Systems and methods for over-current protection

The method of claim A, wherein ramping down the clipping level comprises:

• upon detecting the over-current condition, determining an audio input signal value;
• setting the clipping level to an initial clip value that is less than or equal to the audio input signal value;
• and
• for each successive time period in which the over-current condition persists, decreasing the clipping level.

A digital amplifier comprising:

• an over-current hard clipping unit configured to receive a digital audio signal and clip the digital audio signal according to a clip level;
• a modulator configured to receive the digital audio signal from the over-current hard clipping unit and to modulate the digital audio signal to produce a modulated audio signal;
• an output stage configured to receive the modulated audio signal and to generate an output current to drive a load;
• and
• an over-current sensing unit configured to compare the output current to a threshold value and to generate an over-current signal which indicates whether an over-current condition exists;
• wherein the over-current hard clipping unit is configured to receive the over-current signal and to ramp down the clip level while the over-current condition exists.