SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER CONSUMPTION IN RESPONSE TO VOLUME CONTROL

• US 20090323985A1
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Garudadri, Harinath, Majumdar, Somdeb, King, Jay
• Application Number:
  US12/179,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20090323985A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/104
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0222 by using a signal derived from the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/102 A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 3/004 Control by varying the supply voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/6908 using time hopping

Abstract

An apparatus for audio processing including a first device (e.g., a multiplier, digital signal gain module, etc.) adapted to apply a gain to a first digital audio signal to generate a second digital audio signal; a second device (e.g., a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), etc.) adapted to generate an analog audio signal from the second digital audio signal; a third device (e.g., a detector, sensor, user interface, etc.) adapted to generate an audio characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital audio signal, or the analog audio signal; and a fourth device (e.g., a controller, control module, etc.) adapted to control the gain of the first device based on a first function of the audio characteristic signal, and control a power supplied to the second device based on a second function of the audio characteristic signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for signal processing, comprising:

a first device adapted to apply a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

a second device adapted to generate an analog signal from the second digital signal;

a third device adapted to generate a characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal; and

a fourth device adapted to;

control the gain of the first device based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

control a power supplied to the second device based on a second function of the characteristic signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second digital signal respectively comprise first and second digital audio signals, and further wherein the analog signal comprises an analog audio signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the third device comprises a control module, and further wherein the characteristic signal comprises a volume level signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first function comprises:

maintaining the gain substantially constant if the volume level signal is above a threshold volume level; and

changing the gain if the volume level signal is below the threshold volume level.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein changing the gain comprises increasing the gain with increasing volume level.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second function comprises:

maintaining the power supplied to the second device substantially constant if the volume level signal is below a threshold volume level; and

changing the power supplied to the second device if the volume level signal is above the threshold volume level.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein changing the power supplied to the second device comprises increasing the power supplied to the second device with increasing volume level.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third device comprises a detector for sensing the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal comprises an envelope, average, root mean square (RMS), or energy of the first or second digital signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a receiver adapted to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal from which said first digital signal is derived.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a multiplier or a digital signal gain module.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fourth device comprises a volume control module, a controller, or a control module.

14. A method of processing signals, comprising:

applying a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

generating an analog signal from the second digital signal;

generating a characteristic signal indicative of a characteristic related to the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal;

controlling the gain applied to the first digital signal based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

controlling a power supplied in generating the analog signal based on a second function of the characteristic signal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second digital signal respectively comprise first and second digital audio signals, and further wherein the analog signal comprises an analog audio signal.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the characteristic signal comprises a volume level signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first function comprises:

maintaining the gain substantially constant if the volume level signal is above a threshold volume level; and

changing the gain if the volume level signal is below the threshold volume level.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein changing the gain comprises increasing the gain with increasing volume level.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second function comprises:

maintaining the power supplied in generating the analog audio signal substantially constant if the volume level signal is below a threshold volume level; and

changing the power supplied in generating the analog audio signal if the volume level signal is above the threshold volume level.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein changing the power supplied in generating the analog audio signal comprises increasing the power with increasing volume level.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein generating the characteristic signal comprises sensing the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal comprises an envelope, average, root mean square (RMS), or energy of the first or second digital signal.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from which said first digital signal is derived.

24. An apparatus for signal processing, comprising:

means for applying a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

means for generating an analog signal from the second digital signal;

means for generating a characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal;

means for controlling the gain applied to the first digital signal based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

means for controlling a power supplied to the analog signal generating means based on a second function of the characteristic signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the first and second digital signal respectively comprise first and second digital audio signals, and further wherein the analog signal comprises an analog audio signal.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the characteristic signal generating means comprises a volume control module, and further wherein the characteristic signal comprises a volume level signal.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first function comprises:

maintaining the gain substantially constant if the volume level signal is above a threshold volume level; and

changing the gain if the volume level signal is below the threshold volume level.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein changing the gain comprises increasing the gain with increasing volume level.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the second function comprises:

maintaining the power supplied to the analog signal generating means substantially constant if the volume level signal is below a threshold volume level; and

changing the power supplied to the analog signal generating means if the volume level signal is above the threshold volume level.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein changing the power supplied to the analog signal generating means comprises increasing the power with increasing volume level.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the characteristic signal generating means comprises means for sensing the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the characteristic related to the first or second digital signal comprises an envelope, average, root mean square (RMS), or energy of the first or second digital signal.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal from which said first digital signal is derived.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the gain applying means comprises a multiplier or a digital signal gain module.

35. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the analog signal generating means comprises a digital-to-analog converter (DAC).

36. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the gain controlling means comprises a volume control module, a controller, or a control module.

37. A computer readable medium including one or more software modules adapted to:

apply a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

generate an analog signal from the second digital signal;

generate a characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal;

control the gain based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

control a power supplied to generate the analog signal based on a second function of the characteristic signal.

38. A headset, comprising:

a first device adapted to apply a gain to a first digital audio signal to generate a second digital audio signal;

a second device adapted to generate an analog audio signal from the second digital audio signal;

a third device adapted to generate an audio characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital audio signal, or the analog audio signal; and

a fourth device adapted to;

control the gain of the first device based on a first function of the audio characteristic signal; and

control a power supplied to the second device based on a second function of the audio characteristic signal; and

a transducer adapted to generate sound from the analog audio signal.

39. A watch, comprising:

a first device adapted to apply a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

a second device adapted to generate an analog signal from the second digital signal;

a third device adapted to generate an characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal; and

a fourth device adapted to;

control the gain of the first device based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

control a power supplied to the second device based on a second function of the characteristic signal; and

a user interface adapted to generate an indication based on the analog signal.

40. A sensing device, comprising:

a digital gain module adapted to apply a gain to a first digital signal to generate a second digital signal;

a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) adapted to generate an analog signal from the second digital signal;

a detector adapted to generate an characteristic signal related to a characteristic of the first or second digital signal, or the analog signal;

a controller adapted to;

control the gain of the digital gain module based on a first function of the characteristic signal; and

control a power supplied to the DAC based on a second function of the characteristic signal; and

a sensor adapted to generate sense data that causes the generation of the first digital signal.