Time-based delay line analog-to-digital converter with variable resolution

A microcontroller comprising:

• a processor core;
• a memory;
• and
• a differential digital delay line analog-to-digital converter (ADC), comprising:
• differential digital delay lines comprising a plurality of series coupled delay cells, wherein a delay time of a first delay line is related to a first voltage at an input of the ADC and a delay time of a second delay line is related to a second voltage at the input of the ADC;
• a first bypass circuit communicatively coupled at a predefined node location in the series coupled delay cells;
• a plurality of storage circuits each coupled with the series coupled delay cells;
• a converter circuit coupled with the plurality of storage circuits configured to convert data from the storage circuits into an output value of the ADC;
• and
• a plurality of logic circuits configured to select data from the storage circuits depending on a selected resolution of the differential digital delay line analog-to-digital converter.

A method of converting an analog signal to a digital value, comprising:

• applying a first voltage to a differential digital delay line analog-to-digital converter (ADC);
• applying a second voltage to the ADC;
• passing signals through a plurality of series coupled delay cells in the ADC, wherein a delay time of a first delay line is related to the first voltage and a delay time of a second delay line is related to the second voltage;
• storing values from the series coupled delay cells in a plurality of storage circuits;
• converting, with a converter circuit, data from the storage circuits into an output value of the ADC;
• passing the signals through a first bypass circuit communicatively coupled at a predefined node location in the series coupled delay cells;
• and
• selecting data from the storage circuits depending on a selected resolution of the ADC.