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US 9,806,682 B1Granted
Multilevel class-D amplifiers
AssigneeMarvell International Ltd.
InventorsBruno Marcone, Francesco Rezzi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Implementations of a class-D amplifier can be used to amplify an input analog signal and provide to a load a multilevel amplified signal having an amplitude larger than a voltage level of a power source used by the class-D amplifier.
Claims15
An amplifier system for amplifying an input signal that varies over time, the amplifier system comprising:
- a multilevel output stage powered with a voltage having a predetermined voltage level relative to ground;
- a multilevel modulator configured to
- form a plurality of pulse-width modulated (PWM) driving signals based on i) the input signal and ii) a square carrier signal, and
- drive the multilevel output stage with the plurality of PWM driving signals;
- a pair of output ports coupled with the multilevel output stage;
- and
- a boost capacitor having two terminals, one of the two terminals being coupled with a first output port of the pair of output ports,
- wherein the multilevel output stage is configured to output, at the pair of output ports, when driven with the plurality of PWM driving signals, an output signal having a plurality of levels,
- wherein differences between adjacent levels of the output signal have a magnitude equal to the predetermined voltage level,
- wherein an amplitude of the output signal is a non-unity integer multiple of the predetermined voltage level,
- wherein the output signal varies over time between its multiple levels in accordance with the input signal, and
- wherein the multilevel output stage comprises
- four high-voltage (HV) switches, that form, when a load is coupled between the pair of output ports, an output bridge that includes the four HV switches and the load;
- and
- a boost bridge that includes
- a pair of the HV switches,
- a pair of low-voltage (LV) switches, and
- the boost capacitor,
- wherein the pair of the HV switches are coupled with each other and with the one of the two terminals of the boost capacitor at the first output port,
- wherein the pair of LV switches are coupled with each other and with another one of the two terminals of the boost capacitor, and
- wherein the boost bridge is driven by a pair of PWM driving signals of the plurality of PWM driving signals.
18 more elements
An amplification system comprising:
- an integrated circuit chip comprising amplifier circuitry, the amplifier circuitry comprising
- a multilevel modulator including
- two modulator input ports, and
- four modulator output ports;
- and
- a multilevel output stage including
- four output stage input ports respectively coupled with the four modulator output ports,
- four output stage boost ports,
- a first pair of high-voltage (HV) switches connected to each other at a first one of the output stage boost ports, the first pair of HV switches having a first control terminal coupled to a first one of the output stage input ports,
- a second pair of HV switches connected to each other at a second one of the output stage boost ports, the second pair of HV switches having a second control terminal coupled to a second one of the output stage input ports,
- a first pair of low-voltage (LV) switches connected to each other at a third one of the output stage boost ports, the first pair of LV switches having a third control terminal coupled to a third one of the output stage input ports, and
- a second pair of LV switches connected to each other at a fourth one of the output stage boost ports, the second pair of LV switches having a fourth control terminal coupled to a fourth one of the output stage input ports;
- two amplifier input ports respectively coupled with the modulator input ports;
- two amplifier output ports respectively coupled with the first output stage boost port and the second output stage boost port, wherein, during operation of the amplifier system, a load coupled between the two amplifier output ports causes formation of an output bridge that includes the first pair of HV switches, the second pair of HV switches and the load;
- and
- a boost capacitor having two terminals, one of the two terminals being coupled to the first output stage boost port, and another of the two terminals being coupled to the third output stage boost port, thereby forming a boost bridge that includes the first pair of HV switches, the first pair of LV switches and the boost capacitor.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.