Update system for an audio amplifier

• US 8,050,418 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Furge, Kenneth Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/176,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20070009108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,308 Days
• Field of Search: 381/86, 381/26, 381/28, 381/120, 330/2, 330/136
• US Class Current: 381/86
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/03 the amplifier being designed for audio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/321 Use of a microprocessor in an amplifier circuit or its control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/181 Low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio preamplifiers

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.

Claims

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, 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.

2. The audio system of claim 1, where the processor switches to the reconfiguration mode in response to receiving a wake up signal from the head unit on the audio channel input.

3. The audio system of claim 2, where the wake up signal is an analog signal with a frequency above the human audible range.

4. The audio system of claim 2, where the wake up signal is an analog signal with a frequency above 20 kHz.

5. The audio system of claim 1, where the processor recovers a clock signal embedded in the analog signal received from the head unit, the processor using the clock signal to reconstruct the digital instructions from the analog signal.

6. The audio system of claim 1, where the amplifier further comprises a second audio channel input adapted to receive a clock signal when the processor is in the reconfiguration mode, the processor using the clock signal to reconstruct the digital instructions from the analog signal.

7. The audio system of claim 1, where the processor reconstructs the digital instructions from the analog signal using a demodulation scheme selected from the group consisting of frequency shift keying, phase shift keying and quadature amplitude modulation.

8. The audio system of claim 7, where a carrier frequency for the demodulation scheme is between 3 kHz to 20.1 kHz.

9. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:

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.

10. The audio system as recited in claim 9, where the head unit is configured to transmit a clock signal to the first audio channel input, the clock signal included in the digital data.

11. The audio system as recited in claim 10, where the head unit is configured to transmit encoded digital data representative of the digital instructions on an analog signal to the second audio channel input.

12. The audio system as recited in claim 11, where the processor is configured to decode the encoded digital data on the analog signal transmitted to the second audio channel input using the clock signal transmitted to the first audio channel.

13. The audio system as recited in claim 12, where the processor is configured to convert the encoded digital data on the analog signal transmitted to the second audio channel input into instructions for changing at least one configuration setting of the amplifier.

14. The audio system as recited in claim 9, where the processor is responsive to a wake up signal from the head unit received on at least one of the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input to reconstruct digital instructions from analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input.

15. The audio system as recited in claim 14, where the wake up signal is above the audible human range.

16. The audio system as recited in claim 14, further comprising at least two speakers connected to an output of the amplifier, the amplifier configured to mute the output in response to the wake up signal.

17. A digital amplifier comprising:

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.

18. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 17, where the audio input has a first audio channel input and a second audio channel input, the processor being configured to reconstruct digital instructions from analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input for reconfiguring the operation of the digital amplifier.

19. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 18, where the processor is configured to receive a clock signal embedded in analog signals received on the first audio channel input and encoded digital data on analog signals received on the second audio channel input.

20. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 19, where the processor is configured to reconstruct the encoded digital data on the analog signals received on the second audio channel input using the clock signal.

21. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 17, where the digital instructions include instructions for the processor to erase the memory and write a new amplifier configuration to the memory.

22. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 20, where the processor is configured to convert the encoded digital data on the analog signal received on the second audio channel input into digital instructions to reconfigure operation of the digital amplifier.

23. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 17, where the processor is further configured to form the digital instructions into a plurality of data packets, each data packet having a header.

24. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 23, where the header includes a field representing the length of the data packet.

25. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 23, where the header includes a field representing an identification of the digital amplifier for which the digital instructions are intended.

26. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 23, where the header includes a field representing the version of the digital instructions.

27. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 23, where the header includes a field representing a modulation scheme for reconstructing analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input.

28. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 23, where the data packet includes a field representing a command to be performed by the processor.

29. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 17, where the processor is a digital signal processor.

30. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 18, where the processor is configured to reconstruct the digital instructions from the analog signals received on the first channel input and the second channel input in response to receiving a wake up signal on at least one of the first channel input and the second channel input.

31. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 30, where the wake up signal is an analog signal above the audible human range.

32. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 31, where the audio output is muted in response to the wake up signal.

33. A method for changing at least one configuration setting of a digital amplifier comprising:

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.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, where the amplifier audio input channel comprises a first amplifier audio input channel and a second amplifier audio input channel, and the receiving step includes receiving a first analog audio signal on the first amplifier audio input channel of the digital amplifier and receiving a second analog audio signal on the second amplifier audio input channel of the digital amplifier.

35. The method as recited in claim 34, where the first analog audio signal is a clock signal and the second analog audio signal is encoded digital data on an analog signal.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, where the reconstructing step includes converting the first analog audio signal and the second analog audio signal to digital data using an analog to digital converter.

37. The method as recited in claim 34, where the reconstructing step is performed by a digital signal processor.

38. The method as recited in claim 34, where the reconstructing step is performed in response to the digital amplifier receiving a wake up signal.

39. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising the step of detecting whether the first analog audio signal is a clock signal.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, where the reconstructing step selects a channel used to decode responsive to the detecting step.

41. The method as recited in claim 34, further comprising the step of detecting a phase shift in the first analog audio signal and the second analog audio signal.

42. The method as recited in claim 33, where the reconstructing step compensates for a phase shift in the first analog audio signal and the second analog audio signal in response to the detecting step.

43. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising the step of providing an audible indication during the processing step.

44. The method as recited in claim 33, further comprising the step of providing an audible indication upon completion of the processing step.

45. A method for changing at least one configuration setting of a digital device residing on a vehicle comprising:

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.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, where the digital amplifier and the destination device are connected by a CAN bus.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, where the reconstructing step includes converting the analog audio signal to digital data using an analog to digital converter.

48. The method as recited in claim 47, where the reconstructing step is performed by a digital signal processor.

49. The method as recited in claim 45, where the set of digital instructions includes header information containing an address for the destination device.

50. A digital amplifier comprising:

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.

51. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 50, where the audio input has a first audio channel input and a second audio channel input, the processor further configured to reconstruct digital instructions for reconfiguring the amplification related processing by the digital amplifier from the analog signals received on the first audio channel input and the second audio channel input.

52. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 51, where the processor is configured to receive a clock signal on the first audio channel input and encoded digital data on one of the analog signals received on the second audio channel input.

53. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 50, where the processor is a digital signal processor.

54. The digital amplifier as recited in claim 50, where the audio input is configured as an audio input channel to receive the analog audio signal, the analog audio signal processed with the digital amplifier to create an amplified analog audio signal on an audio output channel of the digital amplifier, the amplified analog audio signal used to drive a loudspeaker.