ADC Reference Voltage Integration for One-Step Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional analog to digital converters (ADCs) require separate design of reference signal generation modules and drivers, leading to high power consumption, large area, and high errors, with separate calibration of each component increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
An integrated analog to digital converter with reference voltage generation, utilizing a capacitive digital to analog converter that includes CTAT and PTAT circuits to generate a temperature-independent reference voltage, eliminating the need for additional reference signal circuits and drivers, and requiring only one-step calibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If reference signal generation module and driver are designed separately from ADC, then each component can be optimized independently, but power consumption increases, area increases, and calibration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the reference signal generation module, driver, and ADC into a single integrated unit. The reference signal generation module is directly coupled with the ADC input end, and the driver is integrated within the same device, eliminating separate external components. This integration reduces the number of independent calibration processes needed while maintaining or improving overall system precision.
2Adaptability or versatility
If reference signal generation module and driver are designed separately, then design flexibility is improved, but power consumption increases and area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reference signal generation module, driver, and ADC are integrated into a single device, eliminating the need for separate external drivers and reference signal sources. This reduces the total power consumption by removing redundant circuitry and interconnections while maintaining design flexibility through internal configuration options.
3Ease of manufacture
If reference signal generation module and driver are designed separately, then modularity is improved, but area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the reference signal generation module, driver, and ADC into a single compact device structure. The reference signal generation module is directly coupled with the ADC input end, and the driver is incorporated within the same integrated circuit, significantly reducing the total area occupied by eliminating separate external components and their interconnections.
4Measurement precision
If separate calibration is performed for each component, then calibration accuracy can be optimized, but calibration cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated design allows for unified calibration of the reference signal generation module, driver, and ADC as a single system. This reduces the total number of calibration steps and costs while maintaining high accuracy through coordinated optimization of all components working together in the integrated architecture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces power consumption and area, minimizes errors, and simplifies calibration by integrating reference voltage generation, achieving high precision without additional circuits and drivers.
Implementation Method 1
the CTAT circuit based on the capacitively-biased diode generates a CTAT voltage VD which decreases with the increase of temperature
Implementation Method 2
the PTAT circuit based on the capacitively-biased diode generates a PTAT voltage ΔVD which increases with the increase of temperature
Implementation Method 3
the CTAT voltage VD and the PTAT voltage ΔVD are combined and added to generate a reference voltage VREF of the reference signal, VREF =αΔVD +VD, α is a scale factor, and a value of the scale factor α makes the reference voltage VREF independent of temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention discloses an analog to digital converter integrated with reference voltage generation and a calibration method. The analog to digital converter integrated with reference voltage generation comprises a sample-hold circuit, a capacitive digital to analog converter and a quantizer. The sample-and-hold circuit is configured for sampling and holding an analog input signal to obtain a first signal; the capacitive digital to analog converter is configured for generating a reference signal and generating a second signal in equal proportion to the reference signal according to a feedback digital output signal, and differencing the first signal and the second signal to obtain an error signal; and the quantizer is configured for digitizing the error signal to obtain a digital output signal. The analog to digital converter is internally provided with a high-precision reference source, which directly generates the reference signal in the capacitive digital to analog converter of the analog to digital converter without needing an additional reference signal generating circuit and an additional reference signal driver, thus solving defects of large power consumption, area and error and the like of a conventional architecture, and realizing output calibration only by one-step calibration, reducing system calibration cost and achieving high precision.