Electronically controllable capacitors using power MOSFET's
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A variable capacitor, comprising:
- the output capacitance of at least one power MOSFET, said power MOSFET having drain, gate and source terminals, said gate and source terminals being connected together, said power MOSFET further having a body diode integral therewith;
a series capacitance connected in series with said MOSFET and having one terminal connected to the drain or source thereof; and
bias control circuitry for controlling a bias voltage applied to said MOSFET in a predetermined range of voltages depending on the voltage rating of said MOSFET, the peak amplitude of an ac signal applied to said MOSFET, and the value of said series capacitance, said bias control circuitry having a high impedance at operating frequencies therefor, the capacitance of said variable capacitor varying with said bias voltage.
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Abstract
An electrically controllable variable capacitor includes the interelectrode capacitance of at least one power MOSFET, a capacitance connected in series with the MOSFET and having one terminal connected to the drain or source thereof (the series capacitance), and bias control circuitry for controlling the bias voltage applied to the MOSFET. The voltage rating of the MOSFET, the peak amplitude of the applied ac signal, and the value of the series capacitance determine the range of dc bias voltages over which the MOSFET can be operated, and hence the capacitance range of the variable capacitor. Such a variable capacitance is useful as a tuning capacitor in an electrodeless HID lamp ballast.
36 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A variable capacitor, comprising:
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the output capacitance of at least one power MOSFET, said power MOSFET having drain, gate and source terminals, said gate and source terminals being connected together, said power MOSFET further having a body diode integral therewith; a series capacitance connected in series with said MOSFET and having one terminal connected to the drain or source thereof; and bias control circuitry for controlling a bias voltage applied to said MOSFET in a predetermined range of voltages depending on the voltage rating of said MOSFET, the peak amplitude of an ac signal applied to said MOSFET, and the value of said series capacitance, said bias control circuitry having a high impedance at operating frequencies therefor, the capacitance of said variable capacitor varying with said bias voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A ballast for an electrodeless high intensity discharge lamp of the type having an excitation coil situated about an arc tube for exciting an arc discharge therein upon application of a radio frequency signal to said excitation coil, said ballast comprising:
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at least one switching device; a ballast driver coupled to said switching device for driving said switching device; and a resonant circuit coupled to said switching device, said resonant circuit comprising said excitation coil and at least one variable capacitor; said variable capacitor comprising the output capacitance of at least one power MOSFET, said power MOSFET having drain, gate and source terminals, said gate and source terminals being connected together, said power MOSFET further having a body diode integral therewith, said variable capacitor further comprising a series capacitance connected in series with said MOSFET and having one terminal connected to the drain or source thereof, said variable capacitor further comprising bias control circuitry for controlling a bias voltage applied to said MOSFET in a predetermined range of voltages depending on the voltage rating of said MOSFET, the peak amplitude of an ac signal applied to said MOSFET, and the value of said series capacitance, said bias control circuitry having a high impedance at operating frequencies therefor, the capacitance of said variable capacitor varying with said bias voltage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification