Patent ID: 9041575
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
1. An analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) apparatus for converting an analog input signal into a digital output signal, the digital output signal including a first portion and a second portion, the analog-to-digital conversion apparatus comprising: a first digital-to-analog converter (DAC), for providing at least one first reference level being used for determining the first portion; a second DAC, for providing at least one second reference level being used for determining the second portion; a comparator circuit, coupled to the first DAC and the second DAC, for comparing the analog input signal with the at least one first reference level to generate a preliminary comparison result at an output of the comparator circuit, and generating a posterior comparison result at the output according to the analog input signal and the at least one second reference level; and a decoder, coupled to the comparator circuit, for estimating the first portion according to the preliminary comparison result, and estimating the second portion according to the posterior comparison result; wherein the comparator circuit includes a first input coupled to the first DAC and used for receiving the at least one first reference level of the first DAC; and, the comparator circuit further includes a second input coupled to the second DAC and used for receiving the at least one second reference level of the second DAC; the first input is different and distinct from the second input.