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US3826969A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Highly stable precision voltage source

Assignee: General Electric Co
•
Filing: 1973-04-02
•
Granted: 1974-07-30
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Expires: 1993-04-02
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Abstract

Abstract A single polarity voltage source includes a single operational amplifier having its output connected through a serially connected first diode and resistor to the non-inverting input of the amplifier. The juncture of the resistor and amplifier input is connected through a zener diode to ground. The source output voltage of positive polarity is developed across the serially connected resistor and zener diode. This output voltage is highly stable and is used as the supply voltage for the zener diode to thereby provide an extremely stable current supply to the zener diode. A ratio of the resistances of high stability resistors in the inverting input and feedback circuits of the amplifier determines the amplifier gain and thus the magnitude of the output voltage relative to the zener diode voltage. A negative polarity output voltage is developed across the output of a second operational amplifier functioning as an inverter and having its inverting input connected through a potentiometer to the juncture of the serially connected first diode and resistor. The potentiometer is adjusted to match the value of the negative polarity output voltage to the positive polarity output.

Inventors

  • 👤 C Eichelberger
  • 👤 P Garratt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 02:40
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05F; G05F1/00; G05F1/10; G05F1/46; G05F1/461

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 330 words
A highly stable precision voltage source of simple circuitry comprising high amplification, stable offset voltage means, a first diode and first resistor of the high stability type serially connected in feedback circuit relationship from a first output of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to a first inverting input thereof, a second resistor of the high stability type connected from the first inverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to ground, a third resistor connected from the juncture of said first diode and said first resistor to a first noninverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means, temperature stable means exhibiting a substantial impedance change from high to low impedance for a small change in voltage at a predetermined voltage thereacross and connected from the juncture of said third resistor and first non-inverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to ground, and a fourth resistor connected from the juncture of said first diode and said first resistor to a D.C. voltage power supply, a D.C. voltage developed across said third resistor and said stable impedance change means being an output voltage of the voltage source which has a magnitude equal to the ratio of the sum of the resistances of said first and second resistors to that of said second resistor multiplied by the predetermined voltage across said stable impedance change means, the output voltage of the voltage source being highly stable and precise for the voltage source having the simple circuitry of the interconnected first, second, third and fourth resistors, first diode, high amplification, stable offset voltage means and stable impedance change means due to said first and second resistors being of the high stability type and said stable impedance change means being a highly stable precision voltage device, the highly stable output voltage of the voltage source being used as the supply voltage for said stable impedance change means so as to provide a highly stable current supply thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 330 words
A highly stable precision voltage source of simple circuitry comprising high amplification, stable offset voltage means, a first diode and first resistor of the high stability type serially connected in feedback circuit relationship from a first output of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to a first inverting input thereof, a second resistor of the high stability type connected from the first inverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to ground, a third resistor connected from the juncture of said first diode and said first resistor to a first noninverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means, temperature stable means exhibiting a substantial impedance change from high to low impedance for a small change in voltage at a predetermined voltage thereacross and connected from the juncture of said third resistor and first non-inverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means to ground, and a fourth resistor connected from the juncture of said first diode and said first resistor to a D.C. voltage power supply, a D.C. voltage developed across said third resistor and said stable impedance change means being an output voltage of the voltage source which has a magnitude equal to the ratio of the sum of the resistances of said first and second resistors to that of said second resistor multiplied by the predetermined voltage across said stable impedance change means, the output voltage of the voltage source being highly stable and precise for the voltage source having the simple circuitry of the interconnected first, second, third and fourth resistors, first diode, high amplification, stable offset voltage means and stable impedance change means due to said first and second resistors being of the high stability type and said stable impedance change means being a highly stable precision voltage device, the highly stable output voltage of the voltage source being used as the supply voltage for said stable impedance change means so as to provide a highly stable current supply thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 1 wherein said high amplification, stable offset voltage means is an operational amplifier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 1 wherein said stable impedance change means is a zener diode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 2 wherein said stable impedance change means is a zener diode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 73 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 2 wherein said first diode having an anode electrode connected to an output of said operational amplifier and a cathode electrode connected to said first resistor, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of positive polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of positive polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 73 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 2 wherein said first diode having a cathode electrode connected to an output of said operational amplifier and an anode electrode connected to said first resistor, and said fouRth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of negative polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of negative polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 112 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 3 wherein said first diode having an anode electrode connected to the first output of said high amplification stable offset voltage means and a cathode electrode connected to said first resistor, said zener diode having a cathode electrode connected to the juncture of said third resistor and first non-inverting input of said high amplification stable offset voltage means and an anode electrode connected to ground, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of positive polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of positive polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 111 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 3 wherein said first diode having a cathode electrode connected to the first output of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means and an anode electrode connected to said resistor, said zener diode having an anode electrode connected to the juncture of said third resistor and first non-inverting input of said high amplification, stable offset voltage means and a cathode electrode connected to ground, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of negative polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of negative polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 102 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 4 wherein said first diode having an anode electrode connected to an output of said operational amplifier and a cathode electrode connected to said first resistor, said zener diode having a cathode electrode connected to the juncture of said third resistor and non-inverting input of said operational amplifier and an anode electrode connected to ground, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of positive polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of positive polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 90 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 4 wherein said first diode having a cathode electrode connected to an output of said operational amplifier and an anode electrode connected to the juncture of said third resistor and non-inverting input of said operational amplifier and a cathode electrode connected to ground, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of negative polarity voltage resulting in the highly stable and precise output voltage of the voltage source being of negative polarity with reference to ground.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 230 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 1 wherein said high amplification, stable offset voltage means consists of a first high amplification, stable offset voltage device having said first diode and first resistor serially connected in feedback circuit relationship therewith, said second resistor connected from the inverting input thereof to ground, and the third resistor connected to the non-inverting input thereof, and a second high amplification, stable offset voltage device, and further comprising a fifth resistor having a first end connected to the juncture of said first diode and said first resistor, a potentiometer having a first end connected to a second end of said fifth resistor, a tap point of said potentiometer connected to a negative polarity input of said second high amplification, stable offset voltage device, and a sixth resistor having a first end connected to an output of said second high amplification, stable offset voltage device and a second end connected to a second end of said potentiometer, said fifth and sixth resistors having equal resistance values, said potentiometer being adjustable to obtain a gain of unity for said second high amplification, stable offset voltage device so that a D.C. voltage developed at the output thereof with reference to ground is of magnitude equal to the output voltage developed across said third resistor and said stable impedance change means and of polarity opposite therewith.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 11 wherein said first and second high amplification, stable offset voltage devices are first and second operational amplifiers, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 11 wherein said stable impedance change means is a zener diode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 12 wherein said stable impedance change means is a zener diode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 119 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 14 wherein said first diode having an anode electrode connected to an output of said first operational amplifier and a cathode electrode connected to said first resistor, said zener diode having a cathode electrode connected to the juncture of said third resistor and non-inverting input of said first operational amplifier and an anode electrode connected to ground, and said fourth resistor is connected to a D.C. voltage power supply of positive polarity voltage resulting in the output voltages of the voltage source being of positive polarity with reference to ground across said third resistor and zener diode and of negative polarity at the output of said second operational amplifier.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 56 words
The highly stable precision voltage source set forth in claim 12 and further comprising a seventh resistor having a resistance value equal to the parallel combination of said fifth and sixth resistors and connected from a non-inverting input of said second operational amplifier to ground for minimizing the effects of bias currents to the input thereof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3479534A Cited
US3624492A Cited
US3686557A Cited
US3634751A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-07-29 1978-01-28 1978-07-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-07-29 1982-01-28 1982-07-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-07-29 1986-01-28 1986-07-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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