Patent ID: 7642939

Claim:
A method of transferring signal samples over a digital interface of a data converter implemented in a single integrated circuit including N analog to digital converters (ADCs), N analog inputs at an analog interface for receiving N analog signals, where N is greater than one, and a plurality of data ports at the digital interface, the method comprising: digitally sampling in parallel the N analog signals received at the analog interface of the integrated circuit using the N ADCs to form N signal samples per sample period, wherein each ADC operates at a sample rate to produce one signal sample per sample period, the signal sample represented by a number of bits per sample such that the ADC produces bits at an ADC bit rate; mapping the bits of the N signal samples for each sample period to M subsets of bits to form M multiplexed data sets, where M is greater than one and less than N, wherein each multiplexed data set includes a number of multiplexed bits equal to the number of bits per sample multiplied by N then divided by M; and transmitting the M multiplexed data sets in parallel over M of the data ports of the integrated circuit, wherein each data port transmits a corresponding multiplexed data set at a data transfer rate that is greater than the ADC bit rate.