Device and method for limiting a switching current when a circuit is turned on
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorRobert D. Wickersham
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Abstract
A method for limiting a switching current and limiting a voltage drop across a circuit includes the steps of limiting a current sent from a power source to a switching device during a turn on time of the switching device by disposing an inductor device in series between the power source and said switching device and returning flux energy stored in said inductor device to the power source during a turn off time of the switching device.
Claims49
A method for limiting a switching current, said method comprising the steps of:
- limiting a current sent from a power source to a switching device during a turn on time of said switching device by disposing a current-delay/power-storage device in series between said power source and said switching device;
- and
- returning flux energy stored in said current-delay/power-storage device to a power receiving circuit during a turn off time of said switching device.
A switching device, comprising:
- a current-delay/power-storage device which limits a current sent from a power source during a turn on time of said switching device, said current-delay/power-storage device being disposed in series between said power source and said switching device;
- and
- a return path which returns flux energy stored in said current-delay/power-storage device to a power receiving circuit during a turn off time of said switching device.
A switching device, comprising:
- a transistor;
- an current-delay/power-storage device which limits a current sent from a power source during a turn on time of said transistor, said current-delay/power-storage device being disposed in series between said power source and said transistor;
- a return path which returns flux energy stored in said current-delay/power-storage device to said power source during a turn off time of said transistor.
A method for reducing a voltage drop (dV/dt) in a circuit, said method comprising the steps of:
- limiting a current sent from a power source to a switching device during a turn on time of said switching device by disposing a current-delay/power-storage device in series between said power source and said switching device;
- and
- returning flux energy stored in said current-delay/power-storage device to a power receiving circuit during turn off time of said switching device.
A switching device, comprising:
- a current-delay/power-storage device which limits voltage drop (dV/dt) across said switching device during turn on time, said current-delay/power-storage device being disposed in series between said power source and said switching device;
- and
- a return path which returns flux energy stored in said current-delay/power-storage device to a power receiving circuit during a turn off time of said switching device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.