Efficient time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter

Abstract

A time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter for conversion of an analog input signal to a digital output signal having a sample rate R is disclosed. The time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter comprises an array of an integer number N of constituent analog-to-digital converters, an integer number N of sample-and-hold units, one or more digital output processing units, and a timing circuit. Each constituent analog-to-digital converter is adapted to operate based on an analog-to-digital converter operation clock to provide a digital signal at the digital output. Each sample-and-hold unit is connected to the input of a respective constituent analog-to-digital converter and is adapted to operate based on a respective one of a number M of timing signals, wherein no timing signal is used to clock two or more of the sample-and-hold units. The digital output processing units are adapted to provide a sample of the digital output of a constituent analog-to-digital converter as a sample of the digital output signal based on the respective one of the M timing signals. The timing circuit is adapted to generate the analog-to-digital converter operation clock signal and the M timing signals each timing signal having a period of M / R, wherein M is less or equal to N.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of analog-to-digital converters, and more particularly, the present invention relates to the efficiency of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters in terms of silicon area and / or energy. Background technique [0002] Electronic devices such as, for example, televisions and other audio / video devices are typically implemented using digital rather than analog technology. In general, the more advanced digital technology becomes, the more demanding the task of converting an analog signal into a digital signal suitable for digital technology implementation becomes. [0003] Conceptually, analog-to-digital converters (also called ADCs or A / D converters) and their basic functions (sample-and-hold, quantization) are well known in the art and will not be described in further detail herein. [0004] For high sampling frequencies it is necessary or at least beneficial to use an ADC structure comprising se...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

On the other hand, it can be cumbersome to design and verify that the constituent ADC designs operate at different clock frequencies

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