Abstract: Systems and methods for performance improvements in digital switching amplifiers using a low delay corrector. In one embodiment, a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier includes a signal processing plant configured to receive and process an input audio signal. The amplifier also includes a low delay corrector configured to receive signals output by the plant. The output of the low delay corrector is added to the input audio signal as feedback. The plant may consist of a modulator and power switch, a noise shaper, or any other type of plant. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may be provided to convert the output audio signal to a digital signal. Filtering may be implemented before or after the ADC, and a decimator may be placed after the ADC if it is an oversampling ADC.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performance improvements in digital switching amplifiers using low-pass filtering to reduce noise and distortion. In one embodiment, a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier includes a signal processing plant configured to receive and process an input audio signal. The amplifier also includes a low-pass filter configured to filter audio signals output by the plant. The filtered output of the plant is added to the input audio signal as feedback. The plant may consist of a modulator and power switch, a noise shaper, or any other type of plant. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may be provided to convert the output audio signal to a digital signal. Filtering may be implemented before or after the ADC, and a decimator may be placed after the ADC if it is an oversampling ADC.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performance improvements in digital switching amplifiers using simulation-based feedback. In one embodiment, a digital pulse width modulation (PWM) amplifier includes a signal processing plant configured to receive and process an input audio signal. The amplifier also includes a simulator configured to model processing of audio signals by the plant. The outputs of the plant and the simulator are provided to a subtractor, the output of which is then added to the input audio signal as feedback. The plant may consist of a modulator and power switch, a noise shaper, or any other type of plant. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) may be provided to convert the output audio signal to a digital signal for input to the subtractor. Filtering may be implemented before or after the ADC, and a decimator may be placed after the ADC if it is an oversampling ADC.

Abstract: Systems and methods for over-current protection in all-digital amplifiers using low-cost current sensing mechanisms. An over-current hard clipping unit receives a digital audio signal, clips the signal according to a clip level, and provides the signal to a modulator. The modulator modulates the signal to produce, e.g., a PWM signal and provides the modulated signal to an output stage which generates an output current to drive a speaker. An over-current sensing unit is compares the output current to a threshold value and generates a binary signal indicating whether the output current exceeds the threshold value. The hard clipping unit receives the binary signal and ramps down the clip level during time periods in which the binary signal indicates that the output current exceeds the threshold. When the binary signal indicates that the output current does not exceed the threshold value, the hard clipping unit ramps up the clip level.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting the impedance of an output load coupled to a digital amplifier and compensating for changes in the response of the amplifier. One embodiment of the invention is implemented in a Class D pulse width modulated (PWM) amplifier. In this embodiment, a digital PCM test signal is generated. This test signal is processed by the amplifier to produce a corresponding analog audio output signal that is used to drive a speaker. A sense resistor placed in series with the speaker is used to generate a test voltage that is compared to a reference voltage. When the test voltage reaches the reference voltage, the current through the sense resistor (hence the speaker) is at a known level, so the value of the digital test signal is noted. The impedance of the speaker is then determined from the test signal value and the speaker current.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the noise level in a multi-channel digital audio system by staggering the timing of the pulse-width modulation in the different channels and thereby reducing the magnitude and increasing the frequency characteristics of the generated switching noise. One embodiment comprises a multi-channel digital PWM amplifier in which the timing signals used by each channel's modulator are staggered to evenly space the switching edges of the generated PWM signals. An additional, complementary delay is implemented in each of the channels to equalize the total delay for each channel so that the outputs of the channels are synchronized. The different channels may be implemented on different chips, in which case the chips may be synchronized prior to staggering the signals processed in each of the channels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically adjusting the alignment of high-side and low-side pulse width modulated signals to improve dead time and shoot-through conditions. In one embodiment, a system includes a digital amplifier controller, an amplifier output stage coupled to the controller and configured to receive audio signals from the controller, and one or more sensors coupled to the output stage. The sensors are configured to detect and/or measure various parameters, such as shoot-through current and distortion, which are associated with the operation of the output stage. The sensors provide feedback to an internal processor or modulator of the controller, which then adjusts the timing of the high-side and low-side signals to improve the operating conditions of the output stage by minimizing shoot-through current and/or distortion.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the noise level in a multi-channel digital audio system by staggering the timing of the pulse-width modulation in the different channels and thereby reducing the magnitude and increasing the frequency characteristics of the generated switching noise. One embodiment comprises a multi-channel digital PWM amplifier in which the timing signals used by each channel's modulator are staggered to evenly space the switching edges of the generated PWM signals. An additional, complementary delay is implemented in each of the channels to equalize the total delay for each channel so that the outputs of the channels are synchronized. The different channels may be implemented on different chips, in which case the chips may be synchronized prior to staggering the signals processed in each of the channels.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting clipping conditions in an audio signal and processing the signal to reduce the clipping conditions. In one embodiment, a system comprises a noise shaper, a modulator, an output stage and other components. A detector detects clipping in the noise shaper and a signal processor processes the audio signal input to the noise shaper based on feedback received from the detector. The signal processor may function to modify the input audio signal in different ways in response to different conditions that are detected by the detector. A filter may be included to filter the output of the detector before being provided to the signal processor. A flag circuit may be coupled between the filter and the signal processor to assert an output signal until the signal processor resets the flag circuit.

Abstract: A digital amplifier contains a circuit for converting the onset of a clipping condition into a missed pulse in a pulse width modulated pulse train generated from an analog signal and an improved circuit for producing a control voltage proportional to the extent of the clipping condition, which circuit includes a pulse counter for counting a predetermined number of missed pulses in the pulse train and a voltage generator for producing a voltage proportional to the extent of clipping when said predetermined number of missed pulses occurs. The generated voltage is applied to an attenuator for attenuating the analog input signal.

Abstract: A digital delay system employs a phase-locked loop to control a recall address generator. The phase-locked loop comprises a subtractor for determining the difference between the store address and the recall address and for producing a phase signal corresponding to this difference. The phase signal is directed to a voltage controlled oscillator for controlling the rate at which the recall address generator recalls data from a memory. A delay length is introduced as a phase error into the phase-locked loop. Input data is stored in a memory at a fixed rate, and recalled from the memory at a rate determined by the phase-locked loop. When the error signal is zero, the recall address rate will equal the store address rate and the respective addresses will be equal.

Abstract: A digital amplifier having a modulator for transforming the analog audio input signal into two complimentary trains of pulse width modulated signals for driving the power switches, which modulator utilizes a precision triangular waveform to control the transformation. The modulator employs all differential processing without saturated transistors to achieve a minimal distortion modulation system. Upon the occurrence of over-modulation, pulses from the width modulated pulse train produced by the modulator are dropped, and the resulting loss of pulses is detected and fed back to a variable gain amplifier stage of the system. The distortion detection system for detecting the missing pulses utilizes a timing network to establish the missing pulse period necessary to begin input attenuation of the audio signal by the variable gain amplifier stage.

Abstract: An optical measurement technique enables optical signal processing apparatus to eliminate the effects of environmental noise during scanning of a workpiece, wherein successive optical slices through the workpiece are obtained. The image samples derived by the scanning optics may not properly line up with one another, where there is relative vibrational motion between the workpiece and the scanning optics. To overcome this problem a reference marker/correlation scheme effectively aligns each of the picture slices of the workpiece relative to a stored reference marker by correlation, so that the composite of the adjacent samples of the stem accurately represents a picture of the workpiece.

Abstract: A log surface determination technique involves optically measuring a tree stem and accurately separating the image of the tree stem from adjacent background, determining the true surface of the stem, eliminating discontinuities or anomalies, and identifying the ends of the stem, thereby making more accurate the definition of diameter measurement planes and more accurate edges or sides of the stem for permitting a more precise evaluation of the tree stem to obtain optimal board feet yield. The tree stem is optically scanned to produce data representative of a series of adjacent optical slices through the stem, with successive optical slices of the tree stem being aligned with one another to produce a composite picture of the surface of the stem which may include a number of edges containing both the size of the stem and anomalies such as branch stubs, bark chips, etc.

Abstract: A digital amplifier having a modulator for transforming the analog audio input signal into two complimentary trains of pulse width modulated signals for driving the power switches, which modulator utilizes a precision triangular waveform to control the transformation. The modulator employs all differential processing without saturated transistors to achieve a minimal distortion modulation system. Upon the occurrence of overmodulation, pulses from the width modulated pulse train produced by the modulator are dropped, and the resulting loss of pulses is detected and fed back to a variable gain amplifier stage of the system. The distortion detection system for detecting the missing pulses utilizes a timing network to establish the missing pulse period necessary to begin input attenuation of the audio signal by the variable gain amplifier stage.