Patent · US Expired

Composite bridge amplifier

US5075634A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
2References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 23, 1990
Grant dateDec 24, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 23, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F3/2173
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A composite bridge amplifier having four output metal oxide semi-conductor field effect transistors (mosfets) in a bridge configuration. The gates of the mosfets are controlled by an input signal which is amplified in a diamond differential amplifier phase splitter and voltage gain stage and then applied to the mosfet gates. The power terminals (sources and drains) of the mosfets receive a power signal which varies with the input signal at a level sufficient to maintain headroom above the output signal but to reduce power dissipation in the mosfets. The power signal is produced by a switch connected between a floating power supply and a filter and operated at e.g. 200 KHz. The switch is operated by a pulse width modulated (pwm) signal derived from the absolute value of the input signal. Because the power signal in effect tracks the output signal, little power is dissipated in the mosfets so that the amplifier can be made very compact. Because of the bridge configuration, only one switch, one floating power supply and one pulse width modulator are used, reducing cost. Feed forward compensation in the pulse width modulator varies the pulse width of the pulses operating the switch inv…

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