Extended range digital-to-analog conversion
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Corporation
InventorIan Robinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A conversion system converts an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal over an extended dynamic range. The system includes a DAC system and a mode selector. The mode selector selects a mode of operation for the digital-to-analog converter system from a plurality of modes. The mode selector selects a mode according to a characteristic of the input signal. Each of the modes is associated with an instantaneous dynamic range and quantization noise level of the DAC system. The ensemble of modes provides an improvement in total or effective dynamic range compared to any DAC component within the DAC system.
Claims21
A conversion system that converts an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal, the system comprising:
- a plurality of digital-to-analog converter (DAC) devices, each of the plurality of DAC devices having a different associated output amplitude range;
- a mode selector that selects an associated output of one of the plurality of DAC devices based on a characteristic of the input signal;
- and
- a mode control that evaluates the characteristic of the input signal relative to at least one threshold level to determine the mode selected by the mode selector.
A digital-to-analog conversion system comprising:
- means for converting an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal;
- means for scaling the input signal by a scale factor to provide a scaled version of the input signal within a dynamic range of the means for converting;
- means for amplifying the converted input signal by a gain factor that is an inverse of the scale factor;
- and
- means for controlling the operation of the means for converting among a plurality of modes based on a characteristic of the input signal, each mode having an associated instantaneous dynamic range, and at least one of the plurality of modes utilizing the means for scaling and the means for amplifying.
A conversion system that converts an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal, the system comprising:
- a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) system;
- a mode selector that selects a mode of operation for the DAC system from a plurality of modes based on a characteristic of the input signal, each mode having an associated instantaneous dynamic range;
- a scaler that scales the input signal by an appropriate scaling factor in at least one of the plurality of modes to provide a scaled version of the input signal within a dynamic range of a DAC device, the scaled version of the input signal being converted to an analog signal by the DAC device;
- and
- an amplifier that amplifies the analog signal by a gain factor substantially equal to an inverse of the scale factor.
A conversion system that converts an input signal from a digital signal to an analog signal, the system comprising:
- a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC) device;
- a second DAC device;
- an amplifier having an input terminal and a voltage supply terminal;
- and
- a mode selector that selects a mode of operation for the DAC system from a plurality of modes based on a characteristic of the input signal, each mode having an associated instantaneous dynamic range, and transmits a phase modulated signal component of the input signal to the input terminal through the first DAC device and an amplitude modulated signal component of the input signal through the second DAC device to the voltage supply terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.