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:
Nov. 28, 2017
Filed:
Feb. 26, 2016
GM Global Technology Operations Llc, Detroit, MI (US);
Gary K. Mitchell, Kokomo, IN (US);
Mark B. Kearney, Kokomo, IN (US);
William Parker Whitlock, Cicero, IN (US);
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A system for balancing current in a circuit is provided. Embodiments of the system include: a plurality of parallel load paths of the circuit, each of the plurality of parallel load paths comprising a single load or a plurality of loads connected in series; a current source electrically connected to the circuit, the current source configured to provide a constant current to the plurality of parallel load paths, the current comprising the constant current; a plurality of bipolar transistors, each of the plurality of bipolar transistors electrically connected in series to one of the plurality of parallel load paths, and each of the plurality of bipolar transistors comprising a base, an emitter, and a collector; a plurality of emitter resistors, each of the plurality of emitter resistors electrically connected to a respective emitter of an associated one of the plurality of bipolar transistors; a plurality of base resistors, each of the plurality of base resistors electrically connected to a respective one of the plurality of bipolar transistors to create a connection, wherein the connection electrically connects a base and a collector of one of the plurality of bipolar transistors; and a common base node electrically connecting each of the bases of each of the plurality of bipolar transistors.