# US 7,411,536 B1 · Digital-to-analog converter

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,411,536 B1
- Document ID: US7411536B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/692,327
- Filed: 2007-03-28
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 2007-03-28
- Assignees: Himax Technologies Limited
- Inventors: Ping-Po Chen; Guo-Ying Hsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411536B1

## CPC

- H03M 1/68: with conversions of different sensitivity, i.e. one conversion relating to the more significant digital bits and another conversion to the less significant bits
- H03M 1/765: {using a single level of switches which are controlled by unary decoded digital signals}
- 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 digital-to-analog converter and method for transforming a digital value into an analog signal are disclosed. The digital-to-analog converter has a voltage generator, a voltage selector, a multiplexer and a switch array. The voltage generator provides a first and second group of voltages. The voltage selector selectively outputs the first or second group of voltages according to a polarity signal. The multiplexer selectively outputs the digital value or a complementary value of the digital value according to the polarity signal. The switch array outputs one of the voltages received from the voltage selector according to the value output from the multiplexer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A digital-to-analog converter for transforming a digital value into an analog signal, comprising:
a voltage generator providing a first and second group of voltages, wherein each of the voltages in the first group is a counterpart of one of the voltages in the second group, and each of the voltages in the first group and its counterpart in the second group correspond to the same gray level;
a voltage selector selectively outputting the first or second group of voltages according to a polarity signal;
a multiplexer selectively outputting the digital value or a complementary value thereof according to the polarity signal; and
a switch array outputting one of the voltages received from the voltage selector according to the value output from the multiplexer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch array comprises:
a first switch array portion comprising a plurality of columns of PMOS transistors, wherein each column receives one of a higher half of the voltages output from the voltage selector; and
a second switch array portion comprising a plurality of columns of NMOS transistors, wherein each column receives one of a lower half of the voltages output from the voltage selector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the PMOS transistors in the same column are connected in series, the NMOS transistors in the same column are connected in series, and the gates of the PMOS transistors and NMOS transistors in the same row are all coupled to receive one of bits of the value output from the multiplexer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage generator comprises a first string of resistors for providing the first group of voltages and a second string of resistors for providing the second group of voltages.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voltage selector comprises a plurality of switches, and each of the switches couples one of the voltages in the first group or the counterpart thereof in the second group to one of outputs of the voltage selector according to the polarity signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a latch transferring the value output from the multiplexer to the switch array.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The digital-to-analog converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital value is a pixel value, and the voltages in the first and second group are gamma voltages.

### Claim 8

A method for transforming a digital value into an analog signal, comprising the steps of:
providing a first and second group of voltages wherein each of the voltages in the first group is a counterpart of one of the voltages in the second group, and each of the voltages in the first group and its counterpart in the second group correspond to the same gray level;
selecting the first or second group of voltages according to a polarity signal;
selecting the digital value or a complementary value thereof according to the polarity signal; and
outputting one of the voltages in the selected group according to the selected value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the digital value is a pixel value, and the voltages in the first and second group are gamma voltages.