IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,693,487
Granted Patent B1
US 10,693,487 · App. 16/574,742 · Granted Jun 23, 2020

Successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter and operation method thereof

Inventors: Liang-Huan Lei (Kaohsiung, TW); Shih-Hsiung Huang (Miaoli County, TW)
Assignee: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
H03M1/462H03M1/466
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,693,487
App. No.
16/574,742
Granted
Jun 23, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a method of operating the SAR ADC are provided. The SAR ADC converts an analog input signal into a digital code and includes a switch-capacitor digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and the switch-capacitor DAC includes multiple capacitors. The method includes the steps of: switching terminal voltage(s) of at least one target capacitor among the capacitors according to a data in a sampling phase; sampling the analog input signal in the sampling phase; switching the terminal voltage(s) of the at least one target capacitor after the sampling phase; comparing the outputs of the switch-capacitor DAC to obtain multiple comparison results that constitute the digital code; and switching the terminal voltages of a part of the capacitors according to the comparison results.

Claims (24)

1. A successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) operating in a sampling phase or in a comparison and switching phase to convert an analog input signal into a digital code, comprising:

a switch-capacitor digital-to-analog converter (DAC) comprising a plurality of capacitors, and configured to sample the analog input signal in the sampling phase;

a comparator, coupled to the switch-capacitor DAC, and configured to compare outputs of the switch-capacitor DAC in the comparison and switching phase to generate a plurality of comparison results;

a successive approximating register (SAR), coupled to the comparator, and configured to store the comparison results, wherein the digital code is made up of the comparison results; and

a control circuit, coupled to the SAR, and configured to switch terminal voltages of a part of the capacitors according to the comparison results in the comparison and switching phase, and to switch terminal voltage(s) of at least one target capacitor among the capacitors according to a data in the sampling phase.

2. The SAR ADC of claim 1 , wherein the data is used as at least one bit of the digital code.

3. The SAR ADC of claim 2 , wherein the at least one bit is a most significant bit.

4. The SAR ADC of claim 1 , wherein the digital code is a first digital code, and the SAR ADC further comprises:

an auxiliary ADC coupled to the control circuit and configured to convert the analog input signal into a second digital code;

wherein the data comprises a portion of the second digital code.

5. The SAR ADC of claim 1 , wherein the SAR ADC generates a previous digital code before generating the digital code, and the data comprises a portion of the previous digital code.

6. The SAR ADC of claim 1 , wherein the SAR ADC further operates in a reset phase, the reset phase is after the sampling phase and before the comparison and switching phase, and the control circuit is further configured to switch the terminal voltage(s) of the at least one target capacitor in the reset phase to control all of the capacitors to be coupled to a default voltage.

7. A method of operating a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC), wherein the SAR ADC is configured to convert an analog input signal into a digital code and comprises a switch-capacitor digital-to-analog converter (DAC) formed by a plurality of capacitors, and the method comprises:

switching terminal voltage(s) of at least one target capacitor among the capacitors according to a data in the sampling phase;

sampling the analog input signal in the sampling phase;

switching the terminal voltage(s) of the at least one target capacitor after the sampling phase;

comparing outputs of the switch-capacitor DAC to obtain a plurality of comparison results, wherein the digital code is made up of the comparison results; and

switching terminal voltages of a part of the capacitors according to the comparison results.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the data is used as at least one bit of the digital code.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one bit is a most significant bit.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the digital code is a first digital code, and the SAR ADC further comprises an auxiliary ADC configured to convert the analog input signal into a second digital code, the method further comprising:

deriving the data from the second digital code, wherein the data comprises a portion of the second digital code.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the SAR ADC generates a previous digital code before generating the digital code, and the data comprises a portion of the previous digital code.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of switching the terminal voltage(s) of the at least one target capacitor after the sampling phase controls all of the capacitors to be coupled to a default voltage.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2019
From: LEI, LIANG-HUAN; HUANG, SHIH-HSIUNG
To: REALTEK SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050418/0020 →
Priority Claims (1)
TW 107144861 A · Dec 12, 2018 · national
Cited By (2)
US 12,506,487 US 12,603,661