Amplifiers

• US 10,243,524 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cirrus Logic Incorporated
• Inventors: Orr, Terence
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US15/903,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20180248525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 318723, 323282, 323288, 326 46, 327156, 330 10, 330127, 330297, 330207, 34081545, 363 16, 381 74, 381120, 4552321, 704274, 710110, 700 94, 713340
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/575 characterised by the feedback circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1582 Buck-boost converters H02M3/1584 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/025 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/187 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/001 for loudspeakers H04R29/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/00 Circuits for transducers , loudspeakers or microphones

Abstract

This application relates to amplifier circuits for amplifying an audio signal. An amplifier circuit (100) has a voltage regulator (201) for outputting a supply voltage to an amplifier (104). An output capacitor (103) coupled to an output node of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator is operable in a voltage-control mode to maintain the output voltage (V_S) at a nominal output voltage and in current-control mode to limit the input current drawn to exceed a defined limit. A controller (301) is operable in a first mode to define the nominal output voltage so as not to exceed a first voltage magnitude and in a second mode to define the nominal output voltage to be equal to a second, higher, voltage magnitude. The controller (301) monitors the audio signal for a high-amplitude part of the audio signal, that could result in the voltage regulator operating in the current-control mode to apply current limiting and, on such detection swaps from the first to the second mode until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal has been amplified. The second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the output voltage over a plurality of switching cycles of the voltage regulator when operating in the current-control mode.

Claims

1. An amplifier circuit for amplifying an audio signal, comprising:

a voltage regulator having an input node for receiving an input voltage and an output node for outputting an output voltage, the voltage regulator comprising an output capacitor coupled to the output node;

an amplifier connected to receive the output voltage from said output node of the voltage regulator as a supply voltage;

the voltage regulator being operable in a voltage-control mode to maintain the output voltage at a nominal output voltage and in current-control mode to apply current limiting so as to limit an input current drawn by the voltage regulator via the input node so as not to exceed a defined input current limit; and

a controller for defining the nominal output voltage;

wherein the controller is operable in a first mode to define the nominal output voltage so as not to exceed a first voltage magnitude and is operable in a second mode to define the nominal output voltage to be equal to a second voltage magnitude, the second voltage magnitude being greater than the first voltage magnitude;

wherein the controller is configured to monitor an indication of the level of the audio signal for a high-amplitude part of the audio signal that could result in the voltage regulator operating in the current-control mode to apply current limiting; and

wherein the controller is configured to operate in said first mode until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal is detected and, on such detection to operate in the second mode of operation until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal has been amplified;

wherein the second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the output voltage over a plurality of switching cycles of the voltage regulator when operating in the current-control mode.

2. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein, on detection of a high-amplitude part of the audio signal, the controller is configured to change to the second mode of operation such that the output capacitor is substantially charged to the second voltage magnitude before the high-amplitude part of the audio signal is amplified by the amplifier.

3. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to detect a high-amplitude part of the audio signal by determining when the indication of the level of the audio signal exceeds a first threshold corresponding to a signal level that would be expected to lead to the voltage regulator operating in the current-control mode to applying current limiting.

4. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 3 comprising a threshold generator for determining said first threshold.

5. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 4 wherein the threshold generator is configured to determine said first threshold based on said defined input current limit.

6. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5 wherein the defined input current limit is configurable and is configured to vary with a battery voltage at said input node.

7. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 3 wherein the threshold generator is configured to determine said first threshold based on at least one of:

voltage regulator efficiency;

amplifier efficiency;

audio load impedance;

audio load inductance;

a minimum audio frequency; and

amplifier gain.

8. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 the second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the supply voltage of at least 15%.

9. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured such that in said first mode of operation the nominal output voltage provides a nominal headroom of 10% or less of the magnitude of the nominal output voltage, wherein the nominal headroom is the voltage difference between the nominal output voltage and the maximum output voltage of the amplifier.

10. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured such that in said second mode of operation the nominal output voltage provides a nominal headroom of at least 25% of the magnitude of the nominal output voltage, wherein the nominal headroom is the voltage difference between the nominal output voltage and the maximum output voltage of the amplifier.

11. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 comprising a delay in a signal path for the audio signal upstream of the amplifier wherein said delay has a delay duration which is at least equal to the time that would be required for the output capacitor to be charged to from a lowest expected voltage level in the first mode of operation to the second voltage magnitude.

12. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 11 wherein said delay comprises a buffer of configurable size.

13. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the first mode of operation the controller is configured to vary the nominal output voltage of the voltage regulator based on the indication of the level of the audio signal.

14. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein, in the first mode of operation, the controller is operable to control the voltage regulator in a pass-through mode to pass the input voltage directly to the output node as the supply voltage if the indication of the level of the audio signal is below a second threshold.

15. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voltage regulator comprises a DC-DC converter and the controller is configured to vary a voltage reference signal supplied to the DC-DC converter to define the nominal output voltage.

16. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 comprising a battery, wherein the input node of the voltage regulator is coupled to receive the input voltage from said battery.

17. An amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the defined input current limit corresponds to a battery current limit.

18. An electronic device comprising an amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic device is at least one of:

a portable device;

a battery operated device;

a communication device;

a mobile or cellular telephone device;

a smartphone;

a computing device;

a laptop, notebook or tablet computing device;

a gaming device;

a personal media player;

a wearable device.

19. An amplifier circuit for amplifying an audio signal, comprising:

an amplifier;

a voltage regulator having an input node for receiving an input voltage and an output node for outputting a supply voltage to said amplifier, the voltage regulator comprising an output capacitor coupled to the output node;

the voltage regulator comprising a voltage control loop for controlling the voltage at the output node to a nominal output voltage and a current control loop for, when activated, limiting an input current drawn by the voltage regulator via the input node so as not to exceed a defined input current limit, wherein the voltage regulator operates according to the voltage control loop unless the current control loop is activated; and

a controller for defining the nominal output voltage;

wherein the controller is operable in a first mode to define the nominal output voltage so as not to exceed a first voltage magnitude and is operable in a second mode to define the nominal output voltage to be equal to a second voltage magnitude, the second voltage magnitude being greater than the first voltage magnitude;

wherein the controller is configured to monitor an indication of the level of the audio signal for a high-amplitude part of the audio signal that could result in the current control loop of the voltage regulator being activated; and

wherein the controller is configured to operate in said first mode until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal is detected and, on such detection to operate in the second mode of operation until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal has been amplified;

wherein the second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the supply voltage over a plurality of switching cycles of the current control loop dominating the voltage control loop.

20. An amplifier circuit for amplifying an audio signal, comprising:

an amplifier;

a voltage regulator having an input node for receiving an input voltage and an output node for outputting a supply voltage to said amplifier, the voltage regulator comprising an output capacitor coupled to the output node;

the voltage regulator being operable to apply current limiting so as to limit an input current drawn by the voltage regulator via the input node so as not to exceed a defined input current limit;

a controller for defining a nominal output voltage generated by the voltage regulator;

wherein the controller is operable to compare an indication of the level of the audio signal to a first threshold, wherein the first threshold is indicative of the input signal that, if amplified by the amplifier, would be expected to lead to the voltage regulator experiencing current limiting; and

in the event that the indication of the level of the audio signal exceeds said first threshold to increase the magnitude of the nominal output voltage of the voltage regulator from a first operating range to a second higher voltage level.