Digitally enhanced mixed signal systems—the big picture

A mixed-signal processing system consists of analog and digital signal processing systems that are connected by interfaces. Analog systems process analog signals, which are continuous in amplitude and in time. By contrast, digital systems process digital signals, which are discrete in amplitude and in time. The interfaces between these domains are data converters that either convert the analog signal to a digital signal by using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) or convert the digital signal to an analog signal by employing a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).