Error detection and analysis in self-testing data conversion systems employing charge-redistribution techniques

Results on the self-testing capabilities of multiplexed data conversion systems based on charge-redistribution techniques in binary-weighted capacitor arrays are presented. Efficient error detection is achieved by applying different sets of relevant input digital codes according to the capacitor under test. The subsequent error analysis makes it possible to relate the detected errors with those input digital codes and the digital codes obtained at the output of the system, and hence determine its linearity characteristic. Since the resulting information can be written in a testing memory to allow the automatic self-testing of the system without requiring a very high performance auxiliary D/A converter nor expensive computing capabilities for data processing, a low-cost quality control can be easily be implemented