System and method for area-efficient three-level dynamic element matching

A system for converting digital signals into analog signals using sigma-delta modulation, comprising:

• a signed thermometer encoder for converting a plurality of signed binary data received at the encoder into a plurality of signed thermometer data;
• and
• a rotational dynamic element matching (DEM) arrangement for receiving the plurality of signed binary data and the plurality of signed thermometer data, the rotational DEM arrangement further comprising:
• a barrel shifter for receiving magnitude of a signed thermometer data, and
• a sign indicator for indicating the sign of the signed thermometer data,
• wherein the barrel shifter has a first pointer indicating a starting position of next positive thermometer data and a second pointer indicating a starting position of next negative thermometer data.

A method for converting digital signals into analog signals using a sigma-delta modulation, comprising:

• providing a plurality of signed binary data to a signed thermometer encoder for converting the plurality of signed binary data into a plurality of signed thermometer codes;
• for a positive thermometer data (N):
• activating N elements in a first barrel shifter starting from a first pointer;
• and
• circularly shifting the first pointer by N elements;
• and
• for a negative thermometer data (−N):
• activating N elements in a second barrel shifter starting from a second pointer;
• and
• circularly shifting the second pointer by N elements,
• wherein each element of the first barrel shifter in relation to an initial first pointer position and each element of the second barrel shifter in relation to an initial second pointer position are paired up.

A method for converting digital signals into analog signals using a sigma-delta modulation, comprising:

• providing a plurality of signed binary data to a signed thermometer encoder for converting the plurality of signed binary data into a plurality of signed thermometer codes;
• providing a first pointer and a second pointer to a barrel shifter;
• for a positive thermometer data (N):
• activating N elements in the barrel shifter starting from the first pointer;
• activating a sign bit to indicate a positive thermometer code;
• and
• circularly shifting the first pointer by N elements;
• and
• for a negative thermometer data (−N):
• activating N elements in the barrel shifter starting from the second pointer;
• activating the sign bit to indicate a negative thermometer code;
• and
• circularly shifting the second pointer by N elements.

A system for converting digital signals into analog signals using sigma-delta modulation, comprising:

• a signed thermometer encoder for converting a plurality of signed binary data received at the encoder into a plurality of signed thermometer data;
• and
• a rotational dynamic element matching (DEM) component for receiving the plurality of signed binary data and the plurality of signed thermometer data, the rotational DEM arrangement further comprising:
• means for storing activated elements as a function of signed thermometer data at a cycle,
• means for pointing at a starting position of next signed thermometer data on the storing means;
• and
• means for indicating a sign of the signed thermometer data.