公开(公告)号：US09692420B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-27

申请号：US15339617

申请日：2016-10-31

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： A. Martin Mallinson ,  Robert Lynn Blair

IPC: H03K19/173

CPC classification number: H03K19/173 ,  H03H5/12 ,  H03H7/06 ,  H03H2001/0085 ,  H03H2210/025 ,  H03H2210/028

Abstract: A circuit component that is adjustable at run time and a method of designing the circuit are disclosed. The component contains a hierarchy of recursive levels in which a bottom level is a compound element made from two connected simple elements, and each higher level contains two compound elements connected in the same fashion. The described circuit allows for a large number of available values of the component value to be arranged in a logarithmic fashion rather than a linear one as in the prior art, thus generally reducing errors between any desired value for the component and the available values. In addition, such compound elements reduce the power dissipated by the analog element and the susceptibility to noise as compared to prior art adjustable components without adversely affecting the overall gain of the circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20170111017A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-20

申请号：US15261939

申请日：2016-09-10

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Peter John Frith ,  Yongsheng Xu ,  A. Martin Mallinson ,  Robert Lynn Blair

IPC: H03F3/217 ,  H03F3/185 ,  H03F1/02

CPC classification number: H03F3/2173 ,  H03F1/0205 ,  H03F1/0233 ,  H03F1/3205 ,  H03F3/185 ,  H03F3/217 ,  H03F3/2171 ,  H03F3/2175 ,  H03F3/3061 ,  H03F3/68 ,  H03F2200/03 ,  H04R3/00 ,  H04R3/04

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to “charge pump” the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to ‘boost’ the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.

公开(公告)号：US20160119710A1

公开(公告)日：2016-04-28

申请号：US14920791

申请日：2015-10-22

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： A. Martin Mallinson ,  Dustin Dale Forman ,  Robert Lynn Blair ,  Peter John Frith

IPC: H04R1/10

CPC classification number: H04R1/1041 ,  H04M1/6058 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04R2420/09

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for inputting digital data on the output channel(s) of an audio subsystem in an audio device, without interfering with normal operation of the audio subsystem. The described circuit includes a resistive element in parallel with the expected load device, such as a headphone or speaker. The resistive element receives a modulated digital signal from a data source or a switch, and the instantaneous current through the resistive element due to the modulated digital signal is reflected in a current feedback mechanism of the audio subsystem. Demodulation logic retrieves the digital signal from the current measured by the current feedback mechanism. A capacitor is provided to prevent the current in the resistive element from the digital signal from impacting the average DC current that the feedback mechanism uses to evaluate the load device.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于在音频设备中的音频子系统的输出通道上输入数字数据而不干扰音频子系统的正常操作的装置。 所描述的电路包括与期望的负载装置（例如耳机或扬声器）并联的电阻元件。 电阻元件从数据源或开关接收调制的数字信号，并且由于调制的数字信号引起的通过电阻元件的瞬时电流被反映在音频子系统的电流反馈机制中。 解调逻辑从当前反馈机制测量的电流中检索数字信号。 提供电容器以防止电阻元件中的电流数字信号影响反馈机构用于评估负载装置的平均DC电流。

公开(公告)号：US10798479B2

公开(公告)日：2020-10-06

申请号：US16672473

申请日：2019-11-03

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： A. Martin Mallinson ,  Robert Lynn Blair ,  Christian Leth Petersen ,  Paul Christopher Scowen

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H03M1/02 ,  H03F3/45 ,  A61F11/14 ,  A61F11/06

Abstract: An improved system and method for recognizing an audio signal due to physical activity and taking a predetermined action in response is disclosed. A “reverse noise signal” created by the sound pressure wave of the physical activity acting on the earpiece transducer is obtained. In some embodiments, an ambient noise signal is inverted and fed back, and the inverted signal is added to the intended audio signal being sent to the earpiece so that the ambient noise is cancelled. In other embodiments, a processor receives the ambient noise signal and predicts the modification to the intended audio signal needed to counteract the ambient noise. In other embodiments, the reverse noise signal may represent a motor or biological activity of a user; the system may take different actions in response to different physical activities, such as a heart beat of the user, or a tap, footfall, or swallowing by the user.

公开(公告)号：US20170126231A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-04

申请号：US15339617

申请日：2016-10-31

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： A. Martin Mallinson ,  Robert Lynn Blair

IPC: H03K19/173

CPC classification number: H03K19/173 ,  H03H5/12 ,  H03H7/06 ,  H03H2001/0085 ,  H03H2210/025 ,  H03H2210/028

Abstract: A circuit component that is adjustable at run time and a method of designing the circuit are disclosed. The component contains a hierarchy of recursive levels in which a bottom level is a compound element made from two connected simple elements, and each higher level contains two compound elements connected in the same fashion. The described circuit allows for a large number of available values of the component value to be arranged in a logarithmic fashion rather than a linear one as in the prior art, thus generally reducing errors between any desired value for the component and the available values. In addition, such compound elements reduce the power dissipated by the analog element and the susceptibility to noise as compared to prior art adjustable components without adversely affecting the overall gain of the circuit.

公开(公告)号：US20170126196A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-04

申请号：US15339827

申请日：2016-10-31

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Robert Lynn Blair ,  A. Martin Mallinson

IPC: H03H7/06

CPC classification number: H03K19/173 ,  H03H5/12 ,  H03H7/06 ,  H03H2001/0085 ,  H03H2210/025 ,  H03H2210/028

Abstract: A circuit and method for lowering noise in an audio rendering system is described. An analysis is made of the spectral content of an audio signal, i.e., the frequencies it contains, over a certain time interval. Cutoff frequencies of high pass and low pass filters that pass the audio signal are then adjusted for each interval by changing the effective values of adjustable impedance elements in the filters, so that the bandwidth of the system is adjusted to be what is sufficient to pass any frequencies in the resulting analog audio signal during any given time interval, rather than requiring the entire 20 kHz audio spectrum to be constantly present.

公开(公告)号：US20170104462A1

公开(公告)日：2017-04-13

申请号：US15331857

申请日：2016-10-22

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Peter John Frith ,  Yongsheng Xu ,  A. Martin Mallinson ,  Robert Lynn Blair

IPC: H03F3/217 ,  H03F3/185 ,  H04R3/04 ,  H03F1/02

CPC classification number: H03F3/2173 ,  H03F1/0227 ,  H03F3/185 ,  H03F2200/03 ,  H04R3/04

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for providing output signal swings that are greater than the supply voltage in a class-D amplifier. The amplifier circuit boosts the voltage across the amplifier load, such as a loudspeaker, by using capacitors to “charge pump” the voltage across the load and thus increase the voltage temporarily. This is done by using two or more output bridges rather than one, and connecting the bridges through the capacitors. For signals of less than the supply voltage, only an inner bridge, similar to a full bridge of the prior art, operates. For signals above the supply voltage, an outer bridge charges capacitors, which are then used to ‘boost’ the voltage on the bridge output for the short period of the Class-D switching period. Thus, only relatively small value boosting capacitors are needed, as they do not need to supply charge for very long.

公开(公告)号：US09462368B2

公开(公告)日：2016-10-04

申请号：US14920791

申请日：2015-10-22

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： A. Martin Mallinson ,  Dustin Dale Forman ,  Robert Lynn Blair ,  Peter John Frith

IPC: H04R1/10 ,  H04R29/00

CPC classification number: H04R1/1041 ,  H04M1/6058 ,  H04R5/04 ,  H04R2420/09

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for inputting digital data on the output channel(s) of an audio subsystem in an audio device, without interfering with normal operation of the audio subsystem. The described circuit includes a resistive element in parallel with the expected load device, such as a headphone or speaker. The resistive element receives a modulated digital signal from a data source or a switch, and the instantaneous current through the resistive element due to the modulated digital signal is reflected in a current feedback mechanism of the audio subsystem. Demodulation logic retrieves the digital signal from the current measured by the current feedback mechanism. A capacitor is provided to prevent the current in the resistive element from the digital signal from impacting the average DC current that the feedback mechanism uses to evaluate the load device.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种用于在音频设备中的音频子系统的输出通道上输入数字数据而不干扰音频子系统的正常操作的装置。 所描述的电路包括与期望的负载装置（例如耳机或扬声器）并联的电阻元件。 电阻元件从数据源或开关接收调制的数字信号，并且由于调制的数字信号引起的通过电阻元件的瞬时电流被反映在音频子系统的电流反馈机制中。 解调逻辑从当前反馈机制测量的电流中检索数字信号。 提供电容器以防止电阻元件中的电流数字信号影响反馈机构用于评估负载装置的平均DC电流。

公开(公告)号：US20140073279A1

公开(公告)日：2014-03-13

申请号：US14022155

申请日：2013-09-09

Applicant: ESS Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Robert Lynn Blair ,  A. Martin Mallinson

IPC: H04B1/26

CPC classification number: H04B1/26 ,  H04B1/0007

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for simultaneously down-converting multiple selected signals, such as RF signals, into adjacent ranges in an intermediate frequency band so that the total resulting bandwidth, and thus the sampling rate required to digitize the signal, is minimized. A first signal is down-converted into a range starting at a lowest selected frequency in the IF band. The next signal is down-converted, into a range higher than, but near or adjacent to, the down-converted range of the first signal, and so on. A guard band may be left between the signals if desired. In this way, the selected signals occupy the minimum bandwidth required. When the selection of signals to be down-converted is changed, the frequency ranges are dynamically adjusted so that the signals being down-converted always occupy the lowest ranges of the IF band.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种方法和系统，用于同时将多个所选信号（例如RF信号）下变频到中间频带中的相邻范围，使得总结果带宽以及因此将信号数字化所需的采样率最小化。 第一信号被下变频到从IF频段中最低选定频率开始的范围。 下一个信号被降频转换成高于第一信号的下变频范围但接近或相邻的范围，等等。 如果需要，保护带可能会留在信号之间。 以这种方式，所选择的信号占用所需的最小带宽。 当要降低转换的信号的选择被改变时，动态地调节频率范围，使得被降频转换的信号总是占据IF频带的最低范围。