Quantifying a difference between nodal voltages

An apparatus for quantifying a difference in voltage between a first node and a second node, comprising:

• a voltage generator for concurrently generating a first nodal voltage on the first node and a second nodal voltage on the second node;
• means for generating a first oscillating frequency based on the first nodal voltage;
• means for generating a second oscillating frequency based on the second nodal voltage;
• means for counting a first number of pulses of the first oscillating frequency during a fixed time interval;
• means for counting a second number of pulses of the second oscillating frequency during the fixed time interval;
• means for determining a difference between the first number and the second number;
• and
• means for generating a digital word dependent on the difference, wherein a value of the digital word is proportional to the voltage difference between the first node and the second node.

A method for quantifying a difference in voltage between a first node and a second node, comprising:

• concurrently generating with a voltage generator a first nodal voltage on the first node and a second nodal voltage on the second node
• generating a first oscillating frequency based on the first nodal voltage, wherein the first oscillating frequency is generated with a first oscillator;
• generating a second oscillating frequency based on the second nodal voltage, wherein the second oscillating frequency is generated with a second oscillator;
• counting a first number of pulses of the first oscillating frequency during a fixed time interval;
• counting a second number of pulses of the second oscillating frequency during the fixed time interval;
• determining a difference between the first number and the second number;
• and
• generating a digital word dependent on the difference, wherein a value of the digital word is proportional to the voltage difference between the first node and the second node.