System for driving a piezoelectric load and method of making same

A piezoelectric driver comprising:

• a first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter having a low-voltage side and a high-voltage side and comprising:
• a first high-voltage side terminal;
• a second high-voltage side terminal;
• and
• wherein the first bi-directional DC-to-DC converter is capable of boosting a voltage on the first high-voltage side terminal thereof;
• a second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter having a low-voltage side and a high-voltage side and comprising:
• a first high-voltage side terminal;
• a second high-voltage side terminal coupled to the second high-voltage side terminal of the first voltage converter;
• and
• wherein the second bi-directional DC-to-DC converter is capable of boosting a voltage on the first high-voltage side terminal thereof;
• a direct current (DC) voltage source coupled to the low-voltage sides of the first and second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converters;
• a piezoelectric actuator coupled to the first high-voltage side terminal of the first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter and coupled to the first high-voltage side terminal of the second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter;
• and
• a control system coupled to the first and second voltage converters and configured to:
• supply a first control signal to the first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, wherein the first control signal is configured to control the first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert a voltage on the low-voltage side of the first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to a first output voltage on the high-voltage side of the first bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter;
• supply a second control signal to the second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, wherein the second control signal is a complement of the first control signal and is configured to control the second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert a voltage on the low-voltage side of the second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to a second output voltage on the high-voltage side of the second bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter;
• generate the first and second control signals based on a reference signal generated by an alternating current (AC) voltage source;
• and
• wherein a voltage difference between the first and second output voltages comprises a difference voltage that comprises an amplification of the first control signal.