Patent ID: 7482863
Filing Date: 2009-01-27
Classification: G10H,H03F

Abstract:
1. A vacuum tube replacement device (VTRD) that is arranged for expanded functionality, wherein the VTRD includes a plate terminal, a grid terminal, a cathode terminal, and two filament terminals that are arranged for coupling to a vacuum tube socket, the VTRD comprising: a high voltage buffer system that is coupled between the plate terminal and a first node, and arranged to isolate high voltages at the plate terminal from the first node; a power conditioning system that is coupled to the two filament terminals, and arranged to generate a local power supply from power received by the two filament terminals; a variable control system that includes a signal input terminal that is coupled to the grid terminal, an output terminal that is coupled to the first node, a feedback terminal that is coupled to the plate terminal, a return terminal that is coupled to the cathode terminal, and an input-output terminal, wherein the variable control system is configured to dynamically control current flow between the output terminal and the return terminal in response to signals received at the signal input terminal, the variable control system comprising: an extended VTRD function control system that is operated from the local power supply and includes an input-output terminal that is coupled to the input-output terminal of the variable control system, wherein the input-output terminal of the variable control system is coupled to a corresponding input-output terminal for at least one member of the group comprising: the input network, the output network, the return network, the feedback network, and the variable control means, wherein the extended VTRD function control system is arranged to modify an operational performance feature of the variable control system circuit via a control signal that is provided at the input-output terminal of extended VTRD function control system.