The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a piezoelectric transducer. The circuitry comprises pre-processor circuitry configured to process an input signal to generate a processed signal; driver circuitry coupled to the pre-processor circuitry and configured to generate a drive signal, based on the processed signal, for driving the piezoelectric transducer; and processor circuitry configured to determine a resonant frequency of the piezoelectric transducer. The pre-processor circuitry is configured to process the input signal based on the determined resonant frequency so as to generate the processed signal.

The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a load. The circuitry comprises driver circuitry configured to generate a drive signal, based on an input signal to the driver circuitry, for driving the load, and commutator circuitry for coupling the driver circuitry to the load. The commutator circuitry is configured to alternate between commutation states in response to a level of the drive signal meeting a drive signal threshold or in response to a level of the input signal meeting a first input signal threshold. The circuitry is configured to apply an offset to the input signal when the input signal is below a second input signal threshold so as to increase a minimum level of the drive signal above the drive signal threshold or to increase a minimum level of the input signal above the first input signal threshold.

For a resonator system such as a (haptic) LRA, a methodology for resonant frequency (F0) tracking/control with continuous resonator drive, based on estimating back-emf, including estimating resonator resistance based at least in part on the sensed resonator drive signals, with back-emf estimated based at least in part on the sensed resonator drive signals and the estimated resonator resistance. A phase difference is detected between the resonator drive signals, and the estimated back-emf signals, generating control for resonator drive frequency, which can be used to iteratively adjust the resonator drive frequency until phase coherent with the estimated back-emf signals (F0 lock), such as for driving the resonator at or near a resonant frequency. An amplitude control loop can be used to iteratively adjust resonator drive amplitude based on a difference between estimated back-emf and a target back-emf derived from a rated back-emf and the resonator frequency resonant frequency.

A nebulizer has an aperture plate, a mounting, an actuator, and an aperture plate drive circuit (2-4). A controller measures an electrical drive parameter at each of a plurality of measuring points, each measuring point having a drive frequency; and based on the values of the parameter at the measuring points makes a determination of optimum drive frequency and also an end-of-dose prediction. The controller performs a short scan at regular sub-second intervals at which drive current is measured at two measuring points with different drive frequencies. According to drive parameter measurements at these points the controller determines if a full scan sweeping across a larger number of measuring points should be performed. The full scan provides the optimum drive frequency for the device and also an end of dose indication.

An ultrasound vibrating-type defect detection apparatus (100) for detecting a defect in a semiconductor apparatus (10) is provided with: an ultrasound vibrator (42); a high-frequency power supply (40); a camera (45); and a controller (50) for adjusting the frequency of high-frequency power supplied from the high-frequency power supply (40) to the ultrasound vibrator (42), and for performing detection of a defect in the semiconductor apparatus (10). The controller (50) causes the camera (45) to capture an image of the semiconductor apparatus (10) while varying the frequency of high-frequency power supplied from the high-frequency power supply (40) to the ultrasound vibrator (42), and performs detection of a defect in the semiconductor apparatus (10) on the basis of the captured image.

A control console for a powered surgical tool. The console includes a transformer that supplies the drive signal to the surgical tool. A linear amplifier with active resistors selectively ties the ends of the transformer primary winding between ground and the open circuit state. Feedback voltages from the transformer windings regulate the resistances of the active resistors.

A mist inhaler device (200) for generating a mist for inhalation by a user. The device includes a mist generator device (201) and a driver device (202). The driver device (202) is configured to drive the mist generator device (201) at an optimum frequency to maximise the efficiency of mist generation by the mist generator device (201).

The present invention relates to a haptic feedback system and, particularly, to a device and a method for controlling an actuator for haptic feedback, the method comprising: a first step of controlling the output of an oscillator such that a clock necessary in the generation of a driving signal for driving an actuator is oscillated at a reference clock frequency; a second step of calculating the resonance frequency of the actuator from a cycle of a BEMF signal according to the driving of the actuator; and a third step of calculating a clock frequency for following the calculated resonance frequency of the actuator so as to newly change and set same to the reference clock frequency, thereby controlling the output of the oscillator.

A mist inhaler device (200) for generating a mist for inhalation by a user. The device includes a mist generator device (201) and a driver device (202). The driver device (202) is configured to drive the mist generator device (201) at an optimum frequency to maximise the efficiency of mist generation by the mist generator device (201).

A non-Hermitian complementary metamaterial (NHCMM). Acoustic transmission systems including an acoustic wave generator configured to generate an acoustic wave and propagate the acoustic wave through a tissue of a specimen, and the NHCMM, which is configured to add a first amount of energy amplification coherently to the acoustic wave to account for energy loss in the acoustic wave as a result of the wave propagating through the tissue of the specimen. The acoustic wave generator can be an ultrasound generator, and the tissue can be a cranium.