초록 ▼

A modulating controller for use in providing a precision modulating output is disclosed. An illustrative modulating controller may include a voltage regulator adapted to output a single reference voltage, at least one modulating circuit adapted to convert a pulse-width modulated signal of the contro

A modulating controller for use in providing a precision modulating output is disclosed. An illustrative modulating controller may include a voltage regulator adapted to output a single reference voltage, at least one modulating circuit adapted to convert a pulse-width modulated signal of the controller into a precision-controlled amplitude signal, and a modulating output driver for providing a modulating output to one or more modulating components. Illustrative methods of producing a modulating output are also disclosed herein.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A modulating controller for providing an analog modulating output to one or more modulating components, the modulating controller comprising: a voltage regulator adapted to output a reference voltage; at least one modulating circuit adapted to convert a digital pulse-width mo

What is claimed is: 1. A modulating controller for providing an analog modulating output to one or more modulating components, the modulating controller comprising: a voltage regulator adapted to output a reference voltage; at least one modulating circuit adapted to convert a digital pulse-width modulated signal of the controller into an analog precision-controlled amplitude signal, each modulating circuit including a buffer operatively coupled to the reference voltage; and a modulating output driver for receiving the analog precision-controlled amplitude signal and for providing an analog modulating output to the one or more modulating components. 2. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said at least one modulating circuit comprises a plurality of modulating circuits each defining a separate channel of the modulating controller. 3. The modulating controller of claim 2, wherein said reference voltage comprises a single reference voltage applied to two or more channels of the modulating controller. 4. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said voltage regulator is a CMOS voltage regulator. 5. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said voltage regulator has an accuracy of ��5% or less. 6. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said voltage regulator has an accuracy of ��2% or less. 7. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said buffer is a voltage level shifting buffer. 8. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein the analog precision-controlled amplitude signal outputted from each modulating circuit has an accuracy of about ��2%. 9. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein the analog precision-controlled amplitude signal outputted from each modulating circuit has an accuracy of ��2% or less. 10. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein each modulating output driver includes a multi-stage amplifier. 11. The modulating controller of claim 10, wherein said multi-stage amplifier includes a first stage amplifier and a second stage amplifier. 12. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said modulating output is a 4-20 mA modulating output. 13. The modulating controller of claim 1, wherein said modulating controller includes a controller sub-base. 14. A modulating controller for providing an analog modulating output to one or more modulating components, the modulating controller comprising: a voltage regulator adapted to output a single reference voltage; a plurality of modulating circuits each defining a separate channel of the modulating controller, each modulating circuit including a buffer adapted to receive the reference voltage from said voltage regulator for converting a digital pulse-width modulated signal of the controller into an analog precision-controlled amplitude signal; and a modulating output driver for receiving the analog precision-controlled amplitude signal and for providing an analog modulating output to the one or more modulating components. 15. An apparatus for providing an analog modulating output, comprising: a voltage regulator adapted to output a single reference voltage; one or more modulating circuits having the single reference voltage as a supply voltage, each modulating circuit adapted to convert a digital pulse-width modulated signal into an analog modulating signal; and a modulating output driver for receiving the analog modulating signal and for providing an analog modulating output based on each modulating signal. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said voltage regulator is a CMOS voltage regulator. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of said modulating circuits is non-inverting. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of said modulating circuits performs a voltage level shift. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the analog modulating output is an analog 4-20 mA modulating output. 20. A method of producing an analog modulating output from a digital pulse-width modulated signal outputted by a controller, the method comprising the steps of: providing a modulating circuit including a buffer operatively coupled to a reference voltage; buffering the digital pulse-width modulated signal using the buffer and reference voltage to produce an analog precision-controlled amplitude signal; and amplifying the analog precision-controlled amplitude signal and outputting an analog modulating output to one or more modulating components.