Quantizer, comparator circuit, and semiconductor integrated circuit
AssigneesFujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
InventorsHiroyuki Nakamoto, Hideta Oki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A quantizer takes an analog signal as input and produces a quantized signal for output. The quantizer includes a shoot-through current detection unit and a feedback unit. The shoot-through current detection unit is configured to detect a shoot-through current flowing through the quantizer. The feedback unit is configured to feed back a signal from the shoot-through current detection unit and control an electric charge stored at an input of the quantizer.
Claims13
A quantizer that takes an analog signal as input and produces a quantized signal for output, comprising:
- a first inverter;
- a first shoot-through current detector configured to detect a first shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a first value;
- a second shoot-through current detector configured to detect a second shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a second value;
- and
- a feedback unit configured to control an electric charge stored at an input of the quantizer on the basis of the first shoot-through current or the second shoot-through current.
A comparator circuit comprising:
- an amplifier configured to amplify a difference between a level of an input signal and a level of a reference signal;
- and
- a quantizer configured to take an analog output signal of the amplifier as input and produce a quantized signal for output, wherein the quantizer includes:
- a first inverter;
- a first shoot-through current detector configured to detect a first shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a first value;
- a second shoot-through current detector configured to detect a second shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a second value;
- and
- a feedback unit configured to control an electric charge stored at an input of the quantizer on the basis of the first shoot-through current or the second shoot-through current.
A semiconductor integrated circuit including a comparator circuit, wherein the comparator circuit comprising:
- an amplifier configured to amplify a difference between a level of an input signal and a level of a reference signal;
- and
- a quantizer configured to take an analog output signal of the amplifier as input and produce a quantized signal for output, wherein the quantizer includes:
- a first inverter;
- a first shoot-through current detector configured to detect a first shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a first value;
- a second shoot-through current detector configured to detect a second shoot-through current that flows through the first inverter when the quantized signal makes a transition to a second value;
- and
- a feedback unit configured to control an electric charge stored at an input of the quantizer on the basis of the first shoot-through current or the second shoot-through current, and wherein
- the comparator circuit outputs the quantized signal when the level of the input signal is higher than the level of the reference signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.