Hybrid analog-to-digital conversion device, method, and sensor signal processing device including the same
AssigneeElssen
InventorJiman PARK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are a hybrid analog-to-digital conversion device, method, and a sensor signal processing device including the same. The hybrid analog-to-digital conversion device refers to a hybrid analog-to-digital converter device for generating N-bit digital output (N≥1, natural number) may include a control-logic circuit, n comparators (n≥1, natural number), and a reference voltage generation circuit, and the control-logic circuit may control the reference voltage generation circuit according to the comparison result of the comparator to adjust the reference voltage or the input signal voltage that is applied to a single comparator or applied to at least one comparator among a plurality of comparators.
Claims12
A hybrid analog-to-digital converter device for generating N-bit digital output (N≥1, natural number), the hybrid analog-to-digital converter device comprising:
- a control-logic circuit;
- n comparators (n≥1, natural number) each configured to compare an input signal voltage (VA) and a reference voltage and to generate comparison output;
- and
- a reference voltage generation circuit configured to provide the preset reference voltage to the comparator,
- wherein the control-logic circuit controls the reference voltage generation circuit according to the comparison output of the comparator to adjust the reference voltage or the input signal voltage (VA) that is applied to a single comparator or applied to at least one comparator among a plurality of comparators.
A hybrid analog-to-digital conversion method for acquiring N-bit digital output (N≥1, natural number), the method comprising:
- generating at least one comparison result by comparing an analog input signal voltage with at least one reference voltage using n comparators (n≥1, natural number);
- adjusting the reference voltage or the analog input signal voltage through a control-logic circuit based on the comparison result;
- and
- determining each bit of the N-bit digital output by repeatedly performing the generating of the comparison result and the adjusting over a plurality of conversion steps for determining an output bit, or by repeatedly performing the same based on a conversion group unit that groups a plurality of bits into a single group.
A sensor signal processing device comprising:
- a sensor element of which an electrical characteristic changes according to physical quantity;
- a reference current source configured to generate an analog input signal voltage corresponding to output of the sensor element by applying reference current to the sensor element;
- a sample-and-hold circuit configured to sample and hold the analog input signal voltage;
- and
- a hybrid analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to generate N-bit digital output (N≥1, natural number) by repeatedly comparing the analog input signal voltage using n comparators (n≥1, natural number) and a control-logic circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.