IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,812,098
Granted Patent B1
US 10,812,098 · App. 16/454,335 · Granted Oct 20, 2020

Analog-to-digital converter decision control

Inventors: Ramamurthy Vishweshwara (Bengaluru, IN); Pramod Kumar Baskar (Bengaluru, IN)
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
H03M1/462H03M1/1245H03M1/466G05F3/02H03M1/12H03M1/365H03M1/66
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,812,098
App. No.
16/454,335
Granted
Oct 20, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) includes a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC), a comparator, and a successive approximation register (SAR) control circuit. The comparator is coupled to an output of the CDAC. The SAR control circuit is coupled to an output of the comparator and to an input of the CDAC. The SAR control circuit includes a flip-flop. The flip-flop includes a clock input terminal, a data input terminal, and an output. The clock input terminal is coupled to the output of the comparator. The data input terminal coupled to a constant voltage source. The flip-flop can include an enable input terminal coupled to a SAR state circuit. The output is coupled to the CDAC.

Claims (145)

1. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC), comprising:

a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC);

a comparator coupled to an output of the CDAC; and

a successive approximation register (SAR) control circuit coupled to an output of the comparator and to an input of the CDAC, the SAR control circuit comprising:

a flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to the output of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to the CDAC;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop;

the constant voltage source is a first constant voltage source; and

the SAR control circuit comprises:

a second flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to a plurality of outputs of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a second constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

2. The ADC of claim 1 , wherein the SAR control circuit comprises a clock generation circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to a first output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to a second output of the comparator; and

an output coupled to the clock input terminal of the second flip-flop.

3. The ADC of claim 1 , wherein the SAR control circuit further comprises:

a first selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a third input coupled to a second selection circuit; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

4. The ADC of claim 3 , wherein the SAR control circuit further comprises:

a third selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a third input coupled to a fourth selection circuit; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

5. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC), comprising:

a capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC);

a comparator coupled to an output of the CDAC; and

a successive approximation register (SAR) control circuit coupled to an output of the comparator and to an input of the CDAC, the SAR control circuit comprising:

a flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to the output of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to the CDAC;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop;

the constant voltage source is a first constant voltage source;

the output of the first flip-flop is coupled to a first input of the CDAC;

the clock input terminal of the first flip-flop is coupled to a first output of the comparator; and

the SAR control circuit comprises a second flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to a second output of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a second constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to a second input of the CDAC.

6. The ADC of claim 5 , wherein the SAR control circuit further comprises:

a first selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to a SAR state circuit;

an output coupled to the first input of the CDAC; and

a second selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the SAR state circuit; and

an output coupled to the second input of the CDAC.

7. A capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) circuit, comprising:

a CDAC comprising:

a plurality of capacitors; and

a plurality of switches coupled to the capacitors; and

a control circuit coupled to the CDAC, and comprising:

a flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to an output of a comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to a first of the switches;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop;

the constant voltage source is a first constant voltage source; and

the control circuit comprises:

a second flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to a plurality of outputs of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a second constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

8. The CDAC circuit of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit comprises a clock generation circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to a first output of the comparator;

a second input coupled to a second output of the comparator; and

an output coupled to the clock input terminal of the second flip-flop.

9. The CDAC circuit of claim 7 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

a first selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a third input coupled to a second selection circuit; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

10. The CDAC circuit of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit further comprises:

a third selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a third input coupled to a fourth selection circuit; and

an output coupled to the CDAC.

11. A capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) circuit, comprising:

a CDAC comprising:

a plurality of capacitors; and

a plurality of switches coupled to the capacitors; and

a control circuit coupled to the CDAC, and comprising:

a flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to an output of a comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to a first of the switches;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop;

the constant voltage source is a first constant voltage source;

the clock input terminal of the first flip-flop is coupled to a first output of the comparator; and

the control circuit comprises a second flip-flop comprising:

a clock input terminal coupled to a second output of the comparator;

a data input terminal coupled to a second constant voltage source; and

an output coupled to a second of the switches.

12. The CDAC circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:

a first selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the first flip-flop;

a second input coupled to a CDAC state circuit; and

an output coupled to the first of the switches; and

a second selection circuit comprising:

a first input coupled to the output of the second flip-flop;

a second input coupled to the CDAC state circuit; and

an output coupled to the second of the switches.

13. A method, comprising:

comparing, by a comparator circuit, output of a first capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) and output of a second CDAC;

applying a signal generated at an output of the comparator circuit as a clock signal to clock a constant value into a flip-flip; and

routing an output signal generated by the flip-flop to the CDAC, wherein the output signal controls switching of a reference voltage to a capacitor of the CDAC;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop; and

the constant value is a first constant value; and

the method further comprises:

combining the signal generated at the first output of the comparator circuit and a signal generated at a second output of the comparator circuit to generate a clock signal; and

applying the clock signal to clock a second constant value into a second flip-flop.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising selectively routing, based on an output of the second flip-flip, the output signal generated by the first flip-flop to control a first switch of the CDAC.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising selectively routing, based on the output of the second flip-flip, the output signal generated by the first flip-flop to control a second switch of the CDAC.

16. A method, comprising:

comparing, by a comparator circuit, output of a first capacitive digital-to-analog converter (CDAC) and output of a second CDAC;

applying a signal generated at an output of the comparator circuit as a clock signal to clock a constant value into a flip-flip; and

routing an output signal generated by the flip-flop to the CDAC, wherein the output signal controls switching of a reference voltage to a capacitor of the CDAC;

wherein:

the flip-flop is a first flip-flop;

the constant value is a first constant value;

the capacitor is a first capacitor;

the output of the comparator circuit is a first output of the comparator circuit; and

the reference voltage is a first reference voltage; and

the method further comprises:

applying a signal generated at a second output of the comparator circuit as a clock signal to clock a second constant value into a second flip-flip; and

routing an output signal generated by the second flip-flop to the CDAC, wherein the output signal controls switching of the reference voltage to a second capacitor of the CDAC.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

selectively routing the output signal generated by the first flip-flop to a first switch of the CDAC; and

selectively routing the output signal generated by the second flip-flop to a second switch of the CDAC.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2019
From: VISHWESHWARA, RAMAMURTHY; BASKAR, PRAMOD KUMAR
To: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 049608/0892 →
Cited By (5)
US 12,212,334 US 12,388,462 US 12,476,647 US 12,580,575 US 12,738,953