Patent ID: 11967968
Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
Field: Basic communication processes (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 6:
7. A multi-channel digital-to-analog converter (DAC) comprising:
a plurality of DAC channels each having a digital signal input and an analog signal output;
each DAC channel comprising:
a current control circuit having a first input adapted to receive a start limit signal or a delayed end limit signal, the current control circuit operable to reduce an output current limit of the DAC channel from a higher current limit to a lower current limit responsive to the start limit signal and to increase the output current limit to the higher current limit responsive to the delayed end limit signal;
a current sensor circuit coupled to the current control circuit and operable provide an alert responsive to an output current of the DAC channel exceeding the higher current limit;
a low-pass filter coupled to the current sensor circuit and operable to provide a filtered alert signal responsive to the alert signal;

a summer circuit coupled to each DAC channel and operable to provide a summation signal indicating the number of DAC channels exceeding the higher current limit;
a controller coupled to the summer circuit and operable to provide the start limit signal responsive to the summation signal exceeding a threshold and to provide the end limit signal responsive to the summation signal falling below the threshold minus a hysteresis value; and
a digital filter coupled to the controller and operable to provide the delayed end limit signal by applying a time delay to the end limit signal and operable to pass the start limit signal.