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US 6,639,539 B1Granted
System and method for extending the dynamic range of an analog-to-digital converter
AssigneeBEI Technologies, Inc.
InventorHeinz Loreck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and method for improving the dynamic range of an A/D converter in which operation the A/D converter is monitored, and an offset signal is combined with an analog input signal to maintain the operation of the A/D converter within the dynamic range.
Claims8
A system for improving the dynamic range of an A/D converter, comprising:
- an analog summing amplifier having first and second input terminals of opposite polarity and an output terminal which is connected to the input of the A/D converter;
- means for applying an analog input signal to the first input terminal;
- a feedback resistor connected between the output terminal and the first input terminal;
- means for applying a voltage VCC/2 to the second input terminal;
- first and second resistors of equal value connected to the first input terminal;
- and means for monitoring operation of the A/D converter and connecting the first resistor to VCC and the second resistor to 0 volts when the A/D converter is operating within its dynamic range, connecting both the first resistor and the second resistor to VCC when the A/D converter reaches the upper limit of its dynamic range, and connecting both the first resistor and the second resistor to 0 volts when the A/D converter reaches the lower limit of its dynamic range.
3 more elements
A method of improving the dynamic range of an A/D converter, comprising the steps of:
- applying an analog input signal to a first input of an analog summing amplifier having a second input of opposite polarity to the first input and an output which is connected to the input of the A/D converter, a feedback resistor connected between the output and the first input, and first and second resistors of equal value connected to the first input;
- applying a voltage VCC/2 to the second input of the amplifier;
- monitoring the output of the A/D converter to determine whether the A/D converter is operating within its dynamic range;
- connecting the first resistor to VCC and the second resistor to 0 volts when the A/D converter is operating within its dynamic range;
- connecting both the first resistor and the second resistor to VCC when the A/D converter reaches the upper limit of its dynamic range;
- and
- connecting both the first resistor and the second resistor to 0 volts when the A/D converter reaches the lower limit of its dynamic range.
4 more elements
A system for improving the dynamic range of an AND converter, comprising:
- an analog summing amplifier having first and second input terminals and an output terminal which is connected to the input of the A/D converter, means for applying an analog input signal to the first input terminal of the amplifier, a feedback resistor connected between the output terminal and the first input terminal, means for applying a reference voltage to a second input terminal of the summing amplifier, an offset resistor connected to the second input terminal, and means connected to the output of the A/D converter for applying an offset signal having a first level to the offset resistor when the A/D converter is operating in its dynamic range, applying a an offset signal having a second level to the offset resistor when the A/D converter reaches the upper limit of its dynamic range, and applying an offset signal having a third level to the offset resistor when the A/D converter reaches the lower limit of its dynamic range.
A method of improving the dynamic range of an A/D converter, comprising the steps of:
- applying an analog input signal to the first input of an analog summing amplifier having an output which is connected to the input of the A/D converter, a feedback resistor connected between the output and the first input, and an offset resistor connected to the first input;
- applying a reference voltage to a second input of the amplifier;
- monitoring the output of the A/D converter to determine whether the A/D converter is operating within its dynamic range;
- applying a first offset signal to the offset resistor when the A/D converter is operating in its dynamic range;
- applying a second offset signal to the offset resistor when the A/D converter reaches the upper limit of its dynamic range;
- and
- applying a third offset signal to the offset resistor when the A/D converter reaches the lower limit of its dynamic range.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.