Patent ID: RE41040

Claim:
Apparatus for producing a high voltage waveform corresponding to a target waveform using low voltage components comprising: a. a pulse width modulator for providing an output having a relative magnitude of one in the form of a succession of pulse train segments, each having an envelope conforming to successive corresponding segments of the target waveform; b. a first square wave generator connected to the pulse width modulator, and providing a bipolar square wave output having at least three output states; c. a second square wave generator connected to the first square wave generator, and providing a bipolar square wave output having at least three output states, wherein the pulse width modulator and the first and second square wave generators are connected in series relationship, and further wherein the relative magnitude of one of the square wave generator outputs is six and the relative magnitude of the other square wave generator is two; and d. a control means connected to: i. the pulse width modulator for controlling the pulse width modulator to deliver the succession of pulse train segments separated by a plurality of transitions between segments, and ii. the first and second square wave generators for switching the respective bipolar square wave outputs from one state to another of the output states during each transition between successive segments, such that the output of the pulse width modulator is added to the outputs of the square wave generators to form a high voltage waveform output made up of the square wave outputs of the step square wave generators and the segmented waveform output of the pulse width modulator.