In one embodiment, a method for converting an input digital signal into an analog signal is provided. The method comprises modulating the input digital signal into a modulated digital signal, and converting the modulated digital signal into the analog signal using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The modulation shapes quantization noise of the DAC to place a notch at a frequency within an out-of-bound frequency band to reduce the quantization noise within the out-of-bound frequency band.

To convert a first stage input to a digital output, a delta-sigma modulator, an analog-to-digital converter and an associated signal conversion method based on an MASH structure are provided. The analog-to-digital converter includes the delta-sigma modulator and a sample and hold circuit. The delta-sigma modulator includes a first signal converter, a second signal converter and a digital cancellation logic. The first signal converter converts the first stage input to a first converted output. The first signal converter shapes a first stage quantization error to generate a second stage input. The first stage input and the second stage input are analog signals. The second signal converter converts the second stage input to a second converted output. The digital cancellation logic generates a digital output according to the first converted output and the second converted output.

Systems and methods for a power-efficient 3-level digital-to-analog converter. A converter cell using a current starving technique keeps a portion of the converter cell turned on in a low power mode, as opposed to completely turning off current in selected modes. A conversion system keeps a first set of converters active while allowing a second set of converters to be powered down. Systems and methods presented save power and allow for efficient reactivation of converters.

A circuit includes a transistor, a signal generating circuit and a noise sensing circuit. The signal generating circuit is arranged to provide an input signal. The noise sensing circuit is coupled to the transistor and the signal generating circuit, and the noise sensing circuit is arranged for receiving the input signal provided by the signal generating circuit to generate an output signal to the transistor, wherein a signal component of the output signal generated by the noise sensing circuit cancels out a signal component of the input signal provided by the signal generating circuit, and the output signal and the input signal have opposite polarities.

A method and an apparatus are provided for improving a carrier to noise density ratio (CNO) of a matched filter. A signal is received at a signal register of the matched filter. A local code is received at a local code register and a nulling register of the matched filter. An adder tree of the matched filter correlates the signal register and the local code register with respect to the nulling register to obtain a correlation result. The nulling register prevents high frequency samples of the signal register from affecting the correlation result.

A delta-sigma modulator is provided with: a loop filter 30; a quantizer 36 that generates quantized data on the basis of an output from the loop filter 30; an internal path 42 connected to the loop filter 30 or the quantizer 36; and a compensator 38 that provides, to the internal path 42, a compensation signal for compensating for distortion that occurs in a frequency component at a target frequency, the frequency component being among frequency components of a pulse train corresponding to the quantized data.

An analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) includes an input terminal configured to receive an analog input signal. A first ADC circuit is coupled to the input terminal and includes a VCO. The first ADC circuit is configured to output a first digital signal in a frequency domain based on the analog input signal. The first digital signal includes an error component. A first DAC is configured to convert the first digital signal to an analog output signal. A first summation circuit is configured to receive the analog output signal, the analog input signal, and a loop filtered version of the analog input signal and extract the error component, and output a negative of the error component. A second ADC circuit is configured to convert the negative of the error component to a digital error signal. A second summation circuit is configured to receive the first digital signal and the digital error signal, and to output a digital output signal corresponding to the analog input at an output terminal.

Systems and method for improving stability and performance in class-D modulators. In particular, a multi-cycle feedback network is positioned around a quantizer of a digital class-D amplifier. The multi-cycle feedback network allows the main class-D feedback loop to have multiple clock cycles of delay.

A voltage-controlled oscillator-based delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (VCO-based ΔΣ ADC) includes a VCO-based quantizer that includes delay elements to provide VCO outputs based on an analog input signal and combining logic to combine the VCO outputs so as to provide quantized outputs. Detection logic detects saturation of the VCO-based quantizer based on the quantized outputs and at least a portion of the VCO outputs. The VCO-based ΔΣ ADC also includes correction logic to modify the quantized outputs and provide modified quantized outputs in response to the detection logic detecting the saturation of the VCO-based quantizer and to provide the quantized outputs unmodified in the absence of saturation being detected.

A phase-locked loop (PLL) includes a spur cancellation circuit that receives a residue signal indicative of a first frequency and receives a residual phase error signal and generates a spur cancellation signal. A summing circuit combines the spur cancellation signal and a first phase error signal corresponding to a phase difference between a reference signal and a feedback signal in the PLL and generates a second phase error signal with a reduced spurious tone at the first frequency.