ADC_pre_0204_v3. Understanding Pipelined ADCs. Abstract: This article explains the architecture and operation of pipelined analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). It discusses key performance characteristics such as architecture, latency, digital error correction, component accuracy, and digital calibration. The article also briefly compares pipelines ADCs to other data converter architectures. The pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) has become the most popular ADC architecture for sampling rates from a few megasamples per second (Msps) up to 100Msps+. Resolutions range from eight bits at the faster sample rates up to 16 bits at the lower rates. These resolutions and sampling rates cover a wide range of applications, including CCD imaging, ultrasonic medical imaging, digital receivers, base stations, digital video (for example, HDTV), xDSL, cable modems, and fast Ethernet.
Analog-to-digital converter. An analog-to-digital converter (abbreviated ADC, A/D or A to D) is a device that converts a continuous physical quantity (usually voltage) to a digital number that represents the quantity's amplitude. An ADC may also provide an isolated measurement such as an electronic device that converts an input analog voltage or current to a digital number proportional to the magnitude of the voltage or current. However, some non-electronic or only partially electronic devices, such as rotary encoders, can also be considered ADCs. The digital output may use different coding schemes. Typically the digital output will be a two's complement binary number that is proportional to the input, but there are other possibilities.
An encoder, for example, might output a Gray code.