Techniques for converting a plurality of channels continuously in an A/D converter

A method for continuously converting analog signals on a plurality of physical channels to digital signals using a device having ADC components, a serial port interface, and a serial port controller, comprising:

• storing in at least one register of a serial port controller at least one logical channel, each logical channel including information specifying a physical channel and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• receiving command bits over a serial port interface;
• retrieving at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform;
• retrieving at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• converting at least one analog signal to provide a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel, wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A serial port controller circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the circuit comprising:

• at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on a physical channel;
• a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• a processor connected to the at least one register and the serial port interface, the processor configured to retrieve at least one looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions from one of the at least one register and the command bits, and to send to the ADC components a conversion information signal indicating the conversion information specified by the logical channel to provide a quantity of at least one data sample,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A serial port controller circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the circuit comprising:

• at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• a processor connected to the at least one register and serial port interface, configured to
• retrieve at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• retrieve at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• send to the ADC components a conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A system for continuously converting multiplexed analog signals from measurement devices, the system comprising:

• a plurality of physical channels for inputting at least one analog signal,
• an ADC circuit connected to the plurality of physical channels, said circuit controlled by a conversion information signal, for outputting a digital sample associated with a selectable one of the plurality of physical channels;
• a communications bus connected to the ADC circuit;
• a serial port interface for inputting command bits;
• and
• a serial port controller connected to the communications bus and serial port interface, the controller comprising
• at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel,
• a serial port interface for receiving command bits, and
• a processor connected to the at least one register and serial port interface, the processor configured to
• retrieve at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• retrieve at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• send to the ADC components a conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A finite state machine for controlling bit flow between registers on a serial port controller circuit and pins on a serial port interface involving a command word with a command number of bits and a data word with a data word number of bits, comprising:

• a command mode comprising a command number of states;
• and
• a conversion mode comprising a clear SDO flag having a flag number of states followed by an inner loop having a data word number of states,
• wherein the machine enters the conversion mode when at least one conversion bit transferred during the command mode indicates conversion mode.

An integrated circuit for continuously converting multiplexed analog signals from measurement devices, the integrated circuit comprising:

• a plurality of physical channels for inputting at least one analog signal,
• an ADC circuit connected to the plurality of physical channels, said circuit controlled by a conversion information signal, for outputting a digital sample associated with a selectable one of the plurality of physical channels;
• a communications bus connected to the ADC circuit;
• a serial port interface for inputting command bits;
• at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of the plurality of physical channels and conversion information;
• and
• a processor connected to the at least one register, the communications bus and the serial port interface, configured to
• retrieve at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• retrieve at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• send to the ADC components the conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A program product for a serial port controller having a processor, the controller connected to an ADC circuit and a serial port interface, comprising:

• a memory medium;
• and
• processor controlling instructions, stored on the memory medium,
• for receiving command bits over a serial port interface;
• for retrieving at least one looping bit from one of the command bits and at least one register, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• for retrieving from the at least one register at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling an ADC circuit to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel, and
• for sending to the ADC circuit a conversion information signal indicating the conversion information specified by the logical channel to provide a quantity of at least one data sample,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A program product for a serial port controller having a processor, the controller connected to an ADC circuit and a serial port interface, comprising:

• a memory medium;
• and
• processor controlling instructions, stored on the memory medium,
• for receiving command bits over a serial port interface;
• for retrieving at least one looping bit from one of the command bits and at least one register, the at least one looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• for retrieving at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan,
• for retrieving from the at least one register at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling an ADC circuit to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel, and
• for sending to the ADC circuit a conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A computer program product for a computer connected via a serial port to an ADC chip having a serial port controller, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable memory medium;
• and
• computer controlling instruction, stored on the computer readable memory medium, for setting at least one looping bit over a serial port interface,
• wherein an ADC chip connected to the serial port interface converts an analog signal to provide a quantity of at least one data sample, the quantity responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A computer program product for a computer connected via a serial port to an ADC chip having a serial port controller, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable memory medium;
• and
• computer controlling instructions, stored on the computer readable memory medium, for setting over a serial port interface at least one logical channel, each logical channel including information specifying a physical channel and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel, at least one looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform, and at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan,
• wherein an ADC chip connected to the serial port interface stores the at least one logical channel in at least one register, and converts at least one analog signal to provide a quantity of data scans, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel, the quantity responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A method of designing an integrated circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the method comprising:

• providing at least one register for storing a logical channel specifying conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• providing connections to a communications bus for sending to the ADC components a conversion information signal;
• providing connections for a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• providing a processor connected to the at least one register, the communication bus and the serial port interface, the processor configured to retrieve at least one looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions from one of the at least one register and the command bits, and to send over the communication bus the conversion information signal indicating the conversion information specified by the logical channel to provide a quantity of at least one data sample,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A method of designing an integrated circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the method comprising:

• providing at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• providing connections to a communications bus for sending to the ADC components a conversion information signal;
• providing connections for a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• providing a processor connected to the at least one register, the communication bus and the serial port interface, the processor configured to
• retrieve at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• retrieve at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• send over the communications bus the conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the method comprising:

• providing at least one register for storing a logical channel specifying conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• providing connections to a communications bus for sending to the ADC components a conversion information signal;
• providing connections for a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• providing a processor connected to the at least one register, the communication bus and the serial port interface, the processor configured to retrieve at least one looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions from one of the at least one register and the command bits, and to send over the communication bus the conversion information signal indicating the conversion information specified by the logical channel to provide a quantity of at least one data sample,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.

A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit for controlling ADC components using a serial port interface, the method comprising:

• providing at least one register for storing at least one logical channel, each logical channel specifying a physical channel of a plurality of physical channels and conversion information for controlling ADC components to produce a digital sample of an analog signal on the physical channel;
• providing connections to a communications bus for sending to the ADC components a conversion information signal;
• providing connections for a serial port interface for receiving command bits;
• and
• providing a processor connected to the at least one register, the communication bus and the serial port interface, the processor configured to
• retrieve at least one looping bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the looping bit indicating a quantity of conversions to perform,
• retrieve at least one depth bit from one of the at least one register and the command bits, the at least one depth bit indicating a number of logical channels in one data scan, and
• send over the communications bus the conversion information signal causing conversion of a quantity of at least one data scan, each scan including a number of data samples equal to the number of logical channels indicated by the at least one depth bit, each data sample produced using the physical channel and conversion information specified in a corresponding logical channel,
• wherein the quantity is responsive to the at least one looping bit.