Patent ID: 6011503
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
A half-flash type analog-to-digital converter for generating a digital output corresponding to the level of an analog input signal, the converter comprising:first comparing means for generating a signal of first or second level dependent upon whether the analog input signal is greater or less than a reference voltage which is equal to one-half of a level-determining range;first encoding means for generating the most significant bits of the digital output from an output signal of the first comparing means;switching means for applying the reference voltage selectively to a subtraction means, the switching means connected between the reference voltage and the subtraction means and turned on and off according to the signal generated by the first comparing means, the subtraction means for subtracting the reference voltage from the analog input signal when the analog input signal is determined to be above the reference voltage by the first comparing means;at least two second comparing means for generating second comparing outputs corresponding to a subtraction value of a subtraction output signal from the subtraction means; andsecond encoding means for generating remaining bits of the digital output from the second comparing outputs, the remaining bits being all of the bits of the digital output except for the most significant bits generated by the first encoding means.