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. 06, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 09, 2001
Stefan Groiss, Villach, AT;
Johannes Karl Sturm, Villach, AT;
Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, DE;
Abstract
The invention provides a circuit arrangement for conversion of an input current signal ( ) to a digital output signal ( ). In particular, the invention relates to a method for providing a low-capacitance voltage node for a comparator input of a tracking analog/digital converter. An input circuit node ( ) is supplied with an input current signal ( ). A feedback current signal ( ) is produced by the input circuit node ( ) in order to operate a tracking analog/digital converter. A difference current signal ( ) is likewise produced by the input circuit node ( ), and is supplied to a transimpedance resistance element ( ) connected to the input circuit node. A second connection of the transimpedance resistance element ( ) is connected to a reference circuit node ( ). An intermediate variable ( ) is produced at the reference circuit node ( ), and is supplied to a downstream converter device ( ). A constant voltage with respect to ground ( ) is maintained at the input circuit node ( ). The reference circuit node ( ) has a low capacitance with respect to ground ( ). There are thus no parasitic capacitances, or only negligible parasitic capacitances at the input of a downstream comparator ( ) of a tracking analog/digital converter, which means that there are virtually no time delays in the analog/digital conversion, and the speed of subsequent analog/digital conversion is thus increased.