A waveform generator includes a system control unit and signal channels controlled by the system control unit and configured to supply driving signals for driving a respective transducer of an array of transducers. Each signal channel includes a sequential access memory having rows, where each row contains an instruction word configured to generate a respective step of a waveform to be generated. A memory output of the sequential access memory is defined by an output row at a fixed location. The waveform to be generated is defined by a block of instruction words. Each signal channel also includes an internal control unit that is configured to sequentially move the content of the sequential access memory, based on the instruction word currently at the memory output, so that sequences of instruction words are provided at the output row.

A ramp signal generator may include a reference current generation unit suitable for generating a reference current based on a gain; a ramp signal generation unit suitable for generating a ramp signal according to the reference current; a replica current supply unit suitable for supplying a replica current using the reference current generation unit; and an offset compensation unit suitable for compensating for an offset of the ramp signal generated by the ramp signal generation unit using the replica current.

The present invention provides an arbitrary waveform generator based on instruction architecture. To deal with the feature that the instructions and waveform data of the AWG are coupled in the prior art, an instruction set based waveform synthesis controller is employed, and substitutes for the sequence wave generator in the present invention, i.e. an arbitrary waveform generator based on instruction architecture. Thus the time-sharing scheduling in reading the waveform synthesis instruction and the segment waveform data is realized, and the complexity of the hardware is reduced, so that the AWG in present invention can synthesize and generate a complex sequence wave rapidly and efficiently.

A method and device for synthesizing binary waveforms, wherein the initial analogue waveform is first converted into the segments with discrete levels, then each said discrete level section is in turn converted into a binary pulse of the same time duration as the given segment, and the average value of the generated pulse is proportional to the average value of the given initial waveform over the time duration of the given segment.

A first flipflop outputs a first signal synchronized with a first clock signal. In the first transistor, the first clock signal is input to a first terminal and the second signal is output from a second terminal. In the fourth transistor, a first signal is input to a first terminal and a second terminal is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor. In the sixth transistor, the third signal is input to a first terminal, a second terminal is electrically connected to the gate of the fourth transistor, and the gate of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal.

A ramp signal generator may include a reference current generation unit suitable for generating a reference current based on a gain; a ramp signal generation unit suitable for generating a ramp signal according to the reference current; a replica current supply unit suitable for supplying a replica current using the reference current generation unit; and an offset compensation unit suitable for compensating for an offset of the ramp signal generated by the ramp signal generation unit using the replica current.

Disclosed is a digital-analog converter including a current generation section, a current source transistor bias voltage keeping section, a cascade transistor group switch section, and a conversion section. The current generation section has at least one current source transistor group including a plurality of current source transistors and generates an output current based on a value of a digital input signal. The current source transistor bias voltage keeping section has a plurality of cascade transistor groups each including cascade transistors connected in series to the current source transistors and keeps bias voltages of the current source transistors constant. The cascade transistor group switch section selects one of the plurality of cascade transistor groups. The conversion section performs current-voltage conversion of the output current supplied via the selected cascade transistor group.

A waveform generator includes a system control unit and signal channels controlled by the system control unit and configured to supply driving signals for driving a respective transducer of an array of transducers. Each signal channel includes a sequential access memory having rows, where each row contains an instruction word configured to generate a respective step of a waveform to be generated. A memory output of the sequential access memory is defined by an output row at a fixed location. The waveform to be generated is defined by a block of instruction words. Each signal channel also includes an internal control unit that is configured to sequentially move the content of the sequential access memory, based on the instruction word currently at the memory output, so that sequences of instruction words are provided at the output row.

A first flipflop outputs a first signal synchronized with a first clock signal. In the first transistor, the first clock signal is input to a first terminal and the second signal is output from a second terminal. In the fourth transistor, a first signal is input to a first terminal and a second terminal is electrically connected to a gate of the first transistor. In the sixth transistor, the third signal is input to a first terminal, a second terminal is electrically connected to the gate of the fourth transistor, and the gate of the sixth transistor is electrically connected to the first terminal.

In an embodiment a digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of first capacitors, each having a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the second electrodes are connected together and are connected to an inverting input of a first amplifier stage having its non-inverting input coupled to ground, a plurality of first switches, each of the first capacitors having its first electrode connected to a corresponding one of the first switches, wherein each of the first switches is configured to occupy a first state where the first electrode of a corresponding first capacitor is coupled to a first reference voltage and occupy a second state where the first electrode of the corresponding first capacitor is coupled to a second reference voltage different from the first reference voltage, a capacitive feedback circuit connected between the inverting input and an output of the first amplifier stage, the capacitive feedback circuit including at least one second capacitor and a controller.