Patent ID: 8624653

Claim:
A method for operating a comparator, the method comprising: in a first mode of operation, providing a first reference voltage of a plurality of reference voltages to a first input of a first comparator, the first comparator including an output to provide an indication of a comparison of a variable voltage received at a second input of the first comparator with the first reference voltage; and in a second mode of operation, providing a second reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the first input of the first comparator and providing a third reference voltage of the plurality of reference voltages to the second input of the first comparator, wherein providing the second reference voltage and providing the third reference voltage further comprises selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages to be provided to the first and second inputs of the first comparator; and measuring a first switching offset voltage of the first comparator based on the second reference voltage and the third reference voltage; wherein selecting successive reference voltages of the plurality of reference voltages further comprises providing the second reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator prior to providing the second reference voltage to the first input of the first comparator and the third reference voltage to the second input of the first comparator.