US4533988A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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On-chip CMOS bridge circuit
Assignee: Pacesetter Inc
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Filing: 1981-04-09
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Granted: 1985-08-06
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Expires: 2001-04-09
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed a bridge circuit which finds particularly advantageous use in medical prostheses which can be programmed externally and which can transmit telemetry signals. The entire circuit is implemented on a single CMOS integrated circuit. Depending upon the values of two control bits, the bridge circuit functions to derive a powering potential from an externally transmitted signal, with or without regulation. Externally transmitted programming signals are detectable, and telemetry signals can be transmitted from the chip as well. There is no active switching of bridge devices during power rectification mode, and instead they are biased on continuously. This allows the rectifier to operate at carrier frequencies as high as several megahertz. All of this is achieved by using conventional CMOS processing techniques, without requiring any extra diffusion steps.
Inventors
- 👤 Christopher N. Daly
- 👤 David K. Money
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:22
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M7/00; H02M7/02; H02M7/04; H02M7/12; H02M7/21; H02M7/217; H02M7/219; H02M7/2195; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 44
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A bridge circuit comprising energy storage means; energy receiver means; two pairs of complementary field-effect transistors arranged in a bridge configuration between said energy receiver means and said energy storage means; and means for biasing the gates of all of said field-effect transistors such that when the voltage across said energy receiver means is less than the voltage across said energy storage means each of said transistors conducts a low quiescent current in one direction, and when the voltage across said energy receiver means is greater than the voltage across said energy storage means the transistors in one of said two pairs conduct higher currents in the other direction, the pair which thus conduct higher currents depending upon the relative polarity of the voltage across said energy receiver means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A bridge circuit comprising energy storage means; energy receiver means; two pairs of complementary field-effect transistors arranged in a bridge configuration between said energy receiver means and said energy storage means; and means for biasing the gates of all of said field-effect transistors such that when the voltage across said energy receiver means is less than the voltage across said energy storage means each of said transistors conducts a low quiescent current in one direction, and when the voltage across said energy receiver means is greater than the voltage across said energy storage means the transistors in one of said two pairs conduct higher currents in the other direction, the pair which thus conduct higher currents depending upon the relative polarity of the voltage across said energy receiver means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 which is fabricated on a single CMOS integrated circuit chip.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 wherein each of said transistors has its substrate connected to one side of said energy storage means such that when said transistor conducts in the other direction its threshold voltage is less than the threshold voltage when it conducts in said one direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 3 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential relative to the potential at one side of said energy storage means such that the effective gate-source voltage is greater when conduction is in said other direction than it is when conduction is in said one direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 4 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means is adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 5 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all of said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 6 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 7 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential such that the effective gate-source voltage is greater when conduction is in said other direction than it is when conduction is in said one direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means is adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all of said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 further including means for increasing the gate biases on all of said transistors for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 2 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said transistors has its substrate connected to one side of said energy storage means such that when said transistor conducts in the other direction its threshold voltage is less than the threshold voltage when it conducts in said one direction.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential such that the effective gate-source voltage is greater when conduction is in said other direction than it is when conduction is in said one direction.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means in adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 17 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all of said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 further including means for increasing the gate biases on all of said transistors for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 1 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
99 words
A bridge circuit comprising energy storage means; energy receiver means; two pairs of complementary field-effect transistors arranged in a bridge configuration between said energy receiver means and said energy storage means; means for biasing the gates of all of said field-effect transistors from said energy storage means such that when energy is stored therein all of said transistors remain conducting; and means for applying potentials to the substrates of said transistors such that said transistors deliver rectified current from said energy receiver means to said energy storage means exclusively under control of the potential across said energy receiver means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
99 words
A bridge circuit comprising energy storage means; energy receiver means; two pairs of complementary field-effect transistors arranged in a bridge configuration between said energy receiver means and said energy storage means; means for biasing the gates of all of said field-effect transistors from said energy storage means such that when energy is stored therein all of said transistors remain conducting; and means for applying potentials to the substrates of said transistors such that said transistors deliver rectified current from said energy receiver means to said energy storage means exclusively under control of the potential across said energy receiver means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 which is fabricated on a single CMOS integrated chip.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 wherein each of said transistors has its substrate connected to one side of said energy storage means such that when said transistor conducts in one direction its threshold voltage is higher than the threshold voltage when it conducts in the other direction.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
61 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 24 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential relative to the potential at one side of said energy storage means such that the effective gate-source voltage is greater when conduction is in said other direction than it is when conduction is in said one direction.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 25 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means is adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 26 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 27 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 28 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
48 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential such that the effective gate-source voltage is less when conduction is in one direction than it is when conduction is in the other direction.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means is adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 31 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all of said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
35 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 further including means for increasing the gate biases on all of said transistors for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 23 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
50 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 wherein each of said transistors has its substrate connected to one side of said energy storage means such that when said transistor conducts in one direction its threshold voltage is higher than the threshold voltage when it conducts in the other direction.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 wherein said biasing means maintains the gate of each of said transistors at a fixed potential such that the effective gate-source voltage is less when conduction is in one direction than it is when conduction is in the other direction.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
66 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 further including means for increasing the biases on the gates of a selected pair of said complementary field-effect transistors to control the discharge of said energy storage means through the selected pair into said energy receiver means in a respective direction, and wherein said energy receiver means is adapted upon the discharge of current thereinto for radiating energy.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
43 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 38 wherein said means for increasing the gate biases is operative when the gate biases on all of said transistors are increased for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
35 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 further including means for increasing the gate biases on all of said transistors for limiting current flow from said energy receiver means into said energy storage means.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 wherein said energy receiver means is a coil.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
16 words
A bridge circuit in accordance with claim 22 wherein said energy storage means is a capacitor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4196418A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-08-05 | 1989-02-04 | 1989-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-08-05 | 1993-02-04 | 1993-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-08-05 | 1997-02-04 | 1997-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |