Audio power conversion system

• US 8,169,795 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bang & Olufsen ICEpower A/S (Bang & Olufsen A/S)
• Original Assignee: Bang & Olufsen ICEpower A/S (Bang & Olufsen A/S)
• Inventors: Petersen, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Finch, III, Fred E
• Application Number:
  US12/224,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 363/17, 363/22, 363/24, 363/63, 363/89, 363/126, 363/127, 363/26, 330/251, 330/297, 330/298, 323/222
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/504 the supply voltage or current being continuously controlled by a controlling signal, e.g. the controlling signal of a transistor implemented as variable resistor in a supply path for, an IC-block showed amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/217 Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2173 of the bridge type

Abstract

An audio power conversion system includes a power supply having a positive supply rail and a negative supply rail for supplying power to a single ended class D amplifier. The system further includes a supply pump reduction circuit connected to the supply rails and adapted to redistribute a pumping charge from said power supply by forcing a current-flow from a rail with a higher voltage to a rail with a lower voltage. According to the at least one embodiment of the invention, the redistribution circuit is arranges to always distribute charge from the rail with the higher voltage. Thus, for practical circuits, the pump canceling occurs continuously and is not confined to every other cycle.

Claims

1. An audio power conversion system, comprising:

a power supply having a positive supply rail and a negative supply rail for supplying power to a single ended class D amplifier; and

a supply pump reduction circuit, connected to the supply rails and adapted to redistribute a pumping charge from said power supply by forcing a current-flow from a rail with a relatively higher voltage to a rail with a relatively lower voltage,

wherein said supply pump reduction circuit comprises a high frequency transformer having a first and a second winding alternatingly connectable during a first and second cycle to said positive and negative supply rails, so as to cause a current to migrate from the rail with the highest voltage to the rail with the lowest voltage, while balancing said transformer, and

wherein said supply pump reduction circuit further comprises;

a first capacitor connected between a first common point and a second common point,

a first switch connected between said second common point and a first terminal of the first transformer winding,

a second switch connected between said second common point and a second terminal of the second transformer winding,

a second capacitor connected between said first common point and a third common point,

a third switch connected between said third common point and said first terminal on said first transformer winding,

a fourth switch connected between said third common point and said second terminal on said second transformer winding and

wherein a second terminal of said first transformer winding and a first terminal of said second transformer winding are connected to said first common point,

so that a resonant tank is formed by a leakage inductance of said transformer and said capacitors, said resonant tank obeying the relationship;

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a switch control system for providing two pulse trains with equally spaced, non-overlapping pulses of equal length, for controlling said controlled switches.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the control pulses are PWM modulated.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said supply pump reduction circuit further comprises:

a first separation filter inductor connected between a first common point and the positive supply rail, and

a second separation filter inductor connected between a second common point and the negative supply rail.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said supply pump reduction circuit is integrated in the power supply.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer has a third and a fourth transformer winding, and wherein said supply pump reduction circuit further comprises:

a fifth switch having a first terminal connected to said third transformer winding and a second terminal connected to a power source, and

a sixth switch having a first terminal connected to said fourth transformer winding and a second terminal connected to said power source.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer has a third transformer winding, and wherein said supply pump reduction circuit further comprises:

a third capacitor connected between a first terminal of said third winding and a power supply,

a fifth switch connected between a second terminal of said third winding and said power supply,

a fourth capacitor connected between said first terminal of said third winding and said power supply, and

a sixth switch connected between said second terminal of said third winding and said power supply.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer has a third transformer winding, and wherein said supply pump reduction circuit further comprises:

a fifth switch connected between a first terminal of said third winding and a power supply,

a sixth switch connected between a second terminal of said third winding and said power supply,

a seventh switch connected between said first terminal of said third winding and said power supply, and

an eighth switch connected between said second terminal of said third winding and said power supply.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer windings are magnetically coupled to each other in a transformer core of a magnetic material.

10. The audio power conversion system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer has a leakage inductance to enable zero current switching (ZCS).

11. The audio power conversion system according to claim 10, wherein the magnetizing inductance is selected as:

12. The audio power conversion system according to claim 1, wherein said transformer has a magnetizing inductance to enable zero voltage switching (ZCS).

13. An audio power conversion system comprising:

a power supply having a positive supply rail, a negative supply rail for supplying power to a single ended class D amplifier, and

a supply pump reduction circuit connected to the supply rails and adapted to redistribute a pumping charge from said power supply by forcing a current-flow from a rail with a relatively higher voltage to a rail with a relatively lower voltage,

wherein said supply pump reduction circuit comprises a high frequency transformer having a first and a second winding alternatingly connectable during a first and second cycle to said positive and negative supply rails, so as to cause a current to migrate from the rail with the highest voltage to the rail with the lowest voltage, while balancing said transformer,

wherein said supply pump reduction circuit comprises;

a first capacitor connected between a first common point (0) and a second common point,

a first diode having a cathode connected to said second common point and an anode connected to a first terminal of said first transformer winding,

a second diode having a cathode connected to said second common point and an anode connected to a second terminal of a second transformer winding,

a second capacitor connected between said first common point and a third common point,

a third diode having an anode connected to said third common point and a cathode connected to said second terminal of said second transformer winding,

a fourth diode having an anode connected to said third common point and a cathode connected to said first terminal of said first transformer winding,

wherein a second terminal of said first transformer winding and a first terminal of said second transformer winding are connected to said first common point,

a third capacitor connected between said second common point and a first terminal of said third transformer winding,

a fourth capacitor connected between said first terminal of said third transformer winding and said third common point,

a first switch connected between said second common point and a second terminal of said third transformer winding, and

a second switch connected between said second terminal of said third transformer winding and said third common point,

so that a resonant tank is formed by a leakage inductance of said transformer and said third and fourth capacitors, said resonant tank obeying the relationship;

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a switch control system for providing two pulse trains with equally spaced, non-overlapping pulses of equal length, for controlling said controlled switches.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the control pulses are PWM modulated.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said transformer windings are magnetically coupled to each other in a transformer core of a magnetic material.

17. The audio power conversion system according to claim 13, wherein said transformer has a leakage inductance to enable zero current switching (ZCS).

18. The audio power conversion system according to claim 17, wherein the magnetizing inductance is selected as:

19. The audio power conversion system according to claim 13, wherein said transformer has a magnetizing inductance to enable zero voltage switching (ZCS).