Abstract:
A low current, low noise avalanche diode is disclosed which can be provided on a semiconductor chip, in which a region of highly doped material of one conductivity type is produced in an epitaxial layer of material which is less highly doped and is of the same conductivity type, and at least one finger of such highly doped material extends from said highly doped region towards and makes a PN junction with a region of oppositely doped material. Contacts are applied to the two regions and act as the electrodes of the resultant diode.
Abstract:
A current regulator for an automotive fuel injection system includes an integrated circuit chip having a differential amplifier with a control point to be coupled through an external impedance to the power supply. The differential amplifier drives a pair of Darlington connected transistors to control the current from the power supply to the load, which flows through the impedance. The collector electrodes of the Darlington transistors are connected to the control point, which is coupled to an input of the differential amplifier to form a closed negative feedback loop. The transistors of the differential amplifier may have dual collector electrodes, and first and second Darlington pairs coupled thereto can control the current supplied to first and second loads. Switches are connected to the Darlington inputs for selectively enabling one output or the other.
Abstract:
A system for energizing an inductive load includes a voltage regulator for providing a constant voltage across the load until the current builds up to a particular value, and a current regulator which then takes over to provide a constant holding current at a lower value. The voltage regulator may include a closed loop for holding the voltage across the inductive load constant or may respond to a regulated voltage value to control a power stage for providing a constant voltage. The voltage across a sensing resistor in the power stage controls the crossover from the voltage regulation mode, to the current regulation mode and the current regulator automatically resets the reference to control the power stage to provide a constant current of a lower value through the load. The system can be used to supply current to coils of injector valves in a fuel injection system, and may include two power stages for supplying current to two banks of coils. The regulator system is switched from one power stage to the other during successive 180* rotary positions of the engine for both stages.