# US 11,121,690 B2 · Class D amplifier circuit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,121,690 B2 - Document ID: US11121690B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/552,843 - Filed: 2019-08-27 - Published: 2019-12-19 - Granted: 2021-09-14 - Earliest claimed: 2014-08-29 - Assignees: Cirrus Logic, Inc. - Applicants: Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd. - Inventors: John Paul Lesso; Toru Ido - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11121690B2 ## CPC - H03G 3/3089: {Control of digital or coded signals} - H03F 1/26: Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of noise generated by amplifying elements - H03F 1/32: Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion (by negative feedback H03F1/34) - H03F 1/34: Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback (H03F1/02 - H03F1/30, H03F1/38 - H03F1/50, H03F3/50 take precedence {; for rejection of common mode signals H03F3/45479}) - H03F 3/187: in integrated circuits - H03F 3/217: Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers - H03F 3/2175: {using analogue-digital or digital-analogue conversion (H03F3/2173 takes precedence)} - H03G 7/002: {in untuned or low-frequency amplifiers, e.g. audio amplifiers (H03G7/007, H03G7/001, H03G7/008, H03G7/02, H03G7/06 take precedence)} - H03G 7/007: {of digital or coded signals} - H03F 3/2171: {with field-effect devices (H03F3/2173 - H03F3/2178 take precedence)} - H03F 3/2173: {of the bridge type} - H03F 2200/102: A non-specified detector of a signal envelope being used in an amplifying circuit - H03F 2200/339: Pulse amplitude modulation being used in an amplifying circuit - H03F 2200/432: Two or more amplifiers of different type are coupled in parallel at the input or output, e.g. a class D and a linear amplifier, a class B and a class A amplifier - H03G: CONTROL OF AMPLIFICATION - H03F: AMPLIFIERS ## Abstract This application relates to Class D amplifier circuits. A modulator controls a Class D output stage based on a modulator input signal (Dm) to generate an output signal (Vout) which is representative of an input signal (Din). An error block, which may comprise an ADC, generates an error signal (ε) from the output signal and the input signal. In various embodiments the extent to which the error signal (ε) contributes to the modulator input signal (Dm) is variable based on an indication of the amplitude of the input signal (Din). The error signal may be received at a first input of a signal selector block. The input signal may be received at a second input of the signal selector block. The signal selector block may be operable in first and second modes of operation, wherein in the first mode the modulator input signal is based at least in part on the error signal; and in the second mode the modulator input signal is based on the digital input signal and is independent of the error signal. The error signal can be used to reduce distortion at high signal levels but is not used at low signal levels and so the noise floor at low signal levels does not depend on the component of the error block. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A Class-D amplifier circuit for amplifying an input signal comprising: a controller configured to control the Class-D amplifier circuit to selectively transition between an open-loop operational mode and a closed-loop operational mode based on indication of amplitude of said input signal; a class-D output stage; a modulator for generating at least one control signal for controlling switching of a said class-D output stage wherein the controller comprises a signal selector configured such that in the closed-loop operational mode an input to the modulator is based on the input signal combined with a feedback signal and in the open-loop operational mode the input to the modulator is based on the input signal with no contribution from the feedback signal; and an error block for generating an error signal based on the input signal and the feedback signal wherein the signal selector is configured to select the error signal as the input to the modulator in the closed-loop operational mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the Class-D amplifier circuit in the open-loop operational mode if the indication of the amplitude of the digital input signal is below a first amplitude threshold and to control the Class-D amplifier circuit in the closed-loop operational mode if the indication of the amplitude of the digital input signal is above said first amplitude threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, comprising a forward signal path configured to receive the input signal and a feedback path wherein the controller comprises the signal selector for controlling an extent to which a signal in the feedback path contributes to the forward signal path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the error block comprises an analogue to digital converter coupled to receive the feedback signal and wherein said signal selector is configured to enable the analogue to digital converter in the closed-loop operational mode and disable the analogue to digital converter in the open-loop operational mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one variable gain element for applying a variable gain to the feedback signal or the error signal wherein the signal selector is a controller that is configured to control the at least one variable gain element to provide a first non-zero gain setting in the closed-loop operational mode and a second gain setting of zero in the open-loop operational mode. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said controller is configured to control the at least one variable gain element to provide a controlled transition in gain between said first and second gain settings that involves at least one intermediate gain setting. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 6, wherein said controlled transition in gain comprises a ramp in gain. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 7, wherein said at least one variable gain element comprises a loop filter having a variable gain. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the loop filter comprises an integrator and the controller is configured to control the integrator time constant of said integrator to vary the gain of the loop filter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an envelope detector for determining an envelope value for the input signal wherein signal selection controller is configured to use said envelope value as the indication of amplitude of the digital input signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 10, wherein the envelope detector is configured to apply a predetermined delay between any detected drop in signal amplitude and a reduction in the envelope value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initiate any transition between the open-loop operational mode and the closed-loop operational mode at a zero-crossing of the input signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The Class-D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 12, comprising a zero-crossing detector for detecting a zero-crossing of the input signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An electronic apparatus comprising a Class D amplifier circuit as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said electronic apparatus is at least one of: a portable device; a battery power device; a computing device; a communications device; a gaming device; a mobile telephone; a personal media player; a laptop, tablet or notebook computing device. ### Claim 16 A Class-D amplifier circuit for amplifying an input signal comprising: a controller configured to control the Class-D amplifier circuit to selectively transition between an open-loop operational mode and a closed-loop operational mode based on indication of amplitude of said input signal; and an envelope detector for determining an envelope value of said input signal wherein the controller is configured to use said envelope value as the indication of amplitude of said input signal. ### Claim 17 A Class-D amplifier circuit for amplifying an input signal comprising a controller configured to control the Class-D amplifier circuit to selectively transition between an open-loop operational mode and a closed-loop operational mode based on an indication of amplitude of said input signal, wherein the controller is configured to initiate any transition between the open-loop operational mode and the closed-loop operational mode at a zero-crossing of said input signal.