Patent ID: 8658959

Claim:
An analog-to-digital conversion device for receiving voltages for conversion on parallel inputs with which it is provided, said device including: a single reference voltage generation circuit for the generation of reference voltages that are constant and then decreasing over time, according to discrete values, said voltage generation circuit including: a current source configured to generate a first constant current; a first resistive bridge formed of resistances in series and connected to the constant current source, the voltages at the nodes of the first resistive bridge forming the reference voltages; a voltage source configured to produce a decreasing voltage on an injection node of the first resistive bridge; a contact breaker for controlling the connection of the voltage source to the injection node of the first resistive bridge, said voltage generation circuit configured to generate reference voltages that are constant and then decreasing over time, according to discrete values; and a digitization circuit connected to each parallel input of the device, said circuit being connected to the reference voltage generation circuit and including: means for comparing the voltage for conversion received on one of the parallel inputs of the device with the reference voltages; means for selecting the reference voltage whereof the value, when said reference voltage is constant, is immediately higher than the voltage for conversion; means for counting a number of time units necessary for the reference voltage selected to become lower than the voltage for conversion when said reference voltage is decreased; and means for storing on the one hand, a reference associated with the constant reference voltage which is immediately lower than or equal to the voltage for conversion, and on the other hand, the number of counted time units, the high-order bits of the digital value of the voltage for conversion corresponding to said reference, and the low-order bits of said digital value corresponding to the number of counted time units.