An ADC includes a comparator to provide a comparator output responsive to an input voltage of the ADC and a DAC output voltage; a SAR circuit including a SAR that stores an n-bit digital code that is initialized at a beginning of a conversion phase of the ADC, where the SAR circuit is to update the digital code responsive to the comparator output, where an ADC output is responsive to the digital code at an end of the conversion phase; and a DAC to provide the DAC output voltage responsive to the digital code and a reference voltage. The DAC includes an m-bit CDAC and an (n-m)-bit RDAC to provide an intermediate voltage responsive to the n-m least-significant bits of the digital code and the reference voltage. The CDAC provides the DAC output voltage responsive to the m most-significant bits of the digital code, the intermediate voltage, and reference voltage.

An ADC includes a comparator to provide a comparator output responsive to an input voltage of the ADC and a DAC output voltage; a SAR circuit including a SAR that stores an n-bit digital code that is initialized at a beginning of a conversion phase of the ADC, where the SAR circuit is to update the digital code responsive to the comparator output, where an ADC output is responsive to the digital code at an end of the conversion phase; and a DAC to provide the DAC output voltage responsive to the digital code and a reference voltage. The DAC includes an m-bit CDAC and an (n-m)-bit RDAC to provide an intermediate voltage responsive to the n-m least-significant bits of the digital code and the reference voltage. The CDAC provides the DAC output voltage responsive to the m most-significant bits of the digital code, the intermediate voltage, and reference voltage.

A multi-bit resolution sub-pipeline structure for measuring a jump magnitude of a transmission curve, comprising: a sub-analog-to-digital converter having n-bit resolution configured to quantize input analog voltage signals and output digital voltage signals; a sub-digital-to-analog converter having n-bit resolution configured to convert the digital voltage signals output by the sub-analog-to-digital converter into corresponding analog voltage signals; a decoder having n-bit resolution configured to decode an n-bit binary input signal; and a switched-capacitor amplification unit configured to, when in a normal mode, perform sampling and residue amplification on the input analog voltage signals; and when in a test mode, measure the jump magnitude of the transmission curve corresponding to each decision level. Magnitude measurement of a transmission curve is performed within 2.sup.n clock periods, th and a measurement result is sent to a back-end digital domain of the A/D converter for correction.

A multi-bit resolution sub-pipeline structure for measuring a jump magnitude of a transmission curve, comprising: a sub-analog-to-digital converter having n-bit resolution configured to quantize input analog voltage signals and output digital voltage signals; a sub-digital-to-analog converter having n-bit resolution configured to convert the digital voltage signals output by the sub-analog-to-digital converter into corresponding analog voltage signals; a decoder having n-bit resolution configured to decode an n-bit binary input signal; and a switched-capacitor amplification unit configured to, when in a normal mode, perform sampling and residue amplification on the input analog voltage signals; and when in a test mode, measure the jump magnitude of the transmission curve corresponding to each decision level. Magnitude measurement of a transmission curve is performed within 2.sup.n clock periods, th and a measurement result is sent to a back-end digital domain of the A/D converter for correction.

Analog-to-information converter and method for performing analog-to-information conversion samples and down-converts N samples of an input multi-band signal using M analog sampling filters or samplers, where N is less than M. The N samples of the input multi-band signal are digitized to produce N digital samples of the input multi-band signal, which are multiplexed into M digital samples of the input multi-band signal. The M digital samples are up-converted and filtered at M digital reconstruction filters to produce a digital multi-band signal, which is processed at a processing unit to obtain information contained in the digital multi-band signal.

Analog-to-information converter and method for performing analog-to-information conversion samples and down-converts N samples of an input multi-band signal using M analog sampling filters or samplers, where N is less than M. The N samples of the input multi-band signal are digitized to produce N digital samples of the input multi-band signal, which are multiplexed into M digital samples of the input multi-band signal. The M digital samples are up-converted and filtered at M digital reconstruction filters to produce a digital multi-band signal, which is processed at a processing unit to obtain information contained in the digital multi-band signal.

An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having an input operable to receive an input voltage, V.sub.IN, and an output operable to output a digital code representative of V.sub.IN, the ADC including: a voltage-to-delay circuit having an input and an output, the input of the voltage-to-delay circuit coupled to the input of the ADC; a folding circuit having an input and an output, the input of the folding circuit coupled to the output of the voltage-to-delay circuit; and a time delay-based analog-to-digital converter backend having an input and a digital code output coupled to the output of the ADC, the input of the time delay-based analog-to-digital converter backend coupled to the output of the folding circuit.

Exemplary apparatus can be provided which can include a laser arrangement that is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity. The optical cavity can include a dispersive optical waveguide first arrangement having first and second sides, and which is configured to (i) receive at least one first electro-magnetic radiation at the first side so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation, and (ii) to receive at least one third electro-magnetic radiation at the second side so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation. The first and second sides are different from one another, and the second and third radiations are related to one another. The optical cavity can also include an active optical modulator second arrangement which can be configured to receive and modulate the fourth radiation so as to provide the first electro-magnetic radiation to the first arrangement. The laser radiation can be associated with at least one of the first, second, third or fourth radiations.

A multi-bit resolution sub-pipeline structure for measuring a jump magnitude of a transmission curve, comprising: a sub-analog-to-digital converter having n-bit resolution configured to quantize input analog voltage signals and output digital voltage signals; a sub-digital-to-analog converter having n-bit resolution configured to convert the digital voltage signals output by the sub-analog-to-digital converter into corresponding analog voltage signals; a decoder having n-bit resolution configured to decode an n-bit binary input signal; and a switched-capacitor amplification unit configured to, when in a normal mode, perform sampling and residue amplification on the input analog voltage signals; and when in a test mode, measure the jump magnitude of the transmission curve corresponding to each decision level. Magnitude measurement of a transmission curve is performed within 2.sup.n clock periods, th and a measurement result is sent to a back-end digital domain of the A/D converter for correction.

A multi-bit resolution sub-pipeline structure for measuring a jump magnitude of a transmission curve, comprising: a sub-analog-to-digital converter having n-bit resolution configured to quantize input analog voltage signals and output digital voltage signals; a sub-digital-to-analog converter having n-bit resolution configured to convert the digital voltage signals output by the sub-analog-to-digital converter into corresponding analog voltage signals; a decoder having n-bit resolution configured to decode an n-bit binary input signal; and a switched-capacitor amplification unit configured to, when in a normal mode, perform sampling and residue amplification on the input analog voltage signals; and when in a test mode, measure the jump magnitude of the transmission curve corresponding to each decision level. Magnitude measurement of a transmission curve is performed within 2.sup.n clock periods, th and a measurement result is sent to a back-end digital domain of the A/D converter for correction.