Patent ID: 8618964

Claim:
A distributed threshold adjuster (DTA) interspersed between a plurality of stages of a multistage amplifier and configured to adjust the DC voltage of an input signal to facilitate a decision by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) comprising: an input signal terminal configured to receive the input signal; a plurality of current sources configured to produce an adjustment current signal whose amperage is configured to be increased or decreased by fixed steps in order to adjust the DC voltage of the input signal, wherein each of the plurality of current sources are configured to provide a current that may be selectively added or subtracted from the input signal; a control unit configured to selectively turn on or off the individual current sources of the plurality of current sources to select the amperage of the adjustment current signal; and an output terminal configured to produce an output signal, comprising a combination of the input signal and the adjustment current signal, to a stage of a multistage amplifier.