COUNTER CIRCUIT, ANALOG/DIGITAL CONVERTER, APPARATUS WITH COUNTER CIRCUIT AND ANALOG/DIGITAL CONVERTER, COUNTING METHOD AND ANALOG/DIGITAL CONVERSION METHOD

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a counter circuit, apparatus including the same and counting method.

SOLUTION: A counter circuit includes a buffer section and a ripple counter. The buffer section generates at least one lower-bit signal by latching at least one input clock signal from an ending time point of a counting operation. The ripple counter generates a higher bit signal for sequential toggling in response to latch output signals corresponding to one of lower bit signals. The counter circuit has an improved operating speed and operating margin by carrying out counting twice or more for each cycle term of the input clock signal, the number of times of toggling the bit signal is decreased and power consumption is reduced.

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