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:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1996
John Houldsworth, Reston, VA (US);
Duality Semiconductor, Inc., Vienna, VA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to providing a generalized system and method for enabling circuit design and fabrication in the delta sigma domain. In accordance with exemplary embodiments, a framework for such a system is based on a library of generalized operators that can receive multiple inputs, and that can be randomly chained together. Further, the operators are specifically configured to guarantee valid (e.g., bounded and/or stable) results, and to provide closure within the delta sigma domain; that is, to produce valid intermediate results in the delta sigma domain. Linear operators are configured to provide closure by complying with at least two criteria: (1) with respect to linear operators, at least one of (a) the inputs and (b) the output of a portion of the operator used to implement a mathematical function is scaled (e.g., normalized) to guarantee valid results; and (2) outputs from each mathematical operation are remodulated into a single bit stream in the delta sigma domain. Further, nonlinear operators such as multiplication operators, are configured with an eye toward producing valid results in the delta sigma domain. For example, with respect to nonlinear operators such as multipliers, at least one operand is restricted to being a non-delta sigma input (i.e., quantization noise-free). As with linear operators, the outputs from portions of nonlinear operators used to implement mathematical operations are remodulated to a single bit stream in the delta sigma domain.