Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/764,985, filed on Feb. 3, 2006. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD 
   The present disclosure relates to analog to digital converters. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Reducing power consumption of electronic devices has become increasingly important, particularly for battery powered devices such as laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, MP3 players and other devices. Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are commonly used in these electronic devices to transform analog signals to digital signals. Relative to other components, ADCs tend to consume a significant amount of power. Therefore, reducing the power consumption of the ADCs is important for reducing the overall power consumption of the system. The ADC may include a pipelined ADC that utilizes multiple stages. Each stage employs a sample and hold circuit that samples an analog input voltage V in  to the pipelined ADC or a residue voltage V res  from a prior stage. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a typical pipelined ADC  10  is shown. The ADC  10  includes a plurality of stages  12 - 1 ,  12 - 2 , and  12 - 3  (collectively stages  12 ) that are cascaded in series. Although three stages  12 - 1 ,  12 - 2 , and  12 - 3  are shown, the pipelined ADC  10  may include additional or fewer stages. Some of the ADC stages  12  include a sample and integrate (or hold) module  14  that samples and integrates (or holds) the analog input signal V in  or the residue signal V res  from a prior stage. 
   A low resolution A/D subconverter module  16  quantizes the held analog signal to a resolution of B i  bits where i corresponds to the current stage of the pipelined A/D converter  10 . The number of bits per stage B i  and/or the number of stages may be determined in part by the desired sampling rate and resolution. The output of the A/D subconverter module  16  is supplied to a low-resolution D/A subconverter module  18  that converts the resulting digital output signal back into an analog representation. 
   The D/A subconverter module  18  may have a resolution that is equivalent to that of the corresponding A/D subconverter module  16  of the same stage. A difference module  20  subtracts the analog output from the D/A subconverter module  18  from the voltage input V in  to generate a residue signal V res . The residue signal V res  is equal to the difference between the held analog signal (V in  or V res  from the prior stage) and the reconstructed analog signal. 
   An amplifier  22  may be used to amplify the residue signal. The amplified residue signal is output to the next stage  12 - 2  of the pipelined ADC  10 . The first ADC stage  12 - 1  of the pipelined ADC  10  operates on a most current analog input sample while the second ADC stage  12 - 2  operates on the amplified residue of the prior input sample. The third stage  12 - 3  operates on the amplified residue output by the second ADC stage  12 - 2 . 
   The concurrency of operations allows a conversion speed that is determined by the time it takes in one stage. Once a current stage has completed operating on the analog input sample received from the prior stage, the current stage is available to operate on the next sample. 
   SUMMARY 
   A pipelined analog to digital converter comprises N stages, wherein N is an integer greater than one. A sample and integrate circuit communicates with at least two stages of the N stages and includes a first amplifier that integrates one of the N stages while the sample and integrate circuit samples for another one of the N stages and that integrates for the another one of the N stages while the sample and integrate circuit samples for the one of the N stages. 
   A pipelined analog to digital converter comprises N stages, wherein N is an integer greater than one. A sample and integrate circuit communicates with at least two stages of the N stages. The sample and integrate circuit selectively samples a first voltage input to one of the at least two stages while integrating a difference between a sampled second voltage input of another one of the at least two stages and a second reference voltage to generate a second residue. The sample and integrate circuit selectively integrates a difference between the sampled first voltage and a first reference voltage to generate a first residue while sampling a second voltage input. 
   Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the disclosure, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a functional block diagram of a pipelined analog to digital converter according to the prior art; 
       FIG. 2A  is a functional block diagram of a sample and integrate circuit for use in a pipelined analog to digital converter having multiple stages; 
       FIG. 2B  is a more detailed functional block diagram of the sample and integrate circuit for adjacent stages of the pipelined analog to digital converter of  FIG. 2A ; 
       FIG. 2C  is a timing diagram for the circuit of  FIG. 2B ; 
       FIG. 3A  is an electrical schematic of a first exemplary sample and integrate circuit; 
       FIG. 3B  is an electrical schematic of a second exemplary sample and integrate circuit; 
       FIG. 4  is an electrical schematic of the circuit in  FIG. 3A  operating in a first phase; 
       FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of the circuit of  FIG. 3A  operating in a second phase; 
       FIG. 6A  is a functional block diagram of a hard disk drive; 
       FIG. 6B  is a functional block diagram of a digital versatile disk (DVD); 
       FIG. 6C  is a functional block diagram of a high definition television; 
       FIG. 6D  is a functional block diagram of a vehicle control system; 
       FIG. 6E  is a functional block diagram of a cellular phone; 
       FIG. 6F  is a functional block diagram of a set top box; and 
       FIG. 6G  is a functional block diagram of a media player. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements. As used herein, the term module, circuit and/or device refers to an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construed to mean a logical (A or B or C), using a non-exclusive logical or. It should be understood that steps within a method may be executed in different order without altering the principles of the present disclosure. 
   A pipelined analog to digital converter according to the present disclosure includes N stages. Each stage includes an operational amplifier that consumes current and that is used to implement sample and integrate functions. The operational amplifier consumes a significant amount of current. The operational amplifier is shared between even and odd stages to reduce overall power consumption. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2A , a sample and integrate circuit for use in a pipelined analog to digital converter  50  includes multiple stages  60 - 1 ,  60 - 2 , and  60 -N (collectively stages  60 ). A first sample and integrate circuit  64 - 1  is shared by the first and second stages  60 - 1  and  60 - 2 . A second sample and integrate circuit  64 - 2  is shared by the third and fourth stages  60 - 3  and  60 - 4 . An Mth sample and integrate circuit is shared by the (N−1)th and Nth stages  60 -N−1 and  60 -N. In some implementations, M=N/2, where M and N are integers. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2B , the sample and integrate circuit  64 - 1  performs the functions of the sample circuit  14 , the difference circuit  20  and the gain circuit  22 , as will be described further below. The sample and integrate circuit  64  samples V in     —     A  during one cycle and then integrates a difference or residue between V in     —     A  and V ref     —     A , which is the output of the D/A module  68  of the first stage  60 - 1 , and outputs the residue signal as V out     —     A . In an alternate clock phase the sample and integrate circuit  64 - 1  samples V inB  (in this case, V in     —     B =V out     —     A  since the adjacent stages are used) and then integrates a difference or residue between V in     —     B  and V ref     —     B , which is the output of the D/A module  68  of the second stage  60 - 2 , and outputs the residue signal as V out     —     B . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2C , a timing diagram of the operation of the pipeline stages is shown. The first stage  60 - 1  samples the incoming signal at t=T, and then in the next phase the residue signal is amplified. Then, the subsequent stage  60 - 2  samples the amplified residue at t=1.5T, and the same process repeats. During operation, an operational amplifier used for the sample and integrate circuit is used only during the amplification phase of the clock period while it remains inactive during the sampling phase. As a result, the bias current expended during the sampling phase is wasted. The operational amplifier is a significant current consuming block in a pipeline stage. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the operational amplifier is shared between even and odd stages in a time multiplexed manner according to the present disclosure. One approach is shown in  FIG. 3B . However, in this configuration, undesired coupling may occur through the parasitic capacitance of the off-state switches ( 105  and  106 ) to the sensitive summing nodes of the amplifier. In  FIG. 3A , two different input stages are used for the operational amplifier to minimize coupling. Having two separate input stages improves isolation between even and odd stages since summing nodes are different. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3A , a first exemplary sample and integrate circuit  100  is shown. The sample and integrate circuit  100  includes first and second portions  102  and  104  that include capacitors C 1  and C 2  and C 3  and C 4 , respectively. The capacitors C 1  and C 2  and C 3  and C 4  are connected in series. An amplifier  108  includes first and second inputs that are connected between capacitors C 1  and C 2  and C 3  and C 4 , respectively. The amplifier  108  includes first and second switches  110  and  112  that are connected by switches  114  and  116 , respectively, to an amplifier  120 . One end of the capacitor C 2  is connected by a switch  126  to an output of the amplifier  120 . One end of the capacitor C 3  is connected by a switch  128  to an output of the amplifier  120 . 
   A switch  134  selectively connects the capacitor C 1  to a voltage V in     —     A  or to V ref     —     A . V ref     —     A  is the output of the D/A converter  68  in the first stage. A switch  136  selectively connects the capacitors C 3  to a voltage V in     —     B  or to V ref     —     B . V ref     —     B  is the output of the D/A converter in the second stage. A switch  138  selectively connects an output of the amplifier  120  to V out     —     B  or V out     —     A  since the two stages are adjacent. In this circuit, V in     —     B =V out     —     A . Switches  140 ,  142 ,  144  and  146  selectively ground capacitors C 3 , C 4 , C 1  and C 2 , respectively. A switch control module  148  may be used to control the switches in the circuit  100 . The state of the switch depends upon phases Φ A  and Φ B  as indicated in  FIG. 3A . Having two separate input stages improves the isolation between even and odd stages since the summing nodes are different. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3B , a second exemplary sample and integrate circuit  100 - 1  is shown. An input of an amplifier  107  may be switched using switches  105  and  106 . Undesired coupling can occur through the parasitic capacitance of the off-state switches ( 105  and  106 ) to the sensitive summing nodes of the amplifier. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the circuit in  FIG. 3A  is shown operating in first and second phases. In  FIG. 4 , the switches are moved into the phase Φ B  position. In this position, the upper portion  102  samples an input voltage V in     —     A  for one stage (such as the first stage  60 - 1 ). The lower portion  104  integrates a difference between V in     —     B  and V ref     —     B  from another stage (such as the second stage  60 - 2 ). 
   In  FIG. 5 , the circuit of  FIG. 3A  is shown operating in a second phase. The switches are moved into the phase Φ A  position. In this position, the upper portion  102  integrates a difference between V in     —     A  and V ref     —     A  for the first stage  60 - 1 . The lower portion  104  samples a voltage V in     —     B  from the second stage  60 - 2 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 6A-6G , various exemplary implementations of the device are shown. Referring now to  FIG. 6A , the device can be implemented in a hard disk drive  400 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits and/or a power supply  403 , which are generally identified in  FIG. 6A  at  402 . In some implementations, the signal processing and/or control circuit  402  and/or other circuits (not shown) in the HDD  400  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, and/or format data that is output to and/or received from a magnetic storage medium  406 . 
   The HDD  400  may communicate with a host device (not shown) such as a computer, mobile computing devices such as personal digital assistants, cellular phones, media or MP3 players and the like, and/or other devices via one or more wired or wireless communication links  408 . The HDD  400  may be connected to memory  409  such as random access memory (RAM), low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory, read only memory (ROM) and/or other suitable electronic data storage. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6B , the device can be implemented in a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive  410 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified in  FIG. 6B  at  412 , mass data storage of the DVD drive  410  and/or a power supply  413 . The signal processing and/or control circuit  412  and/or other circuits (not shown) in the DVD  410  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, and/or format data that is read from and/or data written to an optical storage medium  416 . In some implementations, the signal processing and/or control circuit  412  and/or other circuits (not shown) in the DVD  410  can also perform other functions such as encoding and/or decoding and/or any other signal processing functions associated with a DVD drive. 
   The DVD drive  410  may communicate with an output device (not shown) such as a computer, television or other device via one or more wired or wireless communication links  417 . The DVD  410  may communicate with mass data storage  418  that stores data in a nonvolatile manner. The mass data storage  418  may include a hard disk drive (HDD). The HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The DVD  410  may be connected to memory  419  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6C , the device can be implemented in a high definition television (HDTV)  420 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified in  FIG. 6E  at  422 , a WLAN interface, mass data storage of the HDTV  420  and/or a power supply  423 . The HDTV  420  receives HDTV input signals in either a wired or wireless format and generates HDTV output signals for a display  426 . In some implementations, signal processing circuit and/or control circuit  422  and/or other circuits (not shown) of the HDTV  420  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, format data and/or perform any other type of HDTV processing that may be required. 
   The HDTV  420  may communicate with mass data storage  427  that stores data in a nonvolatile manner such as optical and/or magnetic storage devices. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A  and/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6B . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The HDTV  420  may be connected to memory  428  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. The HDTV  420  also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface  429 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6D , The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in a control system of a vehicle  430 , a WLAN interface, mass data storage of the vehicle control system and/or a power supply  433 . In some implementations, the device implement a powertrain control system  432  that receives inputs from one or more sensors such as temperature sensors, pressure sensors, rotational sensors, airflow sensors and/or any other suitable sensors and/or that generates one or more output control signals such as engine operating parameters, transmission operating parameters, and/or other control signals. 
   The device may also be implemented in other control systems  440  of the vehicle  430 . The control system  440  may likewise receive signals from input sensors  442  and/or output control signals to one or more output devices  444 . In some implementations, the control system  440  may be part of an anti-lock braking system (ABS), a navigation system, a telematics system, a vehicle telematics system, a lane departure system, an adaptive cruise control system, a vehicle entertainment system such as a stereo, DVD, compact disc and the like. Still other implementations are contemplated. 
   The powertrain control system  432  may communicate with mass data storage  446  that stores data in a nonvolatile manner. The mass data storage  446  may include optical and/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A  and/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6B . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The powertrain control system  432  may be connected to memory  447  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. The powertrain control system  432  also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface  448 . The control system  440  may also include mass data storage, memory and/or a WLAN interface (all not shown). 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6E , the device can be implemented in a cellular phone  450  that may include a cellular antenna  451 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified in  FIG. 6E  at  452 , a WLAN interface, mass data storage of the cellular phone  450  and/or a power supply  453 .] In some implementations, the cellular phone  450  includes a microphone  456 , an audio output  458  such as a speaker and/or audio output jack, a display  460  and/or an input device  462  such as a keypad, pointing device, voice actuation and/or other input device. The signal processing and/or control circuits  452  and/or other circuits (not shown) in the cellular phone  450  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, format data and/or perform other cellular phone functions. 
   The cellular phone  450  may communicate with mass data storage  464  that stores data in a nonvolatile manner such as optical and/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A  and/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6B . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The cellular phone  450  may be connected to memory  466  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. The cellular phone  450  also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface  468 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6F , the device can be implemented in a set top box  480 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified in  FIG. 6F  at  484 , a WLAN interface, mass data storage of the set top box  480  and/or a power supply  483 . The set top box  480  receives signals from a source such as a broadband source and outputs standard and/or high definition audio/video signals suitable for a display  488  such as a television and/or monitor and/or other video and/or audio output devices. The signal processing and/or control circuits  484  and/or other circuits (not shown) of the set top box  480  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, format data and/or perform any other set top box function. 
   The set top box  480  may communicate with mass data storage  490  that stores data in a nonvolatile manner. The mass data storage  490  may include optical and/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A  and/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6B . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The set top box  480  may be connected to memory  494  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. The set top box  480  also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface  496 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6G , the device can be implemented in a media player  500 . The device may implement and/or be implemented in analog to digital converters in either or both signal processing and/or control circuits, which are generally identified in  FIG. 6G  at  504 , a WLAN interface, mass data storage of the media player  500  and/or a power supply  503 .] In some implementations, the media player  500  includes a display  507  and/or a user input  508  such as a keypad, touchpad and the like. In some implementations, the media player  500  may employ a graphical user interface (GUI) that typically employs menus, drop down menus, icons and/or a point-and-click interface via the display  507  and/or user input  508 . The media player  500  further includes an audio output  509  such as a speaker and/or audio output jack. The signal processing and/or control circuits  504  and/or other circuits (not shown) of the media player  500  may process data, perform coding and/or encryption, perform calculations, format data and/or perform any other media player function. 
   The media player  500  may communicate with mass data storage  510  that stores data such as compressed audio and/or video content in a nonvolatile manner. In some implementations, the compressed audio files include files that are compliant with MP3 format or other suitable compressed audio and/or video formats. The mass data storage may include optical and/or magnetic storage devices for example hard disk drives HDD and/or DVDs. At least one HDD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6A  and/or at least one DVD may have the configuration shown in  FIG. 6B . The HDD may be a mini HDD that includes one or more platters having a diameter that is smaller than approximately 1.8″. The media player  500  may be connected to memory  514  such as RAM, ROM, low latency nonvolatile memory such as flash memory and/or other suitable electronic data storage. The media player  500  also may support connections with a WLAN via a WLAN network interface  516 . Still other implementations in addition to those described above are contemplated. 
   Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples, the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims.

Technology Category: 5