Identify the ADC architecture — what type is the ADC0804? The classic ADC0804 (8-bit, microprocessor-compatible ADC) belongs to which analog-to-digital conversion architecture?

Introduction / Context:
The ADC0804 is a well-known 8-bit ADC used in early microprocessor systems. Recognizing its architecture helps predict speed, interface timing, and use cases. Successive-approximation (SAR) converters like ADC0804 offer deterministic, moderate-speed conversions with simple parallel interfaces, making them popular in education and embedded designs.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• ADC0804 resolution: 8 bits, microprocessor-friendly signals (WR, INTR, CS).
• Typical conversion times on the order of tens to hundreds of microseconds (with an external clock).
• No massive comparator array as in flash ADCs.

Concept / Approach:
SAR ADCs perform a binary search using an internal DAC and comparator. The ADC0804 cycles through bit trials from MSB to LSB, requiring a fixed number of steps. This matches the datasheet's timing diagrams and WR/INTR handshake. Single/dual-slope parts are common in instruments but have different timing behavior, and digital-ramp (counter-type) ADCs would require variable-time counting to the code value, which the ADC0804 does not do.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Manufacturer datasheets explicitly label ADC0804 as a successive-approximation ADC with an internal DAC and comparator. Conversion time scales with the internal clock but not with input level.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Single/dual-slope: do not match the interface and timing of ADC0804.
• Digital ramp: would have input-dependent conversion time and different control logic.
• Flash: would require 2^8 − 1 comparators and yield much higher speed.

Common Pitfalls:

• Confusing ADC0804 (SAR) with integrating ADCs used in multimeters (dual-slope).

Final Answer:
successive-approximation analog-to-digital converter