Patent ID: 7679410

Claim:
A method for increasing the efficiency of a NPN transistor used in periodic switching applications with delivered energy to a load, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first power source having characteristic source impedance; providing a first circuit having components comprising a first resistor, a first inductor and a first capacitor in series from the first power source to the load; providing a second power source in a second circuit in parallel with the first circuit with the second circuit having components comprising a second and third resistor separated by a second capacitor and second inductor; providing the NPN transistor as a switch, the transistor grounded and having an electrical connection to the first circuit between the first inductor and the first capacitor with the transistor electrically connected to the second circuit between the second inductor and the second capacitor; delivering a controlled base current from the second power source and in the second circuit to switch the transistor to an ON-state; delivering a controlled reverse base-emitter bias in the second circuit to switch the transistor to an OFF-state without exceeding a reverse breakdown of the base-emitter junction; generating a square-wave voltage by periodic operation of the transistor between the ON-state and the OFF-state by said controlled base current and controlled reverse base-emitter delivering steps; achieving a steady state current/voltage condition within the first circuit; and delivering energy to the first circuit by the first capacitor and onto the load during a positive half-period of the square-wave resulting from said square-wave generating step.