The implementation of a smart sensor based on a piece-linear A/D converter

The application of a new analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a piece-wise linear characteristic for the implementation of smart sensors is suggested. The converter is a prototype of a two-stage 11 bit flash ADC. Some discrete points of the characteristic can be modified to fit a requested profile. This converter facility can be utilized to gain remarkable advantages in a wide variety of applications, such as the implementation of a sensor linearization technique. In the paper the ADC internal architecture is briefly described. A representative application, namely the implementation of a linear digital humidity sensor, is discussed showing the effectiveness and usefulness of this device.