Patent
Method and apparatus for analog to digital conversion
TLDR
In this article, an analog voltage signal is converted to a digital output reading by applying it to a variable frequency oscillator, the output frequency of which is proportional to the applied signal.Abstract:
An analog voltage signal is converted to a digital output reading by applying it to a variable frequency oscillator, the output frequency of which is proportional to the applied signal. Initially, the oscillator is set to oscillate at a given reference frequency for zero voltage input signals. The analog signal is then applied to the oscillator for a first given time interval. The output of the oscillator is counted by an up-down counter during this first period to provide a count proportional to the sum of the reference frequency and frequency resulting from the analog signal. The input applied to the oscillator is then changed to either zero volts or the reversed polarity of the analog signal during a second given time interval and the direction of the counter is changed to count the output of the oscillator in a down direction during this second time interval. The resulting counting total after the first and second time intervals registered in the counter is then directly proportional to the value of the analog signal, the count from the reference frequency having been subtracted out over the two time intervals. Any drift effects in the variable frequency oscillator are thus cancelled and a more accurate digital output reading corresponding to the analog signal results. Further features of the method and apparatus contemplate providing an output count in the form of a ratio of a number corresponding to the analog signal and a fixed number provided by a constant input signal so that a scaling factor is provided.read more
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