US Patent Application 18338920. PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER DECODER SYSTEMS AND METHODS simplified abstract
Contents
PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER DECODER SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Organization Name
Inventor(s)
David M. Signoff of Santa Clara CA (US)
PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER DECODER SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A simplified explanation of the abstract
- This abstract for appeared for US patent application number 18338920 Titled 'PROGRAMMABLE DIGITAL-TO-ANALOG CONVERTER DECODER SYSTEMS AND METHODS'
Simplified Explanation
The abstract discusses the use of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and the variations that can occur in the analog output depending on which unit cells are activated. Each unit cell in the DAC is generally the same, but factors such as non-linearity or noise can affect the output. The fill order, or the order in which the unit cells are activated, can impact the linearity and noise of the DAC. To address this, the decision units in the DAC can be programmed to select which branches to activate, allowing for changes in the fill order based on a fill-selection signal. This flexibility in fill order can account for manufacturing variations, supply voltage gradients, output line routing, and environmental factors like temperature.
Original Abstract Submitted
A number of unit cells of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be simultaneously activated to generate an analog signal. However, while each unit cell may be generally the same, there may be variations such as non-linearity or noise in the analog output depending on which unit cells are activated for a given digital signal value. For example, as additional unit cells are activated for increased values of the analog signal, the fill order in which the unit cells are activated may affect the linearity/noise of the DAC. The decision units may be programmable to select which branches of the fractal DAC to activate, changing the fill order based on a fill-selection signal. The fill order may be set by a fill controller via the fill-selection signal to account for manufacturing variations, gradients in the supply voltage, output line routing, and/or environmental factors such as temperature.
