US 5,331,323 A · Analog-to-digital connecter using multi-gate field effect transistors

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter realized by a small circuit. The A/D converter according to this invention generates a discrete output voltage having several levels in response to an input analog voltage. It includes a number of field effect transistors (FETs), each of which corresponds to an output voltage level and has multiple gates for receiving outputs of higher-order FETs, the input voltage and a negative offset voltage. The A/D converter also includes a voltage divider for generating the offset voltage for each FET and a plurality of inverters corresponding to each FET for outputting a constant positive voltage in response to a negative output of the corresponding FET and for outputting a zero voltage responsive to a positive output voltage of the corresponding FET.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital output in response to an analog input voltage, said converter comprising:

a plurality of FETs each of which corresponds to a bit of said digital output, each FET having a plurality of gates for receiving outputs of FETs corresponding to more significant bits of said digital output, said analog input voltage and an offset voltage of a first polarity;
a voltage divider for generating said offset voltage;
and
a plurality of inverters, each of which corresponds to an FET, for outputting a constant voltage having a second polarity opposite said first polarity in response to an output of said first polarity of said corresponding FET and for outputting a zero voltage in response to an output of said second polarity of said corresponding FET.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Analog-to-digital connecter using multi-gate field effect transistors

Life of this patent

Analog-to-digital connecter using multi-gate field effect transistors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10