摘要:
A flash analog-to-digital converter includes 2.sup.N comparator circuits for an N bit resolution. Each comparator comprises a summing capacitor which is alternately connected to a reference ladder and to the input signal. The majority of the capacitors are substantially charged and discharged between input potential and reference potential each cycle. The charging/discharging tends to load both the reference ladder and the input signal source. The loading is reduced by including a D.C. biased FET between the input signal source and each summing capacitor. The FET's are biased to condition them to operate as source-followers with the summing capacitors as the load element for at least a portion of the input signal range. Respective ones of the summing capacitors are thereby precluded from charging/discharging over the full input signal excursion which in turn reduces loading on associated circuitry.
摘要:
A flash type A/D converter has a plurality of transistor switch means for alternately connecting respective ones of a plurality of reference potentials or input signal to a plurality of summing capacitors each serially connected to a self biased inverter (comparator) circuit. Certain ones of the switches are configured to operate in the source follower mode to preclude excessive capacitor discharging when extremes of input signal are applied. This reduces the current required to recharge the capacitors by the reference potential source and tends to limit loading affects on the reference source. In addition certain ones of the switch transistors have their turn on or threshold potentials tailored to effectively reduce feedthrough between the respective switch control electrodes and the capacitor-switch interconnection.
摘要:
A precise, high speed CMOS track (sample)/hold circuit uses a first circuit leg including four Schottky barrier diodes configured to form a Wheatstone bridge, a second leg with a single n-channel MOS transistor, an essentially constant current source having MOS transistors, a capacitor for holding output signal, and reverse biasing circuitry having MOS transistors for selectively reverse biasing the four diodes. An analog input signal is applied to the cathode of the first diode and to the anode of the second diode. An output signal of the same magnitude and polarity as the input signal is generated at an output terminal (the cathode of the third diode and the anode of the fourth diode) of the circuit when current flows through the first circuit leg. When the current flowing through the first circuit leg is switched to the second circuit leg, the capacitor, which is connected to an output terminal of the circuitry, holds the generated output signal level and the reverse biasing circuitry reverse biases all of the diodes so as to isolate the capacitor from all other components of the circuit.
摘要:
In a comparator circuit, first and second latchable circuits are connected in cascade between the output of an amplifying stage and the input of a decoder to enable the comparator to operate at significantly higher frequencies with lower error levels. An input signal, to be sampled, and a reference signal are applied to the input of the amplifying stage and a "sampled" signal indicative of the difference between the input and the reference is produced at the output of the amplifying stage. The "sampled" signal produced at the output of the amplifying stage is first processed, via the first latchable circuit operated in a regenerative mode to enhance the signal, during one time interval. The enhanced signal is then processed via the second latchable circuit operated in a regenerative mode tending to further enhance the signal, during a second, succeeding, time interval, for application to the decoder.
摘要:
In an A/D converter, a resistive network for producing 2.sup.n different voltage steps. The resistive network includes a coarse relatively high impedance resistive string which is subdivided into 2.sup.x coarse segments. The resistive network also includes a fine relatively high impedance resistive network comprised of a fine resistive element per coarse segment. Each fine resistive element is then subdivided into 2.sup.(n-x) fine sub-segments. In determining the value of an input voltage being sensed, all the coarse segments are used to sense which coarse segments brackets the input voltage. However, only the fine segment in parallel with the "bracketing" coarse resistor is then coupled to comparator means to sense which fine sub-segment brackets the input voltage.
摘要:
A digital-to-analog converter includes a plurality of pairs of complementary conductivity field-effect transistors (FETs) coupled for applying reference potentials to a resistive ladder network in response to the bit values of an input digital word. A variable voltage generator develops gate biasing voltage for the FETs of one conductivity. The biasing voltage has a magnitude controlled in response to a bridge circuit including a further pair of complementary conductivity FETs also coupled to the reference potentials. As a result, the complementary conductivity FETs are automatically caused to exhibit matched conductivity characteristics.
摘要:
Integral linearity error in the operating characteristics of an analog to digital converter employing sampling comparators is reduced by recurrently connecting at least one resistive shunt across a predetermined central portion of a reference voltage divider input to the comparators. The shunt resistance is approximately an order of magnitude larger than the resistance of the shunted part of the divider. Each recurrent connection interval is of fixed duration independent of sampling rate, and each interval spans the beginning of a recurrent time of connection of said divider to said comparators.
摘要:
An amplifying stage and a biasing stage for the amplifying stage, each include the same number and same types of IGFETs. The biasing stage components are interconnected to produce a control voltage which is a function of its components while being responsive to a reference level setting input voltage. The control voltage is applied to the amplifying stage which, when auto-zero'ed, functions as a voltage follower producing a voltage, at its input and output, which is substantially equal to the reference level applied to the biasing stage.
摘要:
To impede the counterfeiting of a valuable instrument (e.g., a cash card, negotiable instrument or any document), an issuance mark is formed on the instrument at a programmed distance from a reference mark located on the instrument. The information pertaining to the distance is encoded and written onto a storage medium located in the instrument. In a particular system embodying the invention, a card vending machine is programmed to encode cards with various parameters, such as the distance between the reference and issuance marks, by writing the parametric information into an information storage medium located in the card. As a corollary, in a particular system embodying the invention, a dispensing machine is programmed to read the information stored in the information storage medium and the parametric information present in the card and to then compare the stored information with the values of the actual parameters present in the card.
摘要:
A tag with features to enable its authenticity to be determined includes a hidden code intermixed with a visible pattern such that the hidden code is not readily detectable under ambient light condition, without the use of a specially designed reader. In one embodiment the tag is formed with a first layer containing a hidden code, formed of reflective elements, which overlies a second layer which is designed to absorb light having a predetermined wavelength (e.g., IR light). The hidden code can be detected by projecting a light source having the predetermined wavelength (e.g., an IR source) at a predetermined angle on the tag and using a sensor to sense the reflection from the tag.