US 5,305,006 A · Soliton-phase analog-to-digital converter

Abstract

A superconducting analog-to digital converter comprises an input line, a soliton generator, a phase sampler, and a decoder. The soliton generator includes a nonlinear transmission line and a gradient current source. The transmission line is a series of inductive links separated from a superconducting ground plane by Josephson junction. The gradient current source induces gradient pump currents that are inductively coupled into the transmission line. The gradient establishes a three-cycle soliton. A time-varying current input signal is inductively coupled to the transmission line so that the local pump current changes as a function of changes in the input signal. These changes cause the soliton to move, and thus change its phase, along the transmission line. Sixty-four comparators of the phase sampler track the phase of the soliton. The digital readout of the phase sampler is then decoded to determine the value of the signal input. This configuration provides for 6-7 bits of subquantum resolution so that the ADC is well suited as an interpolator for grosser ADCs.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An analog-to-digital converter comprising:

input means for receiving an input signal having a time-variable signal value;
a phase sampler for digitally representing a phase of a periodic soliton by generating a series of sampling events, each sampling event providing a respective digital representation of said phase;
and
a soliton generator for generating said periodic soliton, said periodic soliton having a respective phase for each sampling event, said soliton means being coupled to said input means so that said phase varies as a function of said signal value, said soliton means being coupled to said sampling means to provide for sampling of said periodic soliton.

1 more element

An analog-to-digital converter comprising:

input means for receiving an input signal having a time-variable signal value;
a phase sampler for digitally representing a phase of a periodic soliton by generating a series of sampling events, each sampling event providing a respective digital representation of said phase, said phase sampler including sensors at n different phase locations, each of said sensors indicating whether the respective local intensity of said soliton exceeds a predetermined threshold during each sampling event;
and
said soliton generator has respective local intensities at each of said phase locations, said soliton means shaping said soliton so that, for each sampling event,
said soliton is above said threshold in at most 2+log.sub.2 (n) of said phase locations, and
said soliton is below said threshold in at most n-2 of said phase locations.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Soliton-phase analog-to-digital converter

Life of this patent

Soliton-phase analog-to-digital converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10