Disassembly-free metrological control of analog-to-digital converter parameters

The authors update the issue disassembly-free control and correction of all components of the error of measuring channels with multi-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The main disadvantages of existing methods for automatic control of the parameters of multi-bit ADCs, in particular their nonlinearity, are identified. Methods for minimizing instrumental errors and errors caused by limited internal resistances of closed switches, input and output resistances of active elements are investigated. The structures of devices for determining the multiplicative and nonlinear components of the error of multi-bit ADCs based on resistive dividers built on single-nominal resistors are proposed and analyzed. The authors propose a method for the correction of additive, multiplicative and nonlinear components of the error at each of the specified points of the conversion range during non-disassembly control of the ADC with both types of inputs. The possibility of non-disassembly control, as well as correction of multiplicative and nonlinear components of the error of multi-bit ADCs in the entire range of conversion during their on-site control is proven. ADC error correction procedures are proposed. These procedures are practically invariant to the non-informative parameters of active structures with resistive dividers composed of single-nominal resistors. In the article the prospects of practical implementation of the method of error correction during non-dismantling control of ADC parameters using the possibilities provided by modern microelectronic components are shown. The ways to minimize errors are proposed and the requirements to the choice of element parameters for the implementation of the proposed technical solutions are given. It is proved that the proposed structure can be used for non-disassembly control of multiplicative and nonlinear components of the error of precision instrumentation amplifiers.