Methods and apparatus for a high voltage circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12435956-B2
Application number	US-202418759289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Apr 15, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A conducted electrical weapon (“CEW”) comprises one or more switch devices and a charge storage circuit for delivering a stimulus signal via a deployed electrode. A charge may be stored in the charge storage circuit. A first switch device of the one or more switch devices may be selectively turned on according to the charge of the charge storage circuit. The stimulus signal may be delivered via a current flow path comprising the first switch device and the deployed electrode according to the charge of the charge storage circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A signal generator circuit, comprising:
a current source circuit comprising one of: a charge storage device, a high-side driver module, and a transistor;
a first driver circuit connected to the current source circuit at a first node and comprising:
a first switch device connected in series with a second switch device at a second node; and
a first charge storage device connected between the first switch device and the second switch device; and

a second driver circuit connected to the current source circuit at the first node and comprising:
a third switch device connected in series with a fourth switch device at a third node; and
a second charge storage device connected between the third switch device and the fourth switch device, wherein when the first switch device is driven in a closed state, the first node is electrically coupled to the second node via the first switch device.

2. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first output terminal connected at the second node; and
a second output terminal connected at the third node.

3. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein each of the first switch device, the second switch device, the third switch device, and the fourth switch device comprise a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor.

4. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein each of the first switch device, the second switch device, the third switch device, and the fourth switch device comprise a silicon controlled rectifier.

5. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the current source circuit is configured to provide a constant current to the first driver circuit and the second driver circuit.

6. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second switch device and the fourth switch device are connected to each other at a fourth node.

7. The signal generator circuit of claim 6 , further comprising a current sense circuit connected to the first driver circuit and the second driver circuit at the fourth node.

8. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first driver circuit is responsive to a first control signal and a second control signal;
the second driver circuit is responsive to a third control signal and a fourth control signal; and
the current source circuit is responsive to a fifth control signal.

9. The signal generator circuit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first driver circuit further comprises a first diode connected to a first terminal of the first charge storage device; and
the second driver circuit further comprises a second diode connected to a first terminal of the second charge storage device.

10. A method for operating a conducted electrical weapon, comprising:
generating a stimulus signal at a first terminal comprising:
charging a charge storage device;
selectively turning on a first switch device according to a charge of the charge storage device;
selectively turning off a second switch device according to the charge of the charge storage device, wherein the first switch device and the second switch device are connected in series with each other and connected to the first terminal; and
selectively turning on a third switch device having a polarity opposite that of the first switch device, wherein the third switch device is connected to a second terminal and connected in parallel with the first switch device and the second switch device; and

flowing current through a current path comprising the first switch device, the first terminal, the second terminal, and the third switch device according to a first control signal and the charge of the charge storage device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein charging the charge storage device and turning on the first switch device comprises enabling a second control signal and a third control signal substantially simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein selectively turning off the second switch device comprises disabling the second control signal and the third control signal substantially simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein flowing current through the current path comprises discharging the charge storage device.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
selectively turning off the third switch device; and
turning off the first switch device according to the charge of the charge storage device.

15. A conducted electrical weapon (CEW), comprising:
at least three electrodes configured to launch toward a target in response to activation of a trigger of the CEW;
a signal generator circuit electrically connected to the at least three electrodes and responsive to the activation of the trigger of the CEW, and comprising:
a current source circuit configured to generate a constant current;
a first driver circuit connected to the current source circuit at a first node and comprising:
a first switch device connected in series with a second switch device at a second node;
a first charge storage device connected between the first switch device and the second switch device; and
a first terminal connected at the second node and electrically connected to a first electrode from the at least three electrodes; and

a second driver circuit connected to:
the current source circuit at the first node; and
the first driver circuit at a third node;
wherein the second driver circuit comprises:
a third switch device connected in series with a fourth switch device at a fourth node;
a second charge storage device connected between the third switch device and the fourth switch device; and
a second terminal connected at the fourth node and electrically connected to a second electrode from the at least three electrodes;

wherein the current source circuit provides the constant current through a current flow path comprising the first switch device, the first terminal, the target, the second terminal, and the fourth switch device.

16. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 15 , wherein the first switch device comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor or an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

17. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 15 , wherein the first switch device comprises a silicon controlled rectifier.

18. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 15 , wherein the first charge storage device is coupled between a control terminal of the first switch device and an output terminal of the first switch device; and
the second charge storage device is coupled between a control terminal of the third switch device and an output terminal of the third switch device.

19. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 15 , wherein:
the first driver circuit further comprises a first diode connected to a first terminal of the first charge storage device; and
the second driver circuit further comprises a second diode connected to a first terminal of the second charge storage device.

20. The conducted electrical weapon of claim 15 , wherein the current source circuit comprises a regulator coupled to the first node.

Assignees

• Axon Entpr Inc

Inventors

• Nerheim Magne H
• Sathyanarayan Varun
• Markle Ryan

Classifications

• H02J7/731

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H05C1/02

  providing continuous feeding of DC or AC voltage · CPC title

• H05C1/04

  providing pulse voltages (mechanical self-interrupters H01H; electronic pulse-generators H03K) · CPC title

• H02J2207/50

  Charging of capacitors, supercapacitors, ultra-capacitors or double layer capacitors · CPC title