A Clipping-free Multi-bit $\Sigma\Delta$ Modulator with Digital-controlled Analog Integrators

디지털 제어 적분형의 차단 현상이 없는 A/D 다중 비트 $\Sigma\Delta$ 변조기

This paper proposes a multi-bit $\Sigma\Delta$ modulator arcitecture which eliminates signal clipping problem. To avoid signal clipping, the output values of intgrators are monitored and modified by a reference value. This oepration is recorded as a digital code to restore actual signal value. Due to the digital code, the substraction of feedback value from the multi-bit quantizer can be calculated by a digital adder and this simplifies dAC operation making the accurate DAC of conventional multi-bit $\Sigma\Delta$ modulator scheme unnecessary. These features make N-th modulator can be implemented by sharing an integrator among N stages to decrease the required chip area. As an experimental example, a 4th order .sum..DELTA. modulator with oversampling ratio of 64 was simulated to show over 130 DB SNR at rail-to-rail input sinusoidal signal.