Analog-to-digital converting module for related light sensing device

• US 9,634,682 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensortek Technology Corp. (Sitronix Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sensortek Technology Corp. (Sitronix Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsai, Tso-Sheng, Hsu, Jer-Hau, Chen, Wen-Cheng, Liu, Ming-Huang
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanglaude, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US15/050,479
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: 341155, 341156
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/14 Conversion in steps with each step involving the same or a different conversion means and delivering more than one bit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 1/46 with digital/analogue converter for supplying reference values to converter

Abstract

An analog-to-digital module includes a sampling unit, for generating an output voltage between a positive output end and a negative output end according to a positive input voltage of a positive input end and a negative input voltage of a negative input end; a comparing unit, for generating a digital output signal according to magnitude relationship between the output voltage and a reference voltage; a variable current source, for generating a variable current according to the digital output signal at the negative input end in a first period according to a control signal; a measured current source, for generating a measured current at the negative input end; and an adjusting unit, for adjusting the output voltage according to the digital output signal in a second period according to the control signal; wherein the first period does not overlap the second period.

Claims

1. An analog-to-digital module, comprising:

a sampling unit, for generating an output voltage between a positive output end and a negative output end according to a positive input voltage of a positive input end and a negative input voltage of a negative input end;

a comparing unit, for generating a digital output signal according to magnitude relationship between the output voltage and a reference voltage;

a variable current source, for generating a variable current according to the digital output signal at the negative input end in a first period according to a control signal;

a measured current source, for generating a measured current at the negative input end; and

an adjusting unit, for adjusting the output voltage according to the digital output signal in a second period according to the control signal;

wherein the first period does not overlap the second period.

2. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 1, wherein the analog-to-digital converting module is a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter in the first period.

3. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 1, the analog-to-digital converting module is a cyclic analog-to-digital converter in the second period.

4. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing unit, for generating a current calibration signal according to the digital output signal; and

a current calibration unit, for generating a current control signal according to the current calibration signal to control the variable current source to generate a calibration current to the negative input end.

5. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 4, the current calibration unit generates the current control signal according to the current calibration signal by a look-up table.

6. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 1, further comprising:

a loading unit, coupled to the positive input end.

7. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 6, further comprising:

a processing unit, for generating a loading calibration signal according to the digital output signal; and

a loading calibration unit, for generating a loading control signal according to the loading calibration signal to adjust a loading of the loading unit.

8. The analog-to-digital converting module of claim 1, wherein in a third period, the measured current source generates the measured current and the variable current source stops generating the variable current according to the control signal, to make the output voltage increase from the reference voltage;

in a fourth period subsequent to the third period, the measured current source stops generating the measured current and the variable current source generates the variable current according to the control signal, to make the output voltage decrease; and

the analog-to-digital converting module further comprises;

a counting unit, coupled to the comparing unit for counting the time of the output voltage becomes smaller than the reference voltage in the fourth period, to generate the digital output signal.

9. A sensing device, comprising:

a light emitting module, for generate light of a predefined frequency range according to temperature sensing information;

an analog-to-digital converting module, comprising;

a sampling unit, for generating an output voltage between a positive output end and a negative output end according to a positive input voltage of a positive input end and a negative input voltage of a negative input end;

a comparing unit, for generating a digital output signal according to magnitude relationship between the output voltage and a reference voltage;

a variable current source, for generating a variable current according to the digital output signal at the negative input end in a first period according to a control signal;

an adjusting unit, for adjusting the output voltage according to the digital output signal in a second period according to the control signal;

a sensing unit, for sensing the light of the predefined frequency range to generate a sensing current;

a temperature sensing unit, for generating a temperature sensing current proportional to the absolute temperature; and

a switch unit, for conducting a connection between the temperature sensing unit and the negative input end in the first period and conducting another connection between the sensing unit and the negative input end in the second period; and

a process unit, for generating the control signal, generating the temperature sensing information according to the digital output signal in the first period, and generating a light sensing information according to the digital output signal in the second period;

wherein the first period does not overlap the second period.

10. The sensing device of claim 9, wherein the analog-to-digital converting module is a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter in the first period.

11. The sensing device of claim 9, the analog-to-digital converting module is a cyclic analog-to-digital converter in the second period.

12. The sensing device of claim 9, further comprising:

a processing unit, for generating a current calibration signal according to the digital output signal; and

a current calibration unit, for generating a current control signal according to the current calibration signal to control the variable current source to generate a calibration current to the negative input end.

13. The sensing device of claim 12, the current calibration unit generates the current control signal according to the current calibration signal by a look-up table.

14. The sensing device of claim 9, further comprising:

a loading unit, coupled to the positive input end.

15. The sensing device of claim 14, further comprising:

a processing unit, for generating a loading calibration signal according to the digital output signal; and

a loading calibration unit, for generating a loading control signal according to the loading calibration signal to adjust a loading of the loading unit.

16. The sensing device of claim 9, wherein in a third period, the measured current source generates the measured current and the variable current source stops generating the variable current according to the control signal, to make the output voltage increase from the reference voltage;

in a fourth period subsequent to the third period, the measured current source stops generating the measured current and the variable current source generates the variable current according to the control signal, to make the output voltage decrease; and

the analog-to-digital converting module further comprises;

a counting unit, coupled to the comparing unit for counting the time of the output voltage becomes smaller than the reference voltage in the fourth period, to generate the digital output signal.