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:
Feb. 24, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 26, 1994
Applicant:
Inventors:
Lawrence M Burns, Mountain View, CA (US);
William E Stanchina, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Assignee:
Hughes Aircraft Company, , US;
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H03K / ; H03K / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
327199 ; 327 78 ; 327195 ; 327570 ; 326 52 ;
Abstract
The number of input latching comparators in a flash analog-to-digital converter is significantly reduced by merging the input latching function into exclusive OR gates used in the converter's decoding section. A latching exclusive OR gate used for this purpose employs resonant tunneling diodes as the latching devices, with hysteresis and impedance elements connected to ensure that the gate latches in a logic state that corresponds to the input analog signal. The latching logic gates operate in a current mode, enabling updated logic states to be latched in response to a periodic clock signal.