Patent ID: 6963773

Claim:
In an external defibrillator for applying a multiphasic defibrillation pulse to a patient through first and second electrodes when said first and second electrodes are coupled to a patient, said external defibrillator including an energy storage device having first and second leads coupled to an output circuit, the output circuit comprising: (a) a first leg coupled between the first lead of the energy storage device and the first electrode; (b) a second leg coupled between the second lead of the energy storage device and the second electrode; (c) a third leg coupled between the first lead of the energy storage device and the second electrode; (d) a fourth leg coupled between the second lead of the energy storage device and the first electrode; and (e) a plurality of semiconductor switches coupled within the legs of the output circuit, wherein only a single semiconductor switch is included in each leg of the output circuit.