Electric power source

Claim 2

An electric system that comprises a plurality of N stages connected in cascade, each stage including supply voltage means connected along two alternate conductive paths to an electric output terminal of the stage, thence to the next succeeding stage and, eventually, to the electric output terminal of the Nth stage, switch means in each stage being connected and operable to determine which of the two paths is conductive at a particular state of system operation; and feedback means connected between said stages and operable to control, in part, said switch means.

Claim 3

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which said feedback means is d-c feedback.

Claim 4

An electric system as claimed in claim 2 in which the d-c feedback means comprises a resistance connected to produce positive feedback with a loop gain less than unity.

Claim 5

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which the switch means comprises a first transistor and a second transistor, said feedback means being d-c feedback and being connected to feed a signal from the supply voltage means of one stage to the input of first transistor of the next preceding stage.

Claim 6

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which the switch means comprises a first transistor and a second transistor, said feedback means being a-c feedback and being connected to feed a signal from the output of one stage to the input of the first transistor of the next preceding stage.

Claim 7

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which the switch means comprise a first transistor and a second transistor and in which the feedback means comprises a d-c feedback circuit from one side of the supply voltage means of the next succeeding stage connected as input to the first transistor of the next preceding stage and an a-c feedback circuit connected from the output of one stage as input to the first transistor of the next preceding stage.

Claim 8

An electric circuit as claimed in claim 6 in which both the first transistor and the second transistor are the same conductivity type.

Claim 9

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which the switch means in each stage comprises a first transistor and a second transistor and in which the feedback means comprises both an a-c feedback circuit and a d-c feedback circuit connected from the output of one stage as input to the first transistor of the next preceding stage.

Claim 10

An electric system as claimed in claim 1 in which the switch means in each stage comprises a first transistor and a second transistor, which includes memory means associated with each stage connected to provide a control signal to determine the state of conduction of the second transistor of the stage, and in which the feedback means is connected to control the state of conduction of the first transistor.

Claim 11

An electric system that comprises a plurality of N stages connected in cascade, each stage including: a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a third electrical terminal, supply voltage means connected between thE first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal, first semiconductor switch means connected in a first electrical path between the second electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, second semiconductor switch means connected in a second electrical path between the first electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal; and means to control the conductive state of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means to render conductive the first electrical path and the second electrical path in a determined fashion, said means to control including feedback means connected between the stages of the cascade and operable to control, in part, the conductive state of at least one of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means.

Claim 12

An electric system that comprises a plurality of N stages connected in cascade, each stage including: a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a third electrical terminal, supply voltage means connected between thE first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal, first semiconductor switch means connected in a first electrical path between the second electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, second semiconductor switch means connected in a second electrical path between the first electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal; and means to control the conductive state of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means to render conductive the first electrical path and the second electrical path in a determined fashion, said means to control including feedback means connected between the stages of the cascade and operable to control, in part, the conductive state of at least one of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the first electrical terminal of the first stage of the cascade is connected to system ground and in which all other terminals and stages of the cascade float with respect to the system ground.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the supply voltage means in each stage, except the first stage, is a capacitor, the second terminal of the first stage being connected to a primary source of electrical energy, said primary source furnishing electrical energy to the system.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which the third electrical terminal of the first stage is connected to the first electrical terminal of the second stage, in which the third electrical terminal of the second stage is connected to the first electrical terminal of the third stage, and so forth to the Nth stage, one of said terminals of the Nth stage being the system output terminal.

Claim 16

Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 which includes diodes connected to pass current from stage to stage.

Claim 17

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 in which the diodes are connected in a parallel configuration.

Claim 18

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the means to control further includes memory means connected to control, in part, the conductive state of at least one of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 in which the supply voltage means is a storage capacitor in each stage except the first stage, said apparatus further including a system power supply, diode means connected between stages to permit charging current to pass from stage to stage during one state of system operation, and said memory means in addition to controlling the conductive state of at least one of the first semiconductor switch means and the second semiconductor switch means, acting to effect charging by ripple charging.

Claim 20

An electric system as claimed in claim 10 in which each stage includes a diode connected between the third electrical terminal and the first electrical terminal, the diode being connected to pass electric current serially from the third electrical terminal, through the second semiconductor switch means to the first electrical terminal.

Claim 21

An electric system as claimed in claim 10 in which the supply voltage means comprises a capacitor and which includes ripple charging means to charge the capacitor of one stage from the capacitor of the next preceding stage.

Claim 22

An electric system that comprises, in combination, a plurality of supply voltage elements connected in cascade, semiconductor switch means connected between the elements of the cascade for switching the elements from a series mode to a parallel mode and vice versa and to bypass said elements, and feedback means connected in a bootstrap configuration to control, in part, switching of the semiconductor switch means.

Claim 23

An electric system that comprises, in combination, a plurality of supply voltage elements connected in cascade, semiconductor switch means connected between the elements of the cascade for switching the elements from a series mode to a parallel mode and vice versa and to bypass said elements, and feedback means connected in a bootstrap configuration to control, in part, switching of the semiconductor switch means.

Claim 24

An electric system comprising a plurality of stages connected in cascade, each stage including, in combination, supply voltage means, solid-state switch means, and feedback means connected between stages to control, in part, the semiconductor switch means in each stage, thereby to connect the supply voltage means in series and in parallel as alternate states of system operation and to bypass said supply voltage means in a determined fashion.

Claim 25

An electric system comprising a plurality of stages connected in cascade, each stage including, in combination, supply voltage means, solid-state switch means, and feedback means connected between stages to control, in part, the semiconductor switch means in each stage, thereby to connect the supply voltage means in series and in parallel as alternate states of system operation and to bypass said supply voltage means in a determined fashion.

Claim 26

An electric system that comprises a plurality of stages connected in cascade, each stage including: a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a third electrical terminal, supply voltage means connected between the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal, first transistor switch means connected in a first electrical path between the second electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, second transistor switch means connected in a second electrical path between the first electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, and a diode connected to conduct from the third electrical electrical terminal through the second transistor switch means to the first electrical terminal.

Claim 27

An electric system that comprises a plurality of stages connected in cascade, each stage including: a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a third electrical terminal, supply voltage means connected between the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal, first transistor switch means connected in a first electrical path between the second electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, second transistor switch means connected in a second electrical path between the first electrical terminal and the third electrical terminal, and a diode connected to conduct from the third electrical electrical terminal through the second transistor switch means to the first electrical terminal.

Claim 28

An electric system as claimed in claim 22 in which the switch means in each stage comprises a first transistor and a second transistor and which further includes a diode connected between said third electrical terminal and the second transistor, the diode being connected to pass electric current in the forward direction of diode current flow from the third electrical terminal to the second transistor and thence to the first electrical terminal of the stage.