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US4400689A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

A-to-D Converter of the successive-approximation type

Assignee: Analog Devices Inc
•
Filing: 1978-08-08
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Granted: 1983-08-23
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Expires: 1998-08-08
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Abstract

Abstract An integrated-circuit analog-to-digital converter of the successive-approximation type formed on a single monolithic chip. The converter is made by a diffusion process wherein certain portions of the chip are formed with normal-mode linear transistors, and other portions are formed with inverted mode I 2 L transistors. The normal-mode transistors provide a switchable current-source DAC, a set of three-state output buffers, and a comparator. The inverted mode transistors provide an internal clock and successive-approximation control circuitry for the DAC. The chip also includes a voltage reference to provide for absolute analog-to-digital conversions.

Inventors

  • 👤 Adrian P. Brokaw
  • 👤 Modesto A. Maidique

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 21:03
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/12; H03M1/34; H03M1/38; H03M1/40; H03M1/406; H03M1/14; H03M1/145

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 209 words
An analog-to-digital converter comprising a single monolithic chip formed with: a plurality of normal mode transistor current sources arranged to produce respective currents for summation into a composite signal; I 2 L inverted mode transistor means including logic circuit means defining successive-approximation control means arranged to carry out a successive-approximation algorithm; switch means comprising a series of individual switch circuits in the form of normal-mode transistors serving to selectively control the outputs of said current sources; said I 2 L inverted mode transistor means including clock means for supplying clock pulses to said logic circuit means to carry out said successive-approximation algorithm; said successive-approximation control means comprising a series of register stages which are activated in sequence as the algorithm proceeds; said register stages comprising I 2 L inverted mode transistors arranged as flip-flops; means connecting each of said individual switch circuits to a collector of one of said flip-flops without the interposition of level translators therebetween; the switch circuits being operable in sequence by the collector currents and connected to a corresponding current source to cause current from its source to be supplied to a summing point, whereby the combination of selected currents develops at said summing point said composite signal for comparison with an analog input signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 209 words
An analog-to-digital converter comprising a single monolithic chip formed with: a plurality of normal mode transistor current sources arranged to produce respective currents for summation into a composite signal; I 2 L inverted mode transistor means including logic circuit means defining successive-approximation control means arranged to carry out a successive-approximation algorithm; switch means comprising a series of individual switch circuits in the form of normal-mode transistors serving to selectively control the outputs of said current sources; said I 2 L inverted mode transistor means including clock means for supplying clock pulses to said logic circuit means to carry out said successive-approximation algorithm; said successive-approximation control means comprising a series of register stages which are activated in sequence as the algorithm proceeds; said register stages comprising I 2 L inverted mode transistors arranged as flip-flops; means connecting each of said individual switch circuits to a collector of one of said flip-flops without the interposition of level translators therebetween; the switch circuits being operable in sequence by the collector currents and connected to a corresponding current source to cause current from its source to be supplied to a summing point, whereby the combination of selected currents develops at said summing point said composite signal for comparison with an analog input signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 88 words
A converter as in claim 1, wherein said logic means comprises a clock pulse generator having a plurality of outputs to control the development of said algorithm; said clock pulse generator comprising inverted mode gate transistors arranged in the form of a ring oscillator operating at a frequency responsive to the gate delay of the inverted-mode gates forming the ring, whereby the oscillator frequency is automatically compensated for variations in gate delay in the associated inverted-mode logic circuitry of the converter, regardless of the cause of such variations.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-08-22 1987-02-21 1987-08-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-08-22 1991-02-21 1991-08-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-08-22 1995-02-21 1995-08-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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