Circuit and method for determining comparator offsets of electronic devices
First Claim
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1. A method for operating a comparator, the method comprising:
- in a first mode of operation, providing a first reference voltage of a plurality of reference voltages to a first input of a first comparator, the first comparator including an output to provide an indication of a comparison of a variable voltage received at a second input of the first comparator with the first reference voltage; and
in a second mode of operation,providing a second reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the first input of the first comparator and providing a third reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the second input of the first comparator, wherein providing the second reference voltage and providing the third reference voltage further comprises selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages to be provided to the first and second inputs of the first comparator; and
measuring a first switching offset voltage of the first comparator based on the second reference voltage and the third reference voltage;
wherein selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages further comprises providing the second reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator prior to providing the second reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator.
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Abstract
A device includes a comparator, and a selection circuit coupled to the inputs of the comparator. The selection circuit receives reference voltages and a variable voltage. In a normal operation mode, the selection circuit provides the variable voltage and a selected reference voltage to the comparator and the comparator provides an indication based on the variable voltage. In a test mode, the selection circuit provides a first selected reference voltage and a second selected reference voltage to the comparator for determining a switching offset voltage of the comparator.
17 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for operating a comparator, the method comprising:
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in a first mode of operation, providing a first reference voltage of a plurality of reference voltages to a first input of a first comparator, the first comparator including an output to provide an indication of a comparison of a variable voltage received at a second input of the first comparator with the first reference voltage; and in a second mode of operation, providing a second reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the first input of the first comparator and providing a third reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the second input of the first comparator, wherein providing the second reference voltage and providing the third reference voltage further comprises selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages to be provided to the first and second inputs of the first comparator; and measuring a first switching offset voltage of the first comparator based on the second reference voltage and the third reference voltage; wherein selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages further comprises providing the second reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator prior to providing the second reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for measuring a switching voltage offset of a comparator, the method comprising:
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providing a first reference voltage to a first input of the comparator and a second reference voltage to a second input of the comparator; detecting that an output of the comparator is in a first state; providing a third reference voltage to the second input; responsive to determining that an output of the comparator has changed to a second state, measuring the switching voltage offset of the comparator as a difference in voltage between the first reference voltage and the third reference voltage; and responsive to determining that the output has remained in the first state; providing the first reference voltage to the second input and the third reference voltage to the first input; and responsive to determining that the output is in the second state, measuring the switching voltage offset as the difference in voltage between the third reference voltage and the first reference voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A device comprising:
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a comparator comprising a first comparator input, a second comparator input, and a comparator output; a selection circuit, including a first selector output coupled to the first comparator input and a second selector output coupled to the second comparator input, the selection circuit including a first plurality of selector inputs, each of the first plurality of selector inputs coupled to receive a reference voltage of a corresponding plurality of reference voltages, the selection circuit including a first selector input coupled to receive a variable voltage; wherein; during a first mode of operation, the selection circuit provides the variable voltage to the first comparator input and provides a first selected voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the second comparator input, wherein the comparator provides at the comparator output an indication of a comparison of the variable voltage and the first selected voltage; during a second mode of operation, the selection circuit provides a second selected voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the first comparator input and a third selected voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the second comparator input, and the device measures a switching offset voltage of the comparator based on the second selected voltage and the third selected voltage, wherein providing the second reference voltage and providing the third reference voltage further comprises selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages to be provided to the first and second inputs of the first comparator; and
,wherein selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages further comprises providing the second reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator prior to providing the second reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification