Accurate and efficient calibrating device and method

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value;
• and
• (g) recording the difference between the signal generated by each signal source and the possible median signal value after the completion of the repeating step.

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value;
• and
• (g) selecting the plurality of signal sources by attempting to choose an equal number of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value and signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value.

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value, wherein the comparing step determines whether the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value is larger than, smaller than, or equal to the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value.

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value, wherein the device is a digital-to-analog converter, each of the plurality of signal sources is a current source, each signal is a current, the true median signal value is a true median current value, and the possible median signal value is a possible median current value.

A device having multiple signal sources, the device comprising:

• at least two signal sources, each of the at least two signal sources generating corresponding signals;
• a median selector providing a possible median signal value;
• a first circuit comparing at least one signal generated by the at least two signal sources to the possible median signal value;
• and
• the median selector adjusting the possible median signal value closer to a true median signal value of the corresponding signals, wherein the device is a digital-to-analog converter, the at least two signal sources are current sources, and the corresponding signals generated by each of the current sources is a current.

A device having multiple signal sources, the device comprising:

• at least two signal sources, each of the at least two signal sources generating corresponding signals;
• a median selector providing a possible median signal value;
• a first circuit comparing at least one signal generated by the at least two signal sources to the possible median signal value;
• and
• the median selector adjusting the possible median signal value closer to a true median signal value of the corresponding signals, wherein the first circuit compares the number of the at least two signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the at least two signals sources whose signal is smaller than the possible median signal value.

A device having multiple signal sources, the device comprising:

• at least two signal sources each of the at least two signal sources generating corresponding signals;
• a median selector providing a possible median signal value;
• a first circuit comparing at least one signal generated by the at least two signal sources to the possible median signal value;
• the median selector adjusting the possible median signal value closer to a true median signal value of the corresponding signals,
• an error reduction system that controls the operation of the first circuit and the median selector until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value;
• and
• a categorizer that categorizes each of the at least two signal sources into one of a plurality of groups based on the signal generated by the at lest two signal sources, wherein each of the plurality of groups covers a mutually exclusive range of signals and has a group median signal value.

A data communication system comprising:

• a receiver that receives a first analog signal;
• an analog to digital converter that converts the first analog signal to a digital signal;
• a data processor that processes the first analog signal;
• a digital to analog converter that converts the digital signal to a second analog signal;
• a transmitter that transmits the second analog signal,
• wherein the digital to analog converter includes
• a plurality of current sources generating currents having errors and a median current value;
• a median selector that selects a first current value;
• a first comparison circuit that compares the current generated by each current source of a subset of the plurality of current sources to the first current value;
• a second comparison circuit that compares the number of the current sources whose current is greater than the first current value with the number of the current sources whose current is less than the first current value;
• and
• an adjuster that adjusts the first current value to be closer to the median current value based on the comparison from the second comparison circuit.

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value, wherein the repeating step repeats steps (c), (d) and (e) until it has repeated those steps a certain number of times.

A method for approximating the median signal value for the purpose of reducing errors in a device having a plurality of signal sources, each of the plurality of signal sources outputting a signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a device which includes a plurality of signal sources generating signals which have a median signal value;
• (b) selecting a possible median signal value for the signals;
• (c) determining whether the signal generated by each signal source of a subset of the plurality of signal sources is greater or less than the possible median signal value;
• (d) comparing the number of the plurality of signal sources whose signal is greater than the possible median signal value with the number of the plurality of the signal sources whose signal is less than the possible median signal value;
• (e) adjusting the possible median signal value to be closer to a true median signal value based on the comparing step;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (c), (d) and (e) until the possible median signal value is substantially equal to the true median signal value, wherein the subset is all of the plurality of signal sources.