Patent ID: 6140848
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: H03K

Abstract:
An electronic driver circuit for generating a circuit output signal providable to an electrical conductor that furnishes a conductor output signal providable to a load, the circuit and conductor output signals respectively making corresponding circuit and conductor output transitions approximately between a pair of output voltage levels between which there is an intermediate voltage level, inductance and capacitance of the conductor and the load producing resonance that enables the conductor output signal to largely complete each conductor output transition while the circuit output signal is being held at approximately the intermediate voltage level for a non-zero intermediate-level holding period during the corresponding circuit output transition, the circuit being couple between sources of first, second, and third supply voltages respectively approximately equal to one of the output voltage levels, the intermediate voltage level, and the other of the output voltage levels, the circuit comprising:control circuitry responsive to a circuit input signal for generating a plurality of control signals; andswitching circuitry responsive to the control signals for generating the circuit output signal, the control circuitry terminating the intermediate-level holding period when approximately zero current is flowing into or out of the source of the second supply voltage, the control circuitry monitoring the second supply voltage to determine approximately when its value is a minimum or a maximum.