Edward T Howell

US Patent:

7473859, Jan 6, 2009

Filed:

Jan 12, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/622483

Inventors:

Joshua Isaac Wright - Arlington VA, US
William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US
Christopher Keimel - Schenectady NY, US
Long Que - Rexford NY, US
Kuna Venkat Satya Rama Kishore - Bangalore, IN
Abhijeet Dinkar Sathe - Bangalore, IN
Xuefeng Wang - Schenectady NY, US
Edward Keith Howell - Hendersonville NC, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H01H 51/22

US Classification:

200181, 200329

Abstract:

A gating voltage control system and method are provided for electrostatically actuating a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) device, e. g. , a MEMS switch. The device may comprise an electrostatically responsive actuator movable through a gap for actuating the device to a respective actuating condition corresponding to one of a first actuating condition (e. g. , a closed switching condition) and a second actuating condition (e. g. , an open switching condition). The gating voltage control system may comprise a drive circuit electrically coupled to a gate terminal of the device to apply a gating voltage. The gating voltage control system may further comprise a controller electrically coupled to the drive circuit to control the gating voltage applied to the gating terminal in accordance with a gating voltage control sequence. The gating voltage control sequence may comprise a first interval for ramping up the gating voltage to a voltage level for producing an electrostatic force sufficient to accelerate the actuator through a portion of the gap to be traversed by the actuator to reach a respective actuating condition. The gating voltage control sequence may further comprise a second interval for ramping down the gating voltage to a level sufficient to reduce the electrostatic force acting on the movable actuator.

US Patent:

7643256, Jan 5, 2010

Filed:

Dec 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/567296

Inventors:

Joshua Isaac Wright - Arlington VA, US
William James Premerlani - Scotia NY, US
John Norton Park - Rexford NY, US
Edward Keith Howell - Hendersonville NC, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Niskayuna NY

International Classification:

H02H 3/00

US Classification:

361 8, 361 2, 361 13, 361 31

Abstract:

A switching system is provided. The switching system includes electromechanical switching circuitry, such as a micro-electromechanical system switching circuitry. The system may further include solid state switching circuitry coupled in a parallel circuit with the electromechanical switching circuitry, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry. The controller may be configured to perform selective switching of a load current between the electromechanical switching circuitry and the solid state switching circuitry in response to a load current condition appropriate to an operational capability of a respective one of the switching circuitries.