Audio Amplifier Compensation for Unregulated Power Supply Distortion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Unregulated power supplies cause fluctuations in power, leading to distortion in audio signal outputs of amplifiers, necessitating an improved audio signal processing system.
Innovation Solution
An audio signal processing system that includes separate electrical paths for filtering direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) components of the power supply, using low-pass and high-pass filters respectively, coupled with analog-to-digital converters and compensation logic to modify the audio signal and reduce distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If an unregulated power supply is used to power the amplifier, then the system complexity is reduced and cost is lowered, but the audio signal output becomes distorted due to power fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the power supply error signal into two distinct components: a DC component representing slow drifts and offsets, and an AC component representing ripple and high-frequency variations. This segmentation is achieved through separate filtering paths that process each component independently, allowing targeted compensation strategies for each type of distortion without requiring a completely regulated power supply system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary compensation system that measures power supply errors and uses them to adjust the audio signal. The error measurement path acts as a mediator between the unregulated power supply and the audio output, capturing distortion causes and feeding correction signals back to cancel the distortion effects, thereby maintaining audio quality without complex power regulation.
2Measurement precision
If separate filtering paths for DC and AC components are implemented, then the precision of power error measurement is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional filters and ADCs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power error measurement and processing into two separate, specialized paths: one for DC components and one for AC components. Each path uses filters and ADCs optimized for its specific frequency range, improving measurement precision for each component type while keeping the overall architecture modular and manageable despite the increased number of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the filtering and conversion characteristics to the specific requirements of each frequency component. The DC path uses low-pass filtering suitable for slow variations, while the AC path uses high-pass filtering for ripple and high-frequency content. This localized optimization improves measurement precision without requiring all components to be over-engineered for the most demanding specifications.
3Manufacturing precision
If compensation logic is used to modify the audio signal based on power supply errors, then the audio signal quality is improved by reducing distortion, but the processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary separation of the power error signal into DC and AC components before the compensation process. By pre-filtering and pre-converting these components, the system prepares the correction data in advance, allowing the final compensation stage to simply combine the pre-processed components with the audio signal rather than performing complex real-time analysis during audio playback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic sampling through ADCs to convert the filtered power error signals into digital form at regular intervals. This periodic conversion allows the compensation logic to process discrete samples rather than continuous analog signals, reducing computational complexity and processing time while maintaining adequate measurement resolution for distortion compensation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively compensates for power supply errors, reducing distortion in audio signals by generating adjusted DC and AC signals that are used to modify the audio signal, resulting in a reduced distortion power output.
Implementation Method 1
a low pass filter coupled to the power supply to filter a direct current (DC) component of the power supply
Implementation Method 2
a high pass filter coupled to the power supply to filter an alternating current (AC) component of the power supply
Implementation Method 3
a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) responsive to an output of the low pass filter... and a second ADC responsive to an output of the high pass filter
Data Source
AI summary
An audio signal processing system and method is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the audio signal processing system includes a first electrical path responsive to a power supply of an audio amplifier. The first electrical path can include a low pass filter to filter a direct current (DC) component of the power supply and a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) responsive to the low pass filter. The audio signal processing system also includes a second electrical path responsive to the power supply. The second electrical path can include a high pass filter to filter an alternating current (AC) component of the power supply and a second ADC responsive to an output of the high pass filter. The audio signal processing system includes compensation logic to modify an audio signal based on a first signal generated from the first electrical path and a second signal generated from the second electrical path.