IP Library Granted Patent US 8,471,546
Granted Patent B2
US 8,471,546 · App. 12/891,434 · Granted Jun 25, 2013

Time constant circuit, switch circuit, DC/DC converter, and display device

Inventor: Kouichi Ooga (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: NLT Technologies, Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,471,546
App. No.
12/891,434
Granted
Jun 25, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

To provide a time constant circuit and the like capable of acquiring a characteristic of an output voltage that attenuates gradually after attenuating steeply, compared to a characteristic that attenuates monotonously. The time constant circuit includes: a series/parallel circuit formed by serially connecting a plurality of parallel circuits each formed with a resistance element and a capacitance element between a first terminal and a second terminal; and a voltage-dividing resistance element connected between a third terminal connected to the second terminal and a fourth terminal. A first parallel circuit is formed with a first resistance element and a first capacitance element, a second parallel circuit with a second resistance element and a second capacitance element, and an n-th parallel circuit with an n-th resistance element and an n-th capacitance element. Note that “n” is the number of the parallel circuits and it is an integer of 2 or larger.

Claims (32)

1. A switch circuit, comprising:

a time constant circuit comprising:

a serial-parallel circuit that is formed by serially connecting a plurality of parallel circuits each structured with a resistance element and a capacitance element between a first terminal and a second terminal; and

a voltage-dividing resistance element connected between a third terminal that is connected to the second terminal and a fourth terminal,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are input terminals, and the third terminal and the fourth terminal are output terminals;

wherein when a DC (direct current) voltage is applied between the input terminals, an output voltage acquired between the output terminals changes according to a sum of a plurality of exponential functions of a different time constants; and

wherein:

the serial-parallel circuit is formed with a first parallel circuit and a second parallel circuit;

a first exponential function and a second exponential function are derived approximately from the sum of the plurality of exponential functions; and

the output voltage changes according to the first exponential function from a point immediately after the DC current is applied until a specific time, and changes according to the second exponential function after the specific time;

a control terminal, and

a semiconductor switch element having a first conductive terminal and a second conductive terminal, wherein:

when a specific voltage is applied to the control terminal, between the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminal of the semiconductor switch element becomes conductive;

the first terminal is connected to the first conductive terminal, and the third terminal is connected to the control terminal; and

the output voltage reaches the specific voltage after the specific time.

2. The switch circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the semiconductor switch element is a p-channel type FET, the first conductive terminal and the second conductive terminals are a source terminal and a drain terminal, respectively, and the control terminal is a gate terminal; and

the specific voltage is a threshold voltage of the FET.

3. A DC/DC converter, comprising:

the switch circuit of claim 2 ; and

a smoothing capacitance element connected between the drain terminal of the FET and the fourth terminal.

4. A display device, comprising the DC/DC converter of claim 3 .

5. A time constant circuit, comprising:

a serial-parallel circuit that is formed by serially connecting a plurality of parallel circuits each structured with a resistance element and a capacitance element between a first terminal and a second terminal; and

a voltage-dividing resistance element connected between a third terminal that is connected to the second terminal and a fourth terminal,

wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are input terminals, and the third terminal and the fourth terminal are output terminals,

wherein when a DC (direct current) voltage is applied between the input terminals, an output voltage acquired between the output terminals changes according to a sum of a plurality of exponential functions of different time constants, and

wherein:

the serial-parallel circuit is formed with a first parallel circuit and a second parallel circuit; and

R 1 >R 2 and C 1 >C 2 apply, provided that a resistance value of the resistance element of the first parallel circuit is R 1 , a capacitance value of the capacitance element of the first parallel circuit is C 1 , a resistance value of the resistance element of the second parallel circuit is R 2 , a capacitance value of the capacitance element of the second parallel circuit is C 2 .

6. The time constant circuit as claimed in claim 5 , wherein

R 3 ×C 1 >100 (kΩ·μF) applies, provided that a resistance value of the voltage-dividing resistance element is R 3 .

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 8, 2011
From: NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
To: NLT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 027195/0933 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2010
From: OOGA, KOUICHI
To: NEC LCD TECHNOLOGIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 025047/0761 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-222519 · Sep 28, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110074377A1 · Mar 31, 2011