Audio power source with improved efficiency

• US 10,516,373 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2018
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biamp Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Biamp Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Baretich, David F., Broadley, Simon J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T
• Application Number:
  US16/163,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20190214951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1566 with means for compensating against rapid load changes, e.g. with auxiliary current source, with dual mode control or with inductance variation
• 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 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/351 Pulse width modulation being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2171 with field-effect devices H03F3/2173 - H03F3/2178 take precedence

Abstract

Example embodiments provide a device that includes a power transformer with a first output voltage terminal providing a first voltage and a second output voltage terminal providing a second voltage, a voltage regulator coupled to one or more of the first output voltage terminal and the second output voltage terminal, and a power storage element that stores power supplied by the second output voltage, and the first output voltage terminal supplies power to a remote entity until a load power requirement of the remote entity exceeds a threshold power level at which time the power storage element is used to provide power from the second output voltage terminal to the remote entity.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a power transformer comprising a first output voltage terminal providing a first voltage and a second output voltage terminal providing a second voltage;

a voltage regulator coupled to one or more of the first output voltage terminal and the second output voltage terminal; and

a power storage element configured to store power supplied by the second output voltage, wherein the first output voltage terminal is configured to supply power to a remote entity until a load power requirement of the remote entity exceeds a threshold power level at which time the power storage element is used to provide power from the second output voltage terminal to the remote entity.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein V2 is one of a higher voltage, a lower voltage and the same voltage as the V1 voltage.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the set point of the voltage regulator is set to a voltage level that is less than the V1 voltage.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the voltage regulator is coupled to the second output voltage terminal.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the power storage element is directly coupled to the second output voltage terminal.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein when the load power requirement of the remote entity exceeds the threshold power level, the V1 voltage decreases below the set point of the voltage regulator.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

an error amplifier and opto-coupler coupled to the first output voltage terminal;

a controller coupled to the error amplifier and opto-coupler, wherein the error amplifier, opto-coupler and controller comprise a feedback circuit which provides a feedback signal to the controller to regulate a V1 voltage level.