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Method and circuit for driving power transistors in a half bridge configuration from control signals referenced to any potential between the line voltage and the line voltage return and integrated circuit incorporating the circuit

  • US 5,502,412 A
  • Filed: 05/04/1995
  • Issued: 03/26/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for driving power transistors in a half bridge configuration from a control signal referenced to any potential between the line voltage for the power transistors and the line voltage return, comprising:

  • providing a control signal referenced to any potential between the line voltage and the line voltage return to an input circuit;

    providing said input circuit with two voltage levels floating with respect to a common voltage level;

    providing an output of said input circuit to a first level shifting circuit which shifts the level of the output of the input circuit so that it is referenced to the common voltage level;

    providing said output referenced to the common voltage level to a low side driver circuit for the power transistor in said half bridge configuration which functions as a low side power transistor;

    providing said output referenced to said common voltage level also to a second level shifting circuit which shifts the level of said output from said first level shifting circuit to produce a signal referenced to a second higher voltage level than said common level; and

    providing the signal referenced to said second higher voltage level to a high side driver circuit for driving the power transistor comprising the high side power transistor in said half bridge configuration.

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