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:
Oct. 28, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 08, 2004
John R. Cutter, Macclesfield, GB;
Brendan P. Kelly, Stockport, GB;
John R. Cutter, Macclesfield, GB;
Brendan P. Kelly, Stockport, GB;
NXP, B.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A driver for an inductive load such as a solenoid coilincludes three FETsTwo of the FETs are reversely connected between battery and output terminalsand one of the FETs is connected between output and ground terminalsA driver circuithaving high and low side control circuitryis formed in a common substrate with two of the FETsIn use, a coilis connected to the output terminaland driven in an energize mode in which current in the coilis built up as indicated by arrowa freewheel mode in which current circulates freely as indicated by arrowand then may be switched off. The reversely connected FETs allow both short circuits to be prevented in the energize mode and allow the coil to be rapidly switched off. In spite of the control circuitry being formed in a common substrate with some of the FETs, the arrangement allows the FETs to be properly driven.