The present invention is related to digital to analog converter (DAC)
input data encryption off-chip and decryption on-chip to suppress input
data in-band harmonic leakage through package related parasitic
capacitance. More specifically, the present invention relates to the
method and apparatus of input data encryption off-chip by forming the
logical exclusive-OR of the raw data and a random single bit data stream.
The encrypted data is then read onto the DAC chip where the data is
decrypted using identical circuitry and an identical random single bit
data stream. The off-chip encryption isolates harmonic content within the
input data, preventing leakage of input data harmonic content through IC
package-related parasitic capacitance into DAC outputs. Any leakage
appears as an increase in spectral noise rather than output distortion
and as such, has a much smaller impact on DAC narrow band linearity.