Staircase voltage generators

Claim 2

A staircase generator circuit, comprising: a. an inductive element having a winding on a core of square loop magnetic material, b. capacitive means effectively in parallel with at least a portion of said winding, c. circuit means including a switch and a voltage supply coupled to said inductor, d. means for activating said switch to cause a voltage to be developed across said winding for charging said capacitive means during a first interval of time, e. said capacitive means and said winding having parameters such that said capacitive means discharges through said winding in a first direction at a rate causing said core to saturate after a second interval of time, f. said capacitive means and the inductance of said winding when said core is in said saturated condition being oscillatory at a frequency such that the charge on said capacitive means is reversed during a third interval of time due to the transfer of energy from said inductance at said saturated condition to said capacitive means whereupon said core reverts to the unsaturated condition, g. said capacitive means discharges through said winding in a direction opposite to said first direction for a fourth interval of time.

Claim 3

The staircase generator circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and third intervals of time are substantially equal to the horizontal retrace time of a television signal and said second and fourth intervals of time are substantially equal to the line scan periods of a television signal.

Claim 4

Apparatus for producing a staircase waveshape comprising: a. an inductance comprising a winding on a core having square loop magnetic characteristics, b. a capacitance connected in resonant circuit combination with said inductance, c. means including a first semiconductor switching device, for coupling energy to said resonant circuit in a first mode to charge said capacitance to a first potential level of a given polarity when said switch is activated, said capacitance transferring said energy to said inductance at a rate determined by said resonant circuit frequency, said inductance changing value to a lower inductance determined by said core characteristics, to rapidly transfer energy back to said capacitance in a second mode for charging said capacitance to said first potential level of a polarity opposite to said given polarity, d. means including a second semiconductor switch coupled to said resonant circuit for discharging said capacitance after a predetermined time interval less than the time required for said resonant energy transfer to occur when said second switch is activated.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing a staircase waveshape comprising: a. an inductance comprising a winding on a core having square loop magnetic characteristics, b. a capacitance connected in resonant circuit combination with said inductance, c. means including a first semiconductor switching device, for coupling energy to said resonant circuit in a first mode to charge said capacitance to a first potential level of a given polarity when said switch is activated, said capacitance transferring said energy to said inductance at a rate determined by said resonant circuit frequency, said inductance changing value to a lower inductance determined by said core characteristics, to rapidly transfer energy back to said capacitance in a second mode for charging said capacitance to said first potential level of a polarity opposite to said given polarity, d. means including a second semiconductor switch coupled to said resonant circuit for discharging said capacitance after a predetermined time interval less than the time required for said resonant energy transfer to occur when said second switch is activated.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said means for coupling energy to said resonant circuit comprises: a. a transformer having a primary winding inductively coupled with said inductance, which serves as a secondary winding, b. a source of DC potential, c. a silicon controlled rectifier coupling said source to said primary winding and selectively operative to form a low impedance path between said primary winding and said source when in a conducting mode.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said core is of a toroid configuration fabricated from a high permeability ferrite material.

Claim 8

Apparatus for producing a staircase potential waveform comprising: a. a transformer having a secondary and a primary winding mutually coupled on a core of square loop magnetic material, b. first capacitive means coupled across said secondary winding forming a resonant circuit at a first frequency with the inductance of said secondary winding, c. means including a switch for selectively coupling electrical energy into said primary winding, said energy being coupLed to said secondary winding via said transformer to charge said first capacitive means to a first potential level of a given polarity, said first capacitive means transferring sufficient energy to said inductance of said secondary winding at a rate determined by said first frequency to lower said magnitude of said inductance by core saturation, whereby said remaining energy stored by said first capacitive means is rapidly transferred to said inductance and back to said first capacitive means to rapidly charge said means to substantially said first potential level and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity, d. a second capacitance coupled to a portion of said primary winding, e. switching means coupled to said portion of said primary winding for selectively decreasing the impedance of said primary winding to cause said second capacitance and said decreased impedance to load said transformer for transferring the charge stored on said first capacitive means to said second capacitance via said transformer.

Claim 9

Apparatus for producing a staircase potential waveform comprising: a. a transformer having a secondary and a primary winding mutually coupled on a core of square loop magnetic material, b. first capacitive means coupled across said secondary winding forming a resonant circuit at a first frequency with the inductance of said secondary winding, c. means including a switch for selectively coupling electrical energy into said primary winding, said energy being coupLed to said secondary winding via said transformer to charge said first capacitive means to a first potential level of a given polarity, said first capacitive means transferring sufficient energy to said inductance of said secondary winding at a rate determined by said first frequency to lower said magnitude of said inductance by core saturation, whereby said remaining energy stored by said first capacitive means is rapidly transferred to said inductance and back to said first capacitive means to rapidly charge said means to substantially said first potential level and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity, d. a second capacitance coupled to a portion of said primary winding, e. switching means coupled to said portion of said primary winding for selectively decreasing the impedance of said primary winding to cause said second capacitance and said decreased impedance to load said transformer for transferring the charge stored on said first capacitive means to said second capacitance via said transformer.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said switching means comprises a silicon controlled rectifier having a cathode electrode coupled to a terminal of said portion of said primary transformer and an anode electrode coupled to a terminal of said second capacitance.

Claim 11

Apparatus for producing a staircase potential waveform comprising: a. a transformer having a secondary and a primary winding mutually coupled on a core comprising a material having square loop magnetic characteristics, b. capacitive means in shunt with said secondary winding forming a resonant circuit at a first frequency with the inductance of said secondary winding, c. means for selectively coupling electrical energy into said primary winding, said energy being coupled to said secondary winding via said transformer to charge said capacitive means to a first potential level of a given polarity, said capacitive means transferring sufficient energy to said inductance of said secondary winding at said first frequency to cause said inductance of said winding to become substantially lower in magnitude at a predetermined time in accordance with said square loop characteristic of said core, whereby said remaining energy stored in said capacitance is rapidly transferred to said inductance and back to said capacitive means at a second higher frequency determined by said low magnitude inductance, said capacitive means being charged by the retransferred energy to substantially said first potential level and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity. d. means including a switch and a second capacitor coupled to said primary winding for transferring said charge on said capacitive means through said transformer winding to said second capacitor.

Claim 12

Apparatus for producing a staircase potential waveform comprising: a. a transformer having a secondary and a primary winding mutually coupled on a core comprising a material having square loop magnetic characteristics, b. capacitive means in shunt with said secondary winding forming a resonant circuit at a first frequency with the inductance of said secondary winding, c. means for selectively coupling electrical energy into said primary winding, said energy being coupled to said secondary winding via said transformer to charge said capacitive means to a first potential level of a given polarity, said capacitive means transferring sufficient energy to said inductance of said secondary winding at said first frequency to cause said inductance of said winding to become substantially lower in magnitude at a predetermined time in accordance with said square loop characteristic of said core, whereby said remaining energy stored in said capacitance is rapidly transferred to said inductance and back to said capacitive means at a second higher frequency determined by said low magnitude inductance, said capacitive means being charged by the retransferred energy to substantially said first potential level and of a polarity opposite to said given polarity. d. means including a switch and a second capacitor coupled to said primary winding for transferring said charge on said capacitive means through said transformer winding to said second capacitor.

Claim 13

A switching circuit comprising: a. an inductive element having a winding on a core of square loop magnetic material, b. capacitive means effectively in shunt with at least a portion of said winding, c. a first circuit including a second capacitance and a first switch coupled to the winding for charging said capacitive means to a first potential level when said switch is activated, d. a second circuit including a second switch coupled to the winding for transferring the charge on said capacitive means to said second capacitance when said second switch is activated, e. a voltage source connected in series with said second capacitance when one of said first or second switches are activated.

Claim 14

A switching circuit comprising: a. an inductive element having a winding on a core of square loop magnetic material, b. capacitive means effectively in shunt with at least a portion of said winding, c. a first circuit including a second capacitance and a first switch coupled to the winding for charging said capacitive means to a first potential level when said switch is activated, d. a second circuit including a second switch coupled to the winding for transferring the charge on said capacitive means to said second capacitance when said second switch is activated, e. a voltage source connected in series with said second capacitance when one of said first or second switches are activated.

Claim 15

The switching circuit according to claim 9 wherein said first and second switches are silicon controlled rectifiers.

Claim 16

A staircase waveform generator, comprising: a. a primary and secondary inductive winding mutually coupled on a common core of a square loop magnetic material, b. a first capacitor effectively in parallel with at least a portion of said secondary winding, c. first circuit means, including a first switch and a voltage supply, coupled in shunt with a portion of said prImary winding, d. first means for activating said first switch to cause said voltage supply to be applied across said portion of said primary to charge said first capacitor to a potential level in accordance with the turns ratio between said portion of said secondary and primary windings, e. said first capacitor and said secondary winding having parameters such that said first capacitor discharges through said secondary winding in a first direction at a rate causing said core to saturate after a predetermined interval of time, f. said first capacitor and said secondary winding inductance being oscillatory when said core is in said saturated condition, at a frequency such that the charge on said first capacitor is reversed in polarity during a third interval of time, whereupon said core reverts to the unsaturated condition, g. said first capacitor discharging through said winding in a direction opposite to said first direction for a fourth interval of time, h. second circuit means, including a second capacitor and a second switch, coupled to said primary winding, i. second means for activating said second switch to cause said charge on said first capacitor to be transferred to said second capacitor across said windings, at a time less than that required to saturate said core.

Claim 17

A staircase waveform generator, comprising: a. a primary and secondary inductive winding mutually coupled on a common core of a square loop magnetic material, b. a first capacitor effectively in parallel with at least a portion of said secondary winding, c. first circuit means, including a first switch and a voltage supply, coupled in shunt with a portion of said prImary winding, d. first means for activating said first switch to cause said voltage supply to be applied across said portion of said primary to charge said first capacitor to a potential level in accordance with the turns ratio between said portion of said secondary and primary windings, e. said first capacitor and said secondary winding having parameters such that said first capacitor discharges through said secondary winding in a first direction at a rate causing said core to saturate after a predetermined interval of time, f. said first capacitor and said secondary winding inductance being oscillatory when said core is in said saturated condition, at a frequency such that the charge on said first capacitor is reversed in polarity during a third interval of time, whereupon said core reverts to the unsaturated condition, g. said first capacitor discharging through said winding in a direction opposite to said first direction for a fourth interval of time, h. second circuit means, including a second capacitor and a second switch, coupled to said primary winding, i. second means for activating said second switch to cause said charge on said first capacitor to be transferred to said second capacitor across said windings, at a time less than that required to saturate said core.