The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 03, 1995
Filed:
May. 11, 1994
Albert H Taddiken, McKinney, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A quantizer (20) includes a series of folding amplifiers (22) coupled by a binary weighted resistor ladder (44, 46, 48, 50). Each folding amplifier (22) includes resonant tunneling diodes (34, 36, 38, 40) to control switching of a transistor (32). The output of the folding amplifier (22), as determined by the switching state of the transistor (32), is compared to a reference voltage (V.sub.REF) by a comparator (42). The comparator (42) determines the correct output state of the folding amplifier (22) and generates a digital output signal (V.sub.01) representing a bit of the digital output. The binary weighted resistor ladder successively reduces the input swing received by each folding amplifier to provide fewer and fewer switching transitions at each successive folding amplifier to create the more significant bits of the digital output.