U.S. patent application number 11/219551 was filed with the patent office on 2006-01-05 for programmable input range adc.
This patent application is currently assigned to Analog Devices, Inc.. Invention is credited to Thomas Paul Kearney.
Application Number | 20060001563 11/219551 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34965105 |
Filed Date | 2006-01-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060001563 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kearney; Thomas Paul |
January 5, 2006 |
Programmable input range ADC
Abstract
A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
in which a split gate oxide process allows the use of high voltage
(.+-.15 volt) switches on the same silicon substrate as standard
sub-micron 5 volt CMOS devices. With this process, the analog input
voltage can be sampled directly onto one or more sampling
capacitors without the need for prior attenuation circuits. By only
sampling on a given ratio of the sampling capacitors, the analog
input can be scaled or attenuated to suit the dynamic range of a
subsequent ADC. In the system of the present invention, the
sampling capacitor can be the actual capacitive redistribution
digital-to-analog converter (CapDAC) used in a SAR ADC itself, or a
separate capacitor array. By selecting which bits of the CapDAC or
separate sampling array to sample on, one can program the input
range. Once the analog input signal has been attenuated to match
the allowed dynamic range of the SAR converter, traditional SAR
techniques can be used to convert the input signal to a digital
word. Other conversion technologies, such as sigma-delta and
pipeline, can also be used in conjunction with the inventive
system.
Inventors: |
Kearney; Thomas Paul; (Cork
City, IE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Steven J. Henry;Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
600 Atlantic Avenue
Boston
MA
02210
US
|
Assignee: |
Analog Devices, Inc.
Norwood
MA
|
Family ID: |
34965105 |
Appl. No.: |
11/219551 |
Filed: |
September 1, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10807778 |
Mar 24, 2004 |
6940445 |
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11219551 |
Sep 1, 2005 |
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10330717 |
Dec 27, 2002 |
6731232 |
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10807778 |
Mar 24, 2004 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
341/155 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H03M 1/468 20130101;
H03M 1/1245 20130101; H03M 1/804 20130101; H03M 1/18 20130101; H03M
1/186 20130101; H03M 1/129 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
341/155 |
International
Class: |
H03M 1/12 20060101
H03M001/12 |
Claims
1. A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
comprising: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having a
characteristic dynamic range; and an input voltage scaling network
in which the input voltage is sampled onto one or more selected
sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage to substantially
match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC.
2. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 1, wherein the input voltage scaling network comprises an
array of parallel-connected sampling capacitors in an input
amplifier providing a sampled input voltage to the ADC.
3. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 2, wherein the sampling capacitors are interposed between
the analog input voltage and an input amplifier from which the
sampled output signal is derived.
4. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 3, wherein the ADC is a sigma-delta converter.
5. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 3, wherein the ADC is a pipeline converter.
6. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 3, wherein the ADC is a successive approximation
converter.
7. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 1, further comprising a network of high voltage sampling
switches interposed between the input voltage and the input voltage
scaling network.
8. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 7, further comprising range decoder logic that selects one
or more elements of the input voltage scaling network on which the
input voltage is sampled.
9. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
of claim 8, wherein the input voltage range is bipolar.
10. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 9, wherein a network of low-voltage to
high-voltage level shifters couples control signals to the high
voltage sampling switches.
11. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 8, wherein the range decoder logic is responsive
to a range selection control word written into an associated range
register.
12. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 11, wherein the range register is programmable
via a digital communication interface.
13. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 12, wherein the digital communication interface
is a serial communication interface.
14. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 13, wherein the serial communication interface
is bi-directional.
15. A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
comprising: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having a
characteristic dynamic range; and an input voltage scaling network
including an array of parallel-connected sampling capacitors in an
input amplifier providing a sampled input voltage to the ADC; such
that the input voltage is sampled onto one or more selected
sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage to substantially
match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC.
16. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 15, wherein the sampling capacitors are
interposed between the analog input voltage and the input amplifier
from which the sampled output signal is derived.
17. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 16, wherein the ADC is a sigma-delta
converter.
18. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 16, wherein the ADC is a pipeline converter.
19. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 16, wherein the ADC is a successive
approximation converter.
20. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 15, further comprising a network of high voltage
sampling switches interposed between the input voltage and the
input voltage scaling network.
21. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 20, further comprising range decoder logic that
selects one or more elements of the input voltage scaling network
on which the input voltage is sampled.
22. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 21, wherein the input voltage range is
bipolar.
23. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 22, wherein a network of low-voltage to
high-voltage level shifters couples control signals to the high
voltage sampling switches.
24. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 21, wherein the range decoder logic is
responsive to a range selection control word written into an
associated range register.
25. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 24, wherein the range register is programmable
via a digital communication interface.
26. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 25, wherein the digital communication interface
is a serial communication interface.
27. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 26, wherein the serial communication interface
is bi-directional.
28. A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
comprising: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having a
characteristic dynamic range; an input voltage scaling network
including an array of parallel-connected sampling capacitors in an
input amplifier providing a sampled input voltage to the ADC, such
that the input voltage is sampled onto one or more selected
sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage to substantially
match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC; a network of
high voltage sampling switches interposed between the input voltage
and the input voltage scaling network, such that the input voltage
is selectively sampled onto one or more of the sampling capacitors;
range decoder logic that controls the network of high voltage
sampling switches to select said one or more of the sampling
capacitors; and a range register to which a range selection control
word is written, the range decoder logic being responsive to the
range selection control word.
29. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 28, wherein the ADC is a sigma-delta
converter.
30. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 28, wherein the ADC is a pipeline converter.
31. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 28, wherein the ADC is a successive
approximation converter.
32. The SAR ADC of claim 28, wherein the range register is
programmable via an integral digital communication interface.
33. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 32, wherein the digital communication interface
is a serial communication interface.
34. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter of claim 28, wherein the input voltage range is
bipolar.
35. A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
integrated circuit device fabricated on a single substrate, the
device comprising: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) subsystem
fabricated utilizing a standard sub-micron low-voltage CMOS
process, and having a characteristic dynamic range; an input
voltage scaling network in which the input voltage is sampled onto
one or more selected sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage
to substantially match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC;
and a network of high-voltage MOS sampling switches fabricated
utilizing a split gate oxide process to accommodate higher gate
voltages, said network of high-voltage sampling switches interposed
between the input voltage and the input voltage scaling network,
such that the input voltage is selectively sampled onto one or more
of the sampling capacitors.
36. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 35, wherein the input
voltage scaling network comprises an array of parallel-connected
sampling capacitors in an input amplifier providing a sampled input
voltage to the ADC.
37. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 36, wherein the
sampling capacitors are interposed between the analog input voltage
and the input amplifier from which the sampled output signal is
derived.
38. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 37, wherein the ADC is
a sigma-delta converter.
39. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 37, wherein the ADC is
a pipeline converter.
40. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 37, wherein the ADC is
a successive approximation converter.
41. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 35, further comprising
range decoder logic that selects one or more elements of the input
voltage scaling network on which the input voltage is sampled.
42. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 41, wherein the input
voltage range is bipolar.
43. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 42, wherein a network
of low-voltage to high-voltage level shifters couples control
signals to the high voltage sampling switches.
44. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 41, wherein the range
decoder logic is responsive to a range selection control word
written into an associated range register.
45. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 44, wherein the range
register is programmable via a digital communication interface.
46. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 45, wherein the
digital communication interface is a serial communication
interface.
47. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 46, wherein the serial
communication interface is bi-directional.
48. A programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
integrated circuit device fabricated on a single substrate, the
device comprising: an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) subsystem
fabricated utilizing a standard sub-micron low-voltage CMOS
process, and having a characteristic dynamic range; an input
voltage scaling network in which the input voltage is sampled onto
one or more selected sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage
to substantially match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC;
a network of high-voltage MOS sampling switches fabricated
utilizing a split gate oxide process to accommodate higher gate
voltages, said network of high-voltage sampling switches interposed
between the input voltage and the input voltage scaling network,
such that the input voltage is selectively sampled onto one or more
of the sampling capacitors; range decoder logic that controls the
network of high voltage MOS sampling switches to select said one or
more of the sampling capacitors; and a range register to which a
range selection control word is written, the range decoder logic
being responsive to the range selection control word.
49. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 48, wherein the ADC is
a sigma-delta converter.
50. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 48, wherein the ADC is
a pipeline converter.
51. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 48, wherein the ADC is
a successive approximation converter.
52. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 48, wherein the range
register is programmable via a digital communication interface.
53. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 52, wherein the
digital communication interface is a serial communication
interface.
54. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 53, wherein the serial
communication interface is bi-directional.
55. The programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device of claim 48, wherein the input
voltage range is bipolar.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 10/330,717, filed Dec. 27, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to scaling of analog input
signals and in particular to scaling both bipolar and unipolar
input signals to the dynamic range of an ADC prior to acquisition
and conversion, and is more particularly directed toward sampling
an analog input signal through high-voltage transmission gates onto
a selected combination of sampling capacitors to program the input
range of an ADC.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Multi-input, wide dynamic range bipolar and unipolar
analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) have traditionally used
resistor divider networks at the analog input to scale the input
signal to the dynamic range of the converter before acquisition and
conversion can take place. This method of attenuating the input
signal prior to conversion by the ADC has been used very
successfully in the past. However, it has a number of distinct
disadvantages.
[0004] First of all, in the traditional resistor divider approach
the analog input source always sees a resistive load to ground or
some reference voltage. The source must be able to drive this load.
Second, the resistor divider network consumes power both from the
internal reference and from the analog input source. The third
problem is that this prior art technique does not allow the user an
easy method for programming the allowed analog input range. A
fourth disadvantage is the fact that the size of the input
resistors will limit the full power bandwidth of the converter.
[0005] The nodes of the resistor network that form the resistor
divider can be made accessible to the user via pins on an
integrated circuit (IC). The user then configures the resistor
divider network via hardware connections to suit the analog input
range required. However, if the user wishes to change the range,
then the hardware has to be re-wired.
[0006] It is known in the prior art to construct an
analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit using a process
utilizing only 5 volt devices. This ADC is a successive
approximation ADC implemented using a capacitor array DAC (CapDAC).
The internal reference (Vref) is set at one-half the 5 volt supply
voltage, or 2.5 volts. This particular device can accommodate two
different input voltage ranges by sampling onto the full CapDAC for
the 0 to Vref range, and half the array for the 0 to 2.times.Vref
range. Of course, the maximum input voltage is limited to 5 volts.
This device is available from Analog Devices, Inc. as their part
number AD7866.
[0007] It has also been suggested that higher input voltages can be
accommodated by fabricating the entire device using a high-voltage
process. In the December 1975 IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits,
authors James L. McCreary and Paul R. Gray describe a SAR ADC
fabricated entirely with a high-voltage process that can handle
.+-.10 volt supplies. With the reference voltage set at 10 volts,
the device can handle a 0 to 10 volt input voltage range by
sampling onto its entire capacitor DAC array, and can thus
accommodate an input voltage range from -10 volts to +10 volts by
sampling onto just half of the CapDAC array. Presumably, the gate
lengths for the devices described in this article are on the order
of 6 microns, thus consuming considerable die area for a single
device.
[0008] Consequently, a need arises for an analog input voltage
scaling technique that is easily adaptable to integrated circuit
applications, does not require the input signal to drive a
resistive load to ground, minimizes power consumption, and is
easily programmable in the event that the allowed analog input
voltage range requires alteration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] These needs and others are satisfied by the programmable
input voltage range system and methodology of the present
invention, in which a split gate oxide process allows the use of
high voltage switches (.+-.15 volts, for example) on the same
silicon substrate as standard sub-micron 5 volt CMOS devices. With
this process, the analog input voltage can be sampled directly onto
the sampling capacitor without the need for prior attenuation
circuits. By only sampling on a given ratio of the sampling
capacitor, the analog input can be scaled or attenuated to suit the
dynamic range of the ADC itself.
[0010] The system of the present invention is applicable to ADC
implementations in which the input signal is sampled prior to data
conversion. One example of such a system uses a successive
approximation ADC, or SAR ADC, for data conversion. In a system
such as this, the sampling capacitor can be the actual capacitive
redistribution digital-to-analog converter (CapDAC) used in the SAR
ADC itself, or a separate capacitor array. By selecting which bits
of the CapDAC or separate sampling array to sample on, one can
program the input range. Once the analog input signal has been
attenuated to match the allowed dynamic range of the SAR converter,
traditional SAR techniques can be used to convert the input signal
to a digital word.
[0011] In this manner, many of the problems of traditional methods
are overcome. The analog source sees a capacitive load, not a
resistive load to ground--therefore, no DC power is required from
the source. Second, no additional power is consumed in biasing a
resistor divider network. And last of all, by selecting which bits
of the capacitive redistribution DAC or separate sampling array to
sample onto, one can program, through software, the analog input
range.
[0012] In essence, the present invention uses the capacitor array
to scale the analog input into the range of the ADC. However, it
differs from the prior art in a number of ways. Devices of the
prior art can operate only in ranges limited by the supply to the
core converter being used. In the present invention, there is a
combination of high-voltage and low-voltage MOSFETs on the same
silicon substrate. Thus, the present invention is not limited by
the ADC's supply, but only by the high voltage supply--which only
supplies the sampling switches. So one can take advantage of the
speed and circuit density of a sub-micron low-voltage process ADC
to perform the actual conversions, while using the high-voltage
switches, the capacitor array, and some digital logic to vary the
range by multiples of the reference voltage (up to a limit of the
high voltage supplies).
[0013] This dual-voltage device technology has not previously been
available. Hence if a designer wished to use a fast, sub-micron,
low-voltage ADC to convert large signals (large meaning outside the
0 to 5v range), the designer would have to devise some way to scale
the input voltage using resistors before applying it to the ADC.
The new technology allows the designer to return to capacitor
implementations in order to do this, with all of their inherent
advantages.
[0014] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital converter
comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having a
characteristic dynamic range, and an input voltage scaling network
in which the input voltage is sampled onto one or more selected
sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage to substantially
match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC. In one form of
the invention, the input voltage scaling network comprises an array
of parallel-connected sampling capacitors in an input amplifier
providing a sampled input voltage to the ADC. In the case of a SAR
ADC, the input amplifier may be a sample-and-hold amplifier
(SHA).
[0015] The sampling capacitors may be interposed between the analog
input voltage and an input amplifier from which the sampled output
signal is derived. The ADC itself may be, for example, a
sigma-delta converter, a pipeline converter, or a successive
approximation converter.
[0016] A network of high voltage sampling switches may be
interposed between the input voltage and the input voltage scaling
network, such that range decoder logic selects one or more elements
of the input voltage scaling network on which the input voltage is
sampled. The input voltage range may be bipolar.
[0017] In another form of the invention, a network of low-voltage
to high-voltage level shifters couples control signals to the high
voltage sampling switches. Preferably, the range decoder logic is
responsive to a range selection control word written into an
associated range register. The range register may be programmable
via a digital communication interface. It is preferred that the
digital communication interface be a serial, bi-directional
communication interface to accommodate both programming of the
range register by a user, and read-back of the range register
contents for verification, as well as for programming other
functionality of the ADC itself.
[0018] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present
invention, a programmable input voltage range analog-to-digital
converter integrated circuit device fabricated on a single
substrate comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) subsystem
fabricated utilizing a standard sub-micron low-voltage CMOS
process, and having a characteristic dynamic range, an input
voltage scaling network in which the input voltage is sampled onto
one or more selected sampling capacitors to scale the input voltage
to substantially match the characteristic dynamic range of the ADC,
and a network of high-voltage MOS sampling switches fabricated
utilizing a split gate oxide process to accommodate higher gate
voltages, the network of high-voltage sampling switches interposed
between the input voltage and the input voltage scaling network,
such that the input voltage is selectively sampled onto one or more
of the sampling capacitors.
[0019] Further objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from the following description and
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a resistor divider circuit of the prior art
used to attenuate analog input signals prior to conversion;
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a bipolar analog input signal being
sampled onto a CapDAC array in accordance with the principles of
the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram of a switching transistor
arrangement suitable for use in the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a complete SAR ADC
incorporating the principles of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 depicts range decoder logic suitable for use with the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates a sampling array separate from the
conversion array in accordance with an alternative embodiment of
the present invention FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a typical
sample and hold circuit;
[0026] FIG. 8 depicts, in schematic diagram form, how an analog
input signal applied to a sample and hold circuit can be scaled to
a desired range;
[0027] FIG. 9 illustrates a switched capacitor integrator;
[0028] FIG. 10 is a timing diagram showing two phases of a
non-overlapping clock signal;
[0029] FIG. 11 shows an equivalent circuit for the integrator of
FIG. 9 during Phase 1 of the clock signal;
[0030] FIG. 12 shows an equivalent circuit for the integrator of
FIG. 9 during Phase 2 of the clock signal;
[0031] FIG. 13 illustrates a basic pipeline converter architecture
in block diagram form;
[0032] FIG. 14 is a simplified block diagram of a single stage of
the pipeline converter of FIG. 13; and
[0033] FIG. 15 is a representation of a first order sigma-delta
style analog-to-digital converter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] There is described herein a programmable input range ADC
that offers distinct advantages when compared to the prior art. In
one form of the invention, the conversion system may be implemented
as a SAR ADC. FIG. 1 illustrates the traditional method used to
attenuate wide range bipolar and unipolar analog input signals
prior to conversion. A reference voltage Vref, in this example +2.5
volts, is applied to the input of a buffer 102. The buffered
reference voltage is applied to the top of a resistor divider
formed from resistors R1, R2, and R3.
[0035] The analog input signal Ain, which, in this exemplary
circuit, ranges between -10 volts and +10 volts, is applied to the
voltage divider input 103. The reference voltage Vref serves as a
bias voltage for the voltage divider, with the result that the
divider network scales and level-shifts the input signal. The
analog input voltage Ain, as it varies from -10 volts to +10 volts,
produces a variation at the common node 104 from zero volts to +2.5
volts. It is this output node 104, with its scaled output voltage,
that is generally coupled to the sample and hold input of a SAR
ADC. It should be noted that the analog input signal Ain in this
prior art network must drive 40 K (kilohms) to ground.
[0036] FIG. 2 illustrates a bipolar (.+-.10 volt) analog input
signal being sampled onto an 8-bit CapDAC array in accordance with
one form of the present invention. The switches to the analog input
signal are .+-.15 volt switches that are capable of directly
sampling the bipolar input signal. The switches are described in
greater detail below.
[0037] It should be noted with respect to FIG. 2 that the
comparator and all the SAR logic of the ADC can be implemented
using 5 volt sub-micron CMOS technology. Only the analog input
switches are required to be fabricated using .+-.15 volt CMOS
devices that use a thicker gate-oxide to deal with the higher gate
voltages required.
[0038] The charge equation during sampling for the .+-.10 volt
input range is as follows:
Q.sub.ncp=C.sub.tot*{-Ain*(32C/256C)+V.sub.com}=C.sub.tot*V.sub.ncp
(1) Where C.sub.tot=256C That is, the analog input voltage sampled
will be: V.sub.ncp=-Ain/8+V.sub.com (2) If V.sub.com is equal to
1.25 volts, then, for any analog input voltage in the range .+-.10
volts, the sampled analog input is between 0 volts and 2.5 volts.
If the reference voltage is 2.5 volts, then the analog input is
kept within the dynamic range of the converter, and the bipolar
input signal can be converted using the usual SAR techniques.
[0039] In order to program the input range, one simply selects
which bits of the CapDAC array to sample onto. This is illustrated
for an 8-bit example in Table 1 below: TABLE-US-00001 MSB LSB
V.sub.ncp after Input Range B7 B6 B5 B4 B3 B2 B1 B0 sampling .+-.10
volts Vref GND Ain GND GND GND GND GND -Ain/8 + V.sub.com .+-.5
volts Vref Ain GND GND GND GND GND GND -Ain/4 + V.sub.com .+-.2.5
volts Vref Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain -Ain/2 + V.sub.com 0 to +10
v GND Ain GND GND GND GND GND GND -Ain/4 + V.sub.com 0 to +5 v GND
Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain -Ain/2 + V.sub.com 0 to +2.5 v Ain Ain
Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain Ain -Ain + V.sub.com
[0040] In this example, only three bits are needed to select the
range: a polarity bit (to indicate whether the input signal is
bipolar or unipolar) and two range bits. Table 2 below illustrates
the selection bit values for a number of input ranges.
TABLE-US-00002 Input Range Polarity Bit Range Bit1 Range Bit0
.+-.10 volts High Low Low .+-.5 volts High Low High .+-.2.5 volts
High High High 0 to +10 v Low Low Low 0 to +5 v Low Low High 0 to
+2.5 v Low High High
[0041] It should be noted that for bipolar signals the MSB (the
Polarity Bit) is held at the reference voltage during sampling. The
reason for this will become apparent later in the description.
[0042] As noted above, FIG. 2 illustrates a capacitive
redistribution DAC, or CapDAC, comprised of a collection of binary
weighted capacitors C.sub.7 through C.sub.0, and a "dummy"
capacitor (or terminating capacitor) C.sub.D located closest to the
comparator 204. The value of C.sub.D is substantially equal to the
capacitance of the LSB capacitor C.sub.0. In the circuit of FIG. 2,
the terminating capacitor does not sample the analog input, but is
rather held at ground to help with minimizing offsets. The 8-bit
capacitor array of FIG. 2 is shown in sample mode. The total
capacitance of the array is 256C, where C is the unit capacitance
for the illustrated implementation.
[0043] In this exemplary embodiment, the MSB B7 is tied to Vref 202
during sampling by switch S7, part of the array 207 of analog
switches that will be discussed further below. The third most
significant bit, B5, is tied to the analog input voltage 201
through switch S5. When the sampling period is completed, the
charge accumulated from the analog input is transferred to the top
plate of the capacitor array by switching S5 to ground 208. The
common mode switch 206 is opened first so that total charge across
the sampling capacitor is conserved.
[0044] Thus, in this example, the analog input signal is attenuated
by a factor of 8. Therefore, assuming an input signal that varies
between +10 and -10 volts, the comparator 204 actually sees
.+-.1.25 volts. If the common mode voltage Vcom 203 is 1.25 volts,
then the input signal is kept within the common mode range of the
comparator 204. Known successive approximation techniques can then
be used to digitize the input signal.
[0045] An examination of the MSB bit trial is instructive. As noted
previously, the MSB was tied to Vref (2.5 volts) during sampling.
Post-sampling, the MSB remains at Vref until a decision is made
regarding what to do with the MSB. Just by way of example, if the
analog input signal happened to be positive (+10 volts, for
example), the voltage at the non-inverting input of the comparator
(the NCP node 205) would be given by equation (2) above as
-Ain/8+V.sub.com. In the case where the common mode voltage
V.sub.com is +1.25 volts, then V.sub.ncp=0 volts. The output of
comparator 204 would be a logic LOW level.
[0046] One would expect to have the NCP node converge to the common
mode voltage. In order to accomplish this, the MSB is left
connected to Vref, since switching this point to ground would
transfer negative charge to the top plate of the capacitor array
and cause the NCP voltage to diverge from the common mode voltage.
The SAR logic can be structured to set the first bit of the data
output to a logic "1" under these circumstances, since the logic
will know that the input is bipolar.
[0047] The second MSB B6 bit trial begins by switching B6 from
ground to Vref using switch S6. This transfers a positive charge of
weighting Vref/4 to the top plate of the capacitor array. The
equation for the NCP voltage 205 now becomes:
V.sub.ncp=-Ain/8+V.sub.com+Vref/4 (3) Since the sampled analog
input signal in this example was +10 volts, the common mode voltage
is +1.25 volts, and the reference voltage Vref is +2.5 volts, the
voltage at the NCP node 205 is 0.625 volts. The comparator output
is still a logic LOW, but the NCP voltage is beginning to converge
on the common mode voltage. Hence, the second MSB B6 is left tied
to Vref and the SAR logic interprets this as a logic "1" and sets
the second bit of the data output to "1." The remaining bit trials
occur in the same fashion until all 8 bits have been tested and the
NCP node 205 is within 1 LSB of the common mode voltage.
[0048] In the event that the analog input voltage were negative,
the opposite would occur. If an input voltage of -10 volts were
applied as the analog input signal, equation (2) above indicates
that the NCP node voltage would be 2.5 volts. The comparator output
would be a logic HIGH and the SAR logic would interpret this,
switch the MSB from Vref to ground, and set the first bit of the
data output to a logic "0." For the second MSB bit trial, B6 would
be switched to Vref, the NCP node would settle to +1.875 volts, and
the comparator output would still be HIGH. The SAR logic would
reject this bit by switching it to ground. Thus, the SAR process
would continue until the NCP node converges on the common mode
voltage. An equation for the NCP voltage during bit trials is given
by equation (4) below: V.sub.ncp=-Ain/8+V.sub.com+[-{overscore
(B7)}*(Vref/2)+B6*(Vref/4)+ . . . +B0*(Vref/256] The Vref/2 term
(the MSB) has a negative sign and is also multiplied by the inverse
of bit 7. This is because the Vref/2 term is only included when B7
is a logic "0" (i.e., if the actual analog input voltage is
negative in polarity). Hence, the MSB behaves like a sign bit.
[0049] FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram of a switching arrangement
suitable for use in the present invention. In order to accommodate
analog input signals in the range from -10 to +10 volts, a
transmission gate is formed from a pair of parallel connected, high
voltage PMOS 301 and NMOS 302 transistors. Preferably, the devices
illustrated will withstand a 30 volt differential between any two
terminals, and provide an adequate safety margin when dealing with
input signals in the 110 volt range.
[0050] Of course, the ranges described are simply examples. Using
proper fabrication techniques, the devices used as switches could
be designed to operate with other supply voltages and input voltage
ranges as well. The voltages selected in the exemplary embodiment
described herein are illustrative of the fact that an integrated
circuit can now be fabricated efficiently to include devices having
widely disparate operating voltages.
[0051] The high voltage devices 301, 302 take the analog input
signal and switch it directly onto a sampling capacitor 303. Of
course, high voltage control signals are required for the gates of
the high voltage transistors 301, 302, but these control signals
can be provided by simple level shifting from 5 volt CMOS
levels.
[0052] The actual process technology that allows high-voltage and
low-voltage MOS devices to reside on a single silicon substrate
involves utilizing a standard sub-micron CMOS process with
additional processing steps. These steps may include construction
of a buried layer, isolation wells for the high voltage devices,
and thicker gate oxide for the high-voltage devices when compared
with the low-voltage CMOS, for example. Considerable care must be
exercised, in both the layout and the process, to ensure that no
low-voltage device is too closely proximate one of the high-voltage
devices.
[0053] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a complete SAR ADC system
incorporating programmable input range features in accordance with
the present invention, and generally depicted by the numeral 400.
An analog input signal 401 is applied to one or more capacitors of
a CapDAC array 403 through an array of high-voltage switches 402.
The SAR logic 406, which also controls signal acquisition and
conversion in a known manner, controls which capacitors of the
CapDAC array the input signal is sampled onto.
[0054] The SAR logic 406 does this based upon range decoder logic
407 that receives a range programming input from a range register
409. The range decoder logic 407 is described in greater detail
subsequently. It is sufficient for the moment to note that the
contents of the range register 409 may be altered by writing to the
register over a conventional serial port 410. Allowing the user to
access the range register 409 provides a software programming
capability for the range of the SAR ADC 400.
[0055] FIG. 5 provides a detailed view of the range decoder logic.
Of course, a number of logic implementations would suffice for this
application. The implementation of FIG. 5 is simply one
satisfactory way of generating a suitable set of ranges for the SAR
ADC. There are three input signals that control the range of the
SAR ADC. These are the Polarity Bit 501, the Range1 Bit 502, and
the Range0 Bit 503. Each of these signals is applied to an inverter
504 so that both the signals and their logic complements are
available to the decoder section.
[0056] The decoder itself is an array of NOR gates to which unique
combinations of the input signals and their complements are
applied. For example, the complement of the Polarity Bit 501, along
with the Range1 and Range0 bits are applied to NOR gate 505 in the
event that the analog input signal is bipolar with an expected
voltage swing between -10 and +10 volts. As illustrated, the input
signal is sampled onto the third MSB of the CapDAC array in this
case for proper scaling. Unique combinations of the control bits
are mapped onto the inputs of different NOR gates so that six
different input ranges may be selected for the SAR ADC via software
programming.
[0057] FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the
invention in which the analog input signal is sampled onto a
separate sample array 601, rather than electing to sample directly
onto selected capacitors of the CapDAC conversion array 602. In
this implementation, the selection logic selects one or more
elements of the sample array 601 in order to program the range of
the SAR ADC. The principal advantage of this configuration is that
the number of high voltage switches required is substantially
reduced. As one would expect, there is an associated saving in die
area as well if a separate sampling array is used.
[0058] As noted previously, the system of the present invention may
be implemented with a SAR ADC for performing data conversion.
However, the present invention is also readily adaptable to any
conversion technology in which the analog input signal is sampled
onto some form of memory device (a capacitor, for example) before
being converted. It is worthwhile considering the subject of
sampling an analog signal yet again, before delving further into
available data conversion technologies.
[0059] The majority of analog to digital converters operate on the
principle that, at some point in time, the signal to be converted
must be sampled onto some form of a memory device. The stored
signal can then be converted into a digital word by known
conversion techniques/architectures. It is usual (although not
necessary) to use a capacitor as the memory device for storing the
sampled analog signal.
[0060] An example sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit is the switched
capacitor circuit of FIG. 7. This circuit is made up of three basic
elements: switches S1, S2, and S3, a capacitor C.sub.H for sampling
the input, and a transconductance amplifier 703. During sampling,
S1 and S2 are closed, while S3 is open. The capacitor C.sub.H is
charged to the input voltage 701--this time period is usually
called the track time. When S1 and S2 are opened and S3 is closed,
the circuit switches into a hold mode. The stored analog input
signal on the capacitor C.sub.H is connected between the input and
the output of the transconductance amplifier 703--hence the analog
input voltage appears at the S/H output 702. By connecting this
output node 702 to an analog to digital converter, one can convert
the signal to a digital word. It should be noted that the analog to
digital converter does not have to be of any particular type or
architecture.
[0061] This sample and hold circuit illustrated in FIG. 7 is the
basic building block for a sampled system. If one were to add extra
capacitance to the top plate of capacitor C.sub.H one can increase
the size of the total sampling capacitance. However, suppose we
only wish to sample onto a fraction of the sampling capacitor. We
would then scale the actual voltage seen at the S/H output in
accordance with the following relationship:
Vout=Vin.times.(C.sub.H/C.sub.TOTAL) (5) If
C.sub.TOTAL=8.times.C.sub.H then we have scaled the input by 8. Now
suppose we introduce high-voltage switches into the circuit as
discussed previously. The circuit of FIG. 8 includes a bank of
switches and capacitors on the analog input side of the sampling
circuit. Each unit capacitor of value C.sub.H has a switch to
ground and a switch to the analog input. By programming which
switches are connected to ground, and which switches are connected
to the analog input voltage, during the sampling period (track
period), one can scale the analog input to the desired range of a
subsequent analog to digital converter.
[0062] Now suppose the switches are all made up of high-voltage
devices as described with respect to previous embodiments of the
present invention. Wide range signals can be attenuated as per
equation (5). For +/-10v signals, only sample on 1.times.C.sub.H
(i.e., divide by 8). For +/-5v signals, sample onto 2.times.C.sub.H
(i.e., divide by 4), and so on.
[0063] Thus, any type of converter that requires the input signal
to be sampled in time before conversion to a digital word takes
place can be used in conjunction with the technique of the present
invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention
described previously used a SAR architecture as a convenient
example, especially since SAR ADC operation lends itself well to a
detailed explanation of the basic idea. However, any architecture
requiring an input signal to be sampled onto a memory device could
be used. Usable converter architectures specifically include
sigma-delta converters and pipeline converters. Of course, a
sigma-delta converter does not generally use a sample and hold
amplifier, but merely an input amplifier circuit that may function
as a switched capacitor integrator, for example.
[0064] FIG. 15 illustrates one form of a sigma-delta
analog-to-digital converter in which an integrator 1503 is placed
in a loop with a comparator 1504. An analog input signal 1501 is
converted to a bit stream of 1's and 0's (i.e., a digital word), in
which the "ones density" will be proportional to the magnitude of
the analog input signal. In conjunction with specialized digital
filtering of the output bit stream, an analog-to-digital converter
can be readily achieved.
[0065] Perhaps the most important of the basic building blocks of a
sigma delta converter is the switched capacitor integrator that
implements the sum 1502 and integrator 1503 portions of the
sigma-delta converter of FIG. 15. FIG. 9 depicts a switched
capacitor integrator in schematic diagram form. The switched
capacitor integrator is used to sample the analog input voltage
V1.
[0066] Central to the operation of the switched capacitor
integrator is the array of analog switches 901-904 controlled by
selected phases of non-overlapping clock signals .phi..sub.1 and
.phi..sub.2, as shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 illustrates the actual
circuit configuration during .phi..sub.1, when switches 901 and 902
are closed, and switches 903 and 904 are open. Describing circuit
operation in terms of charge Q and referring to FIG. 11, one can
see that during .phi..sub.1 Q.sub.1(n-1)=C.sub.1V.sub.1(n-1) and
Q.sub.2(n-1)=C.sub.2V.sub.2(n-1)
[0067] Using a similar charge analysis during .phi..sub.2 and
referring to FIG. 12, which depicts circuit configuration when
switches 903 and 904 are closed and switches 901 and 902 are open,
one can see that Q.sub.2(n)=C.sub.2V.sub.2(n) Applying charge
conservation to the result: Q.sub.2(n)=Q.sub.2(n-1)+Q.sub.1(n-1)
C.sub.2V.sub.2(n)=C.sub.2V.sub.2(n-1)+C.sub.1V.sub.1(n-1) Taking
the z-transform: V.sub.2=V.sub.2Z.sup.-1+(C1/C2)V.sub.1.sup.z-1
Thus: V.sub.2/V.sub.1=(C.sub.1/C.sub.2)(z.sup.-1)/(1-z.sup.-1) The
non-inverting integrator clearly includes delay. The important
thing to note is that the voltage V.sub.2 is related to V.sub.1 by
the ratio of the capacitance C.sub.1 to C.sub.2. If one were to
implement C.sub.1 precisely as illustrated for the C.sub.H
capacitors of FIG. 8, it is clear that one can program the input
range into the dynamic range of the converter. It may help to think
of V.sub.2 as the voltage applied to the converter, and V.sub.1 as
the actual analog input voltage.
[0068] Pipeline converters are also perfectly suitable for use in a
programmable input range system in accordance with the present
invention. FIG. 13 illustrates that a pipeline converter is simply
a cascaded arrangement of identical stages 1301. Each individual
stage of a pipeline converter looks much as depicted in FIG. 14. It
should be noted that the first thing the analog input voltage sees
in a pipeline architecture is a SHA (sample-and-hold amplifier)
circuit. As outlined above, one can manipulate the SHA circuit (as
shown in FIG. 8) to take the wide dynamic range analog input
signals, provided one has the high voltage switch technology
available as described above.
[0069] There has been described herein a programmable input range
SAR ADC that offers distinct advantages when compared with the
prior art. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the
invention be limited except as may be necessary in view of the
appended claims.
* * * * *