Charge-summing digital-to-analog converter
First Claim
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a digital bus to conduct parallel digital signals including a less significant portion of the signals and a more significant portion of the signals;
digital-to-charge converter connected to the digital bus and including means to convert the less significant portion of the signals to a first charge and to convert the more significant portion of the signals to a second charge;
a charge-to-voltage converter connected to the digital-to-charge converter and including means to convert the first charge to an intermediate analog voltage;
a voltage-to-charge converter connected to the charge-to-voltage converter, to convert the intermediate analog voltage to a third charge;
a charge-summer connected to the digital-to-charge converter and the voltage-to-charge converter, to combine the second charge with the third charge to produce a combined charge; and
in which the charge-to-voltage converter is connected to the charge-summer and further includes means to convert the combined charge to an analog output voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated circuit includes a digital bus providing a first portion of less significant signals, and a second portion of more significant signals. A digital-to-charge converter connected to the digital bus includes circuitry to convert the less significant portion of the signals to a first charge, and to convert the more significant portion of the signals to a second charge. A charge-to-voltage converter connected to the digital-to-charge converter includes circuitry to convert the first charge to an intermediate voltage. A voltage-to-charge converter connected to the charge-to-voltage converter converts the intermediate voltage to a third charge. A charge-summer connected to the digital-to-charge converter and the voltage-to-charge converter combines the second charge with the third charge to produce a combined charge. The charge-to-voltage converter also is connected to the charge-summer to convert the combined charge to an analog output voltage.
8 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
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a digital bus to conduct parallel digital signals including a less significant portion of the signals and a more significant portion of the signals; digital-to-charge converter connected to the digital bus and including means to convert the less significant portion of the signals to a first charge and to convert the more significant portion of the signals to a second charge; a charge-to-voltage converter connected to the digital-to-charge converter and including means to convert the first charge to an intermediate analog voltage; a voltage-to-charge converter connected to the charge-to-voltage converter, to convert the intermediate analog voltage to a third charge; a charge-summer connected to the digital-to-charge converter and the voltage-to-charge converter, to combine the second charge with the third charge to produce a combined charge; and in which the charge-to-voltage converter is connected to the charge-summer and further includes means to convert the combined charge to an analog output voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16)
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5. A process for operating a circuit, comprising:
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converting parallel digital signals of a less significant portion of the signals to a first charge; converting the first charge to a first analog voltage; converting the first analog voltage to a second charge; converting the parallel digital signals of a more significant portion of the signals to a third charge; combining the second charge with the third charge to form a combined charge; converting the combined charge to a second analog voltage; and transmitting the second analog voltage. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A process for producing an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
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providing a bus for digital signals; providing a digital-to-charge converter including means to convert a less significant portion of the signals to a first charge and to convert a more significant portion of the signals to a second charge; providing a charge-to-voltage converter including means to convert the first charge to an intermediate analog voltage and to convert a combined charge to an analog output voltage; providing a voltage-to-charge converter including means to convert the intermediate analog voltage to a third charge; and providing a charge-summer including means to combine the first charge with the third charge to produce the combined charge.
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8. An integrated circuit that outputs an analog signal based on an inputted digital signal having n bits, said circuit comprising:
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a multiplexor device for receiving said n bits and sequentially outputting a first subset of said n bits, and then outputting a second subset of said n bits; a digital to analog converter that, in sequence, converts said first subset of said n bits from said multiplexor into a first analog signal, and then converts said second subset of said n bits from said multiplexor into a second analog signal; a scaling mechanism that scales said first analog signal; and a summing mechanism that sums said scaled first analog signal and said second analog signal. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification