Dynamic power / current distribution between audio amplifiers and / or haptic driver groups

Abstract

An audio or haptic power output system manages and delivers power to a plurality of output transducers based on corresponding power or current limits that are dynamically adjusted according to a measure of the power or current required to generate a power output signal from a corresponding digital input value or signal. The power management subsystem controls the electrical power or current consumed by a power output stage that supplies power to the transducers by comparing a measure of the power or current required to generate the power output signal with a corresponding power or current limit and limiting the measure of the power or current consumed by the individual power output stage to not exceed the corresponding limit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The field of representative embodiments of the present invention relates to audio or haptic power output methods, circuits, and systems having limited power supply capabilities and / or limiting the current / power supplied to multiple power output circuits. Background Art

[0002] Audio output systems that deliver power to multiple acoustic output transducers, such as speakers or micro speakers, and haptic output drivers that supply energy to haptic feedback devices are significant consumers of energy in battery-powered devices, such as mobile phones. Generally, when multiple amplifiers / drivers supply power from a single input power source to multiple transducers, the total power or current delivered to the transducers is limited by the power or current that can be delivered from the power source. For speakers, exceeding the deliverable power typically means that one or more audio output signals will be clipped due to discharge of the power source output capacitance caused by the current being delivered to the transducer faster than the power source can supply current to keep the power source output capacitance charged. However, when multiple transducers are powered from a single power source, some transducers may require more power / current than others, and assuming power is evenly distributed between amplifier stages, clipping may be caused by imposing a limit on one amplifier while there is excess current capacity not consumed by another amplifier.

[0003] Therefore, it is advantageous to provide improved performance in audio power output circuits, particularly when the audio power output circuit shares a power supply with other circuits. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Improved operation of audio and haptic power output systems can be achieved in a power management circuit and its method of operation.

[0005] The method, system, and circuit manage and deliver power to multiple output transducers based on corresponding power or current limits that are dynamically adjusted according to a measure of the power or current required to generate a power output signal from a corresponding digital input value or signal. The power management subsystem controls the electrical power or current consumed by the power output stage that supplies power to the transducer by comparing a measure of the power or current required to generate the power output signal with a corresponding power or current limit and limiting the measure of the power or current consumed by a single power output stage to exceed the corresponding limit.

[0006] The foregoing summary is provided to introduce a brief description and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The following description sets forth example embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. Additional embodiments and implementations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various equivalent techniques may be applied in place of, or in combination with, the embodiments discussed below, and all such equivalents are encompassed within the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example system in which techniques in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are practiced.

[0008] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is a block diagram of an example power output stage of power output stages 12A to 12D in an example system that can be used to implement Figure 1 .

[0009] Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 4 is a block diagram of another example system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figures 5A to 5C illustrates a variant system configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing techniques in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The present invention encompasses methods, systems, and circuits for controlling the distribution of power or current to a single audio power amplifier and a haptic driver in a multi-channel system, e.g., to transducers within battery-powered devices such as mobile phones, tablet computers, and laptop computers. Based on corresponding power or current limits, the total power or current of a distribution system or budget is allocated to drive the transducers, and these power or current limits are dynamically adjusted according to a measure of the power or current required to generate a power output signal from a corresponding digital input value or signal. A power management subsystem controls the electrical power or current consumed by a power output stage supplying power to the transducers by comparing a measure of the power or current required to generate the power output signal with corresponding power or current limits and limiting the measure of power or current consumed by an individual power output stage to not exceed the corresponding limit. Although the following description is provided with reference to block diagrams, it should be understood that the description included therein applies to processes that may be implemented by a digital signal processor executing a computer program product according to embodiments of the present disclosure, as described in further detail below. Further, although the terms "power or current" distribution / control and measurement are used hereinafter and in the claims, it should be understood that it is the adjustment of current (or voltage or a combination thereof) that controls the power delivered to (and thus consumed by) the channels described hereinafter.

[0014] Figure 1FIG. 0 shows a block diagram of a multi-channel frequency power amplifier / haptic driver system 10 in which the techniques according to embodiments of the present invention are practiced. A battery 18 delivers an operating voltage and current syspwr that is shared by a plurality of power output stages 12A through 12D. A total power determination block 14 provides information regarding the total system power (or current). The total power determination block 14 can be a voltage / current monitor that determines the total voltage and total current available from the battery 18, or can be provided by knowledge of a total power budget allocated to the plurality of power output stages 12A through 12D connected to the battery 18, or alternatively can be provided by one or more power / current limiters that supply the respective power output stages 12A through 12D or groups of power output stages 12A through 12D as a whole. The power output stages 12A through 12D supply power to corresponding transducers TD1 through TD4, which can be audio speakers such as micro speakers, or haptic feedback devices such as linear resonant actuators (LRA) or eccentric rotating mass (ERM) devices, or a combination of both device types. An input source 16 represents a source of a plurality of audio or haptic vibration mode signals to be reproduced by the respective transducers TD1 through TD4. If the signals provided to the transducers TD1 through TD4 are all within the system power budget available from the battery 18, then all of these signals can be reproduced without distortion or limiting the current or power supplied to the corresponding transducers TD1 through TD4 by the respective power output stages 12A through 12D. However, a priori power or current budgets that, for example, allocate an equal 1 / 4 of the available power or current for driving each of the transducers TD1 through TD4 will not deliver optimal results. With knowledge of the available power not being used to drive one or more of the transducers TD1 through TD4, additional power can be delivered to another of the transducers TD1 through TD4 having a higher (instantaneous) power requirement. Accordingly, the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 10 includes a power arbiter 15 that uses information regarding the power or current required by the transducers TD1 through TD4 and system power information from the battery power monitor 14 to dynamically allocate the available system power or current among the respective power output stages 12A through 12D. Although the power arbiter 15 is shown as a centralized arbiter, the power arbiter 15 can alternatively be distributed across the power output stages 12A through 12D, or can combine centralized and distributed power arbitration and allocation, as will be shown in the examples below.In a feed-forward scheme, the power arbiter 15 may use the signal content of the signals delivered by the input source 16 to the power output stages 12A to 12D in order to determine corresponding power or current limits for each of the power output stages 12A to 12D, which may be implemented by limiting the current that the respective power output stages 12A to 12D may draw from the battery 18, or by adjusting the amplitude of the audio or haptic pattern signals reproduced by the power output stages 12A to 12D. When the signal content is used to determine current / power consumption, information is typically collected on frames of audio samples, and then control is applied when the frames of audio samples are delivered for reproduction to the power output stages 12A to 12D. The impedances of the transducers TD1 to TD4, which may be determined from voltage-current measurements, retrieved from a system configuration storage device, or assumed to be equal and constant values, are then used to determine a measure of the actual current / power that the reproduction of the frames of audio content will require. Depending on the samples in the audio (or haptic control mode) frame buffer, the power may be determined as peak (maximum sample value), root mean square (RMS), or average power. Alternatively or in combination, the power arbiter 15 may use a feedback scheme, in which measurements of the actual power / current consumed by the power output stages 12A to 12D are used to determine dynamic power or current limits such that the sum of the current levels (or power levels) does not exceed a system maximum. If a feed-forward and feedback scheme are combined, it may be useful to implement an adaptive scheme in which the rate at which the dynamic current / power limits are adjusted based on the feed-forward information is updated by comparing with the feedback values determined after the updated limits have been applied. Each of the feed-forward, feedback, or combined / adaptive control schemes may be implemented in the various control architectures described below. Figure 3 and Figure 4 implemented in the various control architectures described.

[0015] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is a block diagram of example power output stages 12A to 12D that may be used within a multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A Shows a power output stage 22A that receives a digital audio / haptic pattern input signal IN and uses a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to convert the input signal IN into an analog signal that provides a differential input signal pair to the input of a power amplifier A1 that generates an output signal driving a transducer TD. The control input I CTL sets the maximum current level that may be drawn by a power converter 24 that supplies power from a system power supply output syspwr to the power amplifier A1.

[0016] Figure 2BAnother example embodiment is shown that can be used to replace some or all of the power output stage in the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 10 with the power output stage 22B. Instead of using an analog amplifier and a DAC, the power output stage 22B includes a pulse width modulator (PWM) with power output switches that directly drive the transducer TD with a waveform having a pulse width determined by the value of the digital audio / haptic mode input signal IN. The power converter 24 operates in a manner similar to that described above, for Figure 2A , in response to the control input I CTL sets the maximum current level that can be drawn by the power converter 24.

[0017] As mentioned above, the current / power arbitration scheme can be centralized or distributed or some combination of the two arbitration forms. According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, within these categories, there are further variations of the current / power allocation scheme that can be implemented by the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 10. For example, in the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 30 as Figure 3 shown, the digital signal processor (DSP) 36 receives all the information for all channels from the input audio bus. The program code stored in the non-volatile (NV) program memory 34 that implements the current / power arbiter can determine the current / power required to reproduce those signals at the transducers TD1 to TD4 by observing the values of the input waveforms for each channel. The arbiter program can then dynamically reallocate the current from channels with available excess current by receiving information about the system power / current available from the battery 18 and the two different power converters 24a and 24B. For example, if the arbiter program determines that the signal level provided to the transducer TD1 will result in exceeding the corresponding power budget by 20%, the arbiter program can adjust the corresponding input signal by scaling down the value of the corresponding input signal by a factor of or less, by applying an analog gain of 0.913 or less, or by adjusting the corresponding current limit provided to the corresponding power converter 24 within the corresponding power output stages 32A to 32D by a factor of 1 / 1.2≈0.834 or less. Similarly, if the power arbiter program observes that the signal level provided to the transducer TD1 will only use 80% of the corresponding power budget, the arbiter program can reduce the power budget in favor of another channel operating closer to a power-limited state, or can stop power limiting another channel that is in a power-limited state. The power converter 24A provides the operating voltage and current to the power output stages 32A and 32B that form the first power output stage group. The power converter 24B provides the operating voltage and current to the power output stages 32C and 32D that form the second power output stage group. In accordance with Figure 3In an example embodiment, the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 30 arbitrates the current / power between the power output stages 32A and 32B according to the total power budget of the first group, and arbitrates the current / power between the power output stages 32C and 32D according to the total power budget of the second group. Separately, the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 30 may reallocate the total current / power budget provided to the power converters 24A and 24B according to the measurement information provided by the power converters 24A and 24B (e.g., revealing the current limit value I LIMIT1 and I LIMIT2 ) of the charging current provided by the power converters 24A and 24B during the period when the output voltages of the power converters 24A and 24B are rebuilt after a period of high current consumption by one or more of the power output stages TD1 to TD4. The power converter 24A also provides a measurement of the battery voltage V BATT , such that the total system current / power budget to be distributed between the power converters 24A and 24B can be determined. Thus, the multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 30 provides an example of centralized current / power arbitration. Although the above example uses a DSP to provide the programming processing, it should be understood that other cores such as a microcontroller or a microprocessor may alternatively be used to provide the same function.

[0018] Referring now to Figure 4 , another example of a multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 40 is shown, in which the current / power arbitration function is distributed among a plurality of power output subsystems 42A driving the sensors TD1 to TD4. In an example embodiment, an inter-processor communication (IPC) bus 41 provides digital audio information to the microcontroller (μ-C) core 48, and control and configuration information may be shared among the microcontroller (μ-C) cores 48. The microcontroller core 48 controls and receives current / power consumption information from the power converters 44 in each of the plurality of power output subsystems 42A to 42D, thereby allowing the energy from the battery 18 to be directly distributed by the power output subsystems 42A to 42D. The information shared may include transducer impedance, amplifier gain value, current / power consumption value, and other information available within the power output subsystems 42A to 42D determined from the measurement of the consumed current / power and the known power converter output voltage.

[0019] A variety of different schemes can be implemented in the exemplary multi-channel audio power amplifier / haptic driver system 40, and a microcontroller (μ-C) core 48 may not be required in each of the power output subsystems 42A to 42D. For example, the power output subsystem 42A can be the primary subsystem that controls the distribution of current / power for the power output subsystems 42A and 42B as a group, and can transmit control information that sets the maximum current / power output level of the power converter 44 in the (auxiliary) power output subsystem 42B, or can set the gain value that limits the current / power allocated to the transducer TD2 for the digital input signal received by the power output subsystem 42B. The power output subsystems 42C and 42D can then form another master-slave pair into another group. The above example is an example of a hierarchical system where power / current is allocated to each group to match the maximum available current / power of the system, and then within each group, the current / power is shared through arbitration. Alternatively, the power output subsystems 42A to 42D can operate in a peer-to-peer manner, where information about current / power consumption is shared among the power output subsystems 42A to 42D, and then is allocated according to an algorithm (such as a minimum guaranteed current / power delivery scheme, where only unused or excess current / power from one or more of the power output subsystems 42A to 42D is available for allocation to other power output subsystems among the power output subsystems 42A to 42D). In the peer-to-peer allocation scheme, a hierarchical structure can also be imposed either for system design considerations or due to architectural considerations, such as the lack of a common audio or control bus between groups. The example of a group with a pair of power output stages in each group is merely illustrative, and any number of power output stages in each group can be grouped together with any number of members.

[0020] Initialization of the above system can be performed, for example, by setting an equal division P alloc [n] = available system power / N, where N = the number of channels. Then, P alloc [n] becomes the power available to each of the power output subsystems 42A to 42D. Alternatively, P alloc [n] can be set to a specific alternative initial value according to a known system configuration. As operation proceeds, if the required channel current / power P ch [n] exceeds the initial division, and if the remaining current / power P alloc [n] < P ch [n], then for some channels n, if for at least one other channel m, P alloc [m] > P ch [m], then the remaining power amount P alloc [m] - Pch [m] can be reallocated to increase P alloc [n]. System configuration information can also be used to update the current / power distribution scheme. For example, as Figures 5A to 5C shown, the orientation of the tablet 50 can be used to control the distribution of current / power to the transducers TD1 to TD4. In Figure 5A , in the default orientation of the tablet 50, the transducers TD1 and TD2 are located at the top of the tablet 50 and are considered high-frequency drivers, while the transducers TD3 and TD4 are considered low-frequency drivers. The transducers TD1 and TD2 perform power management in the first group, while the transducers TD3 and TD4 perform power management in the second group. Thus, compared to the transducers TD3 and TD4, which are considered low-frequency drivers in the second group, the transducers TD1 and TD2 are assigned less total power as a group, even though the transducers TD1 to TD4 may be the same. When the orientation of the tablet 50 changes to Figure 5B the orientation shown in, for example, by Figure 4 sending a system control signal via the IPC bus 41 in to indicate the new orientation and reassigning these groups, where the transducers TD3 and TD1 now form the first group (which is considered a high-frequency driver), and the transducers TD4 and TD2 form the second group (which is considered a low-frequency driver). If the orientation alternatively becomes Figure 5C the orientation of, then the power distribution is redistributed between the first and second groups, while TD1 and TD2 remain in the same first group, and TD3 and TD4 remain in the same second group. Then, the power distribution is swapped between the first and second groups such that the first group is considered a low-frequency driver group and the second group is considered a high-frequency driver group.

[0021] Now referring to Figure 6 , a flowchart of the operation described above with reference to Figures 5A to 5C shows a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Until the tablet 50 is rotated (decision 60), the operation continues according to the current / power distribution until the tablet is turned off (decision 69). If the tablet is rotated (decision 60), and if the rotation is 90 degrees, for example, as Figure 5B shown (decision 61), then the groups are reallocated as described above (step 62). Otherwise, if the rotation is 180 degrees, for example Figure 5C (decision 63), then the power / current budget is redistributed between the groups (step 64). If the rotation is 270 degrees (decision 65), then the two groups are reallocated and the power / current is redistributed between the groups (step 66). If the rotation is 0 degrees (decision 67), then the default groups and power distribution are restored (step 68).

[0022] As mentioned above, some or all of the disclosed processes may be implemented by executing a set of program instructions forming a computer program product stored on a non-volatile memory, but it also exists in a tangible storage form of a computer-readable storage medium external to the non-volatile memory. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing devices. Specific examples of the computer-readable storage medium include the following: a hard disk, semiconductor volatile and non-volatile storage devices, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or a digital versatile disc (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, or other suitable storage devices not specifically listed. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium should not be construed as a transient signal, such as a transmission line or a radio wave or an electrical signal transmitted through a wire. It should be understood that the blocks of the above block diagram can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in other storage forms as mentioned above and may be downloaded into the non-volatile memory for execution according thereto. However, a set of instructions stored on a medium other than the above system non-volatile memory also forms a computer program product, which is an article of manufacture including instructions for implementing aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more of the blocks of the block diagram.

[0023] In summary, the present invention discloses a power output system for delivering power to a plurality of audio or tactile sensors. The power output system includes: a plurality of power output stages that generate corresponding power output signals in a power output signal according to corresponding plurality of input values or signals; at least one power management subsystem that controls the electrical power or current consumed by the power output stages by comparing a measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal with a corresponding power or current limit for the power output stage and limiting the power or current consumed by each power output stage when the corresponding measure of power or current exceeds the corresponding power or current limit. The corresponding power or current limit is dynamically adjusted according to the measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal.

[0024] The measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals in the power output signal can be calculated based on the corresponding input value or signal, and / or determined based on past or present measures of the actual power or current drawn by the corresponding power output stage. The past or present measure of the actual power or current can be calculated based on the value received from the power supply that supplies power to the corresponding power output stage, and can be calculated based on the corresponding input value or signal in combination with the past or present measurement of the actual power or current drawn by the corresponding power output stage. At least one power management subsystem can be a plurality of power management subsystems that control the electrical power or current consumed by the corresponding power output stages in the power output stage, and each power management subsystem in the plurality of power management subsystems can share the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal with other power management subsystems in the plurality of power management subsystems. Each power management subsystem can determine its corresponding power or current limit by applying an algorithm that combines the measures of power or current shared by other power management subsystems in the plurality of power management subsystems to determine the available power or current budget. Each power management subsystem in the plurality of power management subsystems can transmit the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal to another power management subsystem in the plurality of power management subsystems, and each power management subsystem can determine its corresponding power or current limit by determining the available power or current budget based on the measure of power or current received from another power management subsystem. The plurality of power output stages can receive the corresponding plurality of input values from a multiplexing source that encodes the corresponding plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages, and each power management system in the plurality of power management systems can calculate the measure of the power or current required to generate the power output signal for the plurality of power output stages based on the corresponding input value or signal in the multiplexing source, such that each power management system in the plurality of power management systems dynamically adjusts its corresponding power or current limit based on the plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages. At least one power management subsystem can be a central power management subsystem that sets the respective power or current limits of the power output stages. At least one power management subsystem can adjust the power or current limit such that the sum of the power or current limits is less than or equal to the system power or current budget. The plurality of power output stages can be divided into a plurality of groups of power output stages, and at least one power management subsystem can allocate the system power or current budget among the plurality of groups based on the corresponding group power or current budget. At least one power management subsystem can allocate power or current to the power output stages within the corresponding group based on the group power or current budget. At least one power management system can adjust the group power or current budget in response to a change in the system configuration.System configuration signals can indicate the orientation of a device that includes an audio or haptic power output system, and multiple groups of multiple power output stages can include a first group for supplying power to a speaker along a first edge of the device and a second group for supplying power to the speaker along an opposite edge of the device. At least one power management system can reallocate group power or current budgets for the first and second groups, or reassign at least some of the speakers between the first and second groups, in response to a system configuration change indicating that the device has been rotated. The power output signal can be an audio power signal for driving an audio output transducer, and the multiple input values or signals can be audio sample values or signals, and / or the power output signal can be a vibration power signal for driving a haptic device, and the multiple input values or signals can be haptic operation values or signals.

[0025] Although the present invention has shown and described specific embodiments of the techniques disclosed herein, those skilled in the art will understand that the foregoing and other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the techniques of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with a system power management function that selects an energy usage constraint level.

Claims

1. An audio or haptic power output system for delivering a plurality of power output signals to corresponding audio or haptic output transducers, comprising: A plurality of power output stages that generate corresponding power output signals in the power output signals based on a plurality of audio inputs or haptic operation values or signals; And At least one power management subsystem that controls the electrical power or current consumed by the power output stages by: calculating a measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals in the power output signals based on the corresponding audio input or haptic operation value or signal, comparing the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals with a corresponding power or current limit of the power output stage, and limiting the power or current consumed by each power output stage if the corresponding measure of power or current exceeds the corresponding power or current limit, wherein the corresponding power or current limit is dynamically adjusted based on the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals, and wherein the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals in the power output signals is also calculated in combination with past or present measurements of the actual power or current drawn by the corresponding power output stage.

2. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power management subsystem is a plurality of power management subsystems that control the electrical power or current consumed by corresponding ones of the power output stages.

3. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of power management subsystems shares the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal with other power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems, and wherein each of the power management subsystems determines its corresponding power or current limit by applying an algorithm that combines the measure of the power or current shared by the other power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems to determine an available power or current budget.

4. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of power management subsystems transmits the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal to another power management subsystem among the plurality of power management subsystems, and wherein each of the power management subsystems determines its corresponding power or current limit by determining an available power or current budget based on the measure of the power or current received from the other power management subsystem.

5. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of power output stages receive the corresponding plurality of input values from a multiplexed source, the multiplexed source encoding the corresponding plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages, and wherein each of the plurality of power management systems calculates a measure of the power or current required to generate a power output signal for the plurality of power output stages based on the corresponding input value or signal in the multiplexed source, whereby each of the plurality of power management systems dynamically adjusts its corresponding power or current limit based on the plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages.

6. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power management subsystem is a central power management subsystem that sets the respective power or current limits of the power output stages.

7. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one power management subsystem adjusts the power or current limit such that the sum of the power or current limits is less than or equal to the system power or current budget.

8. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of power output stages are divided into a plurality of groups of power output stages, and wherein the at least one power management subsystem allocates the system power or current budget among the plurality of groups based on corresponding group power or current budgets, and wherein the at least one power management subsystem distributes power or current to the power output stages within the corresponding group based on the group power or current budget.

9. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 8, wherein the at least one power management system adjusts the group power or current budget in response to a change in system configuration.

10. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 9, wherein, A system configuration signal indicates the orientation of a device comprising the audio or haptic power output system, wherein the plurality of groups of the plurality of power output stages include a first group for supplying power to a speaker along a first edge of the device and a second group for supplying power to the speaker along an opposite edge of the device, and wherein the at least one power management system reallocates the group power or current budget for the first group and the second group, or reassigns at least some of the speakers between the first group and the second group, in response to a system configuration change indicating that the device has been rotated.

11. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the power output signal is an audio power signal for driving an audio output transducer, and wherein the plurality of audio input or haptic operation values or signals are audio sample values or audio signals.

12. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the power output signal is a vibration power signal for driving a haptic device, and wherein the plurality of audio input or haptic operation values or signals are haptic operation values or signals.

13. The audio or haptic power output system according to claim 1, wherein the corresponding power or current limit is dynamically adjusted according to a measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal, so that the unused power or current that can be obtained from the first power output stage among the plurality of power output stages can be used for other second power output stages among the plurality of power output stages whose consumed power or current would otherwise be limited.

14. A method for managing the electrical power or current provided in a power output system, the power output system delivering a plurality of power output signals from a plurality of power output stages to corresponding haptic or audio output transducers, the method comprising: Calculating a measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal according to a corresponding audio input or haptic operation value or signal, wherein the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals is calculated in combination with past or present measurements of the actual power or current drawn by the corresponding power output stage; Comparing the measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal with the corresponding power or current limit of the power output stage; Limiting the power or current consumed by each power output stage in the case where the corresponding measure of the power or current exceeds the corresponding power or current limit; Generating each of the power output signals according to the corresponding input value or signal in the audio input or haptic operation value or signal; and Dynamically adjusting each power or current limit according to the measure of the power or current required to generate each power output signal.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the comparison and adjustment are performed by a plurality of power management subsystems that control the electrical power or current consumed by the corresponding power output stages among the power output stages.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: Sharing with other power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal from each of the power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems; And Each of the power management subsystems determines its corresponding power or current limit by applying an algorithm that combines the measure of the power or current shared by other power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems to determine the available power or current budget.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: Each of the power management subsystems among the plurality of power management subsystems transmits the measure of the power or current required to generate the corresponding power output signal to another power management subsystem among the plurality of power management subsystems, and Each of the power management subsystems determines its corresponding power or current limit by determining the available power or current budget according to the measure of the power or current received from the other power management subsystem.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: The plurality of power output stages receive the corresponding plurality of input values from a multiplexing source that encodes the corresponding plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages; and each power management system among the plurality of power management systems calculates a measure of the power or current required to generate a power output signal for the plurality of power output stages based on the corresponding input value or signal in the multiplexing source, wherein the adjustment of the respective power or current limits is dynamically performed based on the plurality of input values for the plurality of power output stages.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the comparison and adjustment are performed by a central power management subsystem that sets the respective power or current limits for the power output stages.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjustment adjusts the power or current limits such that the sum of the power or current limits is less than or equal to the system power or current budget.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of power output stages are divided into a plurality of groups of power output stages, and wherein, The method further comprises: allocating a system power or current budget among the plurality of groups according to corresponding group power or current budgets; and allocating power or current to power output stages within the corresponding group according to the group power or current budget.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the adjustment adjusts the group power or current budget in response to a change in system configuration.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein a system configuration signal indicates the orientation of a device comprising the audio or haptic power output system, wherein the plurality of groups of the plurality of power output stages include a first group for supplying power to a speaker along a first edge of the device and a second group for supplying power to the speaker along an opposite edge of the device, and wherein the method further comprises, in response to a system configuration change indicating that the device has been rotated, reallocating the group power or current budget between the first group and the second group, or reassigning at least some of the speakers between the first group and the second group.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein the power output signal is an audio power signal for driving an audio output transducer, and wherein the plurality of audio input or haptic operation values or signals are audio sample values or audio signals.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the power output signal is a vibration power signal for driving a haptic device, and wherein the plurality of audio input or haptic operation values or signals are haptic operation values or signals.

26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjustment adjusts the corresponding power or current limits so that unused power or current available from a first power output stage among the plurality of power output stages can be used for other second power output stages among the plurality of power output stages for which the power or current consumed would otherwise be limited by the limits.

27. A computer program product, comprising program instructions stored in a computer-readable memory, the program instructions not being signals or propagating waves, wherein the computer program product provides electrical power or current in a power output system that manages the delivery of a plurality of power output signals from a plurality of power output stages to corresponding tactile or audio output transducers when executed by a processor, the program instructions comprising: Program instructions for calculating a measure of the power or current required to generate a corresponding tactile or audio output in response to samples of a plurality of audio inputs or tactile operation values that generate respective power output signals, wherein the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals in the power output signals is calculated in combination with past or present measurements of the actual power or current drawn by the corresponding power output stage; Program instructions for comparing the measure of the power or current with a corresponding power or current limit of the power output stage; Program instructions for limiting the power or current consumed by each power output stage in the case where the corresponding measure of the power or current exceeds the corresponding power or current limit; And Program instructions for dynamically adjusting each power or current limit according to the measure of the power or current required to generate each of the power output signals.

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