Multi-Level Voltage Detection with One Comparator and Fast Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-level voltage detector circuits face challenges in balancing speed, accuracy, size, and complexity, with flash ADC designs occupying large space and consuming high power, while SAR ADC designs are slow and require additional circuitry.
Innovation Solution
A voltage detector with a resistor divider circuit, a switching circuit, and a single comparator, utilizing a state machine with N+1 decoder outputs to activate switches and provide fast voltage tracking without excessive parasitic load capacitance, offering a compact and low-power solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If flash ADC with multiple comparators is used, then voltage detection speed is improved, but circuit area and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple comparator functions are merged into a single comparator by using a switching circuit that sequentially connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator input. This consolidation reduces the number of comparators from multiple to one, thereby reducing circuit area while maintaining multi-level voltage detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a dynamic switching circuit that changes connections based on the detection phase. The switching circuit dynamically connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator in sequence, enabling a single comparator to perform multiple comparison functions that would traditionally require multiple static comparators.
2Speed
If flash ADC with multiple comparators is used, then voltage detection speed is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple comparator functions are merged into a single comparator by using a switching circuit that sequentially connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator input. This consolidation reduces the number of comparators from multiple to one, thereby reducing circuit area while maintaining multi-level voltage detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a dynamic switching circuit that changes connections based on the detection phase. The switching circuit dynamically connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator in sequence, enabling a single comparator to perform multiple comparison functions that would traditionally require multiple static comparators.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If SAR ADC with single comparator is used, then power consumption and circuit area are reduced, but detection speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The voltage divider circuit pre-divides the input voltage into multiple discrete levels before comparison. This preliminary action creates ready-to-compare voltage levels, eliminating the need for iterative binary search and enabling direct comparison in a single clock cycle, thus speeding up detection while using only one comparator.
Solution Approach 2:
The system skips the iterative binary search process by directly comparing the input voltage against pre-established voltage divider levels in a single comparison step. This rushing through the detection process in one clock cycle eliminates the multiple cycles required by SAR ADC, significantly improving speed.
4Measurement precision
If multiple comparators are used, then voltage detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple comparator functions are merged into a single comparator by using a switching circuit that sequentially connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator input. This consolidation reduces the number of comparators from multiple to one, thereby reducing circuit area while maintaining multi-level voltage detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching circuit acts as an intermediary that manages the connection between the voltage divider nodes and the single comparator. This intermediary component enables one comparator to effectively perform multiple comparison functions, reducing complexity while maintaining accuracy.
5Speed
If flash ADC is used, then voltage detection speed is improved, but parasitic load capacitance increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple comparator functions are merged into a single comparator by using a switching circuit that sequentially connects different voltage divider nodes to the comparator input. This consolidation reduces the number of comparators from multiple to one, thereby reducing circuit area while maintaining multi-level voltage detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A voltage detector comprises an input, a resistor divider circuit having resistors coupled in series with one another between the input and a reference node, and N intermediate nodes joining adjacent pairs of the resistors. The voltage detector has N switches coupled to the respective intermediate nodes, as well as a comparator with an input coupled to the switches, a state machine having an input coupled to the output of the comparator, and a decoder having N decoder outputs coupled to respective control terminals of the N switches.