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US 4,965,578 AGranted
High dynamic analog to digital counter
AssigneeCommissariat a l'Energie Atomique
InventorRobert Poujois
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An analog to digital converter comprises coarse (15, 16) and fine (24, 19) quantization. The coarse quantization is of the frequency-current type or frequency-voltage frequency type. The fine quantization measures the discharge period of a residual charge stored in an integration capacitor (3) at the end of the coarse quantization phase. The discharger of this capacitor includes a capacitor (14) for quantifying this discharge.
Claims10
A high dynamic analog to digital converter, of the type comprising:
- (a) a means to integrate a signal to be quantified during a period, said means capable of accumulating charges originating from the signal to be quantified;
- (b) means to inject into the integration means quantified electric charges in a number proportional to said signal to be quantified, the injected charges being of a polarity inverse to the charges originating from the signal to be quantified, said injection means comprising a quantified charge generator provided with a quantization capacitor, firstly coupled to a reference voltage source of polarity opposite to that of the signal to be quantified;
- (c) fine counting means for counting a period proportional to discharge of the accumulated residual charge and calculate from this a low order value quantization of the signal;
- (d) said quantified charge generator and quantization capacitor, selectably switchable between the first reference voltage source and a ramp generator voltage source of polarity opposite to that of the signal to be quantified;
- (e) rough counting means for counting the number of injected quantified charges and calculate from these a high value quantization of the signal;
- (f) a triggered oscillator and control logic sequencer for alternatively coupling said quantization capacitor with the charge integrator input;
- and
- (g) a sequencer for alternatively coupling the reference voltage source and ramp generator to said quantization capacitor.
5 more elements
A high dynamic analog to digital converter, of the type comprising:
- (a) a means to integrate a plurality of signals to be quantified during a period, said means capable of accumulating charges originating from the signals to be quantified;
- (b) means to inject into the integration means quantified electric charges in a number proportional to said signals to be quantified, the injected charges being of a polarity inverse to the charges originating from the signals to be quantified, said injection means comprising a quantified charge generator provided with a quantization capacitor, firstly coupled to a reference voltage source of polarity opposite to that of the signals to be quantified;
- (c) fine counting means for counting a period proportional to discharge of the accumulated residual charge and calculate from this a low order value quantization of the signals;
- (d) said quantified charge generator and quantization capacitor, selectably switchable between the first reference voltage source and a function generator voltage source of polarity opposite to that of the signal to be quantified;
- (e) rough counting means for counting the number of injected quantified charges and calculate from these a high value quantization of the signals;
- (f) a triggered oscillator and control logic sequencer for alternatively coupling said quantization capacitor with the charge integrator input;
- (g) a sequencer for alternatively coupling the reference voltage source and function generator to said quantization capacitor;
- and
- (h) a means to selectively measure and discharge a residual electric charge, including said charge generator and appropriately coupled to said quantization capacitor.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.