Patent classifications
H03G3/005
CHANNELISED GAIN CONTROL OF LINE AMPLIFIERS
A method for controlling gain of a line amplifier on a cable, the method comprising selecting an unused carrier frequency; transmitting a pulsed pilot signal on the unused carrier frequency into the cable; determining a pilot signal output strength by measuring signal strength of the pilot signal after amplification by the line amplifier; comparing the pilot signal output strength with a target signal strength to determine a difference; and adjusting the gain of the line amplifier corresponding to the difference.
Methods and apparatuses for driving audio and ultrasonic signals from the same transducer
Driver circuitry is disclosed for driving an electroacoustic transducer to provide an output comprising both ultrasonic and audio signal components. The driver circuitry comprises an adjustment module configured to reduce the level of said ultrasonic component signal in response to an increase in an operational variable indicative of a level of said audio signal component, while also increasing the pulse duration, duty cycle, repetition frequency or frequency span or bandwidth of the ultrasonic component.
Analog based speaker thermal protection in class-D amplifiers
A circuit comprises a sensing resistor with a resistance Rs, a first amplifier circuit with a first gain factor G, a second amplifier circuit with a second gain factor (1/A), a third amplifier circuit, a current mirror, a buffer, and a peak voltage detector. The first amplifier circuit is coupled to the sensing resistor at a first node and a second node and to the second amplifier circuit, which is further coupled to the current mirror. The buffer is coupled to the current mirror and to the third amplifier circuit, which is further coupled to the peak voltage detector and configured to receive a voltage across a load and a voltage on a ground node. In some implementations, the load is a speaker. In some implementations, a filter is coupled between the first and the second amplifier circuits.
Methods and apparatuses for driving audio and ultrasonic signals from the same transducer
Driver circuitry is disclosed for driving an electroacoustic transducer to provide an output comprising both ultrasonic and audio signal components. The driver circuitry comprises an adjustment module configured to reduce the level of said ultrasonic component signal in response to an increase in an operational variable indicative of a level of said audio signal component, while also increasing the pulse duration, duty cycle, repetition frequency or frequency span or bandwidth of the ultrasonic component.
SPEAKER EXCURSION PROTECTION
An audio circuit includes an amplifier, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and an excursion control circuit. The voltage sensor is coupled to an output of the amplifier. The current sensor is coupled to the output of the amplifier. The excursion control circuit is coupled to the amplifier, the voltage sensor, and the current sensor. The excursion control circuit includes back electro-magnetic force (EMF) measurement, a back-EMF model, and excursion protection. The back-EMF measurement is to measure back electro-magnetic force of a speaker based on voltage measurements received from the voltage sensor and current measurements received from the current sensor. The back-EMF model is updated based on measurements of the back-EMF and is converted to an excursion model. The excursion protection is to limit amplitude of audio signal provided to the amplifier based on the excursion model of the speaker and amplitude of an audio input signal.
INFERENCE AND CORRECTION OF AUTOMATIC GAIN COMPENSATION
Methods, systems, and computer program products that infer and correct automatic gain compensation (AGC) values over time are described. A device emits a series of inaudible reference audio signals during recording. The reference audio signals have a constant amplitude. A microphone of the device records the reference audio signals while recording audio content. The device may apply AGC during the recording. An AGC inference module receives the recorded signals and extracts a representation of the reference audio signals, which have been subject to the AGC. The AGC inference module determines variations in levels of the extracted representation of the reference audio signals over time. Based on the variations, the AGC inference module infers the AGC applied to the recording over time. The AGC inference module can then provide the AGC for reading, or undo effects of the AGC applied to the audio content.
ANALOG BASED SPEAKER THERMAL PROTECTION IN CLASS-D AMPLIFIERS
A circuit comprises a sensing resistor with a resistance Rs, a first amplifier circuit with a first gain factor G, a second amplifier circuit with a second gain factor (1/A), a third amplifier circuit, a current mirror, a buffer, and a peak voltage detector. The first amplifier circuit is coupled to the sensing resistor at a first node and a second node and to the second amplifier circuit, which is further coupled to the current mirror. The buffer is coupled to the current mirror and to the third amplifier circuit, which is further coupled to the peak voltage detector and configured to receive a voltage across a load and a voltage on a ground node. In some implementations, the load is a speaker. In some implementations, a filter is coupled between the first and the second amplifier circuits.
Non-linear feedback control for temperature and power protection of loudspeakers
A system and a method provide for protecting a loudspeaker from thermal and/or mechanical failure by monitoring for over-temperature and over-power conditions. The system generates a first gain from a first speaker protection controller in response to a driving voltage and/or a driving current of a loudspeaker, and generates a second gain from a second speaker protection controller in response to the driving voltage and/or a driving current of the loudspeaker, if the temperature exceeds a thermal limit or if the power exceeds a maximum power. The system applies the second gain to an audio signal to lower the audio signal if the first speaker protection controller fails.
SPEAKER EXCURSION PROTECTION
An audio circuit includes an amplifier, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and an excursion control circuit. The voltage sensor is coupled to an output of the amplifier. The current sensor is coupled to the output of the amplifier. The excursion control circuit is coupled to the amplifier, the voltage sensor, and the current sensor. The excursion control circuit includes back electro-magnetic force (EMF) measurement, a back-EMF model, and excursion protection. The back-EMF measurement is to measure back electro-magnetic force of a speaker based on voltage measurements received from the voltage sensor and current measurements received from the current sensor. The back-EMF model is updated based on measurements of the back-EMF and is converted to an excursion model. The excursion protection is to limit amplitude of audio signal provided to the amplifier based on the excursion model of the speaker and amplitude of an audio input signal.