Patent ID: 9652013
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: G06F,H01L

Claim:
1. A piezo driver comprising: a passive energy storage component configured to store electric charge; a voltage converter configured to electrically connect between a piezo component and the passive energy storage component; a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and a fourth switch, the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch each having an open configuration and a closed configuration, the first switch configured to electrically connect between the voltage converter and a first terminal of the piezo component, the second switch configured to electrically connect between a second terminal of the piezo component and ground potential, the third switch configured to electrically connect between ground potential and the first terminal of the piezo component, and the fourth switch configured to electrically connect between the voltage converter and the second terminal of the piezo component; and a control module electrically connected to the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch, the control module configured to cause the first switch, the second switch, the third switch, and the fourth switch to transition between the open configuration and the closed configuration, the control module configured to receive an input signal, the control module configured to determine a operational state of the piezo driver by comparing the input signal and a voltage value across the piezo component, and the operational state comprising a first state of operation, a second state of operation, a third state of operation, and a fourth state of operation, the first state of operation, the second state of operation, the third state of operation, and the fourth state of operation being different from each other, wherein a positive voltage across the piezo component is generated during the first state of operation, a positive voltage across the piezo component is reduced during the second state of operation, a negative voltage across the piezo component is generated during the third state of operation, and a negative voltage across the piezo component is reduced during the fourth state of operation, and wherein the voltage converter is configured to furnish electric charge from the passive energy storage component to the piezo component during the first and third states of operation and to furnish electric charge from the piezo component to the passive energy storage component during the second and fourth states of operation.