41.1.7.1 Sign/Magnitude and Two’s Complement Result

When performing differential measurements, the conversion results can be presented in either a sign/magnitude or two’s complement format.

In sign/magnitude format, the conversion result is a binary representation of the input, with a sign bit determining the polarity. Equation 41-3 can be used to calculate the full-scale range of ADC result values in sign/magnitude format:
Equation 41-3. ADC Range in Sign/Magnitude Result Format
n − b i t ⁢     r a n g e ⁢     i n ⁢     s i g n / m a g n i t u d e ⁢     f o r m a t ⁢     =   ± 2 n ⁢     −     1 ⁢     −     1 w h e r e : n ⁢ =   A D C ⁢     r e s o l u t i o n ⁢   E x a m p l e s : 12 − b i t ⁢     A D C ⁢     =   ± 2 12 ⁢   −     1 ⁢     −     1 ⁢     =     ± 2047
In 12-Bit Sign/Magnitude Result Format, the right justified ADRES value is ’0x8020’. The 11-bit sign/magnitude formatted result shows an absolute value of ‘2’ (decimal), with bit 7 of the ADRESH register representing the sign bit. When the sign bit = ‘0’, the result is positive, and when the sign bit = ‘1’, the result is negative. For this example, the sign bit = ‘1’, so the sign/magnitude formatted decimal result value is ‘-2’.

12-Bit Sign/Magnitude Result Format

In two’s complement format, the MSb of the conversion result determines the polarity. Equation 41-4 can be used to calculate the full-scale range of ADC result values in two’s complement format:
Equation 41-4. ADC Range in Two’s Complement Result Format
n − b i t ⁢     r a n g e ⁢     i n ⁢     t w o ′ s ⁢     c o m p l e m e n t ⁢     f o r m a t ⁢     =       ( − 2 n ⁢     −     1 ⁢       −       1 ) , ( 2 n ⁢   −     1 ⁢     −     2 ) w h e r e : n ⁢   =     A D C ⁢     r e s o l u t i o n E x a m p l e : 12 − b i t ⁢   A D C ⁢     =   ( − 2 12 ⁢   −     1 ⁢     −     1 )     =     − 2047   ( l o w ⁢     r a n g e )                                                                     = ( 2 12 ⁢   −     1 ⁢     −     2 )     =   2046 ⁢     ( h i g h ⁢     r a n g e )
In 12-Bit Two’s Complement Result Format, the right justified ADRES result is ’0x8020’, which matches the ADRES result in 12-Bit Sign/Magnitude Result Format. The 12-bit two’s complement result shows a value of ’-2046’ (decimal), with bit 7 of the ADRESH register representing the MSb of the conversion result.

12-Bit Two’s Complement Result Format