US 11,811,199 B2
Apparatus and methods of detecting transient discharge modes and/or closed loop control of pulsed systems and method employing same
Joseph F. Fitzpatrick, Glendale, CA (US); Mark A. Thomas, Redondo Beach, CA (US); Alonzo Gomez, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Jason M. Sanders, La Crescenta, CA (US)
Assigned to TRANSIENT PLASMA SYSTEMS, INC., Torrance, CA (US)
Filed by TRANSIENT PLASMA SYSTEMS, INC., Torrance, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/684,085.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/156,155, filed on Mar. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0285922 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. H01T 15/00 (2006.01); H03K 3/017 (2006.01); H03H 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC H01T 15/00 (2013.01) [H03H 7/06 (2013.01); H03K 3/017 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operation of a system for use in providing high voltage electrical pulses to one or more electrodes, the method comprising:
for each of a number of electrical pulses in a pulse train of electrical pulses being delivered to at least one electrode,
sensing at least one characteristic value of a present one of the electrical pulses of the pulse train; and
determining a transient discharge mode based on the sensed at least one characteristic value of the present one of the electrical pulses of the pulse train, wherein determining a transient discharge mode based on the sensed at least one characteristic value of the present one of the electrical pulses includes determining the transient discharge mode via an output of an amplitude-to-time conversion (ATC) circuit, and wherein the transient discharge modes include: a no detected discharge mode, a transient or non-equilibrated plasma discharge mode, and a spark or arc discharge mode, and determining the transient discharge mode via an output of an ATC circuit includes determining whether the no detected discharge mode occurred, the transient or non-equilibrated plasma discharge mode occurred, or the spark or arc discharge mode occurred.