Power Applying Circuit Voltage Control Accuracy Cost
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric power applying circuits for testing devices under test (DUTs) require high-accuracy and high-voltage amplifiers, which are expensive and increase the complexity and cost of the circuit, especially when using floating power sources for high-voltage applications.
Innovation Solution
The circuit employs an output buffer with high-voltage power source voltages and a main amplifier with higher accuracy for voltage generation, where the main amplifier uses lower-voltage components, and a floating power source generates floating voltages based on the output buffer's voltage, reducing the need for high-accuracy and high-voltage components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high-accuracy and high-voltage amplifier is used to apply high voltage accurately to the DUT, then the voltage control accuracy is improved, but the circuit cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the amplifier system into two separate components: a main amplifier that generates the high-voltage output and an error amplifier that provides accurate voltage control. This segmentation allows each amplifier to be optimized for its specific function, with the error amplifier operating at lower voltage for better accuracy while the main amplifier handles the high voltage requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The error amplifier acts as an intermediary control element that monitors the output voltage through feedback and adjusts the main amplifier's output accordingly. This intermediary mechanism enables precise voltage control without requiring the main amplifier to inherently provide high accuracy, thus reducing overall system cost.
2Power
If a floating power source is used to supply power source voltages to circuit elements for high-voltage application, then the high-voltage capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the floating power source functionality into the output buffer stage rather than requiring separate floating power supplies for multiple circuit elements. The output buffer generates the necessary floating voltage levels internally, eliminating the need for additional independent floating power sources and reducing overall circuit complexity.
3Measurement precision
If high-accuracy and high-voltage elements are used for all circuit constituents, then the voltage application accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality levels to different circuit elements based on their specific functional requirements. The error amplifier uses high-accuracy components for precise voltage control, while the main amplifier uses high-voltage components for voltage generation. This localized optimization avoids the need for all elements to be both high-accuracy and high-voltage rated, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided an electric power applying circuit for applying a direct current power to a load. The electric power applying circuit includes an output buffer that (i) is supplied with, as power source voltages, positive and negative high voltages which are determined in accordance with a range of an applied voltage which is to be applied to the load, (ii) generates a voltage in accordance with an input voltage, within a range defined by the power source voltages, and (iii) applies the generated voltage to the load, a main amplifier that amplifies a voltage input thereto to generate the input voltage, and inputs the generated input voltage into the output buffer, wherein the main amplifier exhibits a higher accuracy in terms of voltage generation than the output buffer, and a floating power source that generates positive and negative floating voltages by using, as a reference, a voltage determined in accordance with a voltage output from the output buffer, and supplies the generated positive and negative floating voltages to the main amplifier as power source voltages thereof, wherein a difference in voltage between the positive and negative floating voltages is smaller than a difference in voltage between the positive and negative high voltages.