Amplifier having dead zone of controllable width and position
First Claim
1. A dead zone amplifier for supplying output current in a given sense to a load when an input signal is above a first level and for supplying output current in the opposite sense to said load when said input signal is below a second level, said levels defining a dead zone within which no output current flows in either sense to said load, said dead zone amplifier comprising:
- an input circuit responsive to an input signal and a width control signal for providing a first composite output signal representative of the sum thereof, said input circuit being also responsive to said width control signal and a position control signal for providing a second composite output signal representative of the sum thereof;
a first differential amplifier responsive to said input signal and said second composite output signal for producing a first output current of a given sense when said input signal and said second composite output signal are of first relative magnitudes, said first output current being zero otherwise;
a second differential amplifier responsive to said position signal and said first composite output signal for producing a second output current of said given sense when said position control signal and said first composite signal are of first relative magnitudes, said second output current being zero otherwise; and
an output circuit for subtracting one of said output currents from the other to produce a difference current for application to said load, whereby the position and width of said dead zone are independently and non-interactively controllable in response to changes in said position and width control signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first amplifier compares an input signal with the sum of a position control signal and a first width control signal and a second amplifier compares the position control signal with the sum of the input signal and a second width control signal, the second width control signal being derived from the same source as the first. Output circuitry combines unipolar output currents produced by the amplifiers to provide a net output current which flows in one sense to a load when the input signal is more positive than a first level and flows in the opposite sense when the input signal is more negative than a second level. No output current flows when the input signal lies within a dead zone defined by said levels, the position and width of the dead zone being separately and non-interactively controllable by said position and width signals.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A dead zone amplifier for supplying output current in a given sense to a load when an input signal is above a first level and for supplying output current in the opposite sense to said load when said input signal is below a second level, said levels defining a dead zone within which no output current flows in either sense to said load, said dead zone amplifier comprising:
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an input circuit responsive to an input signal and a width control signal for providing a first composite output signal representative of the sum thereof, said input circuit being also responsive to said width control signal and a position control signal for providing a second composite output signal representative of the sum thereof; a first differential amplifier responsive to said input signal and said second composite output signal for producing a first output current of a given sense when said input signal and said second composite output signal are of first relative magnitudes, said first output current being zero otherwise; a second differential amplifier responsive to said position signal and said first composite output signal for producing a second output current of said given sense when said position control signal and said first composite signal are of first relative magnitudes, said second output current being zero otherwise; and an output circuit for subtracting one of said output currents from the other to produce a difference current for application to said load, whereby the position and width of said dead zone are independently and non-interactively controllable in response to changes in said position and width control signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification