Patent · US Expired

Gate control circuit with soft start/stop function

US6998911B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2004
Grant dateFeb 14, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 17, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03F2200/375
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A control terminal driver circuit for a switching amplifier including a driver for each of a pair of output power transistors responsive to a PWM information signal. The circuit operates in response to an operating state signal indicating a start up condition for the amplifier to vary the amplitude of the drive pulses for the output transistors between a zero value and a maximum value for normal operation of the amplifier over a start up interval, and to reverse the process during a shut down interval. A DC offset detector is provided to detect a DC offset at amplifier output, and an error circuit responsive to an output of the DC offset detector controls the relative amplitude of the driver outputs during at least a portion of the start up interval to substantially eliminate the DC offset. Also disclosed is a switching amplifier including a control terminal driver circuit as described above.

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