US3653029A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Analogue to digital converter
Assignee: Telefunken Electronic GmbH
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Filing: 1970-02-17
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Granted: 1972-03-28
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Expires: 1990-02-17
Abstract
Abstract An analogue-to-digital converter has an input for an analogue signal and a plurality of signal outputs each associated with a different voltage threshold, direct voltage signals being produced at a signal output when the analogue signal exceeds the associated voltage threshold, the threshold associated with at least one signal output being variable between upper and lower values in the same sense or direction as variations in amplitude of the analogue signal and being abruptly changed in the opposite sense between these values when the analogue signal reaches a predetermined intermediate value.
Inventors
- 👤 Joachim Kuhlmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:08
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/12; H03M1/34
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
391 words
An analogue-to-digital converter comprising: an input for receiving an analogue signal, first and second groups of comparison switching stages, each group including a plurality of switching stages connected in parallel, an output for each said stage which outputs form the digital signal outputs of said converter, a first control input for each said stage to which said analogue signal is applied, a second control input for each said stage to which a bias voltage determining the comparison voltage threshold of the respective stage is applied, the bias voltages in each group for each stage being greater than the bias voltage of each preceding stage in said group, means for producing a direct-voltage signal at the output of a switching stage when the difference in amplitude between said analogue signal and the said bias voltage of such stage is zero or at least substantially equal to zero, and means for causing the direct-voltage signal delivered at the outputs of said first switching group to be present successively on one output after another as said analogue signal increases, means for causing said direct voltage signal of said first switching group which is present on the output of the switching stage of said first switching group with which the highest bias voltage is associated to disappear and to cause a direct voltage signal output from the switching stage of said first switching group associated with the lowest bias voltage as said analogue signal increases further in amplitude, and at the same time causing the direct-voltage signal output in said second switching group to appear at the output associated with the next higher bias voltage, means for deriving an auxiliary signal from the direct voltages at the signal outputs of said first switching group, and means responsive to said auxiliary signal for varying the bias voltages of said second switching group between upper and lower values in the same direction as the direction of variation in the amplitude of said analogue signal and for abruptly switching said bias voltages of said second switching group between said upper and lower bias values and in the opposite direction to the direction of said variation in the amplitude of said analogue signal whenever the amplitude of said analogue signal reaches a predetermined value intermediate said two bias values for a respective switching stage of said second switching group.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
391 words
An analogue-to-digital converter comprising: an input for receiving an analogue signal, first and second groups of comparison switching stages, each group including a plurality of switching stages connected in parallel, an output for each said stage which outputs form the digital signal outputs of said converter, a first control input for each said stage to which said analogue signal is applied, a second control input for each said stage to which a bias voltage determining the comparison voltage threshold of the respective stage is applied, the bias voltages in each group for each stage being greater than the bias voltage of each preceding stage in said group, means for producing a direct-voltage signal at the output of a switching stage when the difference in amplitude between said analogue signal and the said bias voltage of such stage is zero or at least substantially equal to zero, and means for causing the direct-voltage signal delivered at the outputs of said first switching group to be present successively on one output after another as said analogue signal increases, means for causing said direct voltage signal of said first switching group which is present on the output of the switching stage of said first switching group with which the highest bias voltage is associated to disappear and to cause a direct voltage signal output from the switching stage of said first switching group associated with the lowest bias voltage as said analogue signal increases further in amplitude, and at the same time causing the direct-voltage signal output in said second switching group to appear at the output associated with the next higher bias voltage, means for deriving an auxiliary signal from the direct voltages at the signal outputs of said first switching group, and means responsive to said auxiliary signal for varying the bias voltages of said second switching group between upper and lower values in the same direction as the direction of variation in the amplitude of said analogue signal and for abruptly switching said bias voltages of said second switching group between said upper and lower bias values and in the opposite direction to the direction of said variation in the amplitude of said analogue signal whenever the amplitude of said analogue signal reaches a predetermined value intermediate said two bias values for a respective switching stage of said second switching group.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for deriving said auxiliary signal includes an AND gate to which some of the outputs of said switching stages of said first switching group are connected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for deriving said auxiliary signal includes an AND gate to which the output of a specific switching stage in said first switching group and the outputs of all the following switching stages in said first switching group associated with higher bias voltages than said specific switching stage are connected.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 3, further comprising means for connecting the output of the switching stage of said first switching group to which the lowest bias voltage is applied to an input of said AND gate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for deriving said auxiliary signal includes an AND gate to which the outputs of substantially that half of the switching stages in said first switching group which are associated with the higher bias voltages are connected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for deriving said auxiliary signal includes a common load resistor to which the outputs of the switching stages of said first switching group are each connected, a series resistor between each said output and said common load resistor, the resistance values of said series resistors decreasing from output to output with increasing associated bias voltage, and means for taking off said signal at said common load resistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 6, wherein said means for deriving said auxiliary signal further includes a transistor, connected in parallel with said common load resistor, for short circuiting said common load resistor as a result of being overdriven when the highest bias voltage is exceeded by the analogue signal voltage appearing at the inputs of the first switching group.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, further comprising a voltage divider connected in parallel with said second switching group, a plurality of taps in said voltage divider, each connected to a switching stage of said second switching group for supplying the voltages appearing between the low end of said voltage divider and said taps as bias voltage to said switching stages of said second switching group; and said means for varying the bias voltages comprises a controllable component in said voltage divider and controlled by said auxiliary signal for varying the voltages between said low end of said voltage divider and said taps but leaving the voltages between said taps uninfluenced by said auxiliary signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 7, wherein said controllable component is a transistor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
156 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, further comprising an ohmic voltage divider connected in parallel with said second switching group, a plurality of taps in said ohmic voltage divider, each connected to a switching stage of said second switching group for supplying the voltage appearing between the low end of said ohmic voltage divider and said taps as bias voltage to said switching stages of said second switching group; and wherein said means for varying the bias voltages comprises a transistor connected between said low end and the first adjacent tap of said ohmic voltage divider for delivering a constant current through said ohmic voltage divider and a second transistor, controlled by said auxiliary signal and connected to parallel with that portion of said ohmic voltage divider which is not connected in parallel with any output of a switching stage, for varying the magnitude of the bias voltage delivered by said ohmic voltage divider.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
150 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 1, further comprising an ohmic voltage divider connected in parallel with said second switching group, a plurality of taps in said ohmic voltage divider, each connected to a switching stage of said second switching group for supplying the voltages appearing between the low end of said ohmic voltage divider and said taps as bias voltage to said switching stages of said second switching groups; and wherein said means for varying the bias voltages comprises a transistor controlled by said auxiliary signal and connected in said ohmic voltage divider between the low end and the first adjacent taps of said ohmic voltage divider for varying the magnitude of the bias voltage delivered by said ohmic voltage divider and a second transistor having an output connected to the high end of said ohmic voltage divider for delivering a constant current through said ohmic voltage divider.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 11, further comprising means for retaining the voltage values which the voltage thresholds or bias voltages assume after their abrupt changes counter to the variations in amplitude in the analogue input signal, at least until the output signals corresponding to the altered input signal have become established.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
114 words
An analogue-to-digital converter as defined in claim 12, wherein said means for varying the bias voltages further includes a Schmitt trigger, the input for said Schmitt trigger being connected to the output of said first switching group associated with the lowest bias voltage and the output for said Schmitt trigger being connected to the control electrode of said transistor which is connected to the low end of said ohmic voltage divider, said output of said Schmitt trigger, on a direct-voltage signal at the output of said first switching group associated with the lowest bias voltage, providing a signal which causes raising of the bias voltages of said second switching group to their upper value.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-28 | 1975-09-27 | 1976-03-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-28 | 1979-09-27 | 1980-03-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-28 | 1983-09-27 | 1984-03-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |