Patent · US Expired

Low power, scalable multichannel high voltage controller

US7348688B1 · kind B1 · utility

1Cited by
4References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 10, 2006
Grant dateMar 25, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 20, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH02M1/008
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A low voltage control circuit is provided for individually controlling high voltage power provided over bus lines to a multitude of interconnected loads. An example of a load is a drive for capillary channels in a microfluidic system. Control is distributed from a central high voltage circuit, rather than using a number of large expensive central high voltage circuits to enable reducing circuit size and cost. Voltage is distributed to each individual load and controlled using a number of high voltage controller channel switches connected to high voltage bus lines. The channel switches each include complementary pull up and pull down photo isolator relays with photo isolator switching controlled from the central high voltage circuit to provide a desired bus line voltage. Switching of the photo isolator relays is further controlled in each channel switch using feedback from a resistor divider circuit to maintain the bus voltage swing within desired limits. Current sensing is provided using a switched resistive load in each channel switch, with switching of the resistive loads controlled from the central high voltage circuit.

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