# US 2014/0152484 A1 · Oversampling time-to-digital converter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0152484 A1 - Document ID: US20140152484A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/172,718 - Filed: 2014-02-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-11 - Assignees: Panasonic Corporation - Applicants: Panasonic Corporation - Inventors: Shiro DOSHO; Masao TAKAYAMA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152484A1 ## CPC - H03M 1/50: with intermediate conversion to time interval (H03M1/64 takes precedence) - G04F 10/005: {Time-to-digital converters [TDC] (analog-to-digital converters with intermediate conversion to time or phase H03M1/50, H03M1/60)} - H03K 5/153: Arrangements in which a pulse is delivered at the instant when a predetermined characteristic of an input signal is present or at a fixed time interval after this instant (switching at zero crossing H03K17/13) - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - G04F: TIME-INTERVAL MEASURING (measuring pulse characteristics G01R, e.g. G01R29/02; in radar or like systems G01S) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract An oversampling time-to-digital converter includes an input pulse generation circuit generating two pulse signals, a reference pulse generation circuit generating two pulse signals, a swap circuit swapping two pulse signals, a multiplexer selecting an output of the input pulse generation circuit or the swap circuit, a time-to-current conversion circuit outputting two pulse currents in accordance with an output of the multiplexer, a current mirror circuit whose input and output terminals receive the two pulse currents, an integration circuit integrating a differential current between the pulse current connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit and an output current of the current mirror circuit, and a comparison circuit comparing an output signal of the integration circuit to a threshold voltage. An output signal of the comparison circuit is given to the swap circuit as a control signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oversampling time-to-digital converter, comprising: an input pulse generation circuit configured to generate two pulse signals from two input signals such that a time difference between respective start edges of the two pulse signals is equal to a time difference between respective edges of the two input signals and respective end edges of the two pulse signals match each other; a reference pulse generation circuit configured to generate two pulse signals from a reference clock signal such that a time difference between respective start edges of the two pulse signals is equal to a cycle of the reference clock signal and respective end edges of the two pulse signals match each other; a swap circuit configured to receive the two pulse signals output from the reference pulse generation circuit and to swap the received two pulse signals in accordance with a control signal to output the pulse signals; a multiplexer configured to receive the two pulse signals output from the input pulse generation circuit and the two pulse signals output from the swap circuit and to selectively output the two pulse signals output from the input pulse generation circuit or the swap circuit; a time-to-current conversion circuit configured to output two pulse currents in accordance with respective pulse widths of the two pulse signals output from the multiplexer; a current mirror circuit configured such that one of the two pulse currents is connected to an input terminal of the current mirror circuit and the other of the two pulse currents is connected to an output terminal of the current mirror circuit; an integration circuit configured to integrate a differential current between the pulse current connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit and an output current of the current mirror circuit; and a comparison circuit configured to compare an output signal of the integration circuit to a threshold voltage, wherein an output signal of the comparison circuit is given as the control signal to the swap circuit. ### Claim 2 An oversampling time-to-digital converter, comprising: an input pulse generation circuit configured to generate two pulse signals from two input signals such that a time difference between respective start edges of the two pulse signals is equal to a time difference between respective edges of the two input signals and respective end edges of the two pulse signals match each other; a reference pulse generation circuit configured to generate two pulse signals from a reference clock signal such that a time difference between respective start edges of the two pulse signals is equal to a cycle of the reference clock signal and respective end edges of the pulse signals match each other; a swap circuit configured to receive the two pulse signals output from the reference pulse generation circuit and to swap the received two pulse signals in accordance with a control signal to output the pulse signals; a first time-to-current conversion circuit configured to output two pulse currents in accordance with respective pulse widths of the two pulse signals output from the input pulse generation circuit; a second time-to-current conversion circuit configured to output two pulse currents in accordance with respective pulse widths of the two pulse signals output from the swap circuit; a current mirror circuit configured such that one of the two pulse currents output from the first time-to-current conversion circuit and one of the two pulse currents output from the second time-to-current conversion circuit are connected to an input terminal of the current mirror circuit and the other of the two pulse currents output from the first time-to-current conversion circuit and the other of the two pulse currents output from the second time-to-current conversion circuit are connected to an output terminal of the current mirror circuit; an integration circuit configured to integrate a differential current between the pulse current connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit and an output current of the current mirror circuit; and a comparison circuit configured to compare an output signal of the integration circuit to a threshold voltage, wherein an output signal of the comparison circuit is given as the control signal to the swap circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, further comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap respective current sources of the two pulse currents in accordance with a control signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap respective current sources of the two pulse currents output from the first time-to-current conversion circuit in accordance with a control signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, further comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap, in accordance with a control signal, a transistor configured to generate an input current of the current mirror circuit and a transistor configured to generate an output current of the current mirror circuit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, further comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap, in accordance with a control signal, a transistor configured to generate an input current of the current mirror circuit and a transistor configured to generate an output current of the current mirror circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, further comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap respective signal paths of the two input signals in accordance with a control signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, further comprising: a swap circuit configured to swap respective signal paths of the two input signals in accordance with a control signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein the integration circuit includes an operation amplifier configured such that a negative phase input terminal thereof is connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit and a positive phase input terminal thereof is connected to the input terminal of the current mirror circuit, a first capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the positive phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to a common node, and a second capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the negative phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to the output terminal of the operation amplifier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, wherein the integration circuit includes an operation amplifier configured such that a negative phase input terminal thereof is connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit and a positive phase input terminal thereof is connected to the input terminal of the current mirror circuit, a first capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the positive phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to a common node, and a second capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the negative phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to the output terminal of the operation amplifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, further comprising: a differentiation circuit configured to differentiate the output signal of the comparison circuit; a second swap circuit configured to receive the two pulse signals output from the reference pulse generation circuit, to swap the received two pulse signals in accordance with the output signal of the differentiation circuit, and to output the two pulse signals; and a third time-to-current conversion circuit configured to output two pulse currents in accordance with respective pulse widths of the two pulse signals output from the second swap circuit, wherein one of the two pulse currents output from the third time-to-current conversion circuit is connected to the input terminal of the current mirror circuit and the other of the two pulse currents is connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit, and the integration circuit is a second-order integration circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 11, wherein the integration circuit includes an operation amplifier, a first resistive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the positive phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to the input terminal of the current mirror circuit, a first capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the first terminal of the first resistive element and a second terminal thereof is connected to a common node, a second capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the second terminal of the first resistive element and a second terminal thereof is connected to the common node, a second resistive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to a negative phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and a second terminal thereof is connected to the output terminal of the current mirror circuit, third and fourth capacitive elements connected in series between the negative phase input terminal of the operation amplifier and an output terminal of the operation amplifier, a fifth capacitive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to the second terminal of the second resistive element and a second terminal thereof is connected to the common node, and a third resistive element configured such that a first terminal thereof is connected to a connection point of the third and fourth capacitive elements and a second terminal thereof is connected to the common node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein the input pulse generation circuit includes first and second flip-flop circuits configured such that each of the two input signals is clock input to an corresponding one of the first and second flip-flop circuits, and a reset circuit configured to detect an edge of an output signal of each of the first and second flip-flop circuits to reset the first and second flip-flop circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, wherein the input pulse generation circuit includes first and second flip-flop circuits configured such that each of the two input signals is clock input to an corresponding one of the first and second flip-flop circuits, and a reset circuit configured to detect an edge of an output signal of each of the first and second flip-flop circuits to reset the first and second flip-flop circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein the current mirror circuit includes first and second transistors whose gates are connected to each other, and an operation amplifier configured such that a positive phase input terminal thereof is connected to a drain of the first transistor, a reference voltage is connected to a negative phase input terminal thereof, and an output terminal thereof is connected to the gate of the first transistor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, wherein the current mirror circuit includes first and second transistors gates of which are connected to each other, and an operation amplifier configured such that a positive phase input terminal thereof is connected to a drain of the first transistor, a reference voltage is connected to a negative phase input terminal thereof, and an output terminal thereof is connected to the gate of the first transistor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein the current mirror circuit includes first and second transistors whose gates are connected to each other, and the gate and a drain of the first transistor are connected to each other. ### Claim 18 (depends on 2) The oversampling time-to-digital converter of claim 2, wherein the current mirror circuit includes first and second transistors whose gates are connected to each other, and the gate and a drain of the first transistor are connected to each other. ### Claim 19 A pulse current generation circuit to whose input terminal a pulse signal is input and from whose output terminal a pulse current is ouput, whose pulse width corresponds to that of the pulse signal, comprising: a current source; a first switch element connected to the current source and configured to output the pulse current in accordance with the pulse signal; and a dummy path connected to the current source and configured to cause, when the first switch element is nonconductive, a current of the current source to flow. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The pulse current generation circuit of claim 19, wherein the dummy path includes a second switch element configured to be conductive when the first switch element is nonconductive, and to be nonconductive when the first switch element is conductive. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pulse current generation circuit of claim 20, wherein the first switch element is a first MOS transistor configured such that a source thereof is connected to the current source, a gate thereof is connected to the input terminal, and a drain thereof is connected to the output terminal, and the second switch element is a second MOS transistor configured such that a source thereof is connected to the current source and a gate thereof is connected to an inversion signal of the input terminal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The pulse current generation circuit of claim 21, further comprising: a voltage buffer circuit configured such that an input terminal thereof is connected to the drain of the first MOS transistor, and an output terminal thereof is connected to the drain of the second MOS transistor.