| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a comparator and an ADC that operate at high speed and with high accuracy. <P>SOLUTION: An existing comparator takes longer time to produce a stable comparison result with decreasing difference between two input voltages input into the comparator, and can only produce a two-valued output. A state to the stable comparison result is normally called a metastable state. The present invention positively utilizes the metastable state. Specifically, detecting the metastable state leads to an intermediate determination between high and low levels. This can readily implement a comparator adapted to output three or more values. The comparator of the present invention can reduce the number of comparators used and can complete a comparison operation in a normally incomplete state of determination to help a speed improvement, and applications include a high speed and high accuracy apparatus such as an ADC (analog-digital converter). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2013,JPO&INPIT |
