Patent ID: 8848405

Claim:
A half-bridge inverter for converting a DC input voltage to provide an AC output voltage at an output terminal ( 1001 ), the half-bridge inverter comprising: a first switching circuit ( 1100 ) connected to at least one input terminal ( 1002 , 1004 ) and to the output terminal ( 1001 ), the first switching circuit ( 1100 ) configured to provide a high or a low voltage level at the output terminal ( 1001 ); a second switching circuit ( 1200 ) connected to the output terminal ( 1001 ), the second switching circuit ( 1200 ) configured to provide a connection to an intermediate voltage level, the intermediate voltage level being between the high and the low voltage level; and wherein the second switching circuit ( 1200 ) is further connected to the at least one input terminal ( 1002 , 1004 ) allowing the second switching circuit ( 1200 ) to provide the high or the low voltage level at the output terminal ( 1001 ); and wherein the first switching circuit ( 1100 ) is separately switchable from the second switching circuit ( 1200 ); wherein the first switching circuit ( 1100 ) comprises a first switching element ( 1101 ) connected to one of the at least one input terminal ( 1002 , 1004 ) and to the output terminal ( 1001 ) and a second switching element ( 1102 ) connected to another of the at least one input terminal ( 1004 , 1002 ) and the output terminal ( 1001 ).