Update system for an audio amplifier
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:
- an amplifier including an audio channel input, the amplifier including a processor adapted to switch between an audio mode and a reconfiguration mode,a head unit including an audio channel output connected to the audio channel input of the amplifier, the head unit adapted to transmit an analog signal on the audio channel output to the audio channel input of the amplifier;
where the processor is configured to process an audio signal included in the analog signal received on the audio channel input in response to the processor being in the audio mode, the processed audio signal output by the amplifier on an amplifier output channel to drive a loudspeaker, andwhere the processor is further configured to process the analog signal to reconstruct digital instructions encoded on the analog signal received on the audio channel input of the amplifier in response to the processor being in the reconfiguration mode, the processor further configured to reconfigure operation of the amplifier based on the digital instructions reconstructed from the analog signal.
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Abstract
A system and method for updating the software of a digital audio amplifier. The digital data used to update the amplifier'"'"'s software is transmitted as an analog signal over analog audio channels to the amplifier. The amplifier is adapted to recognize when an audio signal should be used to update the amplifier'"'"'s software, instead of merely driving the speakers with the audio signal. Upon receiving such an audio signal, the amplifier decodes the analog signal into digital instructions. The digital instructions are processed to reconfigure the amplifier'"'"'s operation.
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Citations
54 Claims
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1. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:
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an amplifier including an audio channel input, the amplifier including a processor adapted to switch between an audio mode and a reconfiguration mode, a head unit including an audio channel output connected to the audio channel input of the amplifier, the head unit adapted to transmit an analog signal on the audio channel output to the audio channel input of the amplifier; where the processor is configured to process an audio signal included in the analog signal received on the audio channel input in response to the processor being in the audio mode, the processed audio signal output by the amplifier on an amplifier output channel to drive a loudspeaker, and where the processor is further configured to process the analog signal to reconstruct digital instructions encoded on the analog signal received on the audio channel input of the amplifier in response to the processor being in the reconfiguration mode, the processor further configured to reconfigure operation of the amplifier based on the digital instructions reconstructed from the analog signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:
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a head unit including a first audio channel output and a second audio channel output; and an amplifier including a first audio channel input connected to the first audio channel output of the head unit and a second audio channel input connected to the second audio channel output of the head unit, the amplifier including a processor configured to process an audio signal included in analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input, and configured to reconstruct digital instructions encoded in the analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input, the processed audio signal output by the amplifier to drive a loudspeaker, and the digital instructions adapted to reconfigure the operation of the amplifier to process the analog signals containing the audio signal that is output by the amplifier to drive the loudspeaker. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A digital amplifier comprising:
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an audio input; an audio output; memory configured to store operational parameters of a digital amplifier; a power amplifier adapted to drive the audio output with an analog signal; and a processor configured to process an audio signal received on the audio input, and include the audio signal in the analog signal used to drive the audio output, the processor further configured to reconstruct digital instructions encoded in the audio signal received on the audio input, the digital instructions adapted to change the operational parameters stored in the memory. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for changing at least one configuration setting of a digital amplifier comprising:
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receiving an analog audio signal as an input on an amplifier audio input channel of a digital amplifier, the amplifier audio input channel configured to receive signals used to drive an audio channel output of the digital amplifier, the analog audio signal encoded with digital instructions representing instructions for reconfiguring the operation of the digital amplifier; reconstructing the analog audio signal into a set of digital instructions for changing at least one configuration setting of the digital amplifier; and processing the set of digital instructions to reconfigure the operation of the digital amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for changing at least one configuration setting of a digital device residing on a vehicle comprising:
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receiving an analog audio signal representing a set of digital instructions on an audio input channel of a digital amplifier, the audio input channel configured to receive signals processed to form an output of the digital amplifier used to drive a loudspeaker; reconstructing the set of digital instructions from the analog audio signal; and communicating the set of digital instructions to a destination device for changing at least one configuration setting of the destination device, the destination device being separate from and external to the digital amplifier. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A digital amplifier comprising:
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an audio input; and a processor configured to reconstruct digital instructions to reconfigure operation of the digital amplifier during a reconstruction mode, the digital instructions reconstructed by the processor from an analog signal received on the audio input; and the processor further configured to execute the digital instructions during the reconstruction mode to reconfigure amplification related processing by the digital amplifier of an analog audio signal received on the audio input, and during an audio mode, the processor further configured to process analog audio signals received on the audio input. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54)
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Specification