Abstract
A kind of architecture of Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) for Ultra-WideBand (UWB) application is presented. The proposed TDC is based on pulse shrinking, and implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device. The pulse shrinking is realized in a loop containing two Programmable Delay Lines (PDLs) or a two-channel PDL. One line (channel) delays the rising edge and the other line (channel) delays the falling edge of a circulating pulse. Delay resolution of PDL is converted into a digital output code under known conditions of pulse width. This delay resolution measurement mechanism is different from the conventional time interval measurement mechanism based on pulse shrinking of conversion of unknown pulse width into a digital output code. This mechanism automatically avoids the influence of unwanted pulse shrinking by any circuit element apart from the lines. The achieved relative errors for four PDLs are within 0.80%-1.60%.
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Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program (No. 2012AA121901).
Communication author: Chen Chao, born in 1987, male, Doctor Degree.
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Chen, C., Meng, S., Xia, Z. et al. Pulse shrinking time-to-digital converter for UWB application. J. Electron.(China) 31, 180–186 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11767-014-4031-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11767-014-4031-8
Key words
- Ultra-WideBand (UWB)
- Pulse shrinking
- Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC)
- Programmable Delay Line (PDL)
- Delay resolution measurement