Two-Phase Digital-Slope Quantization for High-Resolution ADCs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-speed and low-power analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) face challenges with comparator offsets and inaccurate reference voltages, which degrade performance, and require complex calibrations for process, voltage, and temperature variations.
Innovation Solution
A signal converting apparatus comprising a comparing device, a first digital-slope quantizer, and a second digital-slope quantizer, which generate digital signals to monotonically adjust received signals using different quantization units in two phases, improving resolution and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional Flash-assisted SAR-ADC or SAR-assisted pipeline ADC is used, then high-speed operation is achieved, but comparator offsets and inaccurate reference voltages degrade comparison performance and require complex calibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The quantization process is divided into two distinct phases: a first quantization phase using a first digital-slope quantizer with a first quantization unit, and a second quantization phase using a second digital-slope quantizer with a second quantization unit. This segmentation allows each phase to operate with optimized parameters, achieving both high speed and high precision without requiring complex calibration circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic switching between different quantization units (first quantization unit and second quantization unit) depending on the conversion phase. The quantization unit is dynamically adjusted based on the current conversion cycle requirements, enabling the system to adapt between speed-optimized and precision-optimized modes without complex calibration.
2Device complexity
If conventional ADC with single quantization unit is used, then device complexity is reduced, but resolution and power efficiency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The quantization function is segmented into two phases with two different quantization units. The first digital-slope quantizer uses a first quantization unit for initial conversion, and the second digital-slope quantizer uses a second quantization unit for refined conversion. This segmentation achieves high resolution (e.g., 10-bit or higher) without requiring a single complex high-resolution quantizer.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single quantization unit that attempts to achieve full resolution in one step, the patent applies partial quantization in the first phase and completes the resolution in the second phase. This partial action approach reduces the complexity of each individual quantizer while achieving the cumulative high resolution through sequential operation.
3Reliability
If conventional ADC requires complex foreground and background calibrations, then PVT variations are compensated, but power consumption increases and operation becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-phase digital-slope quantization system inherently adapts to PVT variations through its two-stage architecture. The first phase performs coarse quantization that is less sensitive to PVT variations, and the second phase performs fine quantization. This self-service mechanism compensates for PVT variations without requiring separate calibration circuits, thereby reducing power consumption and operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A signal converting apparatus includes a comparing device, a first digital-slope quantizer, and a second digital-slope quantizer. The comparing device having a first input terminal and a second input terminal for receiving a first received signal and a second received signal, and for generating an output signal at an output port. The first digital-slope quantizer generates a first set of digital signals to monotonically adjust the first received signal and the second received signal at the first input terminal and the second input terminal during a first phase according to a first quantization unit. The second digital-slope quantizer generates a second set of digital signals to monotonically adjust the first received signal and the second received signal at the first input terminal and the second input terminal during a second phase after the first phase according to a second quantization unit.