Digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with partial constant switching

1. A method comprising:

assessing performance of a plurality of conversion elements in a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) based on particular input conditions associated with a digital input to said DAC, wherein each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements handles a particular bit in said digital input; and

configuring said DAC based on said assessing of performance, wherein said configuring comprises:

selecting a subset of said plurality of conversion elements; and

setting only said subset of said plurality of conversion elements to apply a particular type of operations, wherein:

said particular type of operations pertains to applying digital-to-analog conversions via said DAC; and

said particular type of operations relates to or affects performance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said assessing of performance comprises determining for each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements how that conversion element behaves for said particular input conditions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subset of said plurality of conversion elements comprises one or more conversion elements that are determined to affect performance for said particular input conditions.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining each conversion element in said subset of said plurality of conversion elements during design of said DAC.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising configuring only each conversion element in said subset of said plurality of conversion elements to handle said particular type of operations.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements is configured to handle said particular type of operations; and

said configuring comprises dynamically enabling or disabling handling said particular type of operations in each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements during operation of said DAC.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising:

individually assessing performance for each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements based on said particular input conditions; and

determining whether to enable or disable said handling of said particular type of operations in each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements based on assessed performance for that conversion element.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said particular input conditions comprise signal backoff.

9. A system comprising:

a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to apply digital-to-analog conversions, said DAC comprising:

a plurality of conversion elements with each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements operable to handle a particular bit in a digital input to said DAC; and

a controller circuit operable to:

assess performance of said plurality of conversion elements based on particular input conditions associated with said digital input to said DAC; and

configure said DAC based on said assessing of performance, wherein said configuring comprises:

selecting a subset of said plurality of conversion elements; and

setting only said subset of said plurality of conversion elements to apply a particular type of operations, wherein:

 said particular type of operations pertains to applying digital-to-analog conversions via said DAC; and

 said particular type of operations relates to or affects performance.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said controller circuit is operable to, when performing said assessing of performance, determine for each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements how that conversion element behaves for said particular input conditions.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein said subset of said plurality of conversion elements comprises one or more conversion elements that are determined to affect performance for said particular input conditions.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements is operable to handle said particular type of operations; and

said controller circuit is operable to dynamically enable or disable handling said particular type of operations in each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements during operation of said DAC.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein said controller circuit is operable to:

individually assess performance for each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements based on said particular input conditions; and

determine whether to enable or disable said handling of said particular type of operations in each conversion element of said plurality of conversion elements based on assessed performance for that conversion element.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein said particular input conditions comprise signal backoff.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein said DAC comprises a plurality of segments, with each segment comprising one or more conversion elements of said plurality of conversion elements.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein said plurality of segments comprises:

a most significant bits (MSBs) segment; and

one or more least significant bits (LSBs) segments.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said one or more LSBs segments comprise:

a lower least significant bits (LLSBs) segment;

a middle least significant bits (MLSBs) segment; and

an upper least significant bits (ULSBs) segment.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein only one or more conversion elements in said MSBs segment and all conversion elements in said one or more LSBs segments are configured to apply said particular type of operations.