Patent classifications
H03M3/368
NOVEL PROGRAMMABLE CHOPPING ARCHITECTURE TO REDUCE OFFSET IN AN ANALOG FRONT END
An integrated circuit can include an amplifier coupled to receive an analog input signal, an anti-aliasing filter (AAF) coupled to an output of the amplifier, a buffer circuit coupled to an output of the AAF, a sigma-delta modulator configured to generate a digital data stream in response to an output of the buffer, and a plurality of chopping circuits nested within one another, including a first pair of chopping circuits having at least the amplifier disposed therebetween and configured to remove offset in the analog input signal, and a second pair of chopping circuit having at least the first pair of chopping circuits disposed therebetween. The amplifier, AAF, sigma-delta modulator, and chopping circuits can be formed with the same integrated circuit substrate. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
Programmable chopping architecture to reduce offset in an analog front end
An integrated circuit can include an amplifier coupled to receive an analog input signal, an anti-aliasing filter (AAF) coupled to an output of the amplifier, a buffer circuit coupled to an output of the AAF, a sigma-delta modulator configured to generate a digital data stream in response to an output of the buffer, and a plurality of chopping circuits nested within one another, including a first pair of chopping circuits having at least the amplifier disposed therebetween and configured to remove offset in the analog input signal, and a second pair of chopping circuit having at least the first pair of chopping circuits disposed therebetween. The amplifier, AAF, sigma-delta modulator, and chopping circuits can be formed with the same integrated circuit substrate. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
SIGMA-DELTA ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER CIRCUIT WITH REAL TIME CORRECTION FOR DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER MISMATCH ERROR
An estimate of unit current element mismatch error in a digital to analog converter circuit is obtained through a correlation process. Unit current elements of the digital to analog converter circuit are actuated by bits of a thermometer coded signal generated in response to a quantization output signal. A correlation circuit generates the estimates of the unit current element mismatch error from a correlation of a first signal derived from the thermometer coded signal and a second signal derived from the quantization output signal.
HYBRID HIGH-BANDWIDTH MAGNETIC FIELD SENSOR
The described techniques address issues associated with hybrid current or magnetic field sensors used to detect both low- and high-frequency magnetic field components. The hybrid sensor implements a DC component rejection path in the high-frequency magnetic field component path. Both digital and analog implementations are provided, each functioning to generate a DC component cancellation signal to at least partially cancel a DC component of a current signal generated via the high-frequency magnetic field component path. The hybrid sensor provides a high-bandwidth, high-accuracy, and low DC offset hybrid current solution that also eliminates the need for DC decoupling capacitors in the high-frequency path. A modification is also described for implementing a Sigma-Delta (ΣΔ) quantization noise reduction path to reduce the quantization noise and to improve accuracy.
DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR INTRA-PACKAGE ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE SUPPRESSION
A device includes a voltage converter and an analog to digital converter (ADC). The voltage converter includes an input to receive a first voltage and an output to output a second voltage based on a switching signal having a first discrete converter frequency and a second discrete converter frequency. The ADC is coupled to and proximate to the voltage converter. The ADC includes a digital filter configured to substantially attenuate a first filter frequency and a second filter frequency. The voltage converter further includes a frequency control device configured to set the first discrete converter frequency and the second discrete converter frequency so that the first discrete converter frequency is approximately equal to the first filter frequency and the second discrete converter frequency is approximately equal to the second filter frequency.
System and method to enhance noise performance in a delta sigma converter
Systems and methods for improving noise efficiency in a Delta Sigma modulator. A bypass scheme for a noise splitter is disclosed that reduces toggling activity for small signals. In particular, a sample-by-sample bypass noise splitter is disclosed that includes a noise splitting module and a bypass line. The bypass line bypasses the noise splitting module when signals are below a selected threshold, increasing efficiency of the system.
System and method of replicating and cancelling chopping folding error in delta-sigma modulators
A system and method of replicating and cancelling chopping folding error in delta-sigma modulators. The modulator may include a loop filter coupled to a quantizer providing a digital signal, chopper circuitry that chops analog signals of the loop filter at a chopping frequency, and chopping folding error cancellation circuitry that replicates and cancels a chopping folding error of the chopper circuitry to provide a corrected digital signal. A digital chopper or multiplier chops the digital signal to provide a chopped digital signal, and the chopped digital signal is either amplified or multiplied by a gain value or digitally filtered to replicate the chopping folding error, which is then subtracted from the digital signal for correction. The timing and duty cycle of the chopping frequency may be adjusted. Timing and duty cycle adjustment may be calibrated along with the filtering.
DELTA-SIGMA MODULATION UTILIZING CONTINUOUS-TIME INPUT AND DISCRETE-TIME LOOP FILTER
Delta-sigma modulation utilizing continuous-time input and discrete-time loop filter. An apparatus includes an input circuit, a switched-capacitor, an integrator, a quantizer and a feedback loop. The input circuit receives an analog signal and produce an analog input signal, the input circuit comprising a resistor-capacitor (RC) integrator. The switched-capacitor samples the analog input signal and produce a discrete-time, sampled input signal. The integrator processes the discrete-time, sampled input signal. The quantizer converts an output of the integrator to a digital signal. The feedback loop provides the digital signal to respective inputs of the RC integrator and the integrator.
Hybrid high-bandwidth magnetic field sensor
The described techniques address issues associated with hybrid current or magnetic field sensors used to detect both low- and high-frequency magnetic field components. The hybrid sensor implements a DC component rejection path in the high-frequency magnetic field component path. Both digital and analog implementations are provided, each functioning to generate a DC component cancellation signal to at least partially cancel a DC component of a current signal generated via the high-frequency magnetic field component path. The hybrid sensor provides a high-bandwidth, high-accuracy, and low DC offset hybrid current solution that also eliminates the need for DC decoupling capacitors in the high-frequency path. A modification is also described for implementing a Sigma-Delta (ΣΔ) quantization noise reduction path to reduce the quantization noise and to improve accuracy.
Hearing assistive device with increased dynamic input range
A hearing assistive device including an audio processing circuit with an analog-to-digital converter having an integrator integrating a voltage present in the summation point; a comparator comparing an output from the integrator with a reference voltage (V.sub.ref) and outputting a logical level in accordance with the comparison; a feedback loop coupling a feedback signal back to the summation point; and a reference voltage generation circuit being adapted to provide the reference voltage (V.sub.ref) being lower than a power supply voltage (V.sub.battery) and following the decay of the power supply voltage (V.sub.battery) with a predefined margin.