US5579007A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Charge-to-digital converter
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Filing: 1994-07-07
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Granted: 1996-11-26
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Expires: 2014-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A charge-to-digital converter including a pipeline of at least one conversion unit, each conversion unit operable for processing a serial stream of positive and negative signal charges corresponding to a differential signal to be digitized and scaling charges corresponding to a full-scale signal, and for generating a digital output signal. Each of the conversion units includes the following; A receiver which receives positive and negative signal charges and a scaling signal from a predetermined source. Certain embodiments include positive and negative signal channels having a distributed sensing pipeline operable for respectively producing positive and negative accumulator charges representative of the positive and negative signal charges. A unit for generating a modification charge corresponding to a predetermined proportion of the full-scale signal. A comparator for comparing the positive and negative accumulator charges and generating the digital output signal in accordance with the comparator result. A unit responsive to the comparator for adding the modification charge to the lesser of the positive and negative signal charge.
Inventors
- 👤 Susanne A. Paul
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 14:14
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/06; H03M1/0617; H03M1/0675; H03M1/0678; H03M1/068; H03M1/0682; H03M1/069; H03M1/12; H03M1/34; H03M1/38; H03M1/44
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A charge-to-digital converter including a pipeline of at least one conversion unit, each conversion unit operable for processing a serial stream of positive and negative signal charges corresponding to a differential signal to be digitized, and scaling charges corresponding to a full-scale signal, and for generating a digital output signal, each of said conversion units comprising: means for receiving positive and negative signal charges and one or more scaling charges from a predetermined source; positive and negative signal channels operable for processing positive and negative signal charges, respectively; a distributed sensing pipeline of one or more sensing stages, said sensing stages operable for producing positive and negative accumulator charges representative of the positive charges in said positive signal channel and the negative charges in said negative signal channel; means for generating positive and negative modification charges corresponding to predetermined proportions of said full-scale signal and associated with said positive and negative signal charges, respectively; means for generating a digital signal representative of the difference between said positive and negative accumulator charges; and means responsive to said digital signal for enabling the addition of said associated modification charge to the lesser of said positive and negative signal charges and for preventing the addition of said associated modification charge to the greater of said positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A charge-to-digital converter including a pipeline of at least one conversion unit, each conversion unit operable for processing a serial stream of positive and negative signal charges corresponding to a differential signal to be digitized, and scaling charges corresponding to a full-scale signal, and for generating a digital output signal, each of said conversion units comprising: means for receiving positive and negative signal charges and one or more scaling charges from a predetermined source; positive and negative signal channels operable for processing positive and negative signal charges, respectively; a distributed sensing pipeline of one or more sensing stages, said sensing stages operable for producing positive and negative accumulator charges representative of the positive charges in said positive signal channel and the negative charges in said negative signal channel; means for generating positive and negative modification charges corresponding to predetermined proportions of said full-scale signal and associated with said positive and negative signal charges, respectively; means for generating a digital signal representative of the difference between said positive and negative accumulator charges; and means responsive to said digital signal for enabling the addition of said associated modification charge to the lesser of said positive and negative signal charges and for preventing the addition of said associated modification charge to the greater of said positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein said means for generating said digital signal comprise a comparator, and wherein said digital signal corresponds to a single binary bit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensing stages comprises means for replicating said positive and negative signal charges and for adding the replicated charges respectively to said positive and negative accumulator charges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein the number of sensing stages may vary between conversion units.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensing stages includes feedback for producing positive and negative accumulator charges corresponding to a differentially amplified signal representative of the positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensing stages includes feedback for producing positive and negative accumulator charges corresponding to a reduced common-mode representation of the positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises means for receiving positive and negative signal charges from a preceding conversion unit, and means for providing processed positive and negative signal charges to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises means for receiving said scaling charges from a preceding conversion unit, and for providing processed scaling charges to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 8, wherein said modification charge generating means comprises a charge splitter which receives said scaling signal and divides it into two equal charges, one of which is be added to its associated signal channel and the other which is provided as a scaling charge input to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein said modification charge generating means comprises a charge splitter which receives said scaling signal and divides it into first, second, and third charges, one of which is utilized as said modification charge, and the other two of which are summed and provided as the scaling charge input to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1 further comprising positive and negative scaling channels respectively associated with said positive and negative signal charges, operable for producing positive and negative scaling charges and positive and negative modification charges.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1 further comprising means for processing said digital signals generated by each conversion unit and for producing a digital result representative of the difference between the positive and negative signal charges provided to the first of said conversion units.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 12, wherein said digital result producing means comprises digital deskewing delays for aligning in time said digital signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 12, wherein said digital word producing means comprises a digital multiplier and adder for performing error correction or calibration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 1, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises a predetermined number of additional pipeline stages for delaying positive and negative signal charges and scaling charges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 12, further comprising a cascaded second charge-to-digital converter, said second converter coupled to receive said positive and negative signal charges from the last conversion unit of said first converter and to receive said scaling charge from a predetermined source.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
178 words
A charge-to-digital converter including a pipeline of at least one conversion unit, each conversion unit operable for processing a serial stream of positive and negative signal charges corresponding to a differential signal to be digitized and two or more scaling charges corresponding to normalization signals, and for generating a digital output signal, each of said conversion units comprising: means for receiving positive and negative signal charges and two or more scaling charges from a predetermined source; positive and negative signal channels operable for processing positive and negative signal charges, respectively; means for generating positive and negative modification charges corresponding to predetermined portions of said scaling signal and associated with said positive and negative signals, respectively; means for generating a digital signal representative of the difference between said positive and negative signal charges; and means responsive to said digital signal for enabling the addition of said associated modification charge to the lesser of said positive and negative signal charges, and for preventing the addition of said associated modification charge to the greater of said positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
178 words
A charge-to-digital converter including a pipeline of at least one conversion unit, each conversion unit operable for processing a serial stream of positive and negative signal charges corresponding to a differential signal to be digitized and two or more scaling charges corresponding to normalization signals, and for generating a digital output signal, each of said conversion units comprising: means for receiving positive and negative signal charges and two or more scaling charges from a predetermined source; positive and negative signal channels operable for processing positive and negative signal charges, respectively; means for generating positive and negative modification charges corresponding to predetermined portions of said scaling signal and associated with said positive and negative signals, respectively; means for generating a digital signal representative of the difference between said positive and negative signal charges; and means responsive to said digital signal for enabling the addition of said associated modification charge to the lesser of said positive and negative signal charges, and for preventing the addition of said associated modification charge to the greater of said positive and negative signal charges.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17, wherein said means for generating said digital signal comprises a comparator, and wherein said digital signal corresponds to a single binary bit.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises means for receiving positive and negative signal charges from a preceding conversion unit, and means for providing processed positive and negative signal charges to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises means for receiving said scaling charges from a preceding conversion unit, and for providing processed scaling charges to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 20, wherein each modification charge generating means comprises a charge splitter which receives said scaling signal and divides it into two equal charge packets, one of which is be added to its associated signal channel and the other which is provided as a scaling signal input to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 20, wherein each modification packet generation means comprises a charge splitter which receives said scaling signal and divides it into first, second and third charge packets, one of which is utilized as said modification charge packet, and the other two which are summed and provided as the scaling signal input to a subsequent conversion unit.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17 further comprising means for processing said digital signals produced by each conversion unit and producing a digital result representative of the difference between the positive and negative signal charges provided to the first of said conversion units.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 23, wherein said digital result producing means comprises digital deskewing delays for aligning in time said digital signals.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 23, wherein said digital result producing means comprises a digital multiplier and adder for performing error correction or calibration.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17, wherein at least one of said conversion units further comprises a predetermined number of additional pipeline stages for delaying positive and negative signal charges and scaling charges.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charge-to-digital converter of claim 17 further comprising a cascaded second charge-to-digital converter, said second converter coupled to receive said positive and negative signal charges from the last conversion unit of said first converter and to receive said scaling charge from a predetermined source.
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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) | 1999-11-26 | 2000-05-27 | 2000-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-11-26 | 2004-05-27 | 2004-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-11-26 | 2008-05-27 | 2008-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |