# US 12,109,588 B2 · Electronic device and tactile-sensation generation device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,588 B2 - Document ID: US12109588B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/072,059 - Filed: 2022-11-30 - Published: 2023-08-03 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-28 - Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kazuhiko Kinemura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109588B2 ## CPC - B06B 1/0215: {for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes} - G08B 6/00: Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems - H03K 17/687: the devices being field-effect transistors - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract An electronic device includes a load, a first switching element, a drive circuit, and a second switching element. The first switching element is disposed on a current path connected to the load. The drive circuit drives the first switching element by using a drive control signal which is based on a comparison result between a load signal and a reference signal. The load signal is obtained by converting, into a voltage, a current flowing through the current path. The reference signal serves as a reference of an operation of the first switching element. The second switching element is capable of switching the signal level of the drive control signal between a first level, at which the first switching element is switched off, and a second level, at which the first switching element is switched on. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic device comprising: a load; a first switching element that is disposed on a current path connected to the load; a drive circuit that drives the first switching element by using a drive control signal, the drive control signal being based on a comparison result between a load signal and a reference signal, the load signal being obtained by converting, into a voltage, a current flowing through the current path, the reference signal serving as a reference of an operation of the first switching element; and a second switching element that is capable of switching a signal level of the drive control signal between a first level and a second level, the first level being a level at which the first switching element is switched off, the second level being a level at which the first switching element is switched on, wherein the second switching element is a switching element that is disposed on a branch line and that switches a connection state between a signal transmission path and a reference potential point, the branch line branching from the signal transmission path and being connected to the reference potential point, the signal transmission path being a path between an output terminal and a control terminal of the first switching element, the output terminal being a terminal from which the drive circuit outputs the drive control signal to the first switching element, the control terminal of the first switching element being connected to the output terminal and receiving the drive control signal, when the second switching element is switched on, the signal level of the drive control signal becomes the first level, and when the second switching element is switched off, the signal level of the drive control signal becomes the second level. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first resistor that has been inserted between a branch point and the output terminal of the drive circuit, the branch point being a point at which branching from the signal transmission path to the reference potential point is made. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second resistor that has been inserted between a branch point and a current input terminal of the second switching element, the branch point being a point at which branching from the signal transmission path to the reference potential point is made. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein an output level of the drive circuit is higher than the second level in a state in which the second switching element is on. ### Claim 5 A tactile-sensation generation device comprising: an actuator that generates a vibration; a first switching element that is disposed on a current path connected to the actuator; a drive circuit that drives the first switching element by using a drive control signal, the drive control signal being based on a comparison result between a load signal and a reference signal, the load signal being obtained by converting, into a voltage, a current flowing through the current path, the reference signal serving as a reference of an operation of the first switching element; and a second switching element that is capable of switching a signal level of the drive control signal between a first level and a second level, the first level being a level at which the first switching element is switched off, the second level being a level at which the first switching element is switched on, wherein, when the second switching element is switched off and the signal level of the drive control signal reaches the second level from a state in which the second switching element is switched on and the signal level of the drive control signal is at the first level, a rush current of the drive control signal is supplied to a control terminal of the first switching element from the drive circuit.