Analog-to-digital conversion circuit

Abstract

This invention discloses an analog-to-digital converter circuit, comprising a sensor, a sample-and-hold circuit, and n branches, each branch equipped with an encoding component; the sensor converts the analog signal to be converted into a current corresponding to a voltage value; the encoding component on the i-th branch divides the voltage range of the sensor into 2... i‑1 The circuit consists of several on / off cycles, with the first half of each cycle representing a power-off interval and the second half representing a power-on interval. The encoding component on each branch determines the output encoded value based on the voltage value's position within that interval: 0 for a voltage value in the power-off interval and 1 for a voltage value in the power-on interval. The encoded values ​​from all n branches are output as an n-bit sequence of 0s and 1s according to their branch numbers, resulting in the binary digital signal of the analog signal. Utilizing the characteristics of the binary encoding's on / off cycles, analog-to-digital conversion can be achieved using low-cost circuitry without requiring complex manufacturing processes or high precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of analog-to-digital conversion technology, and more specifically, to an analog-to-digital conversion circuit. Background Technology

[0002] In automatic control systems, the objects being controlled or measured are mostly changing physical quantities. These continuously changing physical quantities, which change continuously in both time and value, are also called analog quantities. When a microcontroller is used for measurement or calculation, the analog quantity needs to be converted into a digital quantity to be accepted by the microcontroller. Devices that can convert analog quantities into digital quantities are called analog-to-digital converters, or ADCs or A / Ds for short.

[0003] ADC chips typically include operation registers, interrupt registers, and conversion memory controllers. The manufacturing process of traditional ADC chips is complex. One step in the ADC chip manufacturing process requires eliminating acid mist and impurities generated during the foaming agent removal process to maintain the accuracy of the converted signal. Chip manufacturing places high demands on machinery and the environment, thus the manufacturing process and cost of traditional analog-to-digital converters are relatively high. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention proposes an analog-to-digital converter circuit that eliminates the need for complex manufacturing processes and high precision requirements, and achieves analog-to-digital conversion using a low-cost circuit.

[0005] This invention provides an analog-to-digital converter circuit, which includes a sensor, a sample-and-hold circuit, and n branches, each branch being configured with an encoding component. The sensor converts the analog signal to be converted into a current corresponding to the voltage value, which is then input to the n branches through the sample-and-hold circuit. The encoding component on each branch outputs an encoding value of 0 or 1 based on the input current. The encoding values ​​of the n branches are output in ascending order of branch number to obtain the analog-to-digital converter result.

[0006] The encoding component on the i-th branch is configured to divide the voltage range of the sensor into 2 equal parts. i-1 There are 10 on / off cycles, with the first half of each cycle being the power-off interval and the second half being the power-on interval, where i = 1, 2, ..., n, and n is an integer greater than 0.

[0007] After current is applied, the coding component on each branch determines the output coding value based on whether the voltage value falls within the power-off range or the power-on range: when the voltage value falls within the power-off range, the output coding value is 0; when the voltage value falls within the power-on range, the output coding value is 1.

[0008] The encoded values ​​of n branches are output as an n-bit sequence of 0s and 1s in ascending order of branch number, thus obtaining the binary digital signal result of the analog signal.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the encoding component in the circuit is a turn-type on / off cycle component;

[0010] The turn-type disconnection cycle assembly consists of three parts: a cylindrical sealed container, a turn line, and a buoy.

[0011] The turn-type on / off cycle component installed in the i-th branch has its turns wound within the scale range of a cylindrical sealed container for 2 turns. i-1 This divides the voltage range into 2 equal parts. i-1 One on / off cycle;

[0012] The coil is wound an integer number of times around the cylindrical sealed container. The first half of each coil is insulated from the cylindrical sealed container, and the second half is conductive to the cylindrical sealed container. The half of the cylindrical sealed container that is insulated from the coil is called the insulating side, and the half of the coil that is conductive to the coil is called the conductive side. Each coil passes through one insulating side and one conductive side, forming one on / off cycle.

[0013] A cylindrical, sealed container contains an insulating liquid. The liquid level is controlled by a voltage value and remains at the mark corresponding to that voltage value on the scale. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max H represents the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and H is the highest scale of the cylindrical sealed container.

[0014] The buoy is always on the surface of the liquid inside the cylindrical sealed container and is connected in series with the spiral line. It always moves along the trajectory of the spiral line, so the buoy is always located at the intersection of the liquid surface and the spiral line.

[0015] When the buoy rests on the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is not conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 0; when the buoy rests on the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 1.

[0016] As a parallel solution to the above scheme, the encoding component in the circuit is a rotary on / off cycle component;

[0017] The rotary on / off cycle assembly consists of five parts: input wire, rotating pointer, insulating chassis, conductive sheet, and output wire.

[0018] The input wire is connected to the root of the rotating pointer, and the output wire is connected to the conductive plate. The rotating pointer is made of a conductive material.

[0019] The insulating chassis is completely insulated, and a conductive sheet is covered on the rear half-circle of the pointer's rotation, forming a layout where the front half-circle is insulated and the rear half-circle is conductive. The rotating pointer experiences one on / off cycle for each full rotation from its initial position.

[0020] The rotating pointer is driven to rotate by an electric current; when the voltage value of the current is v... inAt that time, the total rotation degree of the rotating pointer located on the i-th branch Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max Where n is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and n is the total number of branches;

[0021] After the rotating pointer completes the above-mentioned rotation degree, if it stops on the conductive plate, the input and output wires are connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; if it stops on the insulating chassis, the input and output wires are not connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

[0022] As a parallel solution to the above scheme, the encoding component in the circuit is a sector-type on / off cycle component;

[0023] The sector-type on / off cycle component consists of four parts: input wire, rotating pointer, sector-type chassis, and output wire.

[0024] The input wire is connected to the base of the rotating pointer, which is made of a conductive material.

[0025] The fan-shaped chassis on the i-th branch is divided into 2 equal parts. i The sector consists of two types of sectors: insulating sectors made of insulating materials and conductive sectors made of conductive materials. These insulating and conductive sectors are arranged alternately, dividing the entire sector-shaped chassis into 2... i-1 One on / off cycle;

[0026] The output wires are connected to all conductive sectors. The rotating pointer on the sector-type switching cycle component rotates under the drive of current. The pointers of the sector-type switching cycle components on each branch rotate by the same degree at the same voltage value. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max This is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor;

[0027] When the pointer falls on a conductive sector, the input and output wires are connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; when the pointer falls on an insulated sector, the input and output wires are not connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

[0028] This invention provides an analog-to-digital converter circuit, including a sensor, a sample-and-hold circuit, and n branches, each branch equipped with an encoding component; the sensor converts the analog signal to be converted into a current corresponding to the voltage value; the encoding component on each branch outputs an encoded value of 0 or 1 based on the input current; the encoded values ​​of the n branches are output in ascending order of branch number to obtain the analog-to-digital conversion result; the encoding component on the i-th branch is configured to divide the voltage range of the sensor into 2... i-1 There are several on / off cycles, with the first half of each cycle being the off-state interval and the second half being the on-state interval, where i = 1, 2, ..., n, and n is a positive integer. The encoding component on each branch, after current is applied, determines the output encoded value by determining whether the voltage value falls within the off-state or on-state interval: outputting a encoded value of 0 when the voltage value falls within the off-state interval and outputting a encoded value of 1 when the voltage value falls within the on-state interval. The encoded values ​​of the n branches are output as an n-bit 0 / 1 sequence in ascending order of branch number, resulting in the binary digital signal of the analog signal. Utilizing the characteristics of the on / off cycles of binary encoding, analog-to-digital conversion can be achieved using low-cost circuitry without requiring complex processes or high precision. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an analog-to-digital converter circuit provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the correspondence between binary numbers and their encoded decimal numbers provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the encoding component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an encoding component provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an analog-to-digital converter circuit provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an encoding component provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an analog-to-digital converter circuit provided in another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1

[0038] This invention provides an analog-to-digital converter circuit, which includes a sensor, a sample-and-hold circuit, and n branches, each branch being configured with an encoding component. The sensor converts the analog signal to be converted into a current corresponding to the voltage value, which is then input to the n branches through the sample-and-hold circuit. The encoding component on each branch outputs an encoding value of 0 or 1 based on the input current. The encoding values ​​of the n branches are output in ascending order of branch number to obtain the analog-to-digital converter result.

[0039] The encoding component on the i-th branch is configured to divide the voltage range of the sensor into 2 equal parts. i-1 There are 10 on / off cycles, with the first half of each cycle being the power-off interval and the second half being the power-on interval, where i = 1, 2, ..., n, and n is an integer greater than 0.

[0040] After current is applied, the coding component on each branch determines the output coding value by judging whether the voltage value falls within the power-off range or the power-on range: when the voltage value falls within the power-off range, the output coding value is 0; when the voltage value falls within the power-on range, the output coding value is 1.

[0041] The encoded values ​​of the n branches are output as an n-bit sequence of 0s and 1s in ascending order of branch number, thus obtaining the binary digital signal result of the analog signal.

[0042] In the specific implementation of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an analog-to-digital converter circuit provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The circuit includes a sensor LT, a sample-and-hold circuit, and four branches. Each branch is equipped with an encoding component for encoding analog signals.

[0043] The input terminal of the sensor LT is used to input analog signals, and the output terminal is connected to a sample-and-hold circuit; the output terminal of the sample-and-hold circuit is connected to four branches;

[0044] The standard analog-to-digital conversion process includes four steps: sampling, holding, quantization, and encoding.

[0045] The sampling process is responsible for converting a continuous-time signal into a discrete-time signal. Since the analog signal is continuously input, the converted voltage value is also continuous. The sampling circuit is essentially a circuit switch that, by repeatedly opening and closing, breaks the continuous voltage signal into discrete voltage values.

[0046] The voltage values ​​obtained through the sampling circuit are instantaneous voltage values. Since the ADC needs to perform multiple steps to convert these voltage values ​​into a digital sequence, this process takes time. During this time, the ADC needs to repeatedly retrieve the voltage values. However, the sampled instantaneous voltage values ​​are fleeting, so a hold circuit is required. The function of the hold circuit is to hold the instantaneous voltage values ​​obtained by the sampling circuit at the ADC input, allowing the ADC to continuously retrieve these voltage values ​​for a certain period. The sampling circuit and the hold circuit together constitute a sample-and-hold circuit.

[0047] Specifically, the non-inverting input terminal of the sensor LT is used as the input terminal, and the inverting input terminal is connected to the output terminal. The internal voltage source of the sensor LT is 5V. Therefore, the sensor LT is used to convert the external input voltage into a current with a voltage in the range of [0, 5]V.

[0048] When performing binary encoding, see Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between binary numbers and their encoded decimal numbers provided in the embodiments of the present invention; each column of numbers in the diagram corresponds to its encoded value. For example, the binary number sequence in the 7th column is (00110)2, and its encoded value is the sum of the place values ​​of the digits with the value 1, that is, 0+0+4+2+0=(6). 10 The same applies to all other values.

[0049] After arranging the binary encoded values ​​in ascending order, the 0 and 1 values ​​in each digit exhibit the following distribution pattern: the intervals for 0 and 1 values ​​are of equal length in all digits, and they alternate between 0 and 1 value intervals. Here, one interval of 0 value plus one interval of 1 value is called one break-through cycle. Analysis of the break-through cycle pattern reveals the following: the break-through cycle for all digits always starts with a 0 value interval before moving to a 1 value interval; all digits divide their value intervals into several complete break-through cycles; the highest digit (digit N) has only one break-through cycle in its value interval; and the number of break-through cycles doubles for each lower digit level. For example... Figure 2 In a binary digit, a digit five has only one on / off cycle; a digit four has two on / off cycles, twice that of a digit five; and a digit three has four on / off cycles, twice that of a digit four. For an n-bit binary digit, the number of on / off cycles C for digit i is... i The calculation formula is: C i =2 n-i .

[0050] For example, the third digit of a 5-bit binary number is 2. 5-3 = 4 on / off cycles; the digit 3 of an 8-bit binary number has 2... 8-3 = 32 on / off cycles.

[0051] See Figure 1 Based on the characteristic of the on / off cycle of binary encoding, when converting an analog signal into a 4-bit binary number, four branches are laid out, namely the first branch TOP1, the second branch TOP2, the third branch TOP3 and the fourth branch TOP4; each branch includes an encoding component that specifically encodes a 01 value for a specific number of bits. The first branch TOP1 encoding value contains one on / off cycle, and its encoding component divides the sensor's voltage value range [0, 5]V into two equal intervals, which are the off-state interval and the on-state interval from low to high; the second branch TOP2 encoding value contains two on / off cycles, and its encoding component divides the sensor's voltage value range [0, 5]V into four equal intervals, which are the off-state interval and the on-state interval alternating from low to high; the third branch TOP3 encoding value contains four on / off cycles, and its encoding component divides the sensor's voltage value range [0, 5]V into eight equal intervals, which are the off-state interval and the on-state interval alternating from low to high; the fourth branch TOP4 encoding value contains eight on / off cycles, and its encoding component divides the sensor's voltage value range [0, 5]V into 16 equal intervals, which are the off-state interval and the on-state interval alternating from low to high.

[0052] The 0 and 1 values ​​of the sub-circuits are arranged in ascending order of their on / off cycle number, which is equivalent to arranging the digits in descending order. The encoding components on each branch output an encoded value of 0 or 1 based on the input current; the encoded values ​​of n branches are output in ascending order of branch number to obtain the analog-to-digital conversion result; the 0 and 1 value string formed after this arrangement is the 4-bit binary value of the analog signal. The analog-to-digital conversion method that achieves this by laying out multiple sub-circuits with on / off cycles that increase by a factor of 2 is called on / off cycle type analog-to-digital conversion.

[0053] exist Figure 1In the process, the 3.67V input voltage after sensor conversion is input into four branches. Based on the on / off cycle interval of the 3.5V voltage in the four branches, the encoding value of the four branches is determined. Specifically, in the first branch TOP1, the 3.67V voltage is in the on-off interval and the output encoding value is 1; in the second branch TOP2, the 3.67V voltage is in the off-off interval and the output encoding value is 0; in the third branch TOP3, the 3.67V voltage is in the on-off interval and the output encoding value is 1; in the fourth branch TOP4, the 3.67V voltage is in the on-off interval and the output encoding value is 1. The encoding values ​​of the four branches are output as a 4-bit 01 digital sequence in ascending order of branch number. Therefore, the final digital signal output of the 3.67V voltage is (1011)2.

[0054] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the voltage value of the signal is used as an example to illustrate the specific working principle of the on / off periodic analog-to-digital converter circuit. In other embodiments, other characteristic values ​​of the signal can also be used as judgment conditions for analog-to-digital conversion, such as the current value of the signal. The specific structure and working principle are similar to those of this application and will not be described in detail here.

[0055] It should be noted that this embodiment uses the example of n=4 branches, which can only achieve the encoding range of 0 to 15, to illustrate the working process of the analog-to-digital conversion circuit of the present invention. In other embodiments, the number of branches n is a positive integer, and its specific structure and working process are similar to those of this application, and will not be described in detail here.

[0056] This invention is based on the on / off cycle characteristics of binary encoding. It encodes each bit through multiple branches to achieve the final binary encoding output. The analog-to-digital conversion circuit structure is simple and the analog-to-digital conversion process is faster.

[0057] Example 2

[0058] In another embodiment provided by the present invention, the encoding component in the circuit is a turn-type on / off cycle component;

[0059] The turn-type disconnection cycle assembly consists of three parts: a cylindrical sealed container, a turn line, and a buoy.

[0060] The turn-type on / off cycle component installed in the i-th branch has its turns wound within the scale range of a cylindrical sealed container for 2 turns. i-1 This divides the voltage range into 2 equal parts. i-1 One on / off cycle;

[0061] The coil is wound an integer number of times around the cylindrical sealed container. The first half of each coil is insulated from the cylindrical sealed container, and the second half is conductive to the cylindrical sealed container. The half of the cylindrical sealed container that is insulated from the coil is called the insulating side, and the half of the coil that is conductive to the coil is called the conductive side. Each coil passes through one insulating side and one conductive side, forming one on / off cycle.

[0062] A cylindrical, sealed container contains an insulating liquid. The liquid level is controlled by a voltage value and remains at the mark corresponding to that voltage value on the scale. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max H represents the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and H is the highest scale of the cylindrical sealed container.

[0063] The buoy is always on the surface of the liquid inside the cylindrical sealed container and is connected in series with the spiral line. It always moves along the trajectory of the spiral line, so the buoy is always located at the intersection of the liquid surface and the spiral line.

[0064] When the buoy rests on the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is not conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 0; when the buoy rests on the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 1.

[0065] In the specific implementation of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the coding component provided in the embodiment of the present invention; the coding component of each branch is a turn-type on / off cycle component, which consists of a cylindrical sealed container, a turn wire, and a buoy. Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the turn-type open / close cycle assembly for five branches. In the first branch, the fifth digit of the code has only one open / close cycle; therefore, the turn-type open / close cycle assembly for the first branch includes one turn of wire evenly wound around a cylindrical sealed container of height H. In the second branch, the fourth digit of the code has two open / close cycles; therefore, the turn-type open / close cycle assembly for the second branch includes two turns of wire evenly wound around a cylindrical sealed container of height H. In the third branch, the third digit of the code has four open / close cycles. The cycle is as follows: the third branch's turn-type open / close cycle component includes 4 turns of wire evenly wound on a cylindrical sealed container of height H; the second digit of the encoding of the fourth branch has eight open / close cycles, therefore the fourth branch's turn-type open / close cycle component includes 8 turns of wire evenly wound on a cylindrical sealed container of height H; the first digit of the encoding of the fifth branch has only sixteen open / close cycles, therefore the fifth branch's turn-type open / close cycle component includes 16 turns of wire evenly wound on a cylindrical sealed container of height H.

[0066] The coil is wound an integer number of times around the cylindrical sealed container. The first half of each coil is insulated from the cylindrical sealed container, and the second half is conductive to the cylindrical sealed container. The half of the cylindrical sealed container that is insulated from the coil is called the insulating side, and the half of the coil that is conductive to the coil is called the conductive side. Each coil passes through one insulating side and one conductive side, forming one on / off cycle.

[0067] A cylindrical, sealed container contains an insulating liquid. The liquid level is controlled by a voltage value and remains at the mark corresponding to that voltage value on the scale. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max H represents the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and H is the highest scale of the cylindrical sealed container.

[0068] The buoy is always on the surface of the liquid inside the cylindrical sealed container and is connected in series with the spiral line. It always moves along the trajectory of the spiral line, so the buoy is always located at the intersection of the liquid surface and the spiral line.

[0069] When the buoy rests on the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is not conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 0; when the buoy rests on the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 1.

[0070] exist Figure 3 In the middle, when the buoy of the cylindrical sealed container slides to position 22, it is connected to the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container of the first branch, and the corresponding bit 5 outputs a code value of 1; it is connected to the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container of the second branch, and the corresponding bit 4 outputs a code value of 0; it is connected to the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container of the third branch, and the corresponding bit 3 outputs a code value of 1; it is connected to the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container of the fourth branch, and the corresponding bit 2 outputs a code value of 1; it is connected to the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container of the fifth branch, and the corresponding bit 1 outputs a code value of 0; therefore, the corresponding code value output is (10110)2.

[0071] It should be noted that this embodiment uses the example of 5 branches, which can only achieve the encoding range of 0 to 31, to illustrate the working process of the analog-to-digital converter circuit of the present invention. In other embodiments, the number of branches n is a positive integer, and its specific structure and working process are similar to those of this application, and will not be described in detail here.

[0072] It should be noted that in this embodiment, other prisms with symmetrical bottom surfaces, such as regular square prisms or square prisms, can also be used in the turn-type switching cycle component. In these structures, it is sufficient to refer to the half of the sealed container that is insulated from the turn wire as the insulating side and the half of the turn wire that is conductive as the conductive side, which does not affect the implementation of the solution.

[0073] The encoding component structure of the turn-type on / off cycle component set by the increase-turn method can conveniently and quickly realize analog-to-digital conversion encoding.

[0074] Example 3

[0075] In another embodiment provided by the present invention, the encoding component in the circuit is a rotary on / off cycle component;

[0076] The rotary on / off cycle assembly consists of five parts: input wire, rotating pointer, insulating chassis, conductive sheet, and output wire.

[0077] The input wire is connected to the root of the rotating pointer, and the output wire is connected to the conductive plate. The rotating pointer is made of a conductive material.

[0078] The insulating chassis is completely insulated, and a conductive sheet is covered on the rear half-circle of the pointer's rotation, forming a layout where the front half-circle is insulated and the rear half-circle is conductive. The rotating pointer experiences one on / off cycle for each full rotation from its initial position.

[0079] The rotating pointer is driven to rotate by an electric current; when the voltage value of the current is v... in At that time, the total rotation degree of the rotating pointer located on the i-th branch Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max Where n is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and n is the total number of branches;

[0080] After the rotating pointer completes the above-mentioned rotation degree, if it stops on the conductive plate, the input and output wires are connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; if it stops on the insulating chassis, the input and output wires are not connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

[0081] In the specific implementation of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an encoding component provided in another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the encoding component in the branch is a rotary on / off cycle component;

[0082] The rotary on / off cycle assembly consists of five parts: input wire, rotating pointer, insulating chassis, conductive sheet, and output wire.

[0083] The input wire is connected to the root of the rotating pointer, and the output wire is connected to the conductive plate. The rotating pointer is made of a conductive material.

[0084] Figure 4The paper discloses the structure of the rotary on / off cycle component for all branches. The insulating chassis is entirely insulated, and a conductive sheet covers the rear semicircle of the rotating pointer, forming a layout where the front semicircle is insulated and the rear semicircle is conductive. Each rotation of the rotating pointer from its initial position completes one on / off cycle. The rotating pointer serves as the input, and the sector of the conductive sheet serves as the output. When energized, the rotating pointer rotates counter-clockwise. Different voltage sensitivities are configured for the component pointers of each branch, allowing the rotary on / off cycle components of different branches to have different rotation amounts under the same voltage. After the rotating pointer completes the aforementioned rotation amount, if it rests on the conductive sheet, the input and output wires are connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value for that branch is 1. If it rests on the insulating chassis, the input and output wires are not connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value for that branch is 0.

[0085] If the sensor's switching level range is set to [0V, 5V], the voltage sensitivity of the first branch's rotary on / off cycle component can be set to one revolution at 5V, with its pointer rotating 72° per volt, i.e., a voltage sensitivity of 72° / V. The voltage sensitivity of the second branch's rotary on / off cycle component can be set to two revolutions at 5V, i.e., a voltage sensitivity of 144° / V. By setting the voltage sensitivity of each branch component in increments of 2, a set of rotary on / off cycle components with multiplied on / off cycles for each branch can be obtained. For example... Figure 4 As shown, when the input voltage to the first and second branches is 2V, the rotating pointer of the rotary on / off cycle component of the first branch rotates 72° x 2 = 144° and lands on the insulating base, outputting a coded value of 0; the rotating pointer of the rotary on / off cycle component of the second branch rotates 144° x 2 = 288° and lands on the conductive sheet, outputting a coded value of 1. By installing this set of rotary on / off cycle components with different voltage sensitivities in different sub-circuits, sub-circuits that encode each digit's 0 or 1 value can be obtained.

[0086] The rotation angle of the rotating pointer in the i-th branch under different voltage sensitivities Among them, v in The voltage value output by the sensor, v max is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and n is the total number of branches.

[0087] See Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of an analog-to-digital converter circuit provided in another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, eight branches are provided, each branch including a rotary on / off cycle component. The insulating chassis of the rotary on / off cycle components of all branches is insulated as a whole, and a conductive sheet is covered on the rear half circle of its pointer rotation, forming a layout where the front half circle is insulated and the rear half circle is conductive. The rotating pointer experiences one on / off cycle for each rotation from the initial position.

[0088] The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) transforms the input analog signal into an 8-bit binary number with a value range of [0, 255]. Assuming the current analog signal strength is 179, this strength is first quantized by the sensor into a voltage value of 5V × (179 / 255) = 3.51V. This 3.51V voltage value enters the eight digital sub-circuits, causing the pointers of the rotary on / off cycle components on each sub-circuit to rotate. Because the voltage sensitivity of each insulating chassis component is different, the rotation patterns vary.

[0089] A voltage of 3.51V causes the pointer on digit 8 to rotate 252° and stop in the conductive area, thus energizing the circuit of digit 8, with a code value of 1. The pointer on digit 7 rotates 504°, or 1 full circle of 144°, and finally stops in the insulating base area, thus disconnecting the circuit of digit 7, with a code value of 0. And so on, confirming that the code values ​​of digit 6, digit 5, digit 4, digit 3, digit 2, and digit 1 are 1 respectively, resulting in a binary code output of 10110011.

[0090] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the number of branches n = 8, which can only achieve an encoding range of 0 to 255. The example illustrates the working process of the analog-to-digital converter circuit of this invention. In other embodiments, when converting an analog signal to an n-bit binary number, only n branches need to be set, and different voltage sensitivities are set for the rotary components on each branch. The rules for setting the voltage sensitivity are similar to those in this embodiment and will not be elaborated here.

[0091] By setting different voltage sensitivities for components with the same rotary on / off cycle, and using a sensitivity enhancement method to set the on / off cycle, analog-to-digital conversion encoding can be quickly achieved using low-cost circuits.

[0092] Example 4

[0093] In another embodiment provided by the present invention, the encoding component in the circuit is a sector-type on / off cycle component;

[0094] The sector-type on / off cycle component consists of four parts: input wire, rotating pointer, sector-type chassis, and output wire.

[0095] The input wire is connected to the base of the rotating pointer, which is made of a conductive material.

[0096] The fan-shaped chassis on the i-th branch is divided into 2 equal parts. i The sector consists of two types of sectors: insulating sectors made of insulating materials and conductive sectors made of conductive materials. These insulating and conductive sectors are arranged alternately, dividing the entire sector-shaped chassis into 2... i-1 One on / off cycle;

[0097] The output wires are connected to all conductive sectors. The rotating pointer on the sector-type switching cycle component rotates under the drive of current. The pointers of the sector-type switching cycle components on each branch rotate by the same degree at the same voltage value. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max This is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor;

[0098] When the pointer falls on a conductive sector, the input and output wires are connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; when the pointer falls on an insulated sector, the input and output wires are not connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

[0099] In the specific implementation of this embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an encoding component provided in another embodiment of the present invention. The encoding component is specifically a sector-type on / off cycle component. In this embodiment, the sector-type on / off cycle component is a sector-divided structure.

[0100] Figure 6 The paper discloses the structure of the first branch's sector-type switching cycle component. In this component, the 360-degree base is evenly divided into two sectors, which alternate counter-clockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer, becoming insulating and conductive sectors. Similarly, in the second branch's component, the 360-degree base is evenly divided into four sectors, which also alternate counter-clockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer, becoming insulating and conductive sectors. This pattern continues until all sector-type switching cycle components are constructed. The rotating pointer serves as the input, and the conductive sectors are connected to the output wires as the output. When energized, the rotating pointer rotates counter-clockwise, with the rotation angle... Among them, v in The voltage value of the input signal, v max This is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor. When the rotating pointer contacts the conductive sector, the output is at a high potential, corresponding to the code 1; when the rotating pointer contacts the insulating sector, the output is at a low potential, corresponding to the code 0.

[0101] See Figure 7This is a schematic diagram of an analog-to-digital converter circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, eight branches are provided, each branch including a sector-type on / off cycle component. The input terminal of each sector-type on / off cycle component is connected to the root of the rotating pointer of the sector-type on / off cycle component. In the first branch, the 360-degree base of the sector-type on / off cycle component (number 8) is evenly divided into two sectors, which alternate counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer as insulating and conductive sectors. In the second branch, the 360-degree base of the sector-type on / off cycle component (number 7) is evenly divided into four sectors, which alternate counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer as insulating and conductive sectors. In the third branch, the 360-degree base of the sector-type on / off cycle component (number 6) is evenly divided into eight sectors, which alternate counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer as insulating and conductive sectors. In the fourth branch, the 360-degree base of the rotary on / off cycle component (number 5) is evenly divided into eight sectors. The chassis of the first branch is evenly divided into 16 sectors, which alternate between insulating and conductive sectors counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer; the chassis of the 360-degree sector-type on / off cycle assembly of the 5th branch (number 4) is evenly divided into 32 sectors, which alternate between insulating and conductive sectors counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer; the chassis of the 360-degree sector-type on / off cycle assembly of the 6th branch (number 3) is evenly divided into 64 sectors, which alternate between insulating and conductive sectors counterclockwise from the initial position of the rotating pointer. The initial position alternates between insulating and conductive sectors in a counter-clockwise direction; the 360-degree chassis of the sector-type on / off cycle component of the 7th branch (number 2) is evenly divided into 128 sectors, which alternate between insulating and conductive sectors in a counter-clockwise direction from the initial position of the rotating pointer; the 360-degree chassis of the sector-type on / off cycle component of the 8th branch (number 1) is evenly divided into 256 sectors, which alternate between insulating and conductive sectors in a counter-clockwise direction from the initial position of the rotating pointer.

[0102] The voltage sensitivity of the pointers on each branch sector component is the same; they all rotate one revolution at the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor. If the rated maximum voltage value is 5V, then the voltage sensitivity of all insulated chassis pointers is 72° / V. Therefore, when a voltage value is input, the insulated chassis pointers on all branches will point in the same direction.

[0103] The sector-type on / off cycle component sets the on / off cycle on the sector-type chassis: the highest digit component divides the chassis into two equal sectors, rotating counterclockwise from the initial pointer position to successively form an insulating sector and a conductive sector. This sets one rotation as one on / off cycle; the next highest digit divides the chassis into four equal sectors, with each pair of sectors forming one on / off cycle, thus setting one rotation as two on / off cycles; the third highest digit divides the chassis into eight sectors, setting one rotation as four on / off cycles, and so on.

[0104] When the input analog signal voltage is 179, the sensor LT outputs a voltage of 3.51V to each branch. The sector component pointers on all branches point to the 252° position, but the sector at the 252° position is different for different chassis. The 252° area of ​​the digit 8 chassis is a conductive sector, capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 1; the 252° area of ​​the digit 7 chassis is an insulating sector, not capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 0; the 252° area of ​​the digit 6 chassis is a conductive sector, capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 1; the 252° area of ​​the digit 5 ​​chassis is a conductive sector, capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 1; the 252° area of ​​the digit 4 chassis is an insulating sector, not capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 0; the 252° area of ​​the digit 3 chassis is an insulating sector, not capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 0; the 252° area of ​​the digit 2 chassis is a conductive sector, capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 1; the 252° area of ​​the digit 1 chassis is a conductive sector, capable of conducting electricity, with a code value of 1; after all the rotary components on the digits determine their code values ​​according to this pattern, the final output binary string is also 10110011, corresponding to 179 in decimal.

[0105] It should be noted that this embodiment uses an example of n=8 branches, which can only achieve an encoding range of 0 to 255, to illustrate the operation of the analog-to-digital converter circuit of the present invention. In other embodiments, when converting an analog signal into an n-bit binary number, it is only necessary to set up n branches, and the fan-shaped components on each branch divide the chassis into 2 parts according to their digit ranking Topi. i The sector is an alternating distribution of insulating and conductive elements. The specific workflow is similar to that of this embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0106] Compared with the rotary on / off cycle component, the sector-type on / off cycle component provided in this embodiment has the following advantages: it does not require consideration of how to set different voltage sensitivities, making the design less difficult; the number of rotations required for all pointers to encode a value is less than or equal to 1, which can effectively reduce energy consumption; and it can quickly realize analog-to-digital conversion encoding.

[0107] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of this invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An analog-to-digital converter circuit, characterized in that, The circuit includes a sensor, a sample-and-hold circuit, and n branches, each branch being equipped with an encoding component. The sensor converts the analog signal to be converted into a current with a corresponding voltage value, which is then input to the n branches through the sample-and-hold circuit. The encoding component on each branch outputs an encoding value of 0 or 1 based on the input current. The encoding values ​​of the n branches are output in ascending order of branch number to obtain the analog-to-digital conversion result. The encoding component on the i-th branch is configured to divide the voltage range of the sensor into 2 equal parts. i-1 There are 10 on / off cycles, with the first half of each cycle being the power-off interval and the second half being the power-on interval, where i = 1, 2, ..., n, and n is an integer greater than 0. After current is applied, the coding component on each branch determines the output coding value based on whether the voltage value falls within the power-off range or the power-on range: when the voltage value falls within the power-off range, the output coding value is 0; when the voltage value falls within the power-on range, the output coding value is 1. The encoded values ​​of n branches are output as an n-bit sequence of 0s and 1s in ascending order of branch number, thus obtaining the binary digital signal result of the analog signal.

2. The analog-to-digital converter circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encoding component in the circuit is a turn-type on / off cycle component. The turn-type disconnection cycle assembly consists of three parts: a cylindrical sealed container, a turn line, and a buoy. The turn-type on / off cycle component installed in the i-th branch has its turns wound within the scale range of a cylindrical sealed container for 2 turns. i-1 This divides the voltage range into 2 equal parts. i-1 One on / off cycle; The coil is wound an integer number of times around the cylindrical sealed container. The first half of each coil is insulated from the cylindrical sealed container, and the second half is conductive to the cylindrical sealed container. The half of the cylindrical sealed container that is insulated from the coil is called the insulating side, and the half of the coil that is conductive to the coil is called the conductive side. Each coil passes through one insulating side and one conductive side, forming one on / off cycle. A cylindrical, sealed container contains an insulating liquid. The liquid level is controlled by a voltage value and remains at the mark corresponding to that voltage value on the scale. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max H represents the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and H is the highest scale of the cylindrical sealed container. The buoy is always on the surface of the liquid inside the cylindrical sealed container and is connected in series with the spiral line. It always moves along the trajectory of the spiral line, so the buoy is always located at the intersection of the liquid surface and the spiral line. When the buoy rests on the insulating side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is not conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 0; when the buoy rests on the conductive side of the cylindrical sealed container, the turn-type switching cycle component is conductive, and the output code value of the branch is 1.

3. The analog-to-digital converter circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encoding component in the circuit is a rotary on / off cycle component; The rotary on / off cycle assembly consists of five parts: input wire, rotating pointer, insulating chassis, conductive sheet, and output wire. The input wire is connected to the root of the rotating pointer, and the output wire is connected to the conductive plate. The rotating pointer is made of a conductive material. The insulating chassis is completely insulated, and a conductive sheet is covered on the rear half-circle of the pointer's rotation, forming a layout where the front half-circle is insulated and the rear half-circle is conductive. The rotating pointer experiences one on / off cycle for each full rotation from its initial position. The rotating pointer is driven to rotate by an electric current; when the voltage value of the current is v... in At that time, the total rotation degree of the rotating pointer located on the i-th branch Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max Where n is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor, and n is the total number of branches; After the rotating pointer completes the above-mentioned rotation degree, if it stops on the conductive plate, the input and output wires are connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; if it stops on the insulating chassis, the input and output wires are not connected, the rotary on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

4. The analog-to-digital converter circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The encoding component in the circuit is a sector-type on / off cycle component. The sector-type on / off cycle component consists of four parts: input wire, rotating pointer, sector-type chassis, and output wire. The input wire is connected to the base of the rotating pointer, which is made of a conductive material. The fan-shaped chassis on the i-th branch is divided into 2 equal parts. i The sector consists of two types of sectors: insulating sectors made of insulating materials and conductive sectors made of conductive materials. These insulating and conductive sectors are arranged alternately, dividing the entire sector-shaped chassis into 2... i-1 One on / off cycle; The output wires are connected to all conductive sectors. The rotating pointer on the sector-type switching cycle component rotates under the drive of current. The pointers of the sector-type switching cycle components on each branch rotate by the same degree at the same voltage value. Among them, v in The voltage value of the input current, v max This is the rated maximum voltage value of the sensor; When the pointer falls on a conductive sector, the input and output wires are connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is energized, and the output code value of this branch is 1; when the pointer falls on an insulated sector, the input and output wires are not connected, the sector-type on / off cycle component is not energized, and the output code value of this branch is 0.

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