Patent ID: 8013770
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
1. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for converting a digital signal to an analog signal, the DAC comprising: a first thermometer decoder receiving the digital signal, the first thermometer decoder being configured to decode most-significant bits (MSBs) of the digital signal to generate a first thermometer code; a plurality of macro cells, with each controlled by one bit of the first thermometer code, wherein the plurality of macro cells is configured to provide a first analog signal according to the first thermometer code; a second thermometer decoder receiving the digital signal, the second thermometer decoder being configured to decode middle bits of the digital signal to generate a second thermometer code; and a macro cell configured to provide a second analog signal according to the second thermometer code, and configured to provide a third analog signal according to the least-significant bits (LSBs) of the digital signal; wherein the macro cell comprises a first plurality of unit cells capable of providing currents in a binary style and a second plurality of unit cells capable of providing identical currents, and wherein the first plurality of unit cells is controlled by the LSBs, and the second plurality of unit cells is controlled by the second thermometer code and wherein the first plurality of unit cells comprises an X