A switching amplifier realizes bidirectional energy flow and combines switching and power amplification into one single stage so as to increase system efficiency. The modulator circuit of the amplifier receives and modulates an input signal, and generates and outputs modulated driver signals, which are used by the power driver circuit to generate signals to drive switching transformers of an amplifier circuit of the amplifier, and control signals, which are used to control an output generator circuit so as to allow individual inductors across the load by enabling current flowing through the load to have a path to ground. The amplifier circuit comprises switching transformers as well as circuitries configured to capture energy returned from the load and enable the captured energy to flow back to a power supply circuit of the amplifier through an energy flow-back circuit of the amplifier.

A sense amplifier circuit comprising a first-, second-, third- and fourth-amplification-blocks, each amplification-block comprising: an amplification-block-transistor comprising and an amplification-block-resistor. The amplification-block-transistor includes: a first-conduction-channel-terminal, a second-conduction-channel-terminal that is connected to an amplification-block-output-node, and a control-terminal that is connected to an amplification-block-control-node. The sense amplifier circuit also comprises: an amplification-block-resistor connected in series between an amplification-block-input-node and the first-conduction-channel-terminal; a first-bias-voltage-source connected to the amplification-block-control-nodes of the first- and third-amplification-blocks, a second-bias-voltage-source connected to the amplification-block-control-nodes of the second- and fourth-amplification-blocks. The sense amplifier circuit also comprises: a first-common-mode-voltage-resistor connected in series between a first-sensed-output-terminal and a common-mode-voltage-node; and a second-common-mode-voltage-resistor connected in series between a second-sensed-output-terminal and the common-mode-voltage-node.

The present invention relates to a multiple output boost DC-DC power converter generating two, three or more separate DC output voltages, and to a multi-level power inverter and an alternating current generator both employing the multiple output boost DC-DC power converter.

A super-efficient single-stage switching power amplifier is realized by not incorporating a rectification process in its power conversion loop while incorporating a bidirectional active clamping circuit to not only remove or maximally reduce otherwise occurring disruptive ringing and spikes but also convert the energy otherwise associated with the ringing and spikes to return energy that goes back to the DC power supply.

An excessive voltage rise of load voltage, caused by an impedance mismatching on a transmission path, is prevented, and high-frequency power is regenerated. A parallel impedance is connected to the transmission path during the voltage rise, thereby regenerating voltage caused by a standing wave and preventing excessive load voltage, together with enhancing energy usage efficiency. Establishing the parallel impedance for the load impedance, on the transmission path between the high-frequency amplifier circuit of the high-frequency power supply device and the high-frequency load, reduces impedance at the connecting position to prevent generation of excessive voltage on the transmission path, and high-frequency power is regenerated from the transmission path by the parallel impedance.

A Bridge-Tied Load output self-oscillating class D amplifier includes a comparator receives an input signal from a signal input circuit at a second input terminal and outputs a positive-phase pulse width modulation signal and a reverse-phase pulse width modulation signal by comparing voltages of the two input terminal, first and second switching circuits power-amplifies the reverse-phase pulse width modulation signal and the positive-phase pulse width modulation signal, a first low-pass filter extracts a first output signal from the reverse-phase pulse width modulation signal, a second low-pass filter extracts a second output signal from the positive-phase pulse width modulation signal, a subtractor calculates a difference between the first and second output signals and output a difference signal, and a first feedback circuit feeds back the difference signal to the second input terminal of the comparator.

A half bridge circuit of a class-D amplifier outputs a voltage in accordance with switching of a first switching element and of a second switching element, to a load. A high side gate drive circuit and a low side gate drive circuit respectively drive the first and second switching elements. A bootstrap capacitor connected between the high side gate drive circuit and an output terminal of the half bridge circuit is charged by a charging current from a second direct-current power supply while the first switching element is off. An inductance component for noise suppression, and a voltage limit element that is connected in parallel with the inductance component and is for limiting a voltage that occurs at the inductance component are provided on a path in which the charging current flows.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide an amplifier for signal amplification. Certain aspects further describe methods and apparatus for applying overload protection for such amplifier. For example, one method generally includes detecting an overload condition of an amplifier based on a signal at a node of the amplifier, and controlling a parameter of an input signal of the amplifier such that the parameter of the input signal is maintained below a threshold based on the detection of the overload condition. The parameter of the input signal may include, for example, a voltage level or a duty cycle of the input signal.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for dynamically managing the dead time between turning on output power stage transistors in amplifiers, such as audio amplifiers. One example method of operating an amplifier generally includes generating a drive signal based on an input signal; amplifying the drive signal by alternatively driving a first transistor and a second transistor with a time between deactivating the first transistor and activating the second transistor; and adjusting the time based on a parameter of the input signal or the drive signal, during the amplifying. For example, the parameter may include an amplitude of the input signal, a duty cycle of the drive signal, or a duty cycle of a modulated signal (e.g., a pulse-width modulated signal) generated based on the input signal. The input signal may be a digital audio input signal.

A class D amplifier includes a self-oscillating class D amplification circuit that is driven by an output current signal; and a voltage-current converting circuit that outputs an output current signal in response to an input signal voltage and an output signal voltage from a feedback signal voltage.