Systems and methods for a power-efficient 3-level digital-to-analog converter. A converter cell using a current starving technique keeps a portion of the converter cell turned on in a low power mode, as opposed to completely turning off current in selected modes. A conversion system keeps a first set of converters active while allowing a second set of converters to be powered down. Systems and methods presented save power and allow for efficient reactivation of converters.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a high-power-efficiency and low-design-cost transmission device by implementing, with a constant clock, delta-sigma modulation maintaining a zero current switching property in an amplifier. This delta-sigma modulator comprises: a pulse phase signal generation unit for generating a pulse phase signal from a phase signal; a delta-sigma modulation unit for generating a pulse amplitude signal obtained by delta-sigma modulating an amplitude signal with a constant clock; a phase sorting unit for outputting a control signal on the basis of the phase signal; a delay switching unit for delaying the pulse amplitude signal on the basis of the control signal; and a mixing unit for outputting a pulse string obtained by multiplying together the delayed pulse amplitude signal and the pulse phase signal.

Methods are provided for efficiently encoding and decoding multivariate correlated data sequences for transmission over multiple channels of a network. The methods include transforming data vectors from correlated sources into vectors that comprise substantially independent and correlated components, and generating a common information vector based on the correlated components, and two private information vectors. The methods also include computing the amount of information, such as Wyner's lossy common information, in the common information vector, computing rates that lie on the Gray-Wyner rate region, and choosing compression rates based on the amount of common information. The methods may be applicable, in general, to a wide range of communications and/or storage systems and, particularly, to sensor networks and multi-user virtual environments for gaming and other applications.

Systems and methods for improving noise efficiency in a Delta Sigma modulator. A bypass scheme for a noise splitter is disclosed that reduces toggling activity for small signals. In particular, a sample-by-sample bypass noise splitter is disclosed that includes a noise splitting module and a bypass line. The bypass line bypasses the noise splitting module when signals are below a selected threshold, increasing efficiency of the system.

Systems and methods for a power-efficient 3-level digital-to-analog converter. A converter cell using a current starving technique keeps a portion of the converter cell turned on in a low power mode, as opposed to completely turning off current in selected modes. A conversion system keeps a first set of converters active while allowing a second set of converters to be powered down. Systems and methods presented save power and allow for efficient reactivation of converters.

Systems and methods for improving noise efficiency in a Delta Sigma modulator. A bypass scheme for a noise splitter is disclosed that reduces toggling activity for small signals. In particular, a sample-by-sample bypass noise splitter is disclosed that includes a noise splitting module and a bypass line. The bypass line bypasses the noise splitting module when signals are below a selected threshold, increasing efficiency of the system.

An audio amplifier system includes a delta-sigma modulator configured to receive an m-bit digital audio input signal and to generate a pulse density modulated signal based on the m-bit digital audio input signal. An analog power stage is coupled to the delta-sigma modulator to receive the pulse density modulated signal and amplify the pulse density modulated signal to generate an amplified pulse density modulated signal. A feedback circuit is coupled to the delta-sigma modulator and the analog power stage. The feedback circuit is configured to receive the amplified pulse density modulated signal and the pulse density modulated signal and to determine a digital error signal representative of a difference between the amplified pulse density modulated signal and the pulse density modulated signal. The feedback circuit is further configured to provide the digital error signal to the delta-sigma modulator for applying the digital error signal to a representation of the m-bit digital audio input signal.

A digital delta-sigma modulator may include a loop filter having a loop filter input configured to receive an input signal and generate an intermediate signal responsive to the input signal and a multi-bit quantizer configured to quantize the intermediate signal into a quantized output signal which is fed back as an input to the loop filter. The multi-bit quantizer may further be configured to operate in at least two modes comprising: (a) a normal mode in which, for each sample of the intermediate signal, the multi-bit quantizer generates a corresponding sample having a value selected from a set of a plurality of quantization levels; and (b) a code suppression mode in which, for each sample of the intermediate signal, the multi-bit quantizer generates a corresponding sample having a value selected from a subset of the set of a plurality of quantization levels.

Methods are provided for efficiently encoding and decoding multivariate correlated data sequences for transmission over multiple channels of a network. The methods include transforming data vectors from correlated sources into vectors that comprise substantially independent and correlated components, and generating a common information vector based on the correlated components, and two private information vectors. The methods also include computing the amount of information, such as Wyner's lossy common information, in the common information vector, computing rates that lie on the Gray-Wyner rate region, and choosing compression rates based on the amount of common information. The methods may be applicable, in general, to a wide range of communications and/or storage systems and, particularly, to sensor networks and multi-user virtual environments for gaming and other applications.

An audio amplifier system includes a delta-sigma modulator configured to receive an m-bit digital audio input signal and to generate a pulse density modulated signal based on the m-bit digital audio input signal. An analog power stage is coupled to the delta-sigma modulator to receive the pulse density modulated signal and amplify the pulse density modulated signal to generate an amplified pulse density modulated signal. A feedback circuit is coupled to the delta-sigma modulator and the analog power stage. The feedback circuit is configured to receive the amplified pulse density modulated signal and the pulse density modulated signal and to determine a digital error signal representative of a difference between the amplified pulse density modulated signal and the pulse density modulated signal. The feedback circuit is further configured to provide the digital error signal to the delta-sigma modulator for applying the digital error signal to a representation of the m-bit digital audio input signal.