Patent · US Expired

Voltage to duty cycle converter

US4390796A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
4References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 15, 1981
Grant dateJun 28, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 15, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K7/08
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An analog voltage to duty cycle converter is provided using a series connected resistor and capacitor. The capacitor is charged in one direction through the resistor from the difference between the analog voltage and a reference voltage maintained across a zener diode by one polarity of output from a differential amplifier responding to the charge across the capacitor. When the charge across the capacitor reaches the difference necessary to cause the differential amplifier to change the polarity of its output, a positive feedback firmly toggles the output to the other polarity and the capacitor is allowed to charge in the opposite direction due to cut-off of the zener current by a diode in the amplifier output circuit. The capacitor then charges in an opposite direction due to the analog voltage alone and the reference voltage again switches "on" when the amplifier output goes positive. The duty cycle is then proportional to the analog voltage.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.