Parameters of band pass ΣΔ-ADC and the comparison with the standard ones

The band pass sigma delta analogue-to-digital converters (BP ΣΔ-ADC) represent a subgroup from the more general group of the unconventional ADCs. The BP ΣΔ-ADCs are mostly embedded into Digital Communication Systems (DCS) in various applications. Their main task is to provide a frequency down conversion along with narrowband filtering and the conversion of chosen parameter of analogue signal into digit. These converters are analogue front end for DCS like software radios, UMTS, GSM and GPS systems. Parameters for characterising BP ΣΔ-ADC are until now taken intuitively and they are different from the standard conventional ADCs. The paper reviews existing metrological parameters for conventional ADC with the aim to consider their applicability or to modify them for BP ΣΔ-ADC. Paper shows that for BP ΣΔ-ADC is better to apply the metrological parameters used for measuring instruments than those used for conventional ADCs.