Current steering folding circuit

A current steering folding circuit, comprising:

• an input terminal for receiving an input signal;
• a plurality of reference signal terminals, wherein each reference signal terminal receives a different reference signal from a plurality of reference signals;
• a load;
• at least one current source for drawing a current from the load;
• a first output signal terminal for providing a first output signal;
• a second output signal terminal for providing a second output signal;
• and
• a current steering section for steering the current between the first output signal terminal and the second output signal terminal based on the input signal, wherein the first output signal is substantially equal to the second output signal for N values of the input signal that correspond to the plurality of reference signals, and wherein the number of current sources does not exceed N.

An analog-to-digital converter for converting an analog input signal into a digital output signal, comprising:

• a coarse quantizer for receiving the analog input signal and determining the most significant bits of the digital output signal;
• a fine quantizer for receiving a folded output signal and determining the least significant bits of the digital output signal;
• and
• a current steering folding circuit for receiving the analog input signal and generating the folded output signal, wherein the folding circuit comprises:
• an input terminal for receiving an input signal;
• a load;
• at least one current source for drawing a current from the load;
• a first output signal terminal for providing a first output signal;
• a second output signal terminal for providing a second output signal;
• and
• a current steering section for steering the current between the first output signal terminal and the second output signal terminal based on the input signal, wherein the first output signal is substantially equal to the second output signal for N values of the input signal, wherein the folded output signal is proportional to the difference between the first output signal and the second output signal, and wherein the number of current sources does not exceed N.

A current steering folding circuit, comprising:

• means for receiving an input signal;
• a load;
• at least one current source for drawing a current from the load;
• a first output signal terminal for providing a first output signal;
• a second output signal terminal for providing a second output signal;
• and
• means for steering the current between the first output signal terminal and the second output signal terminal based on the input signal, wherein the first output signal is substantially equal to the second output signal for N values of the input signal, and wherein the number of current sources does not exceed N.