Reconfigurable drive current system

US9632491B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• Dean C. Alhorn · Huntsville, US
• Kenneth R. Dutton · Athens, US
• David E. Howard · Hazel Green, US
• Dennis A. Smith · Athens, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 18, 2014
• Grant date: Apr 25, 2017
• Expiry date: Apr 30, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H02M7/53873
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A reconfigurable drive current system includes drive stages, each of which includes a high-side transistor and a low-side transistor in a totem pole configuration. A current monitor is coupled to an output of each drive stage. Input channels are provided to receive input signals. A processor is coupled to the input channels and to each current monitor for generating at least one drive signal using at least one of the input signals and current measured by at least one of the current monitors. A pulse width modulation generator is coupled to the processor and each drive stage for varying the drive signals as a function of time prior to being supplied to at least one of the drive stages.