Re-configurable multipurpose analog interface

• US 8,054,208 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Sloat, Jef, Gregg, Michael R., Fletcher, Mitch
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khai M
• Application Number:
  US12/750,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20110241916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 588 Days
• Field of Search: 341/126, 341/139, 341/144, 341/155
• US Class Current: 341/141
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45138 Two or more differential amplifiers in IC-block form are combined, e.g. measuring amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45616 the IC comprising more than one switch, which are not cross coupled
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45648 the LC comprising two current sources, which are not cascode current sources
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45726 the LC comprising more than one switch, which are not cross coupled
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/124 Sampling or signal conditioning arrangements specially adapted for A/D converters

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are provided for interfacing a digital controller with an analog input means. The system comprises a digital controller with the input of the digital controller coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converter. The system further comprises a digital-to-analog converter coupled to an analog interface circuit. The analog interface circuit comprises a reconfigurable RC network switchably coupled to a first amplifier or to a second amplifier. The analog interface circuit further comprises a third amplifier having an input being coupled to an output of the second amplifier and the output of the third amplifier being coupled to the one or more input signal paths to the first amplifier.

Claims

1. An interface circuit re-configurable to perform a plurality of interface functions, the circuit comprising:

one or more configurable input signal paths;

a first amplifier having at least a non-inverting input, the first amplifier being configured to receive one of a differential signal and a single ended signal via the one or more configurable input signal paths;

a configurable impedance network having an input, the input of the configurable impedance network being switchably coupled to the non-inverting input of the first amplifier;

a second amplifier having a non-inverting input and an output, the non-inverting input of the second amplifier being switchably coupled to the input of the configurable impedance network; and

a third amplifier having an input and an output, the input of the third amplifier being switchably coupled to the output of the second amplifier, and the output of the third amplifier being coupled to the one or more input signal paths to the first amplifier.

2. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1 wherein the one or more configurable input signal paths includes a first resistor including an input and an output.

3. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 2 further comprising a fixed current source with an output, the output of the fixed current source being coupled to the input of the first resistor.

4. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1 further comprising a voltage controlled current source, the voltage controlled current source being switchably coupled to the input of the first resistor and to the output of the first resistor.

5. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 4, wherein the voltage controlled current source is driven by the output of the second amplifier.

6. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1 further comprising a reference voltage, the reference voltage being switchably coupled to the input of the third amplifier.

7. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1, wherein the third amplifier comprises a second output and is configured to amplify an input signal and output a pair of balanced differential voltage signals based on the input signal.

8. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1 further comprising a precision resistor with an input and an output, wherein the input is coupled to the input of the first resistor and the output is switchably coupled to ground.

9. The re-configurable interface circuit of claim 1 further comprising a sample and hold sub-circuit that comprises one of the one or more configurable input signal paths and is coupled to the input of the second amplifier.

10. An analog-interfacing system comprising:

a digital-to-analog converter with an input and an output;

a digital controller with an input and an output, the output of the digital controller coupled to the input of the digital-to-analog converter;

an analog-to-digital converter with an input and an output;

the output of the analog-to-digital converter coupled to the input of the digital controller; and

an analog signal conditioning circuit with a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs, a first input of the of the plurality of inputs being coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converter and a first output of the plurality being coupled to the input of the analog-to-digital converter, the analog signal conditioning circuit comprising a first amplifier having an inverting input and a non-inverting input,

a first configurable impedance network having an input, the input of the first configurable impedance network being switchably coupled to the non-inverting input of the first amplifier;

a second amplifier having a non-inverting input and an output, the non-inverting input of the second amplifier being switchably coupled to the input of the first configurable impedance network;

a third amplifier having an input and an output, the input of the third amplifier being switchably coupled to an output of the second amplifier and the output of the third amplifier being coupled to at least one of the inverting input and the non-inverting input of the first amplifier.

11. The analog-interfacing system of claim 10 further comprising a first sample-and hold circuit coupled between the first output of the analog signal conditioning circuit and the analog-to-digital converter and a second sample-and hold circuit coupled between the output of the digital-to-analog converter and the first input of the analog signal conditioning circuit.

12. The analog-interfacing system of claim 10, wherein the analog signal conditioning circuit further comprises a second impedance network coupled to inverting input of the first amplifier.

13. The analog-interfacing system of claim 10 further comprising a resistor with an input and an output, the output coupled to inverting input of the first amplifier.

14. The analog-interfacing system of claim 13, further comprising a fixed current source with an output, the output of the fixed current source being switchably coupled to the input of the first resistor.

15. The analog-interfacing system of claim 14, further comprising a voltage controlled current source, the voltage controlled current source being switchably coupled to the input of the first resistor and the output of the first resistor.

16. The analog-interfacing system of claim 15, wherein the analog signal conditioning circuit further comprises:

a switch fabric, the switch fabric configured to receive the configuration inputs from the digital controller and re-configured the analog conditioning circuit in real time, the reconfiguring comprising;

coupling or decoupling the second amplifier from the input of the first configurable impedance network,

coupling or decoupling the fixed current source from the input of the resistor, and

coupling or decoupling the voltage controlled current source from the input of the resistor.

17. A re-configurable signal conditioning circuit, comprising:

means for receiving a first of one or more analog inputs;

means for outputting an analog output;

a first means for amplifying having an input and an output, the output of the first means for amplifying being coupled to the means for outputting an analog output and the input coupled to the means for receiving one or more analog inputs;

a means for filtering and gain control switchably coupled to the input of the first amplifying means;

a second means for amplifying having an input and an output, the input of the second means for amplifying being switchably coupled to means for filtering and gain control;

a third means for amplifying having an input and an output, the input of the third means for amplifying being switchably coupled to the output of the second means for amplifying and the output of the third means for amplifying being coupled to the means for receiving the one or more analog inputs; and

a means for switching configured to switchably connect the means for filtering and gain control to the input of the first amplifying means, to switchably connect the means for filtering and gain control to the input of the second means for amplifying and to switchably connect the output of the second means for amplifying to the input of the third means for amplifying.

18. The re-configurable signal conditioning circuit of claim 17, further comprising means for injecting a current at the means for receiving the one or more analog inputs.

19. The re-configurable signal conditioning circuit of claim 17, further comprising a second means for filtering and gain control coupled to the input of the first amplifying means.