Abstract:
The A-to-D converter 300 has an output buffer 320 with fourteen drivers each the same as driver 4100. Driver 4100 includes bipolar pull up pull down transistors 4102, 4103. Those transistors are both coupled to an output. Pull up transistor 4102 is coupled to a first reference voltage VDD; pull down transistor 4103 is coupled to a second or ground reference potential. A base drive circuit comprising a series connection between a resistor and a transistor 4121 to provide additional current to saturate the pull down transistor 4103 and thereby lower the collector-to-emitter voltage drop of transistor 4103 when transistor 4103 is turned on.
Abstract:
Power monitoring circuit 5000 monitors a positive power supply Vcc and a negative power supply Vee. If either one or both power supplies fall below predetermined respective threshold values, a master reset pulse (MR) is generated. When both power supplies are at their normal operating level, the logic circuit 5040 generates a signal that enables operation of the circuit.
Abstract:
An integrated circuit has an isolation structure in the form of a double diode moat. The P substrate has P+ buried layers 8601 and 8602 on opposite sides of N+ buried layer 8605. Analog devices are formed behind one diode moat, digital CMOS devices are formed behind the other moat.
Abstract:
Analog to digital conversion begins by terminating the acquisition phase of the analog input signal and immediately starting the successive approximation conversion phase upon receipt of a start conversion command. Upon the completion of the successive approximation conversion phase and latching the result, the array is rest if required. The comparator offset is sampled-and-held, if required, and the acquisition phase is initiated and continues until the receipt or occurrence of the next start conversion command.
Abstract:
A level translator having a pair of cross-coupled pull-down field effect transistors, a pair of pull-up transistors, and a pair of additinal pull-down transistors wherein the additional pull-down transistors are operable to be on to initially pull down the respective node and the first pair of pull down transistors turn on to finish the pull down. The additional pull-down transistors became ineffective while the first pair of pull-down transistors are turned on hard.
Abstract:
A dual pump circuit including a transmission gate and a dual charge pump. The transmission gate includes a p-channel transistor and an n-channel transistor, each having a control terminal and a pair of current terminals coupled between a dual pump input and a dual pump output. The dual charge pump includes first and second pump circuits, where each pump circuit is coupled to the dual pump input and to a control terminal of a corresponding one of the transmission gate transistors. Each pump circuit is operative to linearize operation of its corresponding transmission gate transistor by maintaining VGS—VT constant. The dual pump circuit is used in a track and hold circuit including at least one dual pump sampling circuit, at least one sampling capacitor, and a control circuit for controlling input signal sampling timing. Each dual pump sampling circuit includes the transmission gate and a dual charge pump.
Abstract:
A calibration system and method for a resistor ladder that employs relative measurement and adjustment between pairs of resistors. The system includes a resistor tree of complementary pairs of programmable resistors coupled to the resistor ladder, a measurement circuit that measures voltage differences between complementary pairs of programmable resistors, and control logic. The control logic controls the measurement circuit to measure a voltage difference between each complementary pair of programmable resistors and adjusts the relative resistance of each complementary pair of programmable resistors to equalize voltage. The measurement is facilitated by a sigma-delta ADC that converts a measured voltage difference into a bit stream. The programmable resistors are implemented with binary weighted resistors that are digitally adjusted one LSB at a time. Lower and upper adjustment thresholds may be employed to avoid unnecessary over-adjustments while maintaining a requisite level of accuracy.
Abstract:
A multistage ADC that subranges and interpolates, and that amplifies selected subranges to convert an analog signal to a stream of digital values. The ADC samples the analog signal and provides a stream of sample signals. A first stage flash converts each sample signal into a first multiple bit value and subranges a reference ladder according to the first multiple bit value into selected reference signals. Each additional secondary stage amplifies a selected subrange of signals from a prior stage, flash converts the amplified residual signals to provide an additional multiple bit value, interpolates each set of amplified residual signals and subranges the interpolated signals according to the corresponding multiple bit value. A final stage amplifies and flash converts to determine a final multiple bit value. An error corrector combines each set of multiple bit values into a digital value.
Abstract:
A two-step analog-to-digital converter and BiCMOS fabrication method. The fabrication method provides pseudosubstrate isolation of digital CMOS devices from the analog devices. The converter uses NPN current switching in a flash analog-to-digital converter and in a digital-to-analog converter for low noise operation. CMOS digital error correction and BiCMOS output drivers provide high packing density plus large output load handling. Timing control aggregates switching events and puts them into intervals when noise sensitive operations are inactive. The fabrication method uses a thin epitaxial layer with limited thermal processing to provide NPN and PNP devices with large breakdown and Early voltages. Laser trimmed resistors provide small long term drift due to dopant stabilization in underlying BPSG and low hydrogen nitride passivation.
Abstract:
A compensation system for calibrating an amplifier having a compensation input including a sigma delta converter, a counter, a memory, adjust logic, a DAC, a pair of compensation capacitors, and a pair of current to voltage (I/V) converters. The converter converts an offset voltage to a bit stream. The counter stores a sum value indicative of the output offset. The memory stores a digital bias value. The adjust logic determines an adjust value based on the sum value and adjusts the stored digital bias value based on the adjust value. The DAC converts the digital bias value to a differential bias current. The compensation capacitors apply a compensation voltage to a compensation input of the amplifier. The I/V converters charge the compensation capacitors using the differential bias current. The adjust logic may use upper and lower thresholds and adjust the digital bias value by one LSB for each compensation cycle.