Low power consuming balanced transformer less amplifier device

• US 5,825,248 A
• Filed: 10/24/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Electronics (USA) Incorporated (Pioneer Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, James B.
• Application Number:
  US08/736,609
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 330/202, 330/124 R, 330/146, 330/267, 330/273, 330/295, 330/297
• US Class Current: 330/267
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0227 using supply converters
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/3081 Duplicated single-ended push-pull arrangements, i.e. bridge circuits using FET's H03F3/3061

Abstract

The present invention provides a BTL amplifier device with low power consumption and high efficiency which comprises two units of amplifier, a transistor, and a load resistor, and is driven as claimed in output from an operational amplifier as well as from an inverting amplifier. Signals at both edges of the load resistor are supplied to a differential NFB circuit and a fed-back output is inputted to one of the operational amplifiers, while an output signal from the operational amplifier is converted by an absolute value circuit, and then a DC voltage is superimposed on the absolute value signal in a voltage shifting circuit. Voltage from a voltage divider for dividing an output voltage from the voltage shifting circuit and a power voltage to 1/ gain (G) of the two units of amplifier is supplied to a pulse width control circuit, which is compared to a signal from a triangular oscillator so that the pulse width control circuit supplies the compared voltage to a step-up chopper circuit having a pulse width as claimed in a difference between the two voltages, and the chopper supplies a power voltage according to the output voltage.

Claims

1. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit.

2. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power voltage supplying circuit comprises:

a step-down type of chopper circuit, wherein the chopper circuit comprises;

a DC voltage source;

an opening/closing means and a coil serially connected to a section between one edge of the DC voltage source and an output terminal to which the output voltage is guided and outputted;

a diode connected to a section between a point of connecting the opening/closing means to the coil and the other edge of the DC voltage source; and

a capacitor for storing a back electromotive force generated in the coil connected to a section between the output terminal and the other edge of the DC voltage source; and

the control signal generating circuit generates a control signal with a pulse width according to a difference between an output value from the power voltage supplying circuit, and the opening/closing means outputs the voltage stored in the capacitor by opening/closing at times according to a pulse width of the pulse width control signal.

3. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the negative feedback circuit has an operational amplifier, a voltage of one edge of the load is loaded to a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier, and a voltage of the load voltage detecting circuit is loaded to an inverting input terminal thereof.

4. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit;

wherein the power voltage supplying circuit comprises;

a step-up type chopper circuit;

wherein the chopper circuit comprises;

a DC voltage source;

a coil with one end thereof connected to one edge of the DC voltage source;

an opening/closing means connected to between the other end of the coil and the other edge of the DC voltage source;

a diode serially connected to between the other end of the coil and an output terminal to which the output voltage from the coil is guided and outputted; and

a capacitor for storing a back electromotive force generated in the coil connected to the output terminal as well as to the other edge of the DC voltage source;

wherein the control signal generating circuit generates a control signal with a pulse width as the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit, and the opening/closing electromotive force on the voltage stored in the capacitor by opening/closing at times according to a pulse width of the pulse width control signal.

5. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit comprising a first power voltage generating circuit for generating a first power voltage and always supplying the first power voltage to the first and second amplifiers and a second power voltage generating circuit for generating a second power voltage according to a control signal and supplying a voltage obtained by adding the first power voltage to the second power voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the negative feedback circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit.

6. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power voltage supplying circuit comprises:

first and second batteries serially connected to each other;

a diode with one edge thereof connected to a common connected point of said first and second batteries; and

a semiconductor switch connected to between the other edge of said second battery opposite to said common connected point and the other edge of said diode; and

said first battery constitutes said first power voltage generating circuit, and said second battery and said semiconductor switch constitute said second voltage generating circuit, and said semiconductor switch is opened or closed according to an output voltage from said control signal generating circuit controlled according to a difference between an output voltage from said absolute value circuit and an output voltage from said first battery.

7. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power voltage supplying circuit comprises:

a first battery;

a DC--DC convertor for receiving a voltage from said first battery as an input voltage;

a diode connected to one edge of said first battery; and

a semiconductor switch connected to between an output terminal of said DC--DC convertor and the other edge of said diode;

wherein the first battery constitutes said first power voltage generating circuit, said first battery, DC--DC convertor, and semiconductor switch constitute the second power voltage generating circuit, and said semiconductor switch is opened or closed according to an output voltage from said control signal generating circuit controlled according to a difference between an output voltage from said absolute value circuit and an output voltage from said first battery.

8. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power voltage supplying circuit comprises:

first and second batteries serially connected to each other;

a diode with one edge thereof connected to a common connected point of said first and second batteries; and

a semiconductor variable resistance element connected to between the other edge of the second battery opposite to said common connected point and the other edge of said diode;

wherein said first battery constitutes said first power voltage generating circuit, said second battery and said semiconductor variable resistance element constitute said second power voltage generating circuit, and a resistance value of said semiconductor variable resistance element is controlled according to an output voltage from said control signal generating circuit controlled according to a difference between an output voltage from said absolute value circuit and an output voltage from said first battery.

9. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power voltage supplying circuit comprises:

a first battery;

a DC--DC convertor for receiving a voltage of said first battery as an input voltage;

a diode connected to one edge of said first battery; and

a semiconductor variable resistance element connected to between the output terminal of said DC--DC convertor and the other edge of said diode;

wherein said first battery constitutes said first power voltage generating circuit, while said first battery, DC--DC convertor,and semiconductor variable resistance element constitute said second power voltage generating circuit, and a resistance value of said semiconductor variable resistance element is controlled according to an output voltage from said control signal generating circuit controlled according to a difference between an output voltage from said absolute value circuit and an output voltage from said first battery.

10. The BTL, amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a frequency characteristics control circuit connected to a section between an output terminal of the negative feedback circuit and the absolute value circuit or to a section between the absolute value circuit and the control signal generating circuit and for increasing a high frequency component in an output voltage from the negative feedback circuit.

11. A BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a waveform shaping circuit for delaying a recovery time in an output voltage from the absolute value circuit to a value larger than an attack time for output.

12. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit; and

a frequency characteristics control circuit connected to a section between an output terminal of the negative feedback circuit and the absolute value circuit or to a section between the absolute value circuit and the control signal generating circuit and for increasing a high frequency component in an output voltage from the negative feedback circuit.

13. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit; and

a waveform shaping circuit for delaying a recovery time in an output voltage from the absolute value circuit to a value larger than an attack time for output.

14. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device comprising:

first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit;

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

a load voltage detecting circuit for detecting voltages at both edges of the load;

a negative feedback circuit for negatively feeding back the output voltage from the load voltage detecting circuit to the input signal side of the BTL circuit;

an absolute value circuit for outputting an absolute value of the output voltage on the input signal side of the BTL circuit; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a difference between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit;

wherein the power voltage supplying circuit comprises;

a step-up/step-down type of chopper circuit, and the chopper circuit comprises;

a DC voltage source;

an opening/closing means and a diode serially connected to each other between one edge of the DC voltage source and an output terminal to which the output voltage is guided and outputted;

a coil connected to a section between a point of connecting the opening/closing means to the diode and the other edge of the DC voltage source; and

a capacitor for storing a back electromotive force generated in the coil connected to between the output terminal and the other edge of the DC voltage source;

wherein the control signal generating circuit generates a control signal with a pulse width according to a differential voltage between an output voltage from the absolute value circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit, and the opening/closing means outputs a voltage stored in the capacitor by opening and closing at times according to a pulse width of the pulse width control signal.

15. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device which comprises a plurality of BTL amplifiers comprising first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constituting a BTL circuit, and a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers, wherein the device comprises:

a power voltage supplying circuit for generating an output voltage according to a control signal and supplying the output voltage to the first and second amplifiers in the plurality of BTL amplifiers;

a plurality of load voltage detecting circuits each for detecting voltages at both edges of each of the loads in the plurality of BTL amplifiers;

a plurality of negative feedback circuits each for negatively feeding back each of the voltages from the plurality of load voltage detecting circuits to the corresponding input signal side of the BTL amplifiers respectively;

a plurality of absolute value circuits each for outputting an absolute value of each of the output voltages from the plurality of corresponding input signal sides of said BTL amplifiers;

a maximum voltage detecting circuit for selecting the maximum voltage among output voltages from the plurality of absolute value circuits and outputting the selected voltage; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a differential voltage between an output voltage from the maximum voltage detecting circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit.

16. The BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said maximum voltage detecting circuit is an OR circuit for receiving an output voltage from each of said plurality of absolute value circuits.

17. A balanced transformer less (BTL) amplifier device which comprises a plurality of BTL amplifiers comprising first and second amplifiers to which an input signal and a signal obtained by inverting the input signal are supplied respectively, the first and second amplifiers constitute a BTL circuit, and a load connected to between output terminals of the first and second amplifiers;

wherein the device comprises;

a power voltage supplying circuit comprising a first power voltage generating circuit for generating a first power voltage and always supplying the first power voltage to the plurality of first and second amplifiers, and a second power voltage generating circuit for generating a second power voltage according to a control signal and supplying a voltage obtained by adding the first power voltage to the second power voltage to the plurality of first and second amplifiers as a power voltage;

a plurality of load voltage detecting circuits each for detecting voltages at both edges of each of the loads in the plurality of BTL amplifiers;

a plurality of negative feedback circuits each for negatively feeding back each of the voltages from the plurality of load voltage detecting circuits to the corresponding input signal side of the BTL amplifiers respectively;

a plurality of absolute value circuits each for outputting an absolute value of each of the output voltages from the plurality of corresponding input signal sides of the BTL amplifiers respectively;

a maximum voltage detecting circuit for selecting the maximum voltage among output voltages from the plurality of absolute value circuits and outputting the selected voltage; and

a control signal generating circuit for generating the control signal according to a differential voltage between an output voltage from the maximum voltage detecting circuit and an output voltage from the power voltage supplying circuit.

18. The BTL amplifier device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said maximum voltage detecting circuit is an OR circuit for receiving an output voltage from each of said plurality of absolute value circuits.