Time-base circuit employing four-layer semiconductor switching element having end layer divided into two sections

Claim 1

A RELAXATION OSCILLATOR COMPRISING, A FOUR LAYER SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT HAVING ONE END LAYER DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE SECTIONS EACH OF WHICH HAS A TERMINAL AND A SECOND LAYER SEPARATED FROM SAID END LAYER BY AT LEAST ONE SEMICONDUCTIVE LAYER AND HAVING A THIRD TERMINAL CONNECTED THERETO THEREBY TO FORM A FIRST CURRENT PATH IN SAID FOUR LAYER ELEMENT WITH A FIRST ONE OF SAID TWO SECTIONS AND A SECOND CURRENT PATH THEREIN WITH THE SECOND ONE OF SAID TWO SECTIONS, EACH OF SAID CURRENT PATHS HAVING A GIVEN VALUE OF BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE FOR INITIATING CURRENT FLOW THEREIN, A FIRST CAPACITOR, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST CAPACITOR ACROSS THE TERMINALS WHICH DEFINE SAID FOUR LAYER ELEMENT FIRST CURRENT PATH TO PROVIDE A DISCHARGE PATH FOR SAID FIRST CAPACITOR, MEANS FOR CHARGING SAID FIRST CAPACITOR TOWARDS SAID FIRST CURRENT PATH BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE, A SECOND CAPACITOR CONNECTED ACROSS THE TERMINALS WHICH DEFINE SAID SECOND CURRENT PATH, AND MEANS FOR CHARGING SAID SECOND CAPACITOR SO AS TO RAISE THE VOLTAGE ACROSS THE SAID SECOND CURRENT PATH TO SAID GIVEN BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE BEFORE THE VOLTAGE ACROSS SAID FIRST CAPACITOR REACHES THE BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE OF SAID FIRST CURRENT PATH.