Claims
- 1. An analog to digital converter (ADC) comprising:
storage configured to store one or more configuration parameter values; an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism; and control logic adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the one or more configuration parameter values stored in said storage.
- 2. The ADC of claim 1 wherein the storage is read/write storage.
- 3. The ADC of claim 1 wherein a plurality of configuration parameters are stored as one or more lists and the control logic is configured to cycle through at least one list, thereby altering the configuration of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 4. The ADC of claim 3 wherein a stored configuration parameter value controls the selection of an analog input channel from which an analog signal is to be converted to a digital signal.
- 5. The ADC of claim 3 wherein a stored configuration parameter value controls the resolution of an analog-to-digital conversion.
- 6. The ADC of claim 3 wherein a stored configuration parameter value controls the selection of a reference voltage input from which a reference voltage is obtained for use in an analog-to-digital conversion by the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 7. The ADC of claim 1 further comprising an input port adapted for receiving said one or more configuration parameter values for storage in said storage.
- 8. A method of converting analog signals to digital signals comprising the steps of:
(A) storing one or more configuration parameter values; and (B) control logic configuring an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the configuration parameter values stored in step (A);
- 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the storing of step (A) includes the step of:
(A1) storing said one or more configuration parameter values by downloading them to read/write storage included in the ADC that includes the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the storing of step (A1) includes the step of:
(A2) organizing the stored configuration parameter values as one or more lists.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the configuring of step (B) includes the step of:
(B1) the control logic cycling through at least one list, thereby altering the configuration of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B2) the control logic configuring the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism to select an input channel from which an associated analog signal is to be converted to a digital signal.
- 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B3) the control logic selecting the conversion resolution of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B4) the control logic selecting a reference voltage input from which a reference voltage is obtained for use in an analog-to-digital conversion by the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:
the ADC receiving said one or more configuration parameter values through an input port.
- 16. A battery monitor comprising:
one or more sensors adapted for sensing battery characteristics; and an ADC configured to convert one or more analog signals from the one or more sensors to digital signals, the ADC comprising:
storage configured to store one or more configuration parameter values; an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism; and control logic adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the one or more configuration parameter values stored in said storage.
- 17. The battery monitor of claim 16 wherein the one or more sensors includes a voltage sensor adapted to sense the voltage across one or more cells of a battery being monitored.
- 18. The battery monitor of claim 16 wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor adapted to sense the temperature of a battery being monitored.
- 19. The battery monitor of claim 16 wherein the one or more sensors includes a current sensor adapted to sense the discharge current of a battery being monitored.
- 20. The battery monitor of claim 16 wherein the configuration parameter values are arranged in a plurality of configuration lists and the control logic is adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism from different lists, depending upon the value of one or more of the sensed battery characteristics.
- 21. The battery monitor of claim 16 wherein the configuration parameter values are arranged in a plurality of configuration lists and the control logic is adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism from different lists, depending upon the state of charge of the monitored battery.
- 22. A method of monitoring a battery comprising the steps of:
(A) storing one or more ADC configuration parameter values; (B) sensing one or more characteristics of the battery; (C) control logic configuring an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the configuration parameter values stored in step (A); (D) converting an analog signal corresponding to the one or more characteristics sensed in step (B) to a digital signal using the configuration of step (C).
- 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the storing of step (A) includes the step of:
(A1) storing said one or more configuration parameter values by downloading them to read/write storage included in the ADC that includes the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the storing of step (A1) includes the step of:
(A2) organizing the stored configuration parameter values as one or more lists.
- 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the configuring of step (B) includes the step of:
(B1) the control logic cycling through at least one list, thereby altering the configuration of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B2) the control logic configuring the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism to select an input channel from which an associated analog signal is to be converted to a digital signal.
- 27. The method of claim 25 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B3) the control logic selecting the conversion resolution of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 28. The method of claim 25 wherein the configuring of step (B1) includes the step of:
(B4) the control logic selecting a reference voltage input from which a reference voltage is obtained for use in an analog-to-digital conversion by the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 29. The method of claim 25 further comprising the step of:
the ADC receiving said one or more configuration parameter values through an input port.
- 30. An electronics system comprising:
system electronics; a battery pack configured to supply power to the system electronics; a battery charger configured to control charging current supplied to the battery pack; a battery monitor configured to monitor the battery pack and provide state of charge information related to the battery pack to the battery charger, the battery monitor including:
one or more sensors adapted for sensing battery characteristics; and an ADC configured to convert one or more analog signals from the one or more sensors to digital signals, the ADC comprising:
storage configured to store one or more configuration parameter values; an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism; and control logic adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the one or more configuration parameter values stored in said storage.
- 31. The system of claim 30 wherein the one or more sensors includes a voltage sensor adapted to sense the voltage across one or more cells of a battery being monitored.
- 32. The system of claim 30 wherein the one or more sensors includes a temperature sensor adapted to sense the temperature of a battery being monitored.
- 33. The system of claim 30 wherein the one or more sensors includes a current sensor adapted to sense the discharge current of a battery being monitored.
- 34. The system of claim 30 wherein the configuration parameter values are arranged in a plurality of configuration lists and the control logic is adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism from different lists, depending upon the value of one or more of the sensed battery characteristics.
- 35. The system of claim 30 wherein the configuration parameter values are arranged in a plurality of configuration lists and the control logic is adapted to configure the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism from different lists, depending upon the state of charge of the monitored battery.
- 36. A method of operating an electronics system comprising the steps of:
(A) supplying power to the electronics system from a battery pack; (B) a battery charger controlling charging current supplied to the battery pack; (C) a battery monitor monitoring the battery pack and providing state of charge information related to the battery pack to the battery charger; (D) storing one or more ADC configuration parameter values; (E) sensing one or more characteristics of the battery; (F) control logic configuring an analog-to-digital conversion mechanism according to the configuration parameter values stored in step (D); (G) converting an analog signal corresponding to the one or more characteristics sensed in step (E) to a digital signal using the configuration of step (F).
- 37. The method of claim 36 wherein the storing of step (D) includes the step of:
(D1) storing said one or more configuration parameter values by downloading them to read/write storage included in the ADC that includes the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 38. The method of claim 37 wherein the storing of step (D1) includes the step of:
(D2) organizing the stored configuration parameter values as one or more lists.
- 39. The method of claim 36 wherein the configuring of step (F) includes the step of:
(F1) the control logic cycling through at least one list, thereby altering the configuration of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 40. The method of claim 39 wherein the configuring of step (F1) includes the step of:
(F2) the control logic configuring the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism to select an input channel from which an associated analog signal is to be converted to a digital signal.
- 41. The method of claim 39 wherein the configuring of step (F1) includes the step of:
(F3) the control logic selecting the conversion resolution of the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 42. The method of claim 39 wherein the configuring of step (F1) includes the step of:
(F4) the control logic selecting a reference voltage input from which a reference voltage is obtained for use in an analog-to-digital conversion by the analog-to-digital conversion mechanism.
- 43. The method of claim 39 further comprising the step of:
(H) the ADC receiving said one or more configuration parameter values through an input port.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/335,137 entitled, “FLEXIBLE, LIST-BASED A/D CONVERTER CONTROL AND SCHEDULING”, filed on Oct. 19, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60335137 |
Oct 2001 |
US |