An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to charge pump the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to boost the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.

An audio amplifier includes: a buck controller configured to control an output voltage at a first supply terminal, the output voltage selected from a set including a plurality of output voltages, where the output voltage takes a settling time to settle; a first audio bridge including: a class-AB driver stage coupled to the first supply terminal, and a delay insertion circuit configured to receive a processed digital stream and provide the processed digital stream to the class-AB driver stage a delay time after receiving the processed digital stream, where the delay time is based on the settling time; and an audio amplitude detector configured to detect a first peak amplitude in the first digital audio stream, where the buck controller is configured to select a lowest output voltage from the set that is higher than the first peak amplitude plus a headroom voltage.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to charge pump the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to boost the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.

An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to charge pump the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to boost the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.

In a class-D amplifier, oscillation phenomenon is suppressed in a high RF range and surge voltage is reduced. An oscillation absorption circuit is connected on the power supply side of the class-D amplifier circuit, and the class-D amplifier circuit and thus connected oscillation absorption circuit equivalently configure an oscillation circuit. Resistance provided in the oscillation absorption circuit is assumed as damping resistance of the oscillation circuit, thereby suppressing the oscillation phenomenon and reducing the surge voltage. The oscillation absorption circuit is made up of the RL parallel circuit of resistance and inductance. The oscillation absorption circuit and the class-D amplifier circuit constitute the oscillation circuit, and the resistance of the oscillation absorption circuit constitutes the damping resistance of the oscillation circuit in the high RF range.

This application relates to methods and apparatus for clipping prevention. A driver apparatus for driving a transducer has a switching driver configured to switch at least one output node between different switching voltages with a controlled duty-cycle to drive an output signal across the transducer. A clipping prevention controller is configured to control a gain applied to the input signal so as to provide limiting of the input signal to avoid clipping of the output signal. The clipping prevention controller is configured to dynamically control at least one limiting threshold used to determine when to apply limiting of the input signal based on an indication of load resistance of the transducer and the input voltage to the switching driver.