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:
Nov. 12, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2000
Seiichiro Sasaki, Tokyo, JP;
Oki Electric Industry Co, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An analog-to-digital (AD) converter includes a reference voltage generator for dividing a voltage between a first and a second reference potential to thereby generate low reference voltages of a low level, high reference voltages of a high level side, and medium reference voltages of a medium level. A first voltage comparator compares lower one of the medium reference voltages and an analog voltage input to the AD converter and outputs a first control signal if the analog voltage is higher than the lower medium reference voltage. A second voltage comparator compares higher one of the medium reference voltages and the analog voltage and outputs a second control signal if the analog voltage is lower than the higher medium reference voltage. In response to the second control signal, third voltage comparators each compare particular one of the low reference voltages and the analog voltage. Fourth voltage comparators each compare particular one of the medium voltages and the analog voltage. In response to the first control signal, fifth voltage comparators compare particular one of the high reference voltages and the analog voltage. A data output circuit generates and outputs digital data corresponding to the analog voltage on the basis of results of comparison output from the third, fourth and fifth voltage comparators.