Abstract:
A digital to analog converter including a noise shaping modulator for modulating an input digital data stream, a plurality of output elements for generating a plurality of intermediate data streams from a modulated output stream from the modulator, and an output summer for summing the intermediate data streams to generate an output analog stream. The noise shaping modulator balances an edge transition rate of the output elements, such that the edge transition rate of two selected elements is approximately equal.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates in general to delta-sigma data converters, and, in particular, to data converters with digitally filtered pulse width modulation output stages and methods and systems using the same.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    Delta-sigma modulators are particularly useful in digital to analog and analog to digital converters (DACs and ADCs). Using oversampling, the delta-sigma modulator spreads the quantization noise power across the oversampling frequency band, which is typically much greater than the input signal bandwidth. Additionally, the delta-sigma modulator performs noise shaping by acting as a lowpass filter to the input signal and a highpass filter to the noise; most of the quantization noise power is thereby shifted out of the signal band.  
           [0003]    The typical delta sigma modulator includes a summer summing the input signal with negative feedback, a loop filter, a quantizer, and a feedback loop coupling the quantizer output and the inverting input of the summer. In a first order modulator, the loop filter includes a single integrator or other filter stage while the loop filter in a higher order modulator has a cascade of a corresponding number of filter stages. Higher-order modulators have improved quantization noise transfer characteristics over those of lower order, but stability becomes a more critical design factor as the order increases. The quantizer can be either a one-bit or a multiple-bit quantizer.  
           [0004]    In DAC applications, such as low out-of-band noise DACs, continuous-time output stages, such as current summers, which convert the quantized modulator output into a relatively smooth analog signal have a number of advantages over discrete-time output stages, such as switched capacitor output stages. For example, in DAC systems in which the modulator output is quantized into a large number of levels (e.g. sixty-four or more levels represented by eight or more bits), continuous-time output stages are relatively easy to design and construct. In addition, continuous-time output stages operating on a large number of quantization levels are relatively immune to jitter and the problem of sampling of far out-of-band energy. These advantages make continuous-time output stages the best choice for integration into large digital chips. With respect to smaller data converters and coder-decoders (Codecs), avoiding the sampling of high frequency energy allows for the simplification of the clock management scheme.  
           [0005]    Despite their advantages, continuous-time output stages are also subject to significant drawbacks, such as a susceptibility to inter-symbol interference. (Inter-symbol interference or ISI in this case is usually caused by asymmetry in leading and trailing edges of the output signals from continuous time elements or from analog memory, in which each symbol is dependent on the prior one.) ISI can dominate the noise and distortion components in the output analog stream of a continuous-time data converter, even if a large number of continuous-time conversion elements operate on data samples with a large number of quantization levels. While ISI can be minimized using return to zero (RTZ) techniques, RTZ techniques generally cause increased circuit sensitivity to the characteristics of the controlling clocks.  
           [0006]    Therefore, improved circuits and methods are required which allow continuous-time output stages to be utilized in such applications as DACs while minimizing ISI and at the same time reducing the effects of clock characteristics on circuit performance.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0007]    According to one particular embodiment, a digital to analog converter is disclosed including a noise shaping modulator for modulating an input digital data stream, a plurality of output elements for generating a plurality of intermediate data streams from a modulated output stream from the modulator, and an output summer for summing the intermediate data streams to generate an output analog stream. The noise shaping modulator balances an edge transition rate of the output elements, such that the edge transition rate of two selected elements is approximately equal. By balancing the edge transition rate of the elements, the effects of ISI are largely eliminated.  
           [0008]    Application of the present inventive principles provides for the design and construction of digital data converters, in particular DACs, utilizing continuous-time output elements with minimal susceptibility to ISI and clock vagaries. Generally, a duty-cycle modulator receives a digital input stream and generates a duty-cycle, pulse width modulated (PWM) encoded data stream. A finite impulse response (FIR) filter removes the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the PWM rate from the duty cycle modulated stream. By tapping the stages of the FIR filter with a plurality of digital to analog conversion elements, in either a continuous-time or discrete-time manner, an analog output signal is generated with reduced distortion due to jitter of ISI. In one particular embodiment, multiple pulse width modulator stages are interleaved in time to generate multiple time-overlapping PWM-encoded data streams. These overlapping PWM-encoded data streams drive multiple conversion elements with matched utilization and transition rates. A delta-sigma modulator with multiple attenuation bands in front of the interleaved PWM stages attenuates noise that would otherwise be demodulated by mismatch between the analog stages. A FIR filter coupled after each interleaved PWM stage removes out of band energy caused by the PWM process. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1A is high level block diagram of an exemplary digital audio system including a digital to analog converter utilizing a delta-sigma modulator with multiple attenuation bands and interleaved pulse width modulators according to the inventive principles;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1B is a more detailed block diagram of an exemplary digital-in, analog-out finite impulse response (FIR) filter suitable for use in the exemplary analog-in, digital-out FIR blocks shown in FIG. 1A;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2A is a gain versus frequency plot of the noise transfer function (NTF) of an exemplary delta-sigma modulator with four noise attenuation bands suitable for use in selected embodiments of the data converter of FIG. 1 utilizing four interleaved pulse width modulators;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2B is a plot in the z-plane of the poles and zeros of a delta-sigma modulator with multiple NTF noise attenuation bands corresponding to the noise attenuation bands shown in FIG. 2A;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 2C-2E are block diagrams of exemplary feedforward delta-sigma modulators suitable for producing the pole-zero placements shown in FIG. 2B;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating the signal timing of representative operations of the delta-sigma modulator and pulse width modulators shown in FIG. 1 for the exemplary by-four interleaved pulse width modulator;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a gain versus frequency plot of the output of a selected one of the pulse width modulators of FIG. 1 for the exemplary by-four interleaved PWM and the response of the associated finite impulse response output filter;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a high level operational block diagram of an exemplary digital to analog converter utilizing interleaved noise shapers and corresponding digital output filters according to the inventive principles.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]    The principles of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the illustrated embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-5 of the drawings, in which like numbers designate like parts.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1A is a high-level functional block diagram of an exemplary digital to analog converter system  100  suitable for demonstrating the principles of the present invention. For purposes of discussion, an audio application is described operating on digital audio from a source  101  such as a compact disk (CD) or digital versatile disk (DVD) player; however, the concepts described below can be utilized in a wide range of circuits and systems requiring digital to analog conversion. In system  100 , the data output from digital source  101  is multiple-bit audio data having a base sampling frequency (rate) fs and oversampled by an oversampling factor K. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the audio stream is output from digital audio source  101  with a base sampling frequency (fs) of 48 kHz with sixty-four times (64×) oversampling (i.e., K=64).  
         [0020]    System  100  is based on a multiple-bit noise shaper  102  (e.g. delta sigma modulator) with multiple attenuation bands in the noise transfer function (NTF). Noise shaper  102  will be discussed in detail further below; however, generally the NTF includes one attenuation band for attenuating noise in the signal passband and additional attenuation bands for attenuating noise, which would otherwise be demodulated by any non-zero mismatch between the following pulse width modulation (PWM) stages  104  in the multiple PWM stage embodiments discussed below.  
         [0021]    Noise shaper  102  in the illustrated embodiment outputs multi-bit quantized samples at an oversampling frequency L∘fs, in which L is the oversampling ratio of noise shaper  102 . The modulation index (MI) of noise shaper  102  is preferably set to ensure that full scale output quantization levels are not output to the following PWM stages  104 . However, in alternate embodiments, in which some level of the ISI in the output stream is tolerable, full-scale quantization levels are utilized.  
         [0022]    Each one-bit sample output from noise shaper  102  is interleaved by 1 to N interleave circuitry  103  into a corresponding one of a set of N parallel PWM stages, in which N is an integer greater than or equal to 1. In FIG. 1A, representative pulse width modulation (PWM) stages  104   a  to  104 N, are shown for discussion purposes. Each PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N therefore effectively operates on input samples at a rate of L/N∘fs. Exemplary PWM stages suitable for use as PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N of system  100  are described in coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,150,969 to Melanson, entitled Correction of Nonlinear Output Distortion In a Delta Sigma DAC, and 5,815,102 to Melanson, entitled Delta Sigma PWM DAC to Reduce Switching, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Interleave circuitry  103  is an exemplary circuit. A typical implementation for PWM stages  104   a ,  104   b  may be to connect them to noise shaper  102  and allow them to only be responsive to the appropriate samples from noise shaper  102 . If N was 2, for example, PWM stage  104   a  would be responsive only to the even samples from noise shaper  102 , and PWM stage  104   b  would only be responsive to only the odd samples.  
         [0023]    In the illustrated embodiment of system  100 , each of PWM stages  104   a  to  104  N operates with an oversampling factor M and an oversampling clock signal at an oversampling frequency M∘(L/N)fs. Each PWM stage therefore outputs M number of N/(M∘L) clock period long PWM patterns representing (M+1 levels) per sample received from interleave circuitry  103 . In addition to the energy in the signal base band (approximately 0 to fs/2), each PWM stage  104   a  to  104  N also outputs significant energy at the fundamental frequency and harmonics of the PWM repeat rate of L/N∘fs. Hence, each PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N is followed by a digital-in, analog-out finite impulse response (FIR) filter with attenuation bands corresponding to these harmonics. Representative FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N are shown in FIG. 1A. The analog outputs from FIR filters are summed into output summer  106  to generate the analog output.  
         [0024]    By this series of operations, system  100  ensures that the usage of all output elements  111   a , . . . ,N of FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N (discussed below) is approximately the same, as guaranteed by multiple NTF zeros of delta-sigma noise shapers  102 , (also discussed further below). In alternate embodiments, other techniques, such as independent delta-sigma modulators, may be used. In addition, by this construction of system  100 , the edge rate of all of the elements  111   a - 111   b  is also approximately equal. This result is due to a side effect of the fixed edge rate of combined delta-sigma modulators and pulse width modulators in general. Taken together, these two constraints remove much of the source for distortion in analog output stages. Other techniques for directly balancing the edge rates are possible in alternate embodiments. As an example, the edge rate could be monitored, and the transitions probability modified in response.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1B illustrates exemplary embodiments of digital-in, analog-out FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N in further detail. Each filter  105   a  to  105 N includes a conventional FIR filter, such as a boxcar filter with simple coefficients, with X number of output taps. The length (number of stages) of each FIR filter  105   a  to  105 N is greater than or equal to the width of the PWM pattern from the preceding PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N, which introduces a notch in the filter output transfer function corresponding to the fundamental of the PWM repeat frequency. In other words, the length of each FIR filter  105   a  to  105 N is proportional to the ratio of the output frequency of the FIR filter to the input frequency of the FIR filter. Longer FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N (e.g. FIR filters with more stages) will attenuate more out of band energy at the cost of increased number of elements. Using FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N with equal weights, the number of taps equal to the PWM pattern length, is an easy technique to significantly reduce out of band energy.  
         [0026]    Each of the x number of filter taps, (in which x is an integer greater than one) is associated with a current source or similar single-bit digital to analog conversion elements, two of which are shown at  111   a  and for each filter  105   a  to  105 N. Current sources  111   a , . . . ,N are of a simple constructions, such as a voltage source and a resistor or transistors operating in a constant current region or cascoded transistors. The outputs from current sources are either single-ended or differential sources. In the illustrated embodiment, output summer  106  includes a current to voltage converter when single-bit digital to analog conversion is performed by current sources  111   a , . . . ,N. The currents can be equal, as in a boxcar filter, or unevenly weighted. Advantageously, boxcar embodiments of FIR filter  105   a  to  105 N, with equal taps are the simplest to implement and are adequte for most purposes.  
         [0027]    In audio system  100 , the analog output signal generated by summer  106  is subject to additional conventional analog filtering and amplification in analog filtering and amplification circuit block  107 . A headset or set of speakers  108  provides the audible output.  
         [0028]    The operation of noise shaper  102  for a by-four (i.e. N=4) interleaved system  100  is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. If N=4, noise shaper  102  outputs quantized samples that are split into four (4) sample streams each at a frequency of L∘fs/4. In this example, noise shaper  102  outputs data samples at an oversampling frequency 128 fs, and interleave circuitry  103  therefore splits the noise shaped data stream into four streams, each at a frequency of 32 fs. Any mismatch between the following PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N therefore demodulates the noise in the modulator bands  128 ∘fs/4,  128 ∘fs/2 and  128 ∘3 fs/4 (respectively 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs). Advantageously, the use of a PWM stage  105   a  to  105 N in each output increases the effective matching accuracy of the following DAC elements, since the effect of the output mismatch is reduced by the number of slots in the PWM up-sampling.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 2A, the noise exposed to any non-zero mismatch between PWM stages  104   a , . . . ,N, is minimized by three additional attenuation bands included in the noise transfer function (NTF) of noise shaper  102  about the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs along with the noise attenuation band at the signal baseband. The difference between the average level of attenuation in the signal band and the average level attenuation at the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs, and 96 fs depends on the mismatch between the following PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N. If more mismatch exists, then more modulator noise is demodulated in the frequencies bands about 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs, and the more attenuation in the modulator NTF around the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs is required. However, an increase in attenuation at the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs results in a decrease in attenuation in the signal band. (Generally, the area below the x-axis of FIG. 2A must equal the area above the x-axis.) Thus, a balancing must be made between the global noise shaping of the NTF across the modulator output frequency spectrum and local attenuation levels around 32 fs, 64 fs, and 96 fs.  
         [0030]    An NTF in noise shaper  102  with a given difference between the average attenuation level in the signal band and the average attenuation about the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs needs to be produced. A noise shaper topology which produces a one set of pole-zero pairs for setting the NTF signal band attenuation and sets of fewer poles about the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs is required. A z-plane plot of the pole and zeros characterizing one such noise shaper is shown in FIG. 2B. In this example, an 11 th  order noise shaper is characterized, which includes a first set  20  of five (5) pole-zero pairs that define the shape of the low frequency (signal band) noise attenuation of the NTF. In the illustrated embodiment, pole-zero pair set  20  includes four (4) pole-zero pairs at Butterworth locations and one (1) real pole-zero pair. Three additional sets  21 ,  22 , and  23  of poles respectively define the shape of the noise attenuation bands about the frequencies 32 fs, 64 fs, and 96 fs. The number of poles and zeros in each set  20 - 23  may vary between embodiments, depending on the desired noise shaping desired and the tradeoff between the attenuation level in the NTF signal band and the attenuation levels in the 32 fs, 64 fs, and 96 fs frequency bands of the NTF. In FIG. 2B, the NTF zeros at 32 fs, 64 fs and 96 fs are split along the unit circle in the z-plane. In alternate embodiments, these zeros may remain un-split (co-located) to reduce the amount of hardware required to implement noise shaper  102 .  
         [0031]    Exemplary delta sigma modulator (noise shaper) topologies, which generate multiple attenuation bands in the NTF and which are suitable for use in noise shaper  102  are described in copending and coassigned patent application entitled “DELTA-SIGMA MODULATION CIRCUITS AND METHODS UTILIZING MULTIPLE NOISE ATTENUATION BANDS AND DATA CONVERTERS USING THE SAME” (U.S. Ser. No. 0/191,016, Attorney Docket Number 1354-CA {2836-P194US}) incorporated herein by reference. For example, the z-plane pole-zero plot shown in FIG. 2B may be achieved by using the interleaved modulator topology  200  shown in FIGS. 2C and 2D, and discussed briefly below. Alternatively, a feed-forward design may be utilized having five filter stages with a transfer function of 1/( 1−Z   −1 ), and associated feedback loops, which place poles and zeros about the Z=0 point and a pair of filter stages with a transfer function of 1/( 1−Z   −4 ), and associated feedback loops, which place poles and zeros about the z-plane points Z=1, −1, j and −j. A feedback modulator may be used in other embodiments, although a feedback topology requires more precise coefficients and additional hardware. A general discussion of delta-sigma modulator topologies, including feedforward designs, is be found in publications such as Norsworthy et al.,  Delta - Sigma Data Converters, Theory, Design and Simulation , IEEE Press, 1996).  
         [0032]    In exemplary modulator topology  200 , shown in FIG. 2C, the local noise shaping at the frequencies fs/4 (z-plane point Re=0, Im=j), fs/24 (z-plane point Re=−1, Im=0) and 3 fs/4 (z-plane point Re=0, Im=−j) are implemented using four respective sets of independent loop filter stages  201   a - 201   d , the outputs of which are interleaved in time by switch (“SW”)  202  into the main noise shaping loop  209  discussed below. Each set of independent filter stages  201   a - 201   d , shown in further detail in FIG. 2D, includes a pair of filter stages  203   a  and  203   b , corresponding feedforward stages  204   a  and  204   b  with coefficients C 1 , and C 2  for setting the local poles, and a feedback loop  205  (with one delay Z −1  and gain g1) and summer  206  for setting the local zeros. (The structure of each independent filter stage  201   a - 201   d  may vary from a single filter stage  203  to three or more filter stages  203  and include more than one feedback loop, depending on the desired number and location of the local poles and zeros). The outputs from gain stages  204   a - 204   b  of independent loop filter stage  201   a - 201   d  are interleaved by a corresponding set of switches (SW)  207   a - 207   b  into the modulator output summer  208 .  
         [0033]    The global (baseband) noise shaping about DC ((direct current or zero frequency) (z-plane point Re=0, Im=0) is characterized by a fifth (5 th ) order, main (shared) noise shaping loop  209 . Main noise shaping loop  209  is shown in further detail in FIG. 2E and includes five (5) global filter stages  210   a - 210   e  and associated feedforward stages  211   a - 211   e  with respective coefficients C 3 -C 7  feeding-forward into output summer  208  (see FIG. 2C). (The number of global filter stages  210   a - 210   e  may also vary from embodiment to embodiment depending on the desired number and locations of the global pole-zero pairs in the NTF.) Feedback loops  212   a - 212   b  (including a gain of g2 and a delay Z −1 ) and summers  213   a - 213   b  are shown for moving the global noise shaping zeros on the z-plane unit circuit away from the DC point (Re=1, Im=0).  
         [0034]    While the energy of each PWM stage  105   a  to  105 N generally tracks the input energy over time (e.g., the first integral of the output energy tracks the first integral of the input energy), apparent distortion in the PWM output occurs because the moments of the PWM output energy vary with different PWM patterns (e.g., the values of the second and higher order integrals of the PWM output energy do not track the values of the higher order integrals of the input energy). In particular, the location of the second or higher moment for a given PWM output pattern depends on the specific digital word being converted and the corresponding number of logic high and logic low slots in the pattern, as well as the distribution of those slots across the time period of the pattern. The distribution of the slots in each pattern is affected, for example, by the technique used to generate that pattern (e.g., grow right, grow left, etc.).  
         [0035]    In delta-sigma modulator  102  of FIG. 2C, a feed back compensation block  220  is included at the output of quantizer  214  to provide nonlinear feedback to the integrator stages  203   a - 203   b  of second order loop filters  201  (see FIG. 2D) and/or integrator stages  210   a - 210   e  of fifth order loop filter  209  (see FIG. 2E). The nonlinear feedback provided by feedback compensation block  220  is described in incorporated U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,150,969 and 5,815,102, which were earlier cited and incorporated by reference. Generally, correction factors are fed back from feedback compensation block  220  to integrator stages  203   a - 203   b  and  210   a - 210   b  of delta-sigma modulator loop filters  201   a  to  201   d  and  209 . By selectively correcting the inputs to the corresponding integrator stages, the moments of the data into the inputs of the following PWM stages  105   a  to  105 N are varied. In turn, the moments of the PWM outputs are corrected to reduce distortion, which would otherwise result from time varying output energy moments. For example, to correct for variations in the second moment in a given PWM output pattern, nonlinear correction factors are fed back to at least the second integration stages of the delta-sigma modulator loop filters  201   a  to  201   d  and  209 .  
         [0036]    Returning to FIG. 2C, a single-bit quantizer  214  and a delay element (Z −1 )  215  preferably generate the output of modulator  200 . The resulting output signal is fed-back to the inverting input of the modulator-input summer  216  to close the delta-sigma loop. By interleaving between independent sets of filter stages  201   a - 201   d , each set of filter stages  201   a - 201   d  is contributing to the input of summer  208  at one-quarter (¼) of the sampling rate fs at the modulator input. Consequently, the poles and zeros set by filter sets  201   a - 201   d  are translated to the z-plane points shown in FIG. 2B.  
         [0037]    Continuing with the by-four interleaved (N=4) embodiment of data converter  100  of FIG. 1, the four 32 fs quantized sample streams output from interleaving circuitry  103  are respectively passed to four PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N. In this example, each PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N performs an eight-times (8×) oversampling from a 256 fs oversampling clock signal (i.e. M=8). The resulting PWM encoded output pulse streams overlap in time, as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 3 is a timing diagram depicting the conversion of an arbitrarily selected number of one-bit quantized samples output from noise shaper  102  at the 128 fs oversampling frequency into multiple PWM streams at the 256 fs oversampling frequency. In FIG. 3, eight representative bits or samples (1-8) from the output of noise shaper  102  are shown by the trace labeled NSOUT. After a by-four interleave each PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N operates on a new operand (sample) at the 32 fs rate as respectively shown by the overlapping streams labeled PWM 1 , PWM 2 , PWM 3 , and PWM 4 .  
         [0039]    For an eight-times oversampling, each PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N encodes each corresponding sample received at the 32 fs oversampling frequency into PWM encoded pulses, which are eight (8) periods of the 256 fs oversampling clock signal, as represented by the streams labeled PWM 1OUT , PWM 20U T, PWM 3OUT , and PWM 40UT  in FIG. 3. For example, the PWM 10UT  stream represents the output samples  1  and  5  of the noise shaper  102 , after by-four interleaving by interleaving circuitry  103  and eight-times oversampling by the corresponding PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N, as PWM modulation periods (pulses)  1 - 1  through  1 - 8  and  5 - 1  to  5 - 8 .  
         [0040]    The PWM encoded bitstreams PWM 1OUT , PWM 20UT , PWM 3OUT , and PWM 4OUT  are offset in time by two periods of the 256 fs PWM oversampling clock (or equivalently one period of the 128 fs noise shaper oversampling clock). Each of these time-overlapped streams modulates energy in the signal baseband of approximately 0 to fs/2 along with significant energy at the harmonics of the repeat frequency 32 fs (e.g. 32 fs, 64 fs, 96 fs, and so on) as shown in trace  401  of the output gain versus frequency plot of FIG. 4. Consequently, each of the four PWM stages  104   a  to  104 N is associated with an output FIR filter  105   a  to  105 N with a response generally shown by trace  402  in FIG. 4. In particular, the response of each FIR filter  105   a  to  105 N has notches about the harmonics of 32 fs corresponding to the peaks in the output response of the corresponding PWM stage  104   a  to  104 N at the same frequencies. FIR response  402  is achieved, for example, by using  16  stage boxcar FIR filters with simple coefficients.  
         [0041]    In an embodiment with four digital-in, analog-out FIR filters  105   a    105   a  to  105 N, each having a 16 stage boxcar filter, sixty-four analog outputs are provided into output summer  106 . The sixty-four analog outputs overlap in time and are matched in usage and transition rate (transition density). The result is a continuous-time, analog output with minimal noise and distortion due to ISI. Advantageously, the structure is such that all DAC elements have the same edge rate and same duty cycle of use. To a significant degree, this advantage causes the cancellation of all distortion and noise products.  
         [0042]    The principles of the present invention are also embodied in the exemplary delta-sigma data converter  500  shown in FIG. 5 in which N number of delta-sigma modulators (noise shapers)  501   a - 501 N are interleaved in time and the resulting de-interleaved output streams are directly passed to output digital-in analog-out FIR filters  105   a  to  105 N. In FIG. 5, L is the oversampling factor for each noise shaping stage  501   a - 501 N. The quantized data streams from noise shaping stages  501   a - 501 N are converted in FIR filters  105   a , . . . ,N at a frequency greater than or equal to the oversampling frequency L∘(K/N)fs of noise shapers  501   a - 501  N. Advantageously, the DAC elements of FIR filters  105   a , . . . ,N are therefore matched in duty-cycle (usage) and transition rate as previously described.  
         [0043]    Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, these descriptions are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0044]    It is therefore, contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.