Power stage with switched mode amplifier and linear amplifier
First Claim
1. A power stage for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:
- a power converter comprising;
a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and
an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the first output terminal and a second switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the second output terminal;
a linear amplifier coupled to the output; and
a controller configured to;
in a first mode of operation of the power stage, enable the linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power stage to the load and disable the plurality of switches from transferring electrical energy from the input source to the load; and
in a second mode of operation of the power stage, sequentially enable the linear amplifier in accordance with a probability which is a function of the output voltage to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for producing an output voltage to a load may include, in a power stage comprising power converter having a power inductor, a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations, and an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, controlling the linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load in accordance with one or more least significant bits of a digital input signal, and controlling the power converter in accordance with bits of the digital input signal other than the one or more least significant bits to sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A power stage for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:
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a power converter comprising; a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the first output terminal and a second switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the second output terminal; a linear amplifier coupled to the output; and a controller configured to; in a first mode of operation of the power stage, enable the linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power stage to the load and disable the plurality of switches from transferring electrical energy from the input source to the load; and in a second mode of operation of the power stage, sequentially enable the linear amplifier in accordance with a probability which is a function of the output voltage to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A power stage for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:
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a power converter comprising; a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the first output terminal and a second switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the second output terminal; a linear amplifier coupled to the output; and a controller configured to; control the linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power stage to the load in accordance with one or more least significant bits of a digital input signal; and control the power converter in accordance with bits of the digital input signal other than the one or more least significant bits to sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:
in a power stage comprising power converter having a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations and an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the first output terminal and a second switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the second output terminal; in a first mode of operation of the power stage, enable a linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power stage to the load and disable the plurality of switches from transferring electrical energy from the input source to the load; and in a second mode of operation of the power stage, sequentially enable the linear amplifier in accordance with a probability which is a function of the output voltage to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising:
in a power stage comprising power converter having a plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations and an output for producing the output voltage comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal, wherein a first switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the first output terminal and a second switch of the plurality of switches is coupled to the second output terminal; controlling a linear amplifier to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power stage to the load in accordance with one or more least significant bits of a digital input signal; and controlling the power converter in accordance with bits of the digital input signal other than the one or more least significant bits to sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from the input source of the power stage to the load. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
Specification