Intelligent Current Limiter for Mobile Audio Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile computing devices face battery shutdown due to excessive current draw from audio and haptic amplifiers exceeding the allocated battery current budget, triggering the hardware battery protection circuit.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent current limiter is implemented within the digital signal processors of mobile computing devices to determine power consumption limits based on battery voltage, current budget, and amplifier efficiency, predicting power consumption for audio and haptic signals, and adjusting gain settings to prevent exceeding these limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the audio amplifier and haptic amplifier operate at high power levels, then the audio output quality and haptic feedback performance are improved, but the battery current consumption exceeds the shutdown threshold and triggers battery protection circuit shutdown
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by predicting the power consumption of audio and haptic amplifiers before actual operation. The system calculates expected current draw based on signal characteristics, volume levels, and amplifier efficiency, then proactively adjusts gain settings or triggers warnings before the battery protection circuit shuts down the battery. This prevents shutdown by taking corrective action in advance rather than reacting after the threshold is exceeded.
2Reliability
If the battery current budget is strictly enforced to prevent shutdown, then battery protection is improved, but the audio and haptic system performance is limited due to reduced power availability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the current budget allocation flexible rather than static. The system continuously monitors actual power consumption, signal characteristics, and battery status, then dynamically adjusts the current budget allocation between audio and haptic amplifiers in real-time. This allows the system to allocate more current to one amplifier when the other is using less, maximizing overall performance while staying within safety limits and preventing shutdown.
3Ease of operation
If the gain settings are increased to improve audio and haptic output, then the signal quality is improved, but the power consumption exceeds the allocated battery current budget
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the actual power consumption of audio and haptic amplifiers and comparing it against the allocated current budget. The system uses this feedback to automatically adjust gain settings, signal processing parameters, or user warnings to ensure consumption remains within acceptable limits. This closed-loop control allows the system to maintain optimal performance while preventing excessive current draw that would trigger shutdown.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile computing device includes one or more digital signal processors, each configured to receive a respective digital signal, one or more amplifiers, each configured to receive a respective digital signal, and one or more output generators configured to receive an output of a respective amplifier, and a battery configured to supply power to at least the amplifier(s). The digital signal processors include an intelligent current limiter. The intelligent current limiter is configured to determine a power consumption limit based on a battery voltage of the battery, a battery current limit defined by a battery current budget for operation of at least the amplifiers, and an efficiency of the amplifiers. The intelligent current limiter is configured to determine a predicted power consumption by the amplifiers based on voltages of the digital signals, a gain of each of the respective amplifiers, and an admittance of each of the respective output generators. The intelligent current limiter compares the predicted power consumption with the power consumption limit and adjusts the gain setting(s) of one or more of the digital signal processors based on the comparison prior to supplying the respective digital signals to the amplifiers.