a mean value associated therewith,said sign signal indicates whether a corresponding one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive or negative with respect to said mean value; and
a plurality of sampling circuits, coupled to said sampling controller, configured to receive said plurality of sampling control signals and in accordance therewith sample a reference signal and in accordance therewith provide an analog signal which corresponds to said multiple bit digital signal and includes a plurality of analog magnitudes representing said plurality of numeric values;
wherein, in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals, each one of said plurality of sampling circuits is used to sample said reference signala first substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive with respect to said mean value, anda second substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is negative with respect to said mean value.
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Abstract
A bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal converter including a delta-sigma digital to analog converter (".increment.Σ DAC") with dual sequence controllers for controlling the switching sequences of the array of sampling capacitors used to sample a fixed reference voltage in the sample and hold amplifier. The sequence controllers receive the input digital signal and a sign bit which indicates whether the numeric value of the digital signal is positive or negative with respect to the mean value of its total dynamic range. Based upon the sign bit and the value of the digital signal, the sequence controllers generate two sets of switching sequence control signals: "positive" and "negative." Those digital signals whose numeric values are positive and negative with respect to the mean value are considered to be "positive" and "negative" signals, respectively, with corresponding positive and negative analog signals generated accordingly. The same capacitors in the sampling array are used in rotating sequences for sampling the reference voltage for both "positive" and "negative" input digital signals. The "positive" and "negative" switching sequence control signal sets each ensure that each capacitor in the sampling array is used a substantially equal number of times when converting "positive" and "negative" input digital signals. Such a converter can be used in digital to analog converters as well as analog to digital converters which use delta-sigma signal conversion techniques.
30 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus including a bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal converter, comprising:
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a sampling controller configured to receive a multiple bit digital signal and a sign signal and in accordance therewith provide a plurality of sampling control signals, wherein said multiple bit digital signal includes a plurality of digital magnitudes representing a plurality of numeric values having a mean value associated therewith, said sign signal indicates whether a corresponding one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive or negative with respect to said mean value; and a plurality of sampling circuits, coupled to said sampling controller, configured to receive said plurality of sampling control signals and in accordance therewith sample a reference signal and in accordance therewith provide an analog signal which corresponds to said multiple bit digital signal and includes a plurality of analog magnitudes representing said plurality of numeric values; wherein, in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals, each one of said plurality of sampling circuits is used to sample said reference signal a first substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive with respect to said mean value, and a second substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is negative with respect to said mean value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus including a bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal converter, comprising:
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a sampling controller configured to receive a multiple bit digital signal and a sign signal and in accordance therewith provide a plurality of sampling control signals, wherein said multiple bit digital signal includes a plurality of digital magnitudes representing a plurality of numeric values having a mean value associated therewith, said sign signal indicates whether a corresponding one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive or negative with respect to said mean value; and a plurality of sampling circuits, coupled to said sampling controller, configured to receive said plurality of sampling control signals and in accordance therewith sample a reference signal and in accordance therewith provide an analog signal which corresponds to said multiple bit digital signal and includes a plurality of analog magnitudes representing said plurality of numeric values; wherein, in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals, each one of said plurality of sampling circuits is used to sample said reference signal successively in a first rotating sequence when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive with respect to said mean value, and successively in a second rotating sequence when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is negative with respect to said mean value. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of performing a bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal conversion, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a multiple bit digital signal and a sign signal and in accordance therewith generating a plurality of sampling control signals, wherein said multiple bit digital signal includes a plurality of digital magnitudes representing a plurality of numeric values having a mean value associated therewith, said sign signal indicates whether a corresponding one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive or negative with respect to said mean value; and sampling a reference signal in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals and in accordance therewith generating an analog signal which corresponds to said multiple bit digital signal and includes a plurality of analog magnitudes representing said plurality of numeric values; wherein, in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals, said reference signal is sampled a first substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive with respect to said mean value, and a second substantially equal number of times when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is negative with respect to said mean value. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of performing a bipolar, element averaging, digital to analog signal conversion, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a multiple bit digital signal and a sign signal and in accordance therewith generating a plurality of sampling control signals, wherein said multiple bit digital signal includes a plurality of digital magnitudes representing a plurality of numeric values having a mean value associated therewith, said sign signal indicates whether a corresponding one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive or negative with respect to said mean value; and sampling a reference signal in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals and in accordance therewith generating an analog signal which corresponds to said multiple bit digital signal and includes a plurality of analog magnitudes representing said plurality of numeric values; wherein, in accordance with said plurality of sampling control signals, said reference signal is sampled successively in a first rotating sequence when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is positive with respect to said mean value, and successively in a second rotating sequence when, in accordance with said sign signal, each one of said plurality of numeric values represented by said multiple bit digital signal is negative with respect to said mean value. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification