An audio device may include an electrical terminal for coupling a transducer device to the audio device and an audio circuit for generating an analog audio signal coupled to the electrical terminal. The audio circuit may include a pre-amplifier stage, an amplifier, and a gain selector. The pre-amplifier stage may apply a selectable gain to an audio input signal to generate a pre-amplified analog audio signal, wherein the pre-amplifier stage is powered by a first power supply. The amplifier may amplify the pre-amplified analog audio signal to generate the analog audio signal, wherein the amplifier is powered from a second power supply isolated from the first power supply. The gain selector may select the selectable gain based on a level of the first power supply, such that a difference between the second power supply and the analog audio signal is more than a predetermined headroom threshold voltage.

A group-aware, current limited amplifier system including a group brownout control bus and a number of current-limited amplification channels coupled to the group brownout control bus. In an example embodiment, each current-limited amplification channel includes an amplifier, an amplifier power supply developing a current level signal that represents the amount of current being drawn by the amplifier, a brownout controller responsive to a digital audio input, the group brownout control bus, and the current level signal, and operative to develop a control signal; and an audio digital-to-analog (D/A) converter responsive to the digital audio input and to the control signal and operative to develop an analog audio output that is coupled to an input of the amplifier.

A variable gain amplifier circuit includes a differential pair of transistors and a variable current source circuit. The differential pair of transistors generates an output signal based on an input signal. The variable current source circuit is coupled to the differential pair of transistors. A gain of the output signal relative to the input signal varies in response to variations in a bias current through the variable current source circuit. The variable gain amplifier circuit maintains a common mode voltage of the output signal substantially constant in response to the variations in the bias current through the variable current source circuit.

A compensation method for a characteristic difference of a photoelectric element is disclosed. The method includes (S1) providing a test substrate with a connector, a photoelectric element and a plurality of gain units, wherein the plurality of gain units are connected in parallel; (S2) connecting the connector to a test fixture which includes a test resistor and a test control unit, wherein when the test fixture is connected with the connector, the test resistor is electrically connected between the second pin and the third pin; (S3) providing input power to the connector so as to generate a test voltage on the photoelectric element; (S4) selecting the corresponding gain unit according to the test voltage and a classification data table; (S5) driving a production line to connect the first contact and the second contact of the selected gain unit.

A method for use in an audio system including a plurality of amplifier channels of corresponding audio channels. Each of the amplifier channels receives a respective input audio signal and is powered by a same power supply. The method comprises: obtaining a value of an indicator, wherein the indicator is representative of an energy reserve of the power supply; for each of the amplifier channels, determining a gain to be applied by an attenuation function to the respective input audio signal and a clipping level to be applied by a clipping function to the output of the attenuation function; wherein the gain decreases over time when the value of the indicator is below a threshold and the gain increases over time up to a maximum value when the value of the indicator is above the threshold, wherein the threshold is representative of a nominal energy level at which the power supply is in nominal operation; wherein the clipping level is determined as a monotonic function of the value the indicator.

A squelch detector is disclosed by the present application. By configuring the first to third bias current sources and a mirror ratio of the current mirror circuit, when an amplitude difference between first and second input signals is smaller or greater than a squelch threshold, flip of an output node in the squelch detector depends only on the squelch threshold and is independent of variations of process, voltage and temperature (PVT) parameters. Thus, the squelch detector can always provide reliable amplitude detection of input signals despite of possible variations of the PVT parameters.