A sampling device includes a switch capacitor circuit. First ends of two switches are respectively connected to an input signal. Second end of the first switch is connected to an upper plate of a first capacitor. Second end of the second switch is connected to a lower plate of a second capacitor. A connection node connecting a lower plate of the first capacitor to an upper plate of the second capacitor is connected to a power source. The first ends of a third switch and a fourth switch are respectively connected to an input common-mode voltage. A second end of the third switch is connected to the upper plate of the first capacitor. A second end of the fourth switch is connected to the lower plate of the second capacitor. The connection node is connected to the power source. Thus, an output common-mode voltage of the sampling device is adjustable.

A top-plate sampling analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit includes a first ADC stage and a residue amplifier coupled to the first ADC stage. The residue amplifier comprises a first transistor with a control terminal, a first current terminal, and a second current terminal. The residue amplifier also comprises a second transistor with a control terminal, a first current terminal, and a second current terminal. The residue amplifier also comprises a linearity adjustment circuit coupled to a second current terminal of at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor. The linearity adjustment circuit comprises at least one switch that changes its state as a function of an input sampling phase and a gain phase of the residue amplifier.

Processing circuitry comprising: a reference node for connection to a reference voltage source so as to establish a local reference voltage signal at the reference node; a signal processing unit connected to the reference node and operable to process an input signal using the local reference voltage signal, wherein the signal processing unit is configured to draw a current from the reference node at least a portion of which is dependent on the input signal; and a current-compensation unit connected to the reference node and operable to apply a compensation current to the reference node, wherein the current-compensation unit is configured, based on an indicator signal indicative of the input signal and/or of the operation of the signal processing unit, to control the compensation current to at least partly compensate for changes in the current drawn from the reference node by the signal processing unit due to the input signal.

A memory array structure that includes memory columns having first bit lines and second bit lines is introduced. Each of the memory columns includes a bit line pair, a pre-charge switch pair and a first switch pair. Output voltages from the first bit lines and the second bit lines are used to generated a first average voltage and a second average voltage, respectively. One of the first average voltage and the second average voltage is a lower average voltage and another one of the first average voltage and the second average voltage is a higher average voltage. The pre-charge switch pair and the first switch pair of a selected memory column among the plurality of memory columns are controlled to repeatedly perform an incremental step to increment the lower average voltage by a step voltage until the lower average voltage is greater than the higher average voltage.

A top-plate sampling analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit includes a first ADC stage and a residue amplifier coupled to the first ADC stage. The residue amplifier comprises a first transistor with a control terminal, a first current terminal, and a second current terminal. The residue amplifier also comprises a second transistor with a control terminal, a first current terminal, and a second current terminal. The residue amplifier also comprises a linearity adjustment circuit coupled to a second current terminal of at least one of the first transistor and the second transistor. The linearity adjustment circuit comprises at least one switch that changes its state as a function of an input sampling phase and a gain phase of the residue amplifier.

A comparator includes a first circuit including first, second, and third transistors, and a second circuit. One of the first transistor and the second transistor in the first circuit is an input transistor to which an input analog voltage is applied. The third transistor is configured to short-circuit a drain and a source of each of the first transistor and the second transistor during a period when the input analog voltage is applied. The second circuit is configured to output a signal indicating a relationship between magnitude of a first output analog voltage and magnitude of a second output analog voltage, the first output analog voltage and the second output analog voltage being output from

A system and method for regulating transfer characteristics of an integral analog-to-digital converter are provided. The system comprises a cascade N-stage integrator structure having N integrators, the input end of the first integrator is connected to a voltage, the output end of each integrator is connected to the input end of the adjacent integrator, and the output end of the Nth integrator is connected to an output node (VRAMP). Wherein, the N is positive integer greater than or equal to 2. In the cascade multistage integrator structure, the voltage of the output node (VRAMP) is in direct proportion relation with the time to the power of N. By adopting a cascade multistage integrator according to the present disclosure, it is simple to regulate transfer characteristics of the ADC, and the cascade digital signal processing is convenient, which can reduce the ADC conversion time and improve the ADC conversion rate. Compared with the existing polyline mode, the present disclosure has better linearity; and it can be easily extended to cascade multistage integrators.

A method of enhancing SAR ADC performance includes employing PVT processor to correct process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variation. The PVT processor senses process, supply voltage and temperature information then maximize the time for SAR binary search process. The PVT processor first applies coarse optimization to correct process and voltage variation then applies fine optimization to correct the temperature variation. The SAR ADC is operated at its optimized PVT condition and its performance is enhanced after PVT optimization.

A method of enhancing SAR ADC performance includes employing PVT processor to correct process, voltage and temperature (PVT) variation. The PVT processor senses process, supply voltage and temperature information then maximize the time for SAR binary search process. The PVT processor first applies coarse optimization to correct process and voltage variation then applies fine optimization to correct the temperature variation. The SAR ADC is operated at its optimized PVT condition and its performance is enhanced after PVT optimization.

A field measuring device includes a sensor, a measuring transducer, and interface electronics. The interface electronics include a measuring and control device, and first and second terminals for connecting an external electrical device. A current controller and a current measuring device are connected in series in a terminal current path between the first and second terminals. The interface electronics has a voltage source that can be switched on in the terminal current path and disconnected from the terminal current path, so that the voltage source can drive a current in the terminal current path in the switched-on state and in the case of a connected external electrical device. The measuring and control device actuates and reads the current controller, the current measuring device, and the voltage source such that a current signal is output or input via the first and second terminals when an external device is connected.