Phase leg with depletion-mode device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A circuit comprising:
- a first reference voltage connected to a first drive element;
a second reference voltage connected to a second drive element;
a third reference voltage having a polarity opposite that of the first reference voltage;
a switch having a first terminal connected to the third reference voltage and a second terminal connected to a gate of the first drive element;
the first and second drive elements connected to a load node to selectably pull said load node toward first and second reference voltages respectively, said load node having a third voltage;
said first drive element comprising a depletion-mode power device, which is in its “
off”
state whenever the third reference voltage is applied to the gate terminal via the switch.
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Abstract
A technique for supplying drive voltage to the gate of a high-side depletion-mode N-channel MOS-device for phase-leg circuits, H-bridges, or any circuit with a depletion-mode N-channel MOS-device with its source at a voltage above local ground.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A circuit comprising:
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a first reference voltage connected to a first drive element;
a second reference voltage connected to a second drive element;
a third reference voltage having a polarity opposite that of the first reference voltage;
a switch having a first terminal connected to the third reference voltage and a second terminal connected to a gate of the first drive element;
the first and second drive elements connected to a load node to selectably pull said load node toward first and second reference voltages respectively, said load node having a third voltage;
said first drive element comprising a depletion-mode power device, which is in its “
off”
state whenever the third reference voltage is applied to the gate terminal via the switch.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A circuit comprising:
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a first reference voltage connected to a first drive element;
a second reference voltage connected to a second drive element;
the first and second drive elements being connected to a load node to selectable pull said load node toward first and second reference voltages respectively, said load node having a third voltage;
said first drive element being a depletion-mode device, and said second drive element comprises an enhancement-mode device and a resistor connected between a source terminal and a gate terminal of the enhancement-mode device. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A circuit comprising:
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first reference voltage connected to a first drive element;
second reference voltage connected to a second drive element;
the first and second drive elements connected to a load node to selectably pull said load node toward first and second reference voltages respectively, said load node having a third voltage;
said first and second drive elements having substantially identical diffusion structures;
said first drive element being a depletion-mode device, and said second drive element comprising an enhancement-mode device and a second depletion-mode device with a drain terminal connected to a gate terminal of the enhancement-mode device and a first source terminal connected to a source terminal of the enhancement-mode device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A bridge circuit comprising:
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a first phase leg, connected to selectably source current from a positive reference voltage to a load device; and
a second phase-leg, connected to selectably source current from said positive reference voltage to said load device;
said first phase leg comprising a high-side switch and a low-side switch wherein said high-side switch is an N-channel depletion-mode power device; and
said second phase leg comprising a high-side switch and a low-side switch, wherein said high-side switch is an N-channel depletion-mode power device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification