Method and system for controlling amplifiers

• US 8,024,055 B1
• Filed: 05/15/2004
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: MacFarlane, John L., Holmgren, Steve F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins; Davetta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saunders, Jr.; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/845,805
• Time in Patent Office: 2,684 Days
• Field of Search: 381/81, 381/80, 381/85, 381/77, 381/94.5, 381/120, 330/127, 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/52 Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers monitoring arrangements G01R31/28; increasing reliability in communication systems, e.g. using redundancy H04B1/74
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/183 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/0088 using discontinuously variable devices, e.g. switch-operated
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/01 Input selection or mixing for amplifiers or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F

Abstract

Techniques for controlling one or more audio amplifiers in or associated with a device coupled on a local area network are disclosed. The device receives at least one selected source from other devices also coupled on the network According to one aspect of the techniques, an automatic shutdown control module is provided in the device to power down the audio amplifiers when there is no audio data flow coming to the device or power up the audio amplifiers when there is audio data flow coming to the device. In one embodiment, the procedure to power down or power up the amplifiers is in accordance with a hysteresis, wherein the hysteresis, being lagging of an effect behind its cause, protects the amplifiers and makes the powering-down or powering-up procedure unnoticeable to a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an audio amplifier, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface for receiving a data packet over a network;

a control module, coupled to the network interface, configured to determine whether the data packet either consists of non-audio data or comprises audio data, and further configured to power down the audio amplifier from a powered on state when the data packet is determined to consist of non-audio data and a predefined time has lapsed for which no audio data has been received, and further configured to power on the audio amplifier from a powered off state when the data packet is determined to comprise audio data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an audio processing circuit, wherein the audio processing circuit receives and processes the audio data to produce an audio signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising the audio amplifier, wherein the audio amplifier powers the audio signal to drive playback of the audio signal through one or more speakers.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more speakers coupled to the audio amplifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to deactivate the audio amplifier prior to the power down of the audio amplifier.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein to power down the audio amplifier comprises placing the audio amplifier in a rest mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predefined time is at least three seconds.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predefined time is determined from a set of data collected over time.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to power down the audio amplifier and power on the audio amplifier in accordance with a hysteresis.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor that executes a set of instructions to cause the control module to cause the audio amplifier to be powered down or on.

11. A method for controlling an audio amplifier, the method comprising:

receiving by a network interface a data packet over a network;

determining whether the data packet either consists of non-audio data or comprises audio data; and

responsively

powering down the audio amplifier from a powered on state when the data packet is determined to consist of non-audio data and a predefined time has lapsed for which no audio data has been received; and

powering on the audio amplifier from a powered off state when the data packet is determined to comprise audio data.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising processing the audio data to produce an audio signal.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising amplifying the audio signal to drive playback of the audio signal through one or more speakers.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the audio signal to one or more speakers.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising deactivating the audio amplifier prior to the powering down of the audio amplifier.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein powering down the audio amplifier comprises placing the audio amplifier in a rest mode.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the predefined time is at least three seconds.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining the predefined time from a set of data collected over time.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising powering down the audio amplifier and powering on the audio amplifier in accordance with a hysteresis.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving by a network interface a data packet over a network;

determining whether the data packet either consists of non-audio data or comprises audio data; and

responsively

powering down the audio amplifier from a powered on state when the data packet is determined to consist of non-audio data and a predefined time has lapsed for which no audio data has been received; and

powering on the audio amplifier from a powered off state when the data packet is determined to comprise audio data.