Patent ID: 6222476
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: H03M

Abstract:
An n-bit analog-to-digital converter having reduced errors due to metastability, comprising:a plurality of comparators each adapted to compare an analog input and one of a plurality of comparator reference voltages, said plurality of comparators configured to output a thermometer code corresponding to said analog input; anda thermometer-to-binary encoder for converting said thermometer code to a binary code digital output, wherein said thermometer-to-binary encoder includes:a transition detection logic adapted to detect a transition point in said thermometer code and to generate a transition codeword, said transition codeword having at least one transition bit corresponding to said transition point,an intermediate encoding logic adapted to encode said transition codeword into first intermediate signals;a converter logic adapted to convert said first intermediate signals into converted intermediate signals such that same converted intermediate signals result from first intermediate signals corresponding to a transition codeword having more than one transition bit and first intermediate signals corresponding to another transition codeword having one of said more than one transition bit; anda converted signals mapper for mapping said converted signals to said binary code digital output.