# US 6,404,374 B1 · Comparator circuit for analog-to-digital converter

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- Number: US 6,404,374 B1
- Document ID: US6404374B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/689,674
- Filed: 2000-10-13
- Granted: 2002-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2000-10-13
- Assignees: Topic Semiconductor Corp.
- Inventors: Chu-Chiao Yu; Her-Y Shih; Yen-Hui Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6404374B1

## CPC

- H03M 1/0646: {by analogue redistribution among corresponding nodes of adjacent cells, e.g. using an impedance network connected among all comparator outputs in a flash converter}
- H03M 1/36: simultaneously only, i.e. parallel type
- H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C)

## Abstract

A comparator circuit used in an analog-to-digital converter includes an input voltage signal line; a reference voltage signal line; a plurality of comparators connected to said input voltage signal line and said reference voltage signal line; a plurality of amplifiers corresponding separately to each of said plurality of comparators and connected respectively between said input voltage signal lines, said reference voltage signal lines, and their corresponding comparators; and a thermocode channel connected to outputs of said plurality of comparators. A plurality of resistors with resistances in a constant ratio are provided in said reference voltage signal line and each is connected between the inputs of two adjacent amplifiers. A plurality of averaging capacitors are provided and each is connected between the outputs of two adjacent comparators; wherein said plurality of averaging capacitors may have the same capacitance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An analog-to-digital converter comprising:
an input voltage signal line; a reference voltage signal line; a plurality of comparators connected to said input voltage signal line and said reference voltage signal line; a plurality of amplifiers corresponding to said plurality of comparators and connected respectively between said input voltage signal line, said reference voltage signal line, and their corresponding comparators; and a thermocode channel connected to outputs of said plurality of comparators; wherein a plurality of resistors are provided in said reference voltage signal line, between connections of said reference voltage signal and two adjacent amplifiers; and wherein each of said plurality of comparators comprises an input transistor;
characterized in that said analog-to-digital converter further comprises a plurality of averaging capacitors, each connects outputs of two adjacent comparators.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The analog-to-digital converter according to claim 1 wherein resistances of said plurality of resistors provided in said reference voltage signal line are in a constant ratio.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The analog-to digital converter according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said averaging capacitors have the same capacitance.