Patent ID: 8477054

Claim:
A device ( 1000 ; 2000 ) for encoding an input signal ( 102 ) into a digital pulse-width and/or phase modulated output signal ( 162 ), said signal being referred to hereinafter as a digital output signal ( 162 ), said device comprising: an input for receiving the input signal ( 102 ) and an output for outputting the digital output signal ( 162 ), a phase encoder ( 100 ) configured to derive a binary first start phase word ( 104 ) and a binary first terminal phase word ( 106 ) with a first resolution from the input signal ( 102 ), wherein the first start phase word ( 104 ) determines a starting time within an encoding period, at which a rising edge of a target pulse ( 108 ) is to occur in the digital output signal ( 162 ), and the first terminal phase word ( 106 ) determines a termination point within the encoding period, at which a falling edge of the target pulse ( 108 ) is to occur in the digital output signal ( 162 ), a phase interpolator ( 110 ) connected downstream from the phase encoder ( 100 ) and configured to convert the first start phase word ( 104 ) into a plurality of second binary start phase words ( 114 . 1 . . . M) and the first terminal phase word ( 106 ) into a plurality of second binary terminal phase words ( 116 . 1 . . . M), with a second resolution that is smaller than the first resolution, wherein a respective second start phase word describes one of N possible discrete times in the encoding period and thus approximately determines the starting time with the second resolution, and a respective second terminal phase word describes one of the N possible discrete times in the encoding period and thus approximately determines the termination point with the second resolution, and an output signal generator ( 130 , 140 , 150 , 160 ; 200 , 220 ) configured to convert the plurality of second start phase words ( 114 . 1 . . . M) and the plurality of second terminal phase words ( 116 . 1 . . . M) into a serial sequence of output pulses and to output these as an output signal ( 162 ) via the output, the serial sequence of output pulses corresponding on average over time to the target pulse ( 108 ).