Patent ID: 7439888

Claim:
A method for defining a digitized representation of an integral non-linearity response for a device; the method comprising the steps of: (a) in no particular order: (1) identifying a respective location of each respective significant departure of said integral non-linearity response having an amplitude greater than a predetermined amplitude; said identifying comprising the steps of: [a] extracting a first differential non-linearity response from said integral non-linearity response in a first trim state of said device; [b] effecting a first double moving average filtering of said first differential non-linearity response to produce a first-filtered response; [c] applying at least one trim factor to said device to establish said device in a second trim state; [d] extracting a second differential non-linearity response from said integral non-linearity response in said second trim state; [e] effecting a second double moving average filtering of said second differential non-linearity response to produce a second-filtered response; [f] determining a difference between said first-filtered response and said second-filtered response to produce a treated differential response; [g] identifying a respective maximum location of each respective maximum of said treated differential response within a highest excursion range; [h] identifying a respective code range substantially centered about each said respective maximum location; [i] imposing a zero excursion on said treated differential response within each said respective code range; [j] repeating steps (a)(1)(g), (a)(1)(h) and (a)(1)(j) for at least one succeeding lower adjacent excursion range from said highest excursion range until a predetermined number of excursion ranges are addressed; the lowest said excursion range addressed being related to said predetermined amplitude; and (2) determining a magnitude for each respective said significant departure; said determining comprising the step of: [a] subtracting a first representation of selected values of said integral non-linearity response on a first side of each said respective location from a second representation of selected values on a second side of each said respective location to obtain a difference value for each said respective location; said difference value representing said magnitude for each said respective significant departure; and (b) collecting each said location in association with each said respective magnitude for each said respective significant departure to establish an array of location-magnitude pairs; said array of location-magnitude pairs effecting said defining.