IP Library Granted Patent US 12,470,227
Granted Patent B2
US 12,470,227 · App. 18/563,115 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Self-calibration-function-equipped A/D converter

Inventors: Tadashi Minotani (Musashino, JP); Kenichi Matsunaga (Musashino, JP)
Assignee: NTT, Inc.
H03M1/1014
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,470,227
App. No.
18/563,115
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An A/D converter includes: a first reference voltage unit that generates a temperature-compensated reference voltage; a second reference voltage unit that generates a second reference voltage calibrated with the reference voltage; an integration unit that generates an integrated voltage obtained by integrating unit voltages using any one of the reference voltage, the second reference voltage, and a ground voltage as an initial value during calibration; a comparator that compares the integrated voltage with a threshold voltage and outputs a determination signal; a calibration control unit that measures an integration time until the integrated voltage exceeds the threshold voltage from the initial value during calibration and calibrates the unit voltages and an offset voltage of the comparator; and a conversion control unit that converts an input voltage into a digital value using a conversion integration time which is the integration time when the input voltage is an initial value and the second reference voltage during conversion.

Claims (13)

1 . A self-calibration-function-equipped analog-to-digital (A/D) converter comprising:

a first reference voltage unit configured to generate a temperature-compensated first reference voltage;

a second reference voltage unit configured to generate a second reference voltage calibrated with the first reference voltage;

an integration unit configured to generate an integrated voltage obtained by integrating unit voltages using any one of the first reference voltage, the second reference voltage, and a ground voltage as an initial value during calibration;

a comparator configured to compare the integrated voltage with a threshold voltage and output a determination signal;

a calibration control unit configured to measure an integration time until the integrated voltage exceeds the threshold voltage from the initial value during calibration and calibrate the unit voltages and an offset voltage of the comparator; and

a conversion control unit configured to convert an input voltage into a digital value using a conversion integration time which is the integration time when the input voltage is an initial value and the second reference voltage during conversion.

2 . The self-calibration-function-equipped A/D converter according to claim 1 , wherein

the calibration control unit includes:

an offset measurement unit configured to measure a first number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating coarsely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage using the second reference voltage as an initial value and a second number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating finely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage;

a correlation measurement unit configured to measure a third number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating the finely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage after setting the second reference voltage as an initial value and integrating the coarsely adjusted unit voltages by a number of times obtained by subtracting one from the first number of times that integration is performed;

a unit voltage measurement unit configured to measure a fourth number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating coarsely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage using the ground voltage as an initial value and a fifth number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating the finely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage; and

a reference voltage correction unit configured to measure a sixth number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating the coarsely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage using the second reference voltage as an initial value and a seventh number of times that integration is performed until the integrated voltage obtained by integrating the finely adjusted unit voltages exceeds the threshold voltage.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 15, 2025
From: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
To: NTT, INC.
Reel/Frame 072477/0383 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2023
From: MINOTANI, TADASHI; MATSUNAGA, KENICHI
To: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065636/0069 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240275396A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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