US3868537A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current
Assignee: RCA Licensing Corp
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Filing: 1973-07-27
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Granted: 1975-02-25
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Expires: 1993-07-27
Abstract
Abstract An amplifier derives a substantially constant current from a direct current voltage source. A first output transistor is coupled in an emitter follower configuration and is biased to provide the desired constant current consumption of the amplifier at zero input signal voltage. The load circuit is alternating current coupled to its emitter. The collector of a second output transistor is also coupled to the emitter of the first output transistor. The emitter of the second output transistor is coupled to the remaining terminal of the load. This junction is coupled through a monitor resistor to a point of reference potential. The monitor resistor monitors the current consumed by the amplifier and the voltage across it controls a third current regulator transistor which is coupled to the base of the second output transistor and controls its conductivity.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Eduard Haferl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:45
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03F; H03F1/00; H03F1/30; H03F1/302; H03K; H03K4/00; H03K4/06; H03K4/08; H03K4/48; H03K4/60; H03K4/69; H03K4/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
316 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current, comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a source of signal voltage waveforms; a load impedance; first active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and said load impedance and a control electrode of which is coupled to said source of signal voltage waveforms; second active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled at one terminal to the junction of the main current coNducting path of said first active current conducting means and said load impedance to form a first junction of said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means and at the other terminal to the terminal of said load impedance remote from said first junction to form a second junction of said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means; sensing means coupled between said second junction and a point of reference potential for sensing current flow between said second junction and reference potential; and third active current conducting means the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a point of reference potential and a control electrode of which is coupled to said sensing means and responsive to signals representative of current flow therethrough and a control electrode of said second active current conducting means is coupled to the main current conducting path of said third active current conducting means for being controlled by said signals representative of the current flow through said sensing means, thereby altering the conductivity of said second active current conducting means for rendering the sum of the current through said load impedance and the main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means substantially constant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
316 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current, comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a source of signal voltage waveforms; a load impedance; first active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and said load impedance and a control electrode of which is coupled to said source of signal voltage waveforms; second active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled at one terminal to the junction of the main current coNducting path of said first active current conducting means and said load impedance to form a first junction of said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means and at the other terminal to the terminal of said load impedance remote from said first junction to form a second junction of said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means; sensing means coupled between said second junction and a point of reference potential for sensing current flow between said second junction and reference potential; and third active current conducting means the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a point of reference potential and a control electrode of which is coupled to said sensing means and responsive to signals representative of current flow therethrough and a control electrode of said second active current conducting means is coupled to the main current conducting path of said third active current conducting means for being controlled by said signals representative of the current flow through said sensing means, thereby altering the conductivity of said second active current conducting means for rendering the sum of the current through said load impedance and the main current conducting path of said second active current conducting means substantially constant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
An amplifier when consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 1 wherein: biasing means are coupled to said first active current conducting means for rendering it conductive of a constant current in the absence of said signal voltage waveforms, which current is substantially equal to the peak alternating current which is desired to be induced in said load impedance when said first active current conducting means is driven by said signal voltage waveforms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 2 wherein: capacitance means are coupled between the main current conducting path of said first active current conducting means and said load impedance for blocking direct current from said load impedance.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 3 wherein: feedback means are coupled to said load impedance for generating signals representative of current flow through said load impedance and said feedback means are coupled to said source of alternating current voltage waveforms for feeding back said signals representative of current flow through said load impedance to said source of signal voltage waveforms.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 4 wherein: said first, second and third active current conducting means comprise first, second and third transistors respectively; said first transistor is arranged in an emitter follower configuration; and said third transistor is arranged in a common emitter configuration.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 5 wherein: said load impedance is a television deflection winding; and said source of signal voltage waveforms is a driver amplifier consisting of at least a fourth transistor for amplifying deflection rate signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
144 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 6 wherein: means are provided for decoupling said deflection winding from said first and second transistors during the retrace interval of said deflection rate waveforms, said means including a diode coupled between the emitter of said first transistor and said deflection winding with its anode coupled to the emitter of said first transistor; and a fifth transistor, the main current conducting path of which is coupled between the source of direct current voltage and the main current conducting path of saId third transistor and its base is coupled to the emitter of said first transistor for rendering said fifth transistor nonconductive during said retrace interval in response to retrace interval signals on the emitter of said first transistor and thereby removing control voltage from said second and third transistors rendering them nonconductive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
276 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current, comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a load impedance; a source of signal voltage waveforms; first active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled to said load impedance for providing a loop comprising said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said first active current conducting means in which signal current may flow; sensing means coupled between a first junction of said load impedance and said first active current conducting means and a point of reference potential for sensing current flow between said first junction and reference potential; second active current conducting means, a control electrode of which is coupled to said source of signal voltage waveforms and the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a second junction of said load impedance and said first active current conducting means for providing operating current and signal voltage to said second junction; third active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a point of reference potential, a control electrode of which is coupled to said first junction for rendering said third active current conducting means responsive to current through said sensing means and a control electrode of said first active current conducting means is coupled to the main current conducting path of said third active current conducting means for rendering said first active current conducting means responsive to the conduction of said third active current conducting means and thereby rendering current flow through said sensing means substantially constant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
276 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current, comprising: a source of direct current voltage; a load impedance; a source of signal voltage waveforms; first active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled to said load impedance for providing a loop comprising said load impedance and said main current conducting path of said first active current conducting means in which signal current may flow; sensing means coupled between a first junction of said load impedance and said first active current conducting means and a point of reference potential for sensing current flow between said first junction and reference potential; second active current conducting means, a control electrode of which is coupled to said source of signal voltage waveforms and the main current conducting path of which is serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a second junction of said load impedance and said first active current conducting means for providing operating current and signal voltage to said second junction; third active current conducting means, the main current conducting path of which is coupled between said source of direct current voltage and a point of reference potential, a control electrode of which is coupled to said first junction for rendering said third active current conducting means responsive to current through said sensing means and a control electrode of said first active current conducting means is coupled to the main current conducting path of said third active current conducting means for rendering said first active current conducting means responsive to the conduction of said third active current conducting means and thereby rendering current flow through said sensing means substantially constant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant direct current according to claim 8 wherein: means are coupled to a control electrode of said second active current conducting means for providing bias voltage for rendering said second active current conducting means conductive of a constant current in the absence of said signal voltage waveforms which is equal to the peak alternating current which is desired to be induced in said load impedance when said second active current conducting means is driven by said signal voltage waveforms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 9 wherein: said load impedance comprises a deflection winding serially coupled to capacitance means for blocking direct current and to feedback resistance means for providing feedback signals representative of current flow through said deflection winding.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
86 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 10 wherein: said source of signal voltage waveforms is a source of vertical deflection rate signals comprising a vertical deflection rate waveform generator and fourth active current conducting means coupled to said vertical deflection rate waveform generator and to said feedback resistance means for rendering said fourth active current conducting means responsive to signals representative of the difference between waveforms generated by said vertical deflection rate waveform generator and signals induced in said feedback means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 11 wherein: a diode is coupled between said second active current conducting means and said deflection winding and poled for decoupling said deflection winding from said second active current conducting means duriNg said retrace interval.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 12 wherein: said first, second and third active current conducting means comprise first, second and third transistors, respectively; said fourth active current conducting means comprises at least a fourth transistor; and said sensing means comprises resistance means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 13 wherein: a fifth transistor has its control electrode coupled to the junction of said diode and said second transistor and its main current conducting path serially coupled between said source of direct current voltage and the junction of the control electrode of said first transistor and the main current conducting path of said third transistor for rendering said first and third transistors nonconductive during said retrace interval.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
An amplifier which consumes a substantially constant current according to claim 14 wherein: said first transistor has its control electrode coupled to the junction of said third and fifth transistors through a sixth transistor, said sixth transistor having its control electrode coupled to said junction and one terminal of its main current conducting path coupled to the control electrode of said fifth transistor and the other terminal connected to the control electrode of said first transistor for rendering said first transistor responsive to signals representative of the conduction of said third transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-24 | 1978-08-26 | 1979-02-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-24 | 1982-08-26 | 1983-02-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-24 | 1986-08-26 | 1987-02-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |