# Patent

## Title
Discrete-time programmable-gain analog-to-digital converter (ADC) input circuit with input signal and common-mode current nulling

## Abstract

A discrete-time programmable-gain analog-to-digital converter (ADC) input circuit with input signal and common-mode current nulling, provides a high input impedance level substantially independent of input capacitor size and input signal gain setting. An input voltage is sampled using one or more reference capacitor(s) that have been charged with a net charge corresponding to a quantizer-controlled reference voltage in a preceding clock phase. Since the charge pulled from the input voltage source is substantially determined only by the quantization error and input noise voltage, the circuit has a high input impedance. The reference capacitor(s) may be discharged in a third clock phase, so that input-signal-dependent voltages are discharged from the capacitor(s). An additional sampling capacitor can be discharged in the first clock phase and coupled in parallel with the reference capacitor during the second clock phase, to set the gain with respect to the input voltage.

## Background
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to discrete-time input circuits, and more specifically, to a discrete-time analog-to-digital converter (ADC) input circuit having input signal and common-mode current nulling.
2. Background of the Invention
Measurement input circuits for ADCs must typically handle large common mode voltage differences between the input signal and the feedback reference voltage, especially in applications such as AC line power or DC measurement circuits and in test equipment such as digital voltmeters (DVMs). Even with the use of transformers or resistive dividers, the dynamic range needed for universal applicability typically requires one or more programmable gain stages to preserve signal to noise ratio (SNR) and a high input impedance buffer stage at the input to avoid loading the measured source, in particular where the source may have a large input voltage range requiring several gain settings in the first stage of the ADC analog section.
Discrete-time sampling circuits, such as those utilized in switched-capacitor based delta-sigma modulator ADCs have been used in such measurement circuits, but input buffer circuits are still typically required, since the input sampling capacitor must typically be made large enough to reduce the magnitude of thermal noise introduced in the input of the first amplifier/integrator stage. Furthermore, in programmable gain applications, the input sampling capacitor is typically adjusted, since adjusting the feedback capacitor of the integrator would impose variable performance requirements on the amplifier that is used in the integrator.
Raising the input capacitance of the input sampling capacitor to the level required to maintain low thermal noise injection lowers the impedance of the input circuit, and thus the above-mentioned buffers are typically required in such sampling circuits. The buffer must be designed to handle the relatively large differences that are typical between the common-mode voltage of the input source and the common-mode reference voltage of the input stage. In some implementations, a common-mode voltage reference is supplied to cancel the common-mode voltage of the measurement source thereby simplifying the requirements for the buffer circuit, but such implementations typically require an external integrated circuit terminal, and buffering for the common-mode voltage source. Furthermore, the buffer circuits typically require considerable additional operating power.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a low-power high-impedance discrete-time input circuit for an ADC that does not require buffering or external common-mode reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above stated objective of providing a low-power high-impedance discrete-time input circuit for an ADC that does not require buffering or an external common-mode voltage reference is accomplished in a circuit and method. The method is a method of operation of the circuit.
The circuit is a delta-sigma ADC having at least one input terminal for receiving a measurement input voltage. A switching circuit charges a reference feedback capacitor(s) to a quantizer-dependent reference feedback voltage with respect to the common-mode voltage of the reference, in a first clock phase. In a second clock phase, the switching circuit couples the reference feedback capacitor(s) between the input terminal and the summing node of an integrator that provides the first stage of the delta-sigma ADC loop filter, thereby applying the reference feedback voltage to cancel the input voltage and maintaining the summing node at the common-mode voltage of the input terminal. The switching circuit discharges the reference feedback capacitor(s) in a third clock phase, so that voltages dependent on the input terminal voltage that are present at the end of the second clock phase, are removed. The resulting operation raises the impedance at the input terminal by drawing substantially only a charge dependent on the quantization error of the reference feedback voltage and any input noise.
An additional input gain-setting sampling capacitor may be discharged by coupling both terminals to the common-mode voltage of the input during the first clock phase, and applied in parallel with the reference feedback capacitor(s) during the second clock phase, to set the gain of the integrator with respect to the input terminal without changing the gain with respect to the reference feedback voltage. The reference feedback capacitors may be a capacitor bank having multiple capacitors selectably coupled to one of a positive or negative reference voltage source, with the selected combination made in conformity with the quantizer output value. A duplicate switching circuit, gain-setting sampling capacitor and reference capacitor bank can be included to provide a differential ADC input circuit.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting an ADC integrated circuit 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram depicting details of input sampler circuit 11 and feedback capacitor bank 15 of ADC integrated circuit 10.
FIG. 3 is a signal time/voltage diagram depicting a relationship of signals within analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit 10 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram depicting details of a single-ended input sampler circuit and feedback capacitor bank that may be alternatively or selectably employed in ADC integrated circuit 10.



DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT
The present invention encompasses discrete-time sampling integrator circuits and delta-sigma modulator-based analog-to-digital (ADC) converter circuits, in which a high input impedance, for both common-mode and signal voltages, is provided by using the reference capacitor (or capacitor bank) that provides the quantizer-dependent feedback reference voltage value as an input sampling capacitor. Since the quantizer-dependent feedback reference voltage value matches the input signal at low frequencies, except for quantization error and noise, a very small signal current is drawn from the input(s), resulting in a high signal input impedance. Furthermore, since the reference feedback voltage is sampled with respect to the reference common-mode voltage, and the input is sampled with respect to the virtual ground provided by the summing node of the integrator, which is maintained at the common-mode voltage of the input, a high common-mode input impedance is maintained.
Additional input gain-setting sampling capacitors can be used to sample the input signal with respect to the summing junction of an integrator and are coupled in parallel with the reference capacitor. The input gain-setting sampling capacitors are not charged to the reference voltage, so that the gain of the ADC is increased with respect to the input voltage, but the gain with respect to the reference stays fixed, providing for automatic scaling of the reference voltage. Therefore, a larger input capacitor can be used to provide higher gain, and a programmable gain integrator is more easily employed in the first stage of the loop filter, without requiring an input buffer to maintain a high input impedance.
Referring now to FIG. 1, an ADC integrated circuit 10, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is shown. An analog loop filter 12 receives a differential input voltage signal VIN and provides a noise-shaped output signal to the input of a quantizer 13 that provides digital sample values to a digital filter 14, which in turn provides an ADC conversion digital output value Digital Out. The output Q[0:3] of quantizer 13 is also provided to a feedback capacitor bank 15, in which capacitors are selected to couple them each to one of a positive and negative voltage reference (+VREF, −VREF) signal provided from a voltage reference circuit 16, with respect to the common voltage signal VCM=(+VREF+−VREF)/2) of voltage reference circuit 16, which is also provided as an output, and corresponds to the common-mode value of the reference feedback voltage selected by the quantizer output.
As mentioned above, feedback capacitor bank 15 is used to sample differential input voltage signal VIN, simultaneously with applying the feedback charge selected by quantizer outputs Q[0:3] in the previous clock phase. Since input voltage signal VIN is referenced to the common-mode voltage of the input signal(s) and the feedback charge is applied only a difference charge in the second clock phase, the summing node of the first integrator stage in analog loop filter is maintained at the common mode voltage of the input terminals. An input gain-setting circuit 11, also samples the input voltage signal VIN, except at a lowest gain setting, which uses only feedback capacitor bank 15 to sample differential input voltage signal VIN. Outputs of input gain-setting circuit 11 are coupled to the first integrator stage in analog loop filter 12, as are output terminals provided from feedback capacitor bank 15. A clock generator 17 controls switching circuits within feedback capacitor bank 15 and input gain setting circuit 11 to control sampling of input signal VIN and application of quantizer-dependent feedback reference voltages to the first integrator stage of analog loop filter 12, as will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2. Clock generator 17 provides three successive and non-overlapping clock phases: φ1, φ2 and φ3.
Referring now to FIG. 2, details of input gain-setting circuit 11 and feedback capacitor bank 15 are shown. Input gain-setting circuit 11 is a differential circuit formed from multiple input sampler circuits 21A-21C, each having substantially identical design, except that in the exemplary embodiment, the capacitance sampling capacitors CI+, CI− are weighted according to powers-of-two to provide programmable gain according to a binary value gain [0:2]. Other embodiments may weight the sampling capacitors CI+,CI− according to other weighting schemes, or sampling capacitors CI+,CI− may all be equally weighted. As illustrated, the exemplary input sampler circuit 21A has two sampling capacitors CI+,CI− and a pair of switching circuits formed by transistors N1-N8, which have gates controlled by clock phases φ1 and φ2, which are enabled according to the gain control input bit gain [0]. When clock phase φ1 is active, transistors N3,N4 and N7,N8 are activated, shorting both ends of sampling capacitors CI+ and CI− to ground. When clock phase φ2 is active transistors N1,N2 and N5,N6 are activated, coupling sampling capacitors CI+ and CI− between the input terminals VIN and the corresponding summing nodes of a programmable-gain integrator formed by amplifier A1 and a pair of integrator capacitors CF+, CF−.
Feedback capacitor bank 15 includes a switching circuit 20 that is responsive to clock phases φ1, φ2 and φ3, so that when clock phase φ1 is active, reference capacitors CR1−-CR9− and CR1+-CR9+ are coupled between reference common mode voltage VCM and a corresponding one of switch banks S1A or S1B. Switch banks S1A and S1B are controlled by the output of a level decoder 18 that receives quantizer output signals Q[0:3] and select which of reference voltages VREF+ or VREF− to apply to each of capacitors CR1−-CR9− and CR1+-CR9+ for the particular quantizer output level. The positions of reference voltages VREF+ or VREF− are reversed for S1B with respect to switch bank S1A, so that a complementary set of capacitors is selected from capacitors CR1+-CR9+ for application of reference voltages VREF+ or VREF−. Therefore, a differential charge is provided between the sum of charges on capacitors CR1+-CR9− and the sum of charges on capacitors CR1+-CR9+ at the end of clock phase φ1. While the illustrative embodiment depicted herein utilizes a 4-bit quantizer 13, it is understood that quantizer 13 is only illustrative, and other quantizer bit-depths may be utilized in embodiments of the invention, including single bit quantizers.
During clock phase φ2, switching circuit 20 couples all of capacitors CR1−-CR9− to the input of the integrator implemented by amplifier A1 in parallel with any of capacitors CI− in input sampler circuits 21A-21C that are enabled by the corresponding gain[n] signal. The net charge corresponding to the feedback reference voltage applied to capacitors CR1−-CR9− will be shared among the total parallel combination of capacitors CR1−-CR9− and any of capacitors CI− in input sampler circuits 21A-21C that are enabled by the corresponding gain[n] signal. The increased sampling capacitance due to enabled input sampler circuits 21A-21C will increase the charge injected into integrator feedback capacitor CF1+ due to input voltage VIN−, but not the charge due to the feedback reference voltage. The result is that as the input gain is increased, the feedback reference voltage is automatically scaled down to match the same input voltage range.
The charge injected into integrator feedback capacitor CF− is determined only by the difference between the feedback reference voltages provided by the voltage on the parallel combination of capacitors CR1−-CR9−, as scaled by any charge sharing with capacitors CI− in input sampler circuits 21A-21C that are enabled, and input voltage VIN−. The voltage difference, for frequencies substantially below the sampling rate, is only the quantization error and input noise. Therefore, the signal input impedance is maintained a high value. Furthermore, since the parallel combination of capacitors CR1−-CR9−, and capacitors CI− in input sampler circuits 21A-21C that are enabled are always referenced to the input voltage VIN− in the second clock phase, the summing node of amplifier A1 is maintained at the common mode voltage of the input signal VIN, which maintains a high common-mode input impedance.
The potential of the terminals of capacitors CI− and CI+ that connect to the summing nodes of amplifier A1 is maintained at the input common-mode voltage by the discharge of CI− and CI+ by connection to ground, as shown in FIG. 2 and by particular design techniques that ensure that the parasitic capacitance of the terminals of capacitors CI− and CI+ is much greater than that of the parasitic capacitance of the reference capacitor banks CR1−-CR9− and CR1+-CR9+ at their coupling point to the summing nodes of amplifier A1. Such a relationship of the parasitic capacitance can be ensured by increasing the size of the plates of capacitors CI− and CI+ to increase the parasitic capacitance and/or by adding optional capacitors Cp− and Cp+ to increase the capacitance of the terminals of CI− and CI+ that are coupled to the summing nodes of amplifier A1 with respect to ground. The operation and switching of capacitors CR1+-CR9+, capacitors CI+ and feedback capacitor CF+ are the same as for capacitors CR1−-CR9−, capacitors CI− and feedback capacitor CF− as described above, but in opposing polarity. In particular, the “flying” parasitic capacitance (coupling capacitance) between the circuit nodes that connect terminals of capacitors CI+ and CI− to transistors N2, N4, N6 and N8 should be minimized as well as the parasitic capacitance between the group of terminals of capacitors CR1−-CR9− and the group of terminals of capacitors CR1+-CR9+ in circuit paths connected to switching circuit 20 that couple capacitors CR1−-CR9− and capacitors CR1+-CR9+ to the summing nodes of amplifier A1.
The relative capacitance of capacitors CI+ and CI− are set in the exemplary embodiment to a value of G−1 times the capacitance of the total of capacitors CR1−-CR9− (or CR1+-CR9+) where G is a scaling factor corresponding to the gain of the integrator formed around amplifier A1 with respect to input signal VIN, relative to the feedback reference gain. Therefore the total capacitance between each of the input terminals and the corresponding summing node of amplifier A1 is G times the capacitance of the reference bank capacitance.
Because the total number of capacitors CR1+-CR9+ and CR1−-CR9− connected to each of reference voltage output VREF+, VREF− of voltage reference 16 are equal, the effective DC voltage on the outputs of switches S1A and S1B is VCM, no common-mode charge is pulled from voltage reference 16. During clock phase φ3, transistors in switching circuit 20 short each of capacitors CR1+-CR9+ and CR1−-CR9− to remove the voltage on capacitors CR1+-CR9+ and CR1−-CR9−, which is equal to input voltage VIN+, for capacitors CR1+-CR9+ and input voltage VIN− for capacitors CR1−-CR9−, assuming the summing node inputs of amplifier A1 are at ground.
Referring now to FIG. 3, operation of circuits within ADC integrated circuit 10 are illustrated in a signal time/voltage diagram. Clock phases φ1, φ2 and φ3 are shown as separate logical signals comprising non-overlapping pulses, along with voltage VCI representing an input gain-setting sampling capacitor voltage, e.g., the voltage on CI− of FIG. 1, and voltage VCR representing the effective voltage on the parallel combination of capacitors CR1−-CR9− in the corresponding reference capacitor bank. As illustrated, during clock phase φ1 voltage, VCR is set to Q (VREF−VCM), where Q is a signed quantizer output value and normalized to 1. VCI is set to ground.
In clock phase φ2, capacitors CI− and CR1−-CR9− are coupled in parallel and therefore the charge redistributes according to q=CV for the total capacitance, yielding q=Q(VREF−VCM)C, where C is the capacitance of the total of reference capacitors CR1−-CR9−. Therefore, the total voltage is V=Q(VREF−VCM)C/G, where G is the above-described gain scaling factor for CI. The effective negative terminal input voltage is therefore VIN−-Q (VREF−VCM) C/G, showing a gain of G with respect to the voltage of input signal VIN− and a gain of unity with respect to the reference feedback signal, assuming the integrator gain is G.
Referring now to FIG. 4, details of another gain-setting circuit and feedback capacitor bank 15A are shown, as may be used to measure a single-ended signal provided to integrated circuit 10 of FIG. 1. The topology changes can be provided by additional switches, so that the circuit of FIG. 4 and the circuit of FIG. 2 can be selected in response to a logic signal. The circuit of FIG. 4 is similar to that of the circuit of FIG. 2, and therefore only differences between them will be described below. Input gain-setting circuit 11 is identical to that shown in FIG. 2, except that in the circuit of FIG. 4, only a single-ended input signal VIN is provided to transistor N1 and transistor N5 is connected to ground, which is the input common mode reference level. Although transistors N7 and N5 are both connected to ground, for charge injection and input path resistance matching, transistors N7 and N5 remain in the circuit and are switched in a manner identical to that disclosed above with reference to FIG. 2. When clock phase φ1 is active, transistors N3,N4 and N7,N8 are activated, shorting both ends of sampling capacitors CI+ and CI− to ground. When clock phase φ2 is active, transistors N1 and N2 are activated, coupling sampling capacitor CI− between input terminal VIN and the inverting summing node of the programmable-gain integrator formed by amplifier Al and integrator capacitors CF+, CF−. During clock phase clock phase φ2, transistors N5 and N6 are also active, coupling sampling capacitor CI+ between ground and the non-inverting summing node of amplifier A1.
Feedback capacitor bank 15A includes a switching circuit 20A that is responsive to clock phases φ1, φ2 and φ3, as described above with respect to FIG. 2. However, feedback capacitor bank further includes a set of dummy capacitors CD1-CD9 that are coupled to switch bank S1B, rather than connecting switch bank S1B to reference capacitors CR1+-CR9+ as in FIG. 2. Since the input signal is single-ended, there is no signal to cancel on capacitor CI+ during clock phase φ2. Therefore, when clock phase φ1 is active, both ends of reference capacitors CR1+-CR9+ are coupled to reference common mode voltage VCM and during clock phase φ2, reference capacitors CR1+-CR9+ are coupled between the non-inverting summing node of amplifier A1 and ground, matching the common mode voltages at each end of CR1−-CR9− which sample the reference in clock phase φ1, and are applied in series with the input signal VIN, as in the circuit of FIG. 2.
Since reference capacitors CR1+-CR9+ are not coupled to the reference source during clock phase φ1, dummy capacitors CD1-CD9 are provided to load the reference source, so that symmetrical loading of the reference source is maintained. The outputs of level decoder 18 control switch bank S1B as in the circuit of FIG. 2, but dummy capacitors CD1-CD9 are instead used to set both ends of dummy capacitors CD1-CD9 to ground during clock phase φ2 so that when they are shorted during clock phase φ3 the potential at both ends of dummy capacitors CD1-CD9 remains at ground. The action of dummy capacitors thus mimics the action of reference capacitors CR1+-CR9+ in FIG. 2 on the reference source, and provide opposite loading of the reference source with respect to reference capacitors CR1−-CR9− in the circuits of both FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, since the summing nodes of amplifier A1 and the input signal node(s) of FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 are maintained at ground.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

## Claims

1. A discrete-time sampling circuit, comprising:
an input terminal for receiving an input voltage;
an amplifier having a feedback capacitor connected from an output of the amplifier to an input of the amplifier to form an integrator;
an input gain-setting capacitor for changing a gain at the output of the integrator with respect to the input signal;
a reference feedback capacitor; and
a switching circuit for coupling the reference feedback capacitor to a feedback reference voltage source and discharging the input gain-setting capacitor in a first clock phase and coupling the reference feedback capacitor in parallel with the input gain-setting capacitor between the input of the amplifier and the input terminal in the second clock phase.

2. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, further comprising a quantizer having an input coupled to an output of the amplifier, and wherein the charge placed on the reference capacitor during the first clock phase is set in conformity with the output of the quantizer, wherein the charge placed on the reference feedback capacitor substantially cancels the input voltage less a quantization error and input noise, whereby a high-impedance is provided at the input terminal at low frequencies.

3. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of other gain-setting capacitors, whereby the input gain-setting capacitor and the other gain-setting capacitors form a selectable capacitance bank for selectably varying the gain at the output of the integrator with respect to the input signal in response to one or more gain selection control signals.

4. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a capacitance of the input gain-setting capacitor to a capacitance of the reference feedback capacitor is set to a value of a gain factor minus one, wherein the gain factor is a ratio of the gain of the discrete-time sampling circuit with respect to the input voltage to the gain of the discrete-time sampling circuit with respect to the feedback reference voltage source.

5. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, wherein in a third clock phase, the switching circuit discharges the reference feedback capacitor to remove signal-dependent charge from the reference capacitor, whereby signal-dependent distortion on the feedback reference voltage source is prevented.

6. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, wherein the reference capacitor is a reference capacitor bank comprising a plurality of reference capacitors, and wherein during the first clock phase, a first terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is selectably coupled to either a positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source and a second terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is coupled to a common-mode reference voltage source having a value substantially equal to a midpoint between voltages of the positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source.

7. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, wherein the amplifier is a differential amplifier, wherein the input terminal is a first input terminal, the reference feedback capacitor is a first reference feedback capacitor, and further comprising:
a complementary second input terminal for providing a differential input voltage with respect to the voltage present on the first input terminal;
a second reference feedback capacitor having a capacitance equal to the capacitance of the first reference feedback capacitor, and wherein the switching circuit further couples the second reference feedback capacitor to a complementary reference voltage source during the first clock phase and couples the second reference feedback capacitor between the complementary second input terminal and a complementary input of the amplifier in the second clock phase.

8. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 7, wherein the input gain-setting capacitor is a first input gain-setting capacitor, and further comprising a second input gain-setting capacitor for changing a gain at the output of the integrator with respect to the input signal, and wherein the switching circuit further discharges the second input gain-setting sampling capacitors during the first clock phase, and couples the second input gain-setting sampling capacitor in parallel with the second reference feedback capacitor during the second clock phase.

9. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 7, wherein the first and second reference feedback capacitors are first and second reference capacitor banks, respectively, each comprising a plurality of reference capacitors, and wherein in the first clock phase, a first terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is selectably coupled to either a positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source and a second terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is coupled to a common-mode reference voltage source having a value substantially equal to a midpoint between voltages of the positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source, and wherein in the first clock phase, the plurality of reference capacitors in the second reference capacitor bank are coupled to an opposite one of the positive voltage reference source or the negative voltage reference source with respect to a reference voltage source coupled to the corresponding reference capacitor in the first reference capacitor bank.

10. The discrete-time sampling circuit of claim 1, wherein the amplifier is a differential amplifier, wherein the reference feedback capacitor is a first reference feedback capacitor, wherein the input gain-setting capacitor is a first input gain-setting capacitor and further comprising:
a second reference feedback capacitor having a capacitance equal to the capacitance of the first reference feedback capacitor, and wherein the switching circuit further couples the second reference feedback capacitor to a complementary reference voltage source during the first clock phase and couples the second reference feedback capacitor between a common-mode reference voltage source having a value substantially equal to a common voltage of the input terminal and a complementary input of the amplifier in the second clock phase; and a second input gain-setting capacitor for changing a gain at the output of the integrator with respect to the input signal, and wherein the switching circuit further discharges the second input gain-setting sampling capacitor during the first clock phase, and couples the second input gain-setting sampling capacitor in parallel with the second reference feedback capacitor during the second clock phase.

11. A method of sampling an input voltage, comprising:
during a first clock phase, charging a reference feedback capacitor to a reference voltage;
during the first clock phase, discharging an input gain-setting capacitor; and
during a second clock phase, coupling the reference capacitor in parallel with the input gain-setting capacitor between an input voltage terminal bearing the input voltage and a summing node of an integrator.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the reference voltage in conformity with a quantized representation of the input voltage, and wherein the charge placed on the reference feedback capacitor by the charging substantially cancels the input voltage less a quantization error and input noise, whereby a high-impedance is provided at the input terminal at low frequencies.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising during a third clock phase, discharging the reference capacitor, whereby signal-dependent voltage remaining on the reference capacitor is prevented from affecting a source of the reference voltage.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting the input gain-setting capacitor from among combinations of a plurality of selectable input gain-setting capacitors.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
providing the input gain-setting capacitor with a first capacitance value; and
providing the reference capacitor with a second capacitance value equal to the first capacitance value divided by a value equal to a gain factor minus one, wherein the gain factor is a ratio of gain of the integrator with respect to the input voltage to the gain of the integrator with respect to the reference voltage.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
quantizing an analog signal derived from an output of the integrator to generate a digital representation of the analog signal; and
selectably coupling each of a plurality of capacitors in a reference capacitor bank providing the reference feedback capacitor to either of a positive or negative reference voltage source in combination, wherein the selected combination is made in dependence on a result of the quantizing.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the integrator has differential inputs and wherein the discharging and coupling are performed for complementary pairs of reference and input gain-setting capacitors.

18. An analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit, comprising:
a loop filter, having an input terminal for receiving an input voltage;
a quantizer having an input coupled to an output of the loop filter for providing a noise-shaped digital representation of the input voltage;
a digital filter coupled to an output of the quantizer for filtering the noise-shaped digital representation of the input voltage to provide a digital output value;
an input gain-setting capacitor; and
a feedback reference voltage source having an input coupled to the output of the quantizer for providing a feedback signal to the loop filter having a reference voltage value dependent on the noise-shaped digital representation of the input signal, wherein the first stage of the loop filter comprises a discrete-time integrator including a switching circuit, wherein the feedback reference voltage source includes a reference capacitor, wherein the switching circuit charges the reference capacitor to the reference voltage value and discharges the input gain-setting capacitor during a first clock phase, and couples the reference capacitor and input gain-setting capacitor in parallel between an input terminal and the summing node of the integrator in a second clock phase, wherein a charge placed on the reference capacitor during the first clock phase substantially reduces the charge transferred from the input terminal during the second clock phase.

19. The analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit of claim 18, wherein the charge placed on the reference capacitor substantially cancels the input voltage less a quantization error and input noise, whereby a high-impedance is provided at the input terminal at low frequencies.

20. The analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit of claim 18, wherein the switching circuit further discharges the reference capacitor during a third clock phase.

21. The analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit of claim 18, further comprising at least one other input gain-setting capacitor selectably coupled in parallel with the input gain setting capacitor, whereby a gain of the integrator with respect to the input voltage is set in conformity with one or more gain selection control signals.

22. The analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit of claim 18, wherein the reference capacitor is a reference capacitor bank comprising a plurality of reference capacitors, and wherein in the first clock phase, a first terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is selectably coupled to either a positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source and a second terminal of each of the plurality of reference capacitors is coupled to a common-mode reference voltage source having a value substantially equal to a midpoint between voltages of the positive voltage reference source or a negative voltage reference source.

23. The analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit of claim 18, wherein a capacitance of the input gain-setting capacitor divided by a total capacitance of the plurality of reference capacitors is equal to an input gain value minus one, whereby a reference dependent charge provided to the integrator relative to a signal-dependent charge provided to the integrator is scaled downward by a factor equal to the input gain value.

24. A method of sampling an input voltage, comprising:
during a first clock phase, charging a reference feedback capacitor to a reference voltage;
during a second clock phase, coupling the reference capacitor between an input terminal bearing the input voltage and a summing node of an integrator, wherein a charge placed on the reference feedback capacitor by the charging substantially reduces the charge transferred from the input terminal during the second clock phase, wherein the common-mode voltage at the summing node of the integrator is maintained at a common-mode voltage of the input terminal, and wherein the common-mode voltage of the input terminal differs substantially from a common-mode voltage of the reference voltage.

25. An analog-to-digital converter integrated circuit, comprising:
a loop filter, having an input terminal for receiving an input voltage;
a quantizer having an input coupled to an output of the loop filter for providing a noise-shaped digital representation of the input voltage;
a digital filter coupled to an output of the quantizer for filtering the noise-shaped digital representation of the input voltage to provide a digital output value;
a feedback reference voltage source having an input coupled to the output of the quantizer for providing a feedback signal to the loop filter having a reference voltage value dependent on the noise-shaped digital representation of the input signal, wherein the first stage of the loop filter comprises a discrete-time integrator including a switching circuit, wherein the feedback reference voltage source includes a reference capacitor, wherein the switching circuit charges the reference capacitor to the reference voltage value during a first clock phase, and couples the reference capacitor between an input terminal and the summing node of the integrator in a second clock phase, wherein a charge placed on the reference capacitor during the first clock phase substantially reduces the charge transferred from the input terminal during the second clock phase, wherein the common-mode voltage at the summing node of the integrator is maintained at a common-mode voltage of the input terminal, and wherein the common-mode voltage of the input terminal differs substantially from a common-mode voltage of the reference voltage.