Switching apparatus including gating circuitry for actuating micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switches
US8659326B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 28, 2012 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 28, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H59/0009
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A switching apparatus, as may be configured to actuate stacked MEMS switches, may include a switching circuitry (34) including a MEMS switch (36) having a beam (16) made up of a first movable actuator (17) and a second movable actuator (19) electrically connected by a common connector (20) and arranged to selectively establish an electrical current path through the first and second movable actuators in response to a gate control signal applied to the gates of the switch to actuate the movable actuators. The apparatus may further include a gating circuitry (32) to generate the gate control signal applied to gates of the switch. The gating circuitry may include a driver channel (40) electrically coupled to the common connector and may be adapted to electrically float with respect to a varying beam voltage, and may be electrically referenced between the varying beam voltage and a local electrical ground of the gating circuitry.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.