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US4698519A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Monolithically integratable high-efficiency control circuit for switching transistors

Assignee: STMicroelectronics SRL
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Filing: 1985-12-23
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Granted: 1987-10-06
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Expires: 2005-12-23
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Abstract

Abstract A monolithically integrable high-efficiency control circuit for the switching of transistors includes a first transistor whose base terminal is connected to a source of switching signals. A second transistor whose base is connected to a current generator, drives a third transistor which connected in series with the first transistor such that the first and third transistors are connected between two terminals of a supply voltage generator. The emitter terminal of the third transistor forms an output terminal of the control circuit and is connected to the collector terminal of the first transistor by means of a parallel connected diode and a resistor combination. The circuit also includes a fourth transistor, whose base terminal is connected through a resistor to the base terminal of the third transistor and whose collector and emitter terminals are respectively connected to the base terminal of the second transistor and to the collector terminal of the first transistor.

Inventors

  • 👤 Carlo Cini
  • 👤 Claudio Diazzi
  • 👤 Pietro Erratico

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 19:19
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/04; H03K17/041; H03K17/0412; H03K17/04126; H03K17/51; H03K17/56; H03K17/60; H03K17/66; H03K17/665

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 241 words
A monolithically integratable control circuit for the switching of transistors, comprising a first, a second and a third transistor, each having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, said control terminal of said first transistor being connected to a source of switching signals, said control terminal of said second transistor being connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator by means of a current generator, and said control terminal of said third transistor being connected to said first terminal of the second trnasistor, said second terminal of said second transistor and said second terminal of said third transistor both being connected to said first terminal of said supply voltage generator, said second terminal of said first transistor being connected to said first terminal of said third transistor by a resistive element, said first terminal of said third transistor forming an output terminal of the circuit, said first terminal of said first transistor being connected to a second terminal of said supply voltage generator; said circuit further comprising a fourth transistor, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal which are respectively connected to said second terminal of said first transistor and to said control terminal of said second transistor and, through a first resistor, to said control terminal of said third transistor, said second terminal of said first transistor being connected to said control terminal of said third transistor through a second resistor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 241 words
A monolithically integratable control circuit for the switching of transistors, comprising a first, a second and a third transistor, each having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a control terminal, said control terminal of said first transistor being connected to a source of switching signals, said control terminal of said second transistor being connected to a first terminal of a supply voltage generator by means of a current generator, and said control terminal of said third transistor being connected to said first terminal of the second trnasistor, said second terminal of said second transistor and said second terminal of said third transistor both being connected to said first terminal of said supply voltage generator, said second terminal of said first transistor being connected to said first terminal of said third transistor by a resistive element, said first terminal of said third transistor forming an output terminal of the circuit, said first terminal of said first transistor being connected to a second terminal of said supply voltage generator; said circuit further comprising a fourth transistor, having a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal which are respectively connected to said second terminal of said first transistor and to said control terminal of said second transistor and, through a first resistor, to said control terminal of said third transistor, said second terminal of said first transistor being connected to said control terminal of said third transistor through a second resistor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resistive element comprises a diode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resistive element comprises a third resistor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resistive element comprises a diode and a third resistor connected in parallel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first, second, third, and fourth transistors comprise bipolar NPN transistors, and wherein said first terminal, said control terminal, and said second terminal of each of said transistors are respectively an emitter, a base, and a collector thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 35 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first transistor is a field-effect transistor, whose first terminal, control terminal, and second terminal are, respectively, a source, a gate, and a drain thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
A control circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said current generator comprises a resistor.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4467226A Cited
US4603268A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-10-05 1991-04-06 1991-10-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-10-05 1995-04-06 1995-10-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-10-05 1999-04-06 1999-10-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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