Parallel delta-sigma A/D conversion

This paper presents an architecture wherein multiple delta-sigma modulators are combined so that neither time oversampling nor time interleaving are necessary. For a system containing M Pth-order delta-sigma modulators, approximately P bits of accuracy are gained for every doubling of M. Thus, the resolution gained by combining M delta-sigma modulators is approximately the same as that with the same modulator with an oversampling rate of M. Measured results from a 16-channel parallel delta-sigma A/D converter composed of second-order delta-sigma modulators verify the theory and demonstrate that this architecture retains much of the robustness of the individual delta-sigma modulators to non-ideal circuit behavior