INDUCTIVE DISTORTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20170132996A1
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Published: 05/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Healy
• Original Assignee: Michael Healy
• Inventors: HEALY, MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 10,347,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/311 Distortion, i.e. desired non-linear audio processing to change the tone colour, e.g. by adding harmonics or deliberately distorting the amplitude of an audio waveform
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/187 for distorting the signal, e.g. to simulate tube amplifiers changing the tone color by non-linear elements G10H1/16
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/534 Transformer coupled at the input of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/66 Clipping circuitry being present in an amplifier, i.e. the shape of the signal being modified
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/183 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only

Abstract

A distortion device includes a transconductance stage, a current amplifier stage electrically coupled to the transconductance stage, and a transformer portion electrically coupled to the current amplifier stage. The transconductance stage includes a first capacitor to provide a ground to a resistor, and voltage across the resistor develops a current through a second capacitor to the current amplifier stage. The current amplifier stage includes a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle. The positive half cycle and the negative half cycle amplify the current from the transconductance stage and supply the amplified current to a primary winding of a transformer in the transformer portion, and the output of the transformer portion includes a low-level signal.

Claims

1. A distortion device, comprising:

a transconductance stage;

a current amplifier stage electrically coupled to the transconductance stage; and

a transformer portion electrically coupled to the current amplifier stage,

wherein the transconductance stage comprises a first capacitor to provide a ground to a resistor, and wherein voltage across the resistor develops a current through a second capacitor to the current amplifier stage,

wherein the current amplifier stage comprises a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle, wherein the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle to amplify the current from the transconductance stage and to supply the amplified current to a primary winding of a transformer in the transformer portion, and

wherein output of the transformer portion comprises a low-level signal.

2. The distortion device of claim 1, the transformer portion further comprising a secondary winding.

3. The distortion device of claim 2, wherein the transformer portion further comprises a resistor to provide a resistive load, and wherein the resistive load is reflected into the primary winding.

4. The distortion device of claim 1, wherein the transformer is a low-power saturating transformer that operates at a low signal voltage level,

5. The distortion device of claim 1, wherein the current amplifier stage comprises a current-output device to drive the transformer in the transformer portion.

6. The distortion device of claim 1, further comprising a power amplifier stage, wherein output from the transformer portion is routed through a volume control variable resistor to the power amplifier stage.

7. The distortion device of claim 1, wherein the transformer is placed in a feedback loop around a high-power op amplifier.

8. The distortion device of claim 1, wherein the input to the current amplifier stage is a virtual ground.

9. The distortion device of claim 1, wherein a current source is utilized by the transformer portion to limit saturation.

10. A distortion device, comprising:

a transconductance stage;

a current amplifier stage electrically coupled to the transconductance stage; and

an inductor portion electrically coupled to the current amplifier stage,

wherein the transconductance stage comprises a first capacitor to provide a ground to a resistor, and wherein voltage across the resistor develops a current through a second capacitor to the current amplifier stage,

wherein the current amplifier stage comprises a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle, wherein the positive half cycle and the negative half cycle to amplify the current from the transconductance stage and to supply the amplified current into a resistor in the inductor portion,

wherein the resistor provides a resistive load for an inductor in the inductor portion, and

wherein output of the inductor portion comprises a low-level signal.

11. The distortion device of claim 10, wherein the inductor is driven by at least one of:

a transconductance amplifier, a current-output device, or a vacuum tube.

12. The distortion device of claim 10, wherein the inductor is placed in a feedback loop around a high-power op amplifier.

13. The distortion device of claim 10, further comprising a power amplifier stage, wherein voltage in the inductor stage is reduced by a voltage divider and routed through a volume control variable resistor to the power amplifier stage.

14. The distortion device of claim 10, further comprising a power amplifier stage, wherein output from the inductor is routed to one of:

a power amplifier stage, a reverberation, or an effects loop.

15. The distortion device of claim 10, wherein the inductor comprises an iron core, wherein the iron does not saturate deeply at predefined frequencies.

16. An amplifier comprising a distortion device, wherein the distortion device comprises:

a signal source;

a transconductance stage coupled to the signal source, wherein the transconductance stage comprises a capacitor to provide a ground to a resistor, and wherein voltage across the resistor develops a current through the capacitor to a current amplifier stage;

the current amplifier stage, wherein the current amplifier stage comprises a positive half cycle and a negative half cycle, to amplify the current from the transconductance stage and to supply the amplified current to a saturation portion; and

the saturation portion, wherein the saturation portion comprises a transformer or an inductor and the transformer or the inductor is supplied amplified current by collectors of transistors in the current amplifier stage.

17. The amplifier of claim 16, further comprising:

a power amplifier stage, wherein the power amplifier stage obtains output from the transformer portion or the inductor portion.

18. The amplifier of claim 16, wherein the saturation portion comprises a transformer and the amplified current is supplied to into a primary winding of the transformer.

19. The amplifier of claim 16, wherein the saturation portion comprises an inductor and the amplified current is supplied to a resistor that provides a resistive load for the inductor.

20. The amplifier of claim 16, further comprising:

a clipper stage electrically coupled to the transconductance stage, wherein the clipper stage comprises a clipper driver coupled to a clipper, the clipper configured to clip an input signal at least one of a positive extremity or a negative extremity and to supply the clipped signal to the transconductance stage.