Patent attributes
A time-to-digital converter (TDC) measures a time interval ΔTTot between a leading signal and a triggering signal. A phase regulator incorporates a looped delay line to create pre-defined sub-intervals TNOR determined by the length of the delay line. The phase regulator has an input receiving the leading signal such that the leading signal loops around the delay line. A counter for counting the number of times m the leading signal loops around the delay line before said triggering signal arrives to obtain a coarse measurement of the time interval defined in terms of the sub-intervals TNOR. A Vernier core for measures a residual time interval TR where TR=ΔTTot−mTNOR to obtain a value for the time interval ΔTTot. The TDC uses simpler encoding logic with reduced power consumption and phase noise performance better than 5 dB.
