Mos integrated circuit driver system

Claim 2

A driver system for supplying outputs to load means comprising a source of alternating current potential, auxiliary power supply means coupled to said source of alternating current potential for converting the latter to a dc voltage, first and second inverters each comprising in series first and second switching means having a common junction, means for applying said auxiliary power supply dc voltage in common to said first switching means of said inverters, means for coupling said source of alternating current potential to the second switching means of said first inverter, first and second drivers each comprising in series first and second switching means having a common output junction, means coupling the common junction of said first and second switching means of said first inverter to the second switching means of said second inverter and to the respective first and second switching means of said first and second drivers, means coupling the common junction of said first and second switching means of said second inverter to the respective second and first switching means of said first and second drivers, said driver system outputs appearing respectively on the common output junctions of said drivers.

Claim 3

A driver system as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second switching means are respectively first and second field-effect transistors.

Claim 4

A driver sysTem as defined in claim 2 wherein the series connected first and second transistors of each inverter are coupled between said auxiliary power supply dc voltage and a reference potential, and including means for coupling the series connected first and second transistors of each driver between the system dc supply potential and said reference potential.

Claim 5

A driver system as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for coupling said source of alternating current potential to the second transistor of said first inverter includes at least one field-effect transistor having a threshold voltage drop capable of shifting the initiation of conduction in said second transistor of said first inverter by said alternating current potential to a predetermined point on the alternating current waveform, the state of conduction of said second transistor of said second inverter being the inverse of the state of conduction of the second transistor of said first inverter.

Claim 6

A driver system as defined in claim 4 wherein said field-effect transistors are of the insulated gate variety.

Claim 7

A driver system for supplying phased outputs to a plurality of load means comprising a source of alternating current potential, auxiliary power supply means coupled to said source of alternating current potential for converting the latter to a dc voltage, first and second inverters each comprising in series first and second field-effect transistors connected at a common junction, first and second drivers each comprising in series first and second field-effect transistors connected at a common output junction, each of said transistors having gate, source and drain electrodes, the gate and drain electrodes of the first transistor of each inverter being coupled in common to said auxiliary power supply means, the source electrode of said first transistor and the drain electrode of said second transistor in each inverter being connected at said common junction, the source electrode of said second transistor in each inverter being connected to a reference potential, means coupling the gate electrode of the second transistor of said first inverter to said source of alternating current potential, the common junction of said first and second transistors of said first inverter being connected in common to the gate electrode of the second transistor of said second inverter and to the gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor of the respective first and second drivers, the common junction of said first and second transistors of said second inverter being connected in common to the gate electrodes of the second transistor and the first transistor of the respective first and second drivers, the drain electrode of said first transistor in each driver being coupled to the system dc supply potential, the source electrode of said second transistor in each driver being coupled to a reference potential, the source electrode of said first transistor and the drain electrode of said second transistor in each driver being connected at said common output junction, said driver system phased outputs appearing respectively on the common output junctions of said drivers.

Claim 8

A driver system for supplying phased outputs to a plurality of load means comprising a source of alternating current potential, auxiliary power supply means coupled to said source of alternating current potential for converting the latter to a dc voltage, first and second inverters each comprising in series first and second field-effect transistors connected at a common junction, first and second drivers each comprising in series first and second field-effect transistors connected at a common output junction, each of said transistors having gate, source and drain electrodes, the gate and drain electrodes of the first transistor of each inverter being coupled in common to said auxiliary power supply means, the source electrode of said first transistor and the drain electrode of said second transistor in each inverter being connected at said common junction, the source electrode of said second transistor in each inverter being connected to a reference potential, means coupling the gate electrode of the second transistor of said first inverter to said source of alternating current potential, the common junction of said first and second transistors of said first inverter being connected in common to the gate electrode of the second transistor of said second inverter and to the gate electrodes of the first transistor and the second transistor of the respective first and second drivers, the common junction of said first and second transistors of said second inverter being connected in common to the gate electrodes of the second transistor and the first transistor of the respective first and second drivers, the drain electrode of said first transistor in each driver being coupled to the system dc supply potential, the source electrode of said second transistor in each driver being coupled to a reference potential, the source electrode of said first transistor and the drain electrode of said second transistor in each driver being connected at said common output junction, said driver system phased outputs appearing respectively on the common output junctions of said drivers.

Claim 9

A driver system as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for coupling the gate electrode of the second transistor of said first inverter to said source of alternating current potential includes at least one additional field-effect transistor having gate, drain and source electrodes, the gate and drain electrodes thereof being connected in common to said source of alternating current potential and the source electrode thereof being connected to the gate electrode of said second transistor of said first inverter, said additional transistor having a threshold voltage drop capable of shifting the initiation of conduction in said second transistor of said first inverter to a predetermined point on the alternating current waveform, thereby effecting the desired duty cycle of said driver system outputs.

Claim 10

A power supply system as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for coupling the gate electrode of the second transistor of said first inverter to said source of alternating current potential comprises a plurality of series connected field-effect transistors, each having gate, drain and source electrodes, the source electrode of one transistor being connected in common to the gate and drain electrodes of the succeeding transistor, the threshold voltage drops in said plurality of transistors being cumulative.

Claim 11

A driver system as defined in claim 7 further including a gate bleeder field-effect transistor having gate, drain and source electrodes, the gate electrode thereof being coupled to said system dc supply potential whereby said gate bleeder transistor is maintained in a conducting state, the drain electrode thereof being connected to the gate electrode of said second transistor of said first inverter and the source electrode thereof being connected to said reference potential, the electrical charge developed across the gate capacitance of the second transistor of said first inverter during the conduction thereof, being discharged through said gate bleeder transistor during the period of nonconduction of the former transistor.

Claim 12

A driver system as defined in claim 9 wherein said auxiliary power supply comprises a field-effect transistor having gate, drain and source electrodes, the gate and drain electrodes thereof being connected in common to said source of alternating current potential, and the source electrode thereof being coupled in common to the gate and drain electrodes of the first transistor of each of said inverters, and capacitive means connected between the auxiliary power supply transistor source electrode and said reference potential.

Claim 13

A driver system as defined in claim 10 further characterized in that said source of alternating current potential is an LC oscillator having a field-effect transistor as its active element, said oscillator transistor having gate, drain and source electrodes, means coupling the parallel connected inductance-capacitance elements between the oscillator transistor gate and drain electrodes, the alternating current output waveform of said oscillator appearing on said oscillator transistor drain electrode, the source electrode of said oscillator transistor being connected to said reference potential.

Claim 14

A driver system as defined in claim 11 wherein said first and second transistors of each inverter exhibit by virtue of their geometry respective high and lower values of resistance during conduction.

Claim 15

A driver system as defined in claim 12 wherein said source of alternating current has an output waveform of peak-to-peak amplitude of the order of twice the magnitude of said system dc supply potential, the absolute magnitude of the dc output of said auxiliary power supply being less than said alternating current peak-to-peak amplitude by the threshold voltage drop in said auxiliary power supply transistor, the absolute peak pulse output appearing on said common junction of each inverter being less than said auxiliary power supply dc voltage by the threshold voltage drop in the first transistor in each inverter, the outputs appearing respectively on the common output junction of said drivers having an absolute magnitude equal to that of said system dc supply potential.

Claim 16

A driver system as defined in claim 13 wherein said field effect transistors are insulated gate devices.

Claim 17

A driver system as defined in claim 14 wherein said insulated gate devices are of the P-channel enhancement-mode type.