
[ASAHI KASEI] 
[AK4180] 
<MS0195-E-01> 
 2003/02 
7 
A/D Converter for Touch Screen
The AK4180 incorporates a12-bit successive approximation resistor A/D converter for position measurement, temperature, and 
battery voltage. The architecture is based on capacitive redistribution algorithm, and an internal capacitor array functions as the 
sample/hold circuit.  
The  A/D converter output is a straight binary format as shown below: 
Input Voltage 
(
VREF-1.5LSB)~ 
VREF 
(
VREF-2.5LSB) ~ (
VREF-1.5LSB) 
--------- 
0.5LSB ~ 1.5LSB 
0 ~ 0.5LSB 
VREF: (VREF+) – (VREF-) 
Output Code 
FFF 
FFE 
--------- 
001 
000 
Table  1  Output Code 
The A/D converter’s full scale measurements depend on the input mode.   
 Analog Inputs
Analog input is selected via the A2, A1, A0 and SER/ DFR  bits in the control register.  If the analog inputs are the X or Y-axis, 
use SER/ DFR  = “0”, which means differential mode, the full scale (
VREF) is the differential voltage between the non-inverting 
terminal and the inverting terminal of the measured axis (e.g. (XP) – (XN)).   Analog non-inverting input to A/D converter is the 
non-inverting terminal of the non-measured axis while the inverting input is the inverting terminal of the measured axis.   If the 
SER/ DFR  bit is set to “1”, which means single-ended mode, the full scale of  A/D converter (
VREF) is the internal reference 
voltage, or external reference voltage.  Note that SER/ DFR  bit should be set to ”0” if IN2 is selected as analog input; 
nevertheless, IN2 is actually measured by single-ended mode.   
Tracking time is the period from the falling edge of 5
th
 DCLK to the falling edge of 8
th
 DCLK after the detection of START bit.  
the required settling time to charge the internal capacitors depends on the source impedance.  If the source impedance, Rin, is 600 
ohm, the settling time needs at least 1.5 
μ
s (3 tDCLK@2MHz).  The maximum throughput of A/D converter is 125kHz.   
If the source impedance of analog input is larger than 600 ohm, longer tracking time is required. 
 The Position Detection of Touch Screen 
The selected  touch screen position is detected by the voltage measurement of one axis when the voltage is supplied between the 
two terminals of the other axis.  At least two A/D conversions are needed to get the two-dimensional (X/Y axis) position.