# US 11,027,542 B2 · Driving circuit, integrated circuit, and liquid discharge apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,542 B2 - Document ID: US11027542B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/690,332 - Filed: 2019-11-21 - Published: 2020-05-28 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-11-22 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Tetsuo Takagi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027542B2 ## CPC - B41J 2/0451: {for detecting failure, e.g. clogging, malfunctioning actuator} - B41J 2/04541: {Specific driving circuit} - B41J 2/04551: {using several operating modes} - B41J 2/04581: {controlling heads based on piezoelectric elements} - B41J 2/04588: {using a specific waveform} - B41J 2/04593: {Dot-size modulation by changing the size of the drop} - B41J 2/04596: {Non-ejecting pulses} - H02M 3/157: with digital control - H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load - H02N 2/181: {Circuits; Control arrangements or methods} - H10N 30/802: {Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits} - B41J 2202/13: Heads having an integrated circuit - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P) - H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract There is provided a driving circuit that drives a discharge head which includes a piezoelectric element, the driving circuit including: a first voltage signal output circuit that outputs the first voltage signal by operating based on an amplification control signal; and an integrated circuit that outputs the amplification control signal, in which the integrated circuit includes an amplification control signal generation circuit, an output control circuit, and a first register, in which the amplification control signal generation circuit generates the amplification control signal based on a drive data that defines a signal waveform of the first voltage signal input from an input terminal, in which the first register holds an operating state data that defines the operating state of the driving circuit input from the input terminal, and in which the output control circuit controls an output of the driving circuit based on the operating state data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A driving circuit that drives a discharge head which includes a piezoelectric element driven by receiving a first voltage signal and which discharges a liquid by driving the piezoelectric element, the driving circuit comprising: a first voltage signal output circuit that outputs the first voltage signal by operating based on an amplification control signal; and an integrated circuit that outputs the amplification control signal, wherein the integrated circuit includes an amplification control signal generation circuit, an output control circuit, and a first register, the amplification control signal generation circuit generates the amplification control signal based on a drive data that defines a signal waveform of the first voltage signal input from an input terminal, the first register holds an operating state data that defines the operating state of the driving circuit input from the input terminal, the output control circuit controls an output of the driving circuit based on the operating state data, the integrated circuit includes a second register that holds an abnormality detection data for determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the operating state data held by the first register, and the second register is provided at the same address as the first register. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit controls the supply of the first voltage signal to the piezoelectric element based on the operating state data held by the first register. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising: a switch circuit of which one end is supplied with the first voltage signal and the other end is electrically connected to the piezoelectric element, wherein the integrated circuit controls supply of power source voltage to the switch circuit based on the operating state data held by the first register. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric element is driven by a potential difference between a first electrode to which the first voltage signal is supplied and a second electrode to which a second voltage signal is supplied, and the integrated circuit controls the supply of the second voltage signal to the second electrode based on the operating state data held by the first register. ### Claim 5 An integrated circuit including a driving circuit that drives a discharge head which includes a piezoelectric element driven by receiving a first voltage signal and which discharges a liquid by driving the piezoelectric element, the integrated circuit comprising: an amplification control signal generation circuit; an output control circuit; and a first register, wherein the amplification control signal generation circuit generates an amplification control signal which is a basis of the first voltage signal based on a drive data that defines a signal waveform of the first voltage signal input from an input terminal, the first register holds an operating state data input from the input terminal, the output control circuit controls an output of the driving circuit based on the operating state data, the integrated circuit includes a second register that holds an abnormality detection data for determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the operating state data held by the first register, and the second register is provided at the same address as the first register. ### Claim 6 A liquid discharge apparatus comprising: a discharge head that includes a piezoelectric element driven by receiving a first voltage signal and that discharges a liquid by driving the piezoelectric element; and a driving circuit for driving the discharge head, wherein the driving circuit includes a first voltage signal output circuit that outputs the first voltage signal by operating based on an amplification control signal, and an integrated circuit that outputs the amplification control signal, the integrated circuit includes an amplification control signal generation circuit, an output control circuit, and a first register, the amplification control signal generation circuit generates the amplification control signal based on a drive data that defines a signal waveform of the first voltage signal input from an input terminal, the first register holds an operating state data that defines the operating state of the driving circuit input from the input terminal, the output control circuit controls an output of the driving circuit based on the operating state data, the integrated circuit includes a second register that holds an abnormality detection data for determining the presence or absence of an abnormality in the operating state data held by the first register, and the second register is provided at the same address as the first register.