Digital-to-analog converter
AssigneeAnalog Devices International Unlimited Company
InventorsRoderick McLachlan, Ken Bryan Fabay, Sharad Vijaykumar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided a method for controlling a digital-to-analog converter, DAC. The DAC receives a digital input comprising a plurality of bits including a first segment comprising X most significant bits, MSBs, and a second segment comprising Y least significant bits, LSBs. The DAC modifies the connection of a plurality of current sources, changing the current source coupling between LSB and MSB transconductance stages. By doing this, the monotonicity of the system can be improved in a compact DAC.
Claims20
A method for controlling a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the method comprising:
- receiving a digital input comprising a plurality of bits including a first segment comprising X most significant bits (MSBs) and a second segment comprising Y least significant bits (LSBs);
- detecting a change in value of the digital input comprising a change in value of the MSBs and a change in value of the LSBs by 2Y−1;
- and
- in response to the detecting;
- decoupling a first current source from a least-significant bit (LSB) transconductance stage of the DAC;
- and
- coupling the first current source to a first most-significant bit (MSB) transconductance stage of the DAC.
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) circuit comprising:
- an input for receiving a digital input comprising a plurality of bits including a first segment comprising X most significant bits (MSBs) and a second segment comprising Y least significant bits (LSBs);
- an LSB transconductance stage;
- one or more MSB transconductance stages comprising a first MSB transconductance stage;
- a first current source;
- and
- a switching circuit, the switching circuit coupled between the first current source and the LSB transconductance stage and the one or more MSB transconductance stages, wherein, when a value of the MSBs changes and a value of the LSBs changes by 2Y−1, the switching circuit is configured to:
- decouple the first current source from the LSB transconductance stage and couple the first current source to the first MSB transconductance stage.
A method for controlling a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the method comprising:
- receiving a digital input;
- detecting a change in value of the digital input comprising a change in value of most significant bits (MSBs) of the digital input and a change in value of least significant bits (LSBs) of the digital input by 2Y−1;
- and
- in response to the detecting,
- decoupling a first current source from a first transconductance stage of the DAC;
- and
- coupling the first current source to a second transconductance stage of the DAC.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.