Patent ID: 7215267

Claim:
An analog-to-digital converter system comprising: an analog-to-digital converter for receiving an analog input signal and for generating a digital signal on its output; the output of said analog-to-digital converter being dominated by quantization error; dither generator responsive to a user-controlled input signal for controlling said dither generator so as to generate an output signal; a summer for summing said digital signal from said analog-to-digital converter with said output signal from said dither generator and for providing a summed signal; said user-controlled input signal being applied to an input pin for selectively inputting a dither control signal to said dither generator; said summed signal not being dominated by quantization error when the dither control signal is not activated and said summed signal being properly dithered when the dither control signal is activated; and said dither control signal being applied to a register via the input pin and a serial port interface externally of the converter system.