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US 5,212,409 AGranted
Analog-to-digital converter latch circuit
AssigneeTektronix, Inc.
InventorsClifford H. Moulton, Philip S. Crosby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An analog-to-digital converter latching circuit functions alternatively in a degenerative mode and a regenerative mode. During degeneration, circuit stray capacitances are substantially discharged for resulting in fast operation. When the circuit switches from degeneration to regeneration, a small signal current is able to start the latch in the proper direction without first having to overcome charge stored in the stray capacitances.
Claims4
An A/D converter comprising:
- a regenerative latch for converting an input to a latch state,
- a degenerative stage having its output coupled to its input in a degenerative manner, said degenerative stage sharing common input and output with said regenerative latch, and
- means for alternately operating said degenerative stage and said regenerative latch for first holding said input and output at a given level while said degenerative state is operable and then enabling regeneration toward the latched state as determined by the input when the regenerative latch is operable.
A latch circuit comprising:
- a first pair of active elements connected in a degenerative mode so that the input and output are coupled together and held close to a first level,
- a second pair of active elements cross-connected in a regenerative mode so that a signal at the input produces a latched state at the output different from the first level, the first and second pairs of active elements having a common input and output,
- a comparator coupled for receiving an input to produce the signal,
- means for coupling said comparator in driving relationship to said first pair and to said second pair of active elements, and
- means for alternatively operating said first pair and said second pair of active elements including first rendering effective said driving relationship between said comparator and said first pair of active elements to provide the first level at the common output, and then rendering effective said driving relationship between said comparator and said second pair of active elements to provide the latched state at the common output.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.