The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 17, 2001
Filed:
May. 19, 1999
J. Thomas Fowler, Marblehead, MA (US);
Arthur D. Little, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a system for cyclically driving an electrical current through at least one non-linear (i.e., saturable) inductor in alternating directions so as to produce a substantially periodic current waveform, and for producing an output signal representative of the current waveform. The system includes at least one capacitive node electrically coupled between a voltage source and a system ground, for storing electrical energy provided by the voltages source. The energy stored within the system is transferred as electrical current in alternating directions through the inductor via a switching network and a controller for configuring the switching network. The controller allows current to flow in each direction until the inductor saturates. The system further includes a signal processor that determines a first time interval and a second time interval related to the amount of time that the current flows through the inductor in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, and produces an output signal that is a predetermined function of the first time interval and the second time interval. The system requires a small amount of input current compared to similar prior art circuits because the inductor current is re-circulated within the system, and input current from an external source is only necessary to replace losses such as I,R dissipation.