Pulse width modulated bridge power amplifier with memory and lockout logic

Abstract

Abstract A PULSE WIDTH MODULATED BRIDGE POWER AMPLIFIER WITH MEMORY AND LOCKOUT LOGIC COMPRISED BY AT LEAST FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH GATE CONTROLLED POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SUCH AS TRANSISTORS CONNECTED IN THE FORM OF A WHEATSTONE BRIDGE WITH ONE SET OF DIAGONALLY OPPOSED TERMINALS OF THE POWER BRIDGE BEING CONNECTED ACROSS A PAIR OF POWER SUPPLY TERMINALS AND AN ELECTRIC LOAD BEING CONNECTED ACROSS THE REMAINING SET OF DIAGONALLY OPPOSED TERMINALS. THE BRIDGE IS COMPRISED SUCH THAT THE FIRST AND SECOND POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SUPPLY LOAD CURRENT THROUGH THE LOAD IN ONE DIRECTION AND THE THIRD AND FOURTH POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SUPPLY LOAD CURRENT THE LOAD IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE MEMORY LOGIC AND LOCKOUT GATING CIRCUIT IS COUPLED TO THE CONTROL GATES OF THE POWER GATE CONTROLLED SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES FOR SELECTIVELY GATING ON AND LOCKING OUT OPERATION OF DESIRED ONES OF THE DEVICES TO THEREBY PROVIDE PROPORTIONALLY CONTROLLED AMOUNTS OF EXCITATION CURRENT OF A DESIRED POLARITY THROUGH THE LOAD. THE MEMORY AND LOCKOUT LOGIC GATING CIRCUIT COMPRISES A POLARITY DETERMINING INPUT CIRCUIT FOR PROVIDING PULSE WIDTH MODULATED, REVERSIBLE POLARITY, INPUT CONTROL SIGNALS INDICATIVE OF THE POLARITY AND MAGNITUDE OF THE EXCITATION CURRENT TO BE SUPPLIED TO THE LOAD.

Inventors

• 👤 Donald F Brennan

Bibliographic Details