Switched-Capacitor ADC Cores for Stochastic Rounding Accuracy

The patent combines multiple ADCs into an ensemble where they share common resources (reference voltages, capacitors, comparators) to perform stochastic rounding. Instead of adding separate circuitry to each ADC, the ADCs are merged into a collaborative system where the ensemble collectively performs the stochastic rounding function, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining rounding accuracy.

The shared capacitors and reference voltage circuits serve multiple functions: they are used by multiple ADCs in the ensemble for both individual conversions and collective stochastic rounding operations. This multi-functionality reduces the total amount of dedicated circuitry needed compared to having separate stochastic rounding circuitry for each ADC.

By merging multiple ADCs into an ensemble that shares power-consuming components (capacitors, reference voltage circuits, comparators), the patent reduces total energy consumption. The shared resources are utilized collectively by all ADCs in the ensemble, so the energy cost of stochastic rounding is amortized across multiple conversions rather than being duplicated for each individual ADC.

The ADC ensemble performs stochastic rounding using its own internal residual voltages and shared resources without requiring external stochastic rounding circuitry. The system serves its own rounding needs through the collaborative operation of the ADCs, eliminating the need for additional dedicated energy-consuming circuitry.

The patent segments the stochastic rounding process into discrete phases within the ADC conversion timeline. The residual voltage comparison for stochastic rounding is performed during specific phases (e.g., during the conversion process itself rather than as a separate post-processing step), allowing accuracy to be maintained while minimizing impact on overall processing speed.

The ADC ensemble maintains continuous operation by processing multiple inputs simultaneously in parallel. While individual ADCs within the ensemble perform stochastic rounding, the overall system maintains high throughput because other ADCs are processing other inputs concurrently, and the ensemble can be configured to output results at high rates through parallel operation.