Patent ID: 7924207

Claim:
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having an input range, the ADC comprising: means for receiving an analog input signal (Vin) having a value; ramp generating means for generating simultaneously a plurality of n ramp signals, wherein n is the number of ramp signals (Vramp 1,2, . . . n ) covering non-overlapping sub-ranges of a complete range of the input range; selection means for selecting one of said plurality of n ramp-signals (Vramp 1,2, . . . n ) whose sub-range includes the value of said analog input signal; a comparator for comparing said analog input signal (Vin) with said selected ramp signal (Vramp); and means, operating under the control of said comparator in response to the comparison of the analog input signal with the selected ramp signal of the plurality of n ramp signals, for outputting a digital representation of the value of said analog input signal.