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US 12,597,943 B2Granted
Ramp circuit
Assigneeams Sensors Belgium BVBA
InventorKevin Fronczak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a ramp circuit for an analogue to digital converter, ADC. The ramp circuit includes a ramp unit configured to provide a ramp signal usable for sampling an analogue signal. The ramp circuit also includes a hold unit connected to the ramp unit, the hold unit is configured to hold a reference voltage for resetting the ramp signal between subsequent samplings of the analogue signal.
Claims15
A ramp circuit for an analogue to digital converter (ADC) the ramp circuit comprising:
- a ramp unit configured to provide a ramp signal usable for comparing to an analogue signal;
- and
- a hold unit connected to the ramp unit and configured to hold a reference voltage for resetting the ramp signal between subsequent samplings of the analogue signal,
- wherein the hold unit comprises:
- a hold capacitor for holding the reference voltage and connected to an input of an op-amp;
- a first switch connected to the hold capacitor;
- and
- a second switch connected in series between the first switch and a reference voltage source, so that the hold capacitor and the input of the op-amp are connected to the reference voltage source when the first and second switches are closed;
- and
- a third switch connected between an output of the op-amp and the first switch and the second switch, such that the first and second switches are connected to the output of the op-amp when the third switch is closed.
7 more elements
A method of converting an analogue signal to a digital signal, the method comprising:
- sampling the analogue signal using a ramp signal;
- resetting the ramp signal from a hold capacitor;
- sampling a reference signal using the ramp signal;
- receiving a receiver signal:
- holding the sampled reference signal during at least two subsequent samplings of the receiver signal and the reference signal;
- and
- subtracting the sampled reference signal from the sampled analogue signal to provide an output signal.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.