Patent Abstract:
A successive approximation analog-to-digital converter is used for converting an analog input signal into a corresponding digital output signal. The successive approximation analog-to-digital converter has a successive approximation register for storing a first digital bit stream and a second digital bit stream that are related to the analog input signal, and a digital-to-analog converter for generating a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage according to the first and second digital bit streams. The digital-to-analog converter has a first voltage divider and a second voltage divider. The first voltage divider drives the first reference voltage approaching the analog input signal to establish the first digital bit stream, and the second voltage divider drives the second reference voltage approaching the analog input signal to establish the second digital bit stream. Finally, the first and second digital bit streams are averaged to generate the digital output signal.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of signal transformation for successive approximation for an analog-to-digital converter, and more specifically, to a method with increased resolution. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Recently, thanks to developments in computers, the world is entering the digital era. Videotapes, audiotapes and other analog data storage media are being gradually replaced by digital storage media, such as optical disks. Digital data can be processed by a computer system directly, so the application is more convenient. Generally speaking, analog signals require an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to be transformed into digital signals. The most common ADC construction includes flash ADC, pipeline ADC and successive approximation ADC. Although flash ADC and pipeline ADC are faster than successive approximation ADC, their electricity consumption is also larger, and are not suitable for many systems with limited power supply. 
     Please refer to FIG.  1 . FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a prior art successive approximation ADC  10 . The successive approximation ADC  10  comprises a comparator  12 , a control logic circuit  13 , a successive approximation register (SAR)  14 , and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC)  16 . The successive approximation register  14  comprises a digital bit stream  18  having a plurality of bits, such as a most significant bit (MSB)  20  and a least significant bit (LSB)  22 . The successive approximation register  14  referencing the digital value  18  will output a digital signal  24  to the DAC  16 , and then the DAC  16  will transform the digital signal  24  into an analog reference signal  26 . The comparator  12  will compare the analog reference signal  26  and an analog input signal  28  to form a comparison result  30 . For instance, if the analog reference signal  26  is larger than the analog input signal  28 , the comparison result  30  will be binary value “0”. On the contrary, if the analog reference signal  26  is smaller than the analog input signal  28 , the comparison result  30  will be binary value “1”. The control logic circuit  13  based on the comparison result  30  adjusts the digital value  18  stored in the successive approximation register  14  accordingly. As the digital value  18  changes, the digital signal  24  will also change and further influence the magnitude of the output analog reference signal  26  from the DAC  16 . This process will continue until the analog reference signal  26  approximates the analog input signal  28  and the least significant bit  22  of digital value  18  is set. 
     Please refer to FIG.  2  and FIG.  3 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the DAC  16  shown in FIG.  1  . FIG. 3 is a voltage level diagram of the analog reference signal  26  shown in FIG. 1 The DAC  16  comprises a plurality of switches  34   a-d , a plurality of first resistors  36  and a plurality of second resistors  38 . The resistance value (2R) of each first resistor  36  is twice the resistance value (R) of each second resistor  38 , and the method of electronic connection for the first resistor  36  and the second resistor  38  is a ladder-like architecture used as a voltage divider. Each switch  34  is used to select the voltage input for each first resistor  36 , such as a ground (GND) or an operational voltage (Vdd). In addition, every switch  34  maps to a corresponding bit of the digital value  18 , and if a bit has a binary value “1” in it, the corresponding switch  34  selects operational voltage Vdd. However, if a bit has a binary value “0” in it, the corresponding switch  34  selects ground GND. Please note, for easier illustration, FIG. 3 only shows four switches  34   a-d , and it is assumed that the bit length of digital value  18  is 4. Among them, switch  34   a  maps to most significant bit  20 , while switch  34   d  maps to the least significant bit  22 . A voltage level of output terminal A from the DAC  16  changes according to the voltage (Vdd or GND) at every switch  34 . If the digital value  18  is “1000”, switch  34   a  will connect to Vdd, while switches  34   b ,  34   c , and  34   d  will all connect to GND. From the voltage divider circuit formed by resistors  36  and  38 , we know the voltage level of output terminal A is ½*Vdd. Similarly, if the digital value  18  is “0100”, the voltage level of the output terminal A is ¼*Vdd. If the digital value  18  is “0001”, the voltage level of output terminal A is ⅛*Vdd. If digital value  18  is “0000”, the voltage level of output terminal A is {fraction (1/16)}*Vdd. So if D 3 , D 2 , D 1  and D 0  represent digital values  18  from the most significant bit to the least significant bit respectively, by the superposition principle, we can conclude the following relationship between the voltage level Va of output terminal A and the digital value  18 : 
     
       
           Va =(½ *D   3 +¼ *D   2 +⅛ *D   1 +{fraction (1/16)} *D   0 )*(Vdd−GND) 
       
     
     By changing the bit value of digital value  18 , one can further adjust voltage level Va (the reference signal  26  shown in FIG. 1) at output terminal A of the DAC  16 . When the successive approximation ADC  10  starts operation, the successive approximation register  14  will set the most significant bit D 3  of the digital value  18  to be “1”, and the other bits D 2 ˜D 0  to be “0”.That is, the initial value of the digital value  18  is “1000”. So during a first pulse  40   a , the voltage level of the analog reference signal  26  is ½*Vdd, as shown in FIG.  3 . The voltage level of the analog input signal  28  is greater than the analog reference signal  26 , so comparator  12  will transfer the result of comparison  30  into the successive approximation register  14 . Because the voltage level of analog reference signal  26  is smaller than analog input signal  28 , the successive approximation register  14  keeps the “1” in the most significant bit D 3 , and sets the next bit D 2  to “1”. Now the digital value  18  is “1100”. So during a second pulse  40   b , the voltage level of the analog reference signal  26  is (½+¼)*Vdd. But, the voltage level of the analog input signal  28  is smaller than the analog reference signal  26 , so the comparator  12  will transfer the results of comparison  30  into the successive approximation register  14 . The successive approximation register  14  will reset bit D 2  to “0”, and set the next bit D 1  to “1”, now the digital value  18  is “1010”. During a third pulse  40   c , the voltage level of the analog reference signal  26  is (½+⅛)*Vdd, and the voltage level of the analog input signal  28  is greater than the analog reference signal  26 , so the comparator  12  will transfer the result of comparison  30  into the successive approximation register  14 . As described, the successive approximation register  14  keeps the “1” in bit D 1 , and sets the next bit to “1”, and the digital value  18  becomes “1011”. Finally, during the fourth pulse  40   c , the voltage level of the analog reference signal  26  is (½+⅛+{fraction (1/16)})*Vdd, and the voltage level of the analog input signal  28  is greater than the analog reference signal  26 , so the comparator  12  transfers the result of comparison  30  into the successive approximation register  14 . As described, the successive approximation register  14  keeps the “1” in bit D 0 . Since bit D 0  is the least significant bit, the successive approximation ADC  10  is finished one signal transformation process, that is, the analog input signal  28  is finally transformed into digital output signal  32  shown in FIG. 1 (“1011”). 
     As described above, the successive approximation ADC  10  use the prior art binary search algorithm to detect voltage levels of the analog input signal  28  to produce the digital output signal  32 . For a successive approximation ADC  10  to transform an analog input signal  28  into a 4-bit digital output signal  32 , the smallest output quantity value that the DAC  16  can produce is {fraction (1/16)}*Vdd, this being the resolution of the successive approximation ADC  10 . If the successive approximation register  14  uses more bits (e.g. 10 bits) for the digital value  18 , this relatively improves the resolution of the successive approximation ADC  10  (e.g. 1/1024*Vdd) allowing measurement of the analog input signal  28  with better accuracy producing a more accurate output signal  32 . In general, the successive approximation ADC  10  is an integrated circuit (IC), produced by semiconductor processes. Normally, it will incorporate one conductor layer or impurity doped layer to form a resistor component, such resistor component being influenced by the process and having an error between the actual resistance and ideal value. That is, there cannot be a completely accurate predefined ratio (2:1) of the resistances of resistors  36  and  38 . Because the DAC  16  uses voltage divider architecture formed by resistors  36  and  38  to produce matching voltage levels by the binary search method, the error of each resistance further influences the least quantified value of the DAC  16 , i.e. the resolution. Thus, when the DAC  16  uses the binary search to compare the voltage level of the input signal  28  to the analog reference signal  26 , the inaccurate analog reference signal  26  causes errors from the ideal value in the actual digital output signal  32 . 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     It is the primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a signal transformation method for a successive approximation ADC to improve resolution to solve the problems described above. 
     Briefly summarized, the claimed invention provides a method of signal transformation in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC is used to transform an analog input signal to a digital output signal. The ADC comprises a successive approximation register (SAR) to store a digital value with a predetermined bit length, and one digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The ADC further comprises a first voltage divider unit with an input terminal electrically connected to a first predetermined voltage, a second voltage divider unit with an input terminal electrically connected to the first predetermined voltage, and a third voltage divider unit. The first voltage divider unit comprises a first resistor that is used to approach a first resistance, and a first switch that Is electrically connected to the first resistor for controlling whether the output terminal of the first voltage divider unit is electrically connected to the input terminal. The second voltage divider unit comprises a second resistor that is used to approach the first resistance, and a second switch that is electrically connected to the second resistor for controlling whether the output terminal of the second voltage divider unit is electrically connected to the input terminal. The third voltage divider unit comprises a plurality of third resistors, each having a resistance approaching the first resistance value; a plurality of fourth resistors connected in series between the output end of the first voltage divider unit and the output end of the second voltage divider unit, each fourth resistor having a resistance approaching a second resistance value and both ends of each fourth resistor connected to two adjacent third resistors; and a plurality of control switches. Each control switch comprisesa third switch connected between a third resistor and the first predetermined voltage and a fourth switch connected between a third resistor and a second predetermined voltage. The signal converting method comprises controlling the first switch and the second switch to electrically connect the first voltage divider unit to the first predetermined voltage and to disconnect the second voltage divider unit from the first predetermined voltage, controlling the plurality of control switches for the output end of the second divider unit generating a first voltage approaching the analog input signal, and controlling the successive approximation register generating a first digital bit stream according to the first voltage. The method further comprises controlling the first switch and the second switch to disconnect the first voltage divider unit from the first predetermined voltage and to electrically connect the second voltage divider unit to the first predetermined voltage, controlling the plurality of control switches for the output end of the first divider unit generating a second voltage approaching the analog input signal, and controlling the successive approximation register generating a second digital bit stream according to the second voltage. The method finally comprises computing an average of the first digital bit stream and the second digital bit stream to generate the digital output signal. 
     These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a prior art successive approximation ADC. 
     FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the DAC shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a voltage level diagram of the analog signal shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the present invention successive approximation ADC. 
     FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the DAC shown in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Please refer to FIG.  4 . FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the present invention successive approximation ADC  50 . The successive approximation ADC  50  comprises a comparator  52 , a control logic circuit  54 , a successive approximation register  56 , a logic computing module  58 , and a DAC  60 . The successive approximation register  56  comprises a first digital value  62  and a second digital value  64 . The comparator  52  is used to compare an analog input signal  66  with an analog reference signal  68 , and output a relative comparison result  70  to the successive approximation register  56 . The successive approximation register  56  adjusts and updates the first and second digital values  62  and  64  according to the comparison result  70 . In the preferred embodiment, the successive approximation ADC  50  performs two signal conversions on analog input data  66 , The digital conversion results are stored in the first and second digital value  62  and  64  respectively. The successive approximation ADC  50  then transfers the first and second digital values  62 ,  64  to the logic computing module  58 . The logic computing module  58  computes an average of the first digital value  62  and the second digital value  64 , that is, the logic computing module  58  performs addition on the first digital value  62  and the second digital value  64 , and then uses a prior art bit shift logic operation to divide the sum of digital values  62  and  64  in half. This average is the corresponding digital output signal  72  of the analog input signal  66 . 
     Please refer to FIG.  5 . FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the DAC  60  shown on FIG.  4 . The DAC  60  comprises a multiplexer/selector  73 , a first voltage divider unit  74 , a second voltage divider unit  76 , and a third voltage divider  78  The first voltage divider unit  74  comprises a resistor R 5  and a switch  80 , and second voltage divider  76  comprises a resistor R 6  and a switch  82 . The switches  80 ,  82  are used to control whether the first voltage divider unit  74  and the second voltage divider unit  76  are connected to ground GND. The third voltage divider unit  78  comprises a plurality of resistors R 1  R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , Rs 1 , Rs 2 , and Rs 3  and a plurality of switches  84   a ,  84   b ,  84   c , and  84   d . Please note, for description purposes, the preferred embodiment only uses 4 switches  84   a-d  in demonstration (that is, the first and second digital values  62  and  64  have 4 digits). But actually, the bit lengths of the first and second digital value  62  and  64  of the successive approximation register  56  are used to set up switches  84  accordingly. 
     The operational principle of the present invention is described as follows. First, the control logic circuit  54  controls the DAC  60  to disable the switch  80  of the first voltage divider unit  74  to form an open circuit, and enable the switch  82  of the second voltage divider unit  76  to electrically connect to ground GND. Thus, the DAC  60  is equivalent to the divider circuit formed by the second divider unit  76  and the third divider unit  78 . In addition, the control logic circuit  54  controls multiplexer/selector  73  to choose the output voltage of terminal X, that is, the output voltage of terminal X is used as the analog reference signal  68  of the DAC  60  input to the comparator  52 . Switches  84   a ,  84   b ,  84   c , and  84   d  are sequentially mapped to bits of first digital value  62 . The most significant bit maps to switch  84   a , and the least significant bit maps to switch  84   d . So, based on the prior binary search method, we can get the first digital value  62  of the corresponding analog input signal  66 . Then, control logic circuit  54  controls the DAC  60  to disable the switch  82  of the second voltage divider unit  76  to form an open circuit, and enable the switch  80  of the first voltage divider unit  74  to electrically connect to ground GND. Thus, the DAC  60  is equivalent to the divider circuit formed by first divider unit  74  and third divider unit  78 . In addition, the control logic circuit  54  controls multiplexer/selector  73  to choose the output voltage of terminal Y, that is, the output voltage of terminal Y is used as the analog reference signal  68  of the DAC  60  input to the comparator  52 . The switches  84   a ,  84   b ,  84   c , and  84   d  are sequentially mapped to bits of the second digital value  64 . The most significant bit maps to switch  84   d , and the least significant bit maps to switch  84   a . So, based on the prior binary search method, we can get the second digital value  64  of the corresponding analog input signal  66 . Please note, because the divider circuit formed by first divider unit  74  and third divider unit  78 , and the divider circuit formed by the second divider unit  76  and third divider unit  78  have symmetric circuit structure from top to bottom, the sequence mapping of switches  84  and second digital value  64  to the sequence mapping of switches  84  and first digital value  62  are likewise reversed. The multiplexer/selector  73  selects the voltage level from the terminal Y and the terminal X respectively for reference analog signal  68 . 
     In an ideal situation, the resistance of resistors Rs 1 , Rs 2 , and Rs 3  should be half of the resistance of resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and RS. However, affected by semiconductor manufacturing processes, each resistor has an error in resistance. Thus, the resistances of resistors Rs 1 , Rs 2 , and Rs 3  do not precisely match with the resistances of resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6  with a predetermined ratio (1:2). Therefore, the analog reference signal  68  will deviate from an ideal value causing errors in the digital values  62 ,  64 . If D 3 , D 3 , D 1 , and D 0  represent the most significant bit to the least significant bit of the first digital value  62  respectively, the relation of voltage level on terminal X (Vx) to the first digital value  62  is: 
     
       
           Vx =( K   13 * D   3 + K   12 * D   2 + K   11 * D   1 + K   10 * D   0 )*( Vdd−GND ) 
       
     
     If D 3 , D 3 , D 1 , and D 0  represent the most significant bit to the least significant bit of the second digital value  64  respectively, the relation of voltage level on terminal Y (Vy) to the second digital value  64  is: 
     
       
           Vy =( K   23 * D   3 + K   22 * D   2 + K   21 * D   1 + K   20 * D   0 )*( Vdd−CND ) 
       
     
     Wherein the ideal values of K 13 , K 12 , K 11 , and K 10  are ½, ¼, ⅛ and {fraction (1/16)} respectively; and the ideal values of K 23 , K 22 , K 21 , and K 20  are ½, ¼, ⅛ and {fraction (1/16)} respectively. 
     The first digital value  62  corresponds to the divider circuit formed by the second divider unit  76  and the third divider unit  78 . And the second digital value  64  corresponds to the divider circuit formed by the first divider unit  74  and the third divider unit  78 . In the preferred embodiment, the third divider unit  78  is used by the corresponding divider circuit of the first digital value  62  and the second digital value  64 , and the third divider unit  78  is the main part of the divider circuit. However, the resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , Rs 1 , Rs 2 , and Rs 3  of the third divider unit  78  each have different influences on the corresponding divider circuit of the first and second digital values  62 ,  64 . Finally, when the logic computing module  58  performs the average computing process on the first and second digital values  62 ,  64 , the errors of the first and second digital values  62 ,  64  that are caused by the mismatch of resistors (caused by the semiconductor process) of the DAC  60  will be minimized, because of the averaging computing process. 
     Analog reference signal  68 ={[(K 13 +K 23 )/2]*D 3 +[(K 12 +K 22 )/2]*D 2 +[(K 11 +K 21 )/2*D 1 ]+[(K 10 +K 20 )/2]*D 0 }}*(Vdd−GND) 
     In other words, the resistances of the original resistors Rs 1 , Rs 2 , and Rs 3  and the resistances of the resistors R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , and R 6  do not match with the predetermined ratio (1:2), so coefficients K 13 , K 23 , K 12 , K 22 , K 11 , K 21 , K 10 , and K 20  deviate from the ideal values (e.g. ½, ¼, ⅛ and {fraction (1/16)}). However, averaging the first and second digital values  62 ,  64  can improve voltage levels of the reference signal  68  equally, and make the analog reference signal  68  approach analog input signal  66  with more accuracy, and improve the effect caused by the mismatched resistors. Thus, the corresponding analog input signal  66  and the digital output signal  72  will be closer to their ideal values. 
     Compared to the prior art, the present invention successive approximation ADC  50  uses a successive approximation register  56  and a DAC  60  to perform two signal conversions on one analog input signal. The DAC  60  uses two symmetrically constructed divider circuits to perform these two signal conversions. Finally, it uses one logic computing module  58  to average the two digital values from the two signal conversions to create the digital output signal corresponding to the analog input signal. This reduces the detrimental effect caused by mismatched resistors in the divider circuits, so the digital output signal and the resolution are closer to the ideal values. In addition, the present invention successive approximation ADC  50  only adds one resistor to achieve two symmetric divider circuits, so the circuit structure is simple and the cost is relatively low. Furthermore the averaging of two digital values can be easily accomplished by a simple logic operation, so the present invention successive approximation ADC not only has improved resolution but the circuit has a simple implementation. 
     Described above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7