Ching Xue-Mei G Wang

US Patent:

6981381, Jan 3, 2006

Filed:

Dec 16, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/737514

Inventors:

Ching Wang - Austin TX, US
Robert M. Bartel - Hillsboro TX, US
Hans W. Klein - Danville CA, US

Assignee:

Lattice Semiconductor Corp. - Hillsboro OR

International Classification:

F25B 21/02

US Classification:

62 32, 62 37

Abstract:

Device driver circuits based on H-bridges can be implemented to provide linear control of the H-bridge, reduce power losses, and reduce certain component size/cost. The driver circuits can use two feedback loops to operate the H-bridge in different regions and to guarantee that current flows through an H-bridge load device, such as a thermoelectric cooler, in only one direction at a given time. The H-bridge driver circuits can remove the possibility of high currents bypassing the load device and thus going directly through the switches on either side of the H-bridge driver. The H-bridge driver circuits also ensure careful control of the current applied to the H-bridge load device. Such driver circuits are particularly useful for controlling the current applied to thermoelectric devices.