Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
381055000 | AUDIO TRANSDUCER PROTECTION CIRCUITRY | 67 |
20090196430 | POWER SUPPLY PROTECTION DEVICE WITH SOUND RECEIVING FUNCTION - A power supply protection device with sound receiving function includes a casing; a sound processing unit, mounted inside the casing and used to receive a sound frequency; and a power source unit, used to control a power source input to provide the sound processing unit with power. The power source unit includes a circuit protection unit and at least one electric socket on the casing. Thereby, the power supply protection device offers multiple functions such as sound receiving and power protection. | 08-06-2009 |
20090257599 | Thermal protection of electro dynamic transducers used in loudspeaker systems - Electro dynamic transducers can fail due to either excessive voice coil excursion, causing mechanical clipping, or by overheating of the voice coil causing degradation of the materials. The disclosed invention relates to protection against excess voice coil temperature in such transducers. The current through the transducer voice coil and the voltage across its terminals, are measured. The resistive part of the impedance of the transducer is then estimated based on the measurements of current and voltage. When the resistive impedance for the given type of transducer is well known at one temperature it is then possible to calculate the temperature when the resistive impedance changes. The estimated voice coil temperature is then fed to a signal attenuator or controller, which attenuates the output signal to the transducer. | 10-15-2009 |
20090268918 | Transducer displacement protection - This invention relates to the mechanical protection using digital processing and a predictive estimation of instantaneous displacement of the voice coil in a loudspeaker transducer. | 10-29-2009 |
20100054486 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OUTPUT DEVICE PROTECTION IN AN AUDIO CODEC - Aspects of a method and system for output device protection in an audio CODEC are provided. A hardware audio CODEC comprising one or more equalizers may measure strength of one or more frequency bands of an audio signal. Gain settings for the equalizers may be determined utilizing, for example, one or more look-up tables based on the measured strength(s). The gain settings may be determined based on whether the audio signal comprises voice, music, and/or ringtone data. The gain setting may also be determined based on a sample rate of the audio signal; a frequency response of one or more filters within the CODEC; gain settings of one or more gain processing circuits within the CODEC; a subjective loudness curve; characteristics of one or more audio output devices communicatively coupled to the wireless device; and/or characteristics of one or more audio input devices communicatively coupled to the wireless device. | 03-04-2010 |
20100142714 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ACOUSTIC SHOCK PROTECTION - An acoustic shock protection method and device are provided. A pattern analysis-based approach is taken to an input signal to perform feature extraction. A parameter space is identified, which is corresponding to, the signal space of the input signal. A rule-based decision approach is taken to the parameter space to detect an acoustic shock event. The device may be advantageously implemented using a weighted overlap-add approach to provide low group delay, high-fidelity and a high degree of protection from acoustic shock events. | 06-10-2010 |
20100329468 | PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME - A portable electronic device includes an audio file playing unit and a surge protector device connected to the audio file playing unit. The surge protector device includes a protector module connected to an audio file playing unit and a processor module connected to the protector module and the audio file playing unit. The processor module detects electric surges in the audio file playing unit and controls the protector module to filter the detected electric surges when the audio file playing unit plays audio files. | 12-30-2010 |
20110085672 | DYNAMIC POWER MANAGEMENT IN A PORTABLE MEDIA DELIVERY SYSTEM - A consumer electronic product (e.g., a portable media player ported to a media delivery accessory) is powered by a limited capacity DC power source (such as a battery or mini-fuel cell). The consumer electronic product limits the maximum allowable sound pressure level (SPL) that can be produced by the speakers. In one embodiment, the maximum allowable SPL is based upon an amount of stored energy available in the limited capacity DC power source. | 04-14-2011 |
20110182434 | METHOD TO MAXIMIZE LOUDSPEAKER SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL WITH A HIGH PEAK TO AVERAGE POWER RATIO AUDIO SOURCE - A system is provided to protect a loudspeaker ( | 07-28-2011 |
20110182435 | CONTROL OF A LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUT - A loudspeaker drive circuit comprises a signal path compressor/limiter ( | 07-28-2011 |
20120027215 | EARPHONE SET - An earphone set with a first earphone and a second earphone, the earphone set comprising: a connector for connecting the first earphone and the second earphone; a memory module for storing audio data; and a power management module for preventing short circuit or inductive surge in current arising from connection or disconnection of the first earphone or the second earphone from the connector, the first earphone comprising: a first sound driver for sound production; and a power supply module for powering the earphone set; the second earphone comprising: a second sound driver for sound production; and a processing unit for converting the stored audio data in the memory module into sound producible by the first sound driver and the second sound driver, the power supply module being adapted to provide power to the first sound driver, the memory module, the second sound driver, and the processing unit, the connector enabling a functional connection between the first earphone and the second earphone, the memory module being resided in at least one of the first earphone, the second earphone and the connector, wherein the connector being coupled to at least one controller for manipulating sound produced by the first and second sound drivers and being detachably connected to the first earphone or the second earphone. | 02-02-2012 |
20120033820 | AUDIO PLAYER - An audio player includes a reading unit, a processing unit, a speaker, and a protection unit. The reading unit acquires an audio file stored in a memory. The processing unit processes the acquired audio file to generate an audio signal. The speaker reproduces the audio signal. The protection unit is connected between the processing unit and the speaker and is used for detecting temperature changes of the speaker. An internal resistance of the protection unit is automatically adjusted according to temperature changes of the speaker to adjust the current of the audio signal flowing from the processing unit to the speaker. | 02-09-2012 |
20120140932 | PROTECTION CIRCUIT AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE USING THE SAME - A protection circuit includes a processing unit and a sensor. The processing unit drive a speaker to output sound. The sensor is used for detecting the temperature of the speaker, and generating an over-temperature signal when the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature. The processing unit disables the speaker according to the over-temperature signal. | 06-07-2012 |
20120189128 | ELECTROACOUSTIC DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR A CONCERT HALL - The device according to exemplary embodiments of the invention includes means for compensating the effects of temperature for cells that are used to obtain reverberation effects in an auditorium. This avoids the disagreeable effects of the “Larsen” effect, for example. The invention may be applicable to a public address system in a concert hall. | 07-26-2012 |
20120207314 | CONTROL OF A LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUT - A loudspeaker drive circuit comprises an input for receiving an audio signal and a signal processor for processing the audio signal before application to the loudspeaker. The signal processor processes the audio signal to derive a loudspeaker drive signal which results in the loudspeaker membrane reaching its maximum displacement in both directions of diaphragm displacement. | 08-16-2012 |
20120230499 | SPEAKER APPARATUS - A speaker apparatus includes: a diaphragm vibrating to output sounds and being formed in an annular shape having a center hole in the middle thereof; a driving section causing the diaphragm to vibrate; a light emitting member emitting light; and a heat controlling member radiating heat generated when the light emitting member emits light or conducting the heat to a heat radiating section, wherein at least a part of the heat controlling member is provided on an axis including the center axis of the diaphragm, and the light emitting member is disposed on an end face of the heat controlling member. | 09-13-2012 |
20120230500 | ECM DIGITAL MICROPHONE TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION - This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods to at least partially compensate for temperature sensitivity in a digital microphone system including, for example, a temperature sensitive membrane, such as an electrets condenser microphone (ECM). | 09-13-2012 |
20120281844 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXCURSION PROTECTION OF A SPEAKER - For protecting a speaker, an input signal is received, and an excursion of the speaker that would be caused by the input signal is predicted. In response to the predicted excursion exceeding a threshold, a targeted excursion of the speaker is determined by compressing the predicted excursion. The targeted excursion is translated into an output signal, which is output to the speaker. | 11-08-2012 |
20120300947 | SIGNAL CONVERTER WITH OVERCURRENT PROTECTION MECHANISM - A signal converter with an overcurrent protection mechanism comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit, a timing processing and multi-level conversion unit, an overcurrent detection unit, and a pulse width control unit. The PWM unit converts an analog signal into a pulse signal. The timing processing and multi-level conversion unit receives the pulse signal and converts the pulse signal into a multi-level digital signal. The overcurrent detection unit has a reference voltage terminal outputting a reference voltage. The overcurrent detection unit receives the multi-level digital signal and converts the multi-level digital signal into a detection voltage. The pulse width control unit compares the detection voltage with the reference voltage and outputs a control signal to the PWM unit. Thereby is formed a feedback mechanism to adjust the output voltage and prevent the succeeding circuit from being damaged caused by overcurrent of the pulse signal. | 11-29-2012 |
20120300948 | MULTIMEDIA OUTPUT DEVICE AND AUDIO OUTPUT METHOD THEREOF - A multimedia output device and an audio output method thereof are provided. The multimedia output device is electrically connected to an external speaker. The audio output method includes following steps. The multimedia output device determines whether an identification resistor exists in the external speaker. If the identification resistor exists in the external speaker, the multimedia output device determines whether the identification resistor complies with a predetermined resistance range. If the identification resistor complies with the predetermined resistance range, the multimedia output device outputs an audio signal to the external speaker to be played. | 11-29-2012 |
20120300949 | Loudspeaker Protection Apparatus and Method Thereof - An apparatus comprises at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: determine at least one parameter of a transducer on the basis of received information; and modify a received signal for actuating the transducer on the basis of the determined parameters of the transducer and a frequency spectrum of the received signal. The apparatus protects the transducer from damage due to excessive displacement caused by the received signal | 11-29-2012 |
20120328113 | CONTROL OF A LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUT - A method of controlling a loudspeaker output comprises deriving an admittance function over time from the voice coil voltage and current. In combination with a delta function, the force factor of the loudspeaker and the blocked electrical impedance, the input-voltage-to-excursion transfer function over time is obtained. This is used to control audio processing for the loudspeaker thereby to implement loudspeaker protection and/or acoustic signal processing. | 12-27-2012 |
20130022207 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TEMPERATURE PROTECTION OF A SPEAKER - For protecting a speaker, an input signal is received and filtered into component signals. A sum of the component signals is approximately equal to the input signal. The component signals include at least first and second component signals. A perceived loudness to a human from the speaker is more sensitive to the first component signal than to the second component signal. A temperature of the speaker is estimated. In response to the estimated temperature, the second component signal is scaled. An output signal is output to the speaker in response to the first component signal and the scaled second component signal. | 01-24-2013 |
20130022208 | ACTIVE AUDIO TRANSDUCER PROTECTION - This document discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for providing audio transducer protection. In an example, an audio protection circuit can include a first comparator configured to compare peak power information of a drive signal of an amplifier of an audio system with a first threshold, a limiter circuit configured to limit an input of the amplifier if the peak power information of the drive signal exceeds the first threshold, and a second comparator configured to compare average power information of the drive signal with a second threshold and to provide an output signal configured to modulate a gain of a pre-amplifier of the audio system using the comparison. | 01-24-2013 |
20130077794 | Thermal Control of Voice Coils in Loudspeakers - In an embodiment of the invention, the voice coil of an electro dynamic transducer is protected against thermal overload by estimating the temperature of a magnet in the electro dynamic transducer. When a power limit based on the temperature of the magnet and on a predetermined voice coil temperature limit is reached by an audio signal, the power applied to the voice coil is reduced. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077795 | Over-Excursion Protection for Loudspeakers - In an embodiment of the invention, over-excursion of a diaphragm in an electro dynamic transducer is reduced by attenuating low frequency content in an audio signal when the power of an audio signal exceeds a predetermined power limit. The audio signal is used to drive the input of an amplifier and the output of the amplifier drives the electro dynamic transducer. When the audio signal does not exceed a predetermined power limit, the low frequency content in the input audio signal is amplified. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077796 | Thermal Protection for Loudspeakers - In an embodiment of the invention, the voice coil of an electro dynamic transducer is protected by measuring the power of the input audio signal. When a predetermined power limit is reached by the input audio signal, the power of the input audio signal is reduced. | 03-28-2013 |
20130083928 | SPEAKER TEMPERATURE CONTROL - A method for controlling an audio signal that is driving a speaker is as follows. A sequence of estimated temperatures are computed, using a speaker thermal model, as a function of an audio signal that is driving the speaker. In addition, a sequence of attenuation values are computed, as a function of the estimated temperatures sequence, using an excess variable. The excess variable is defined as a difference between an estimated temperature and a thermal limit of the speaker. The audio signal is then attenuated in accordance with the sequence of attenuation values. Other embodiments are also described. | 04-04-2013 |
20130108061 | PIEZOELECTRIC DEVICE | 05-02-2013 |
20130163767 | Signal Compression Based on Transducer Displacement - A method for adjusting the performance of an electroacoustic transducer includes receiving, by gain adjustment circuit, a displacement signal corresponding to a relative motion between a magnetic structure of the electroacoustic transducer and a voice coil of the electroacoustic transducer. The method includes detecting, by the gain adjustment circuit, a displacement signal value of the displacement signal as one of meeting or exceeding a displacement signal threshold. The method includes modifying, by the gain adjustment circuit, a loop gain of an active noise reduction loop associated with the electroacoustic transducer when the displacement signal value of the displacement signal one of meets or exceeds the displacement signal threshold. | 06-27-2013 |
20130188793 | EMBEDDED SPEAKER PROTECTION FOR AUTOMOTIVE AUDIO POWER AMPLIFIER - A method of operating a speaker system including a speaker coupled to an amplifier, and a dedicated digital speaker protection circuit includes turning on the amplifier in a mute mode, after a first delay period, issuing a play command to the amplifier to place the amplifier in a play mode, but without an input signal during a second delay period, and performing a speaker offset detection during the second delay period, wherein, if there is an offset, then the amplifier is forced back into the mute mode, and if there is no offset, then the amplifier is allowed to continue to operate in the play mode. The method also includes issuing a speaker protection control signal or command if an offset is detected. | 07-25-2013 |
20130216049 | LOUDSPEAKER OVERLOAD PROTECTION - A loudspeaker overload protection circuit and method receives at a compressor a signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption; receives at the compressor a signal representing the nominal power of the loudspeaker; receives at the compressor an input audio signal from the signal source and supplying with the compressor an output audio signal to the loudspeaker; estimates from the output audio signal, (a) signal(s) that represent(s) the voltage and/or current supplied to the loudspeaker and a parameter that represents the ohmic resistance of the loudspeaker the power consumed by the loudspeaker; supplies a signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption to the compressor; and attenuates the input audio signal when the signal representing the estimated loudspeaker power consumption exceeds the signal representing the nominal power of the loudspeaker. | 08-22-2013 |
20130287213 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE - An electronic device with a speaker, an amplifier for driving the speaker and a speaker grill provided on the front surface of the speaker includes a pickup detection unit for detecting that the electronic device has been picked up from water and a water discharge sound generation unit for generating a water discharge sound signal for discharging water having entered inside the speaker grill according to the detection of the pickup from the water and inputting the generated water discharge sound signal to the amplifier. | 10-31-2013 |
20130329894 | COMBINED DYNAMIC PROCESSING AND SPEAKER PROTECTION FOR MINIMUM DISTORTION AUDIO PLAYBACK LOUDNESS ENHANCEMENT - Apparatuses, methods, computer readable mediums, and systems are described for combined dynamic processing and speaker protection for minimizing distortion in audio playback. In some embodiments, at least one compressed audio signal is received, at least one threshold for a speaker is retrieved, modifications to audio signal compression are determined based on the at least one compressed audio signal and the at least one threshold, information embodying the modifications is transmitted to a dynamic processor, and using the dynamic processor, at least one modified compressed audio signal is produced for the speaker based on the information. | 12-12-2013 |
20140086418 | Method and Apparatus for Computing Metric Values for Loudspeaker Protection - Systems and methods thereof for obtaining metrics and an accurate threshold to prevent loudspeaker overheating, based on autocorrelation and cross-correlation of band-pass filtered current and voltage measurements are disclosed. The methods invented are based on instantaneous voltage and current measurements. The invention does not require a DC or pilot signal to be added to the audio signal in order to do perform the measurement, and it is not disturbed by capacitive or inductive components in the complex impedance of the voice coil. | 03-27-2014 |
20140119546 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR KEEPING OUTPUT LOUDNESS AND QUALITY OF SOUND AMONG DIFFERENT EQUALIZER MODES - An apparatus and method for keeping output loudness and quality of sound in different equalizer modes. The apparatus includes a gain setting unit configured to set a protection limit of an output voltage of an input audio signal; an equalizer (EQ) mode filter configured to filter the input audio signal so as to achieve the different equalizer modes; an amplitude real-time processing module configured to receive the audio signal output from the EQ mode filter or an audio signal feedback, and process the received audio signal such that the output voltage of the processed audio signal is lower than the protection limit; and a digital-to-analog converter configured to perform a digital-to-analog conversion on the processed audio signal, and output an analog audio signal. | 05-01-2014 |
20140146971 | Pre-Filtering for Loudspeakers Protection - The present invention relates to a method of protecting an inductive loudspeaker. The method comprises filtering the audio stream by applying a compensation filter to the audio stream, sending the filtered audio stream to the inductive loudspeaker, computing an estimation of a frequency response of the inductive loudspeaker and updating the compensation filter so as to attenuate a frequency corresponding to a resonant frequency in the estimated frequency response of the inductive loudspeaker. | 05-29-2014 |
20140169571 | DIRECT MEASUREMENT OF AN INPUT SIGNAL TO A LOUDSPEAKER TO DETERMINE AND LIMIT A TEMPERATURE OF A VOICE COIL OF THE LOUDSPEAKER - Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for providing temperature limiting for a voice coil of a speaker. The system and method provide the aforementioned temperature limiting based upon monitoring (e.g., measurement) of an amplifier output signal provided to the speaker. Providing the aforementioned temperature limiting promotes improved protection for the speaker. | 06-19-2014 |
20140177850 | SWITCH TECHNIQUES FOR LOAD SENSING - Techniques for sensing the resistance of a load. In an aspect, a sense resistor is provided in series with the load. Each terminal of the sense resistor is alternately coupled via switches to a sense amplifier. A second input of the sense resistor is coupled to a terminal of the load. The voltage drop across the load and the voltage drop across the load plus sense resistor are alternatively measured. These voltage drops may be digitized and used to compute a resistance of the load using, e.g., a digital processor. | 06-26-2014 |
20140254804 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A SPEAKER - In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker, wherein the controller receives one or more signals indicative of one or more operating characteristics of the audio speaker and compares the one or more operating characteristics to one or more speaker protection thresholds, and based on the comparison, processes an audio input signal to generate an audio output signal communicated from the controller to the audio speaker, further wherein the one or more speaker protection thresholds are based on offline reliability testing of one or more audio speakers similar to the audio speaker and the controller generates one or more modeled parameters for the audio speaker and modifies the one or more speaker protection thresholds based on the one or more modeled parameters. | 09-11-2014 |
20140254805 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A SPEAKER - In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, systems and methods may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker, wherein the controller receives an audio input signal, and based on a displacement transfer function associated with the audio speaker, processes the audio input signal to generate an output audio signal communicated to the audio speaker, wherein the displacement transfer function correlates an amplitude and a frequency of the audio input signal to an expected displacement of the audio speaker in response to the amplitude and the frequency of the audio input signal. | 09-11-2014 |
20150023507 | Speaker Protection in Small Form Factor Devices - An audio engine applies a driving signal to a speaker system, which produces an audio signal. The audio signal is captured by a microphone on the same device and feeds that signal back to the audio engine. After comparing the recorded signal to an expected signal the variance is assessed to determine the presence of distortion, in which case subsequent driving signals are attenuated to avoid damage to the speaker system. | 01-22-2015 |
20150036831 | ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR CONVERTING AN INPUT SIGNAL INTO AN OUTPUT SIGNAL AND FOR GENERATING A PREDEFINED TRANSFER BEHAVIOR BETWEEN SAID INPUT SIGNAL AND SAID OUTPUT SIGNAL - An arrangement and method for converting an input signal z(t) into a mechanical or acoustical output signal p(t) comprising an electro-magnetic transducer using a coil at a fixed position and a moving armature, a sensor, a parameter measurement device and a controller. The parameter measurement device identifies parameter information P of an nonlinear model of the transducer considering and the saturation and the geometry of the magnetic elements. A diagnostic system reveals the physical causes of signal distortion and generates information for optimizing the design and manufacturing process of this transducer. The controller compensates for nonlinear signal distortion, stabilizes the rest position of the armature and protects the transducer against mechanical and thermal overload. | 02-05-2015 |
20150086025 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A SPEAKER FROM OVEREXCURSION - In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a controller configured to be coupled to an audio speaker. The controller may be configured to receive an audio input signal. The controller may also be configured to, based on a linear displacement transfer function associated with the audio speaker, process the audio input signal to generate a modeled linear displacement of the audio speaker, wherein the linear displacement transfer function has a response that models linear displacement of the audio speaker as a linear function of the audio input signal. The controller may further be configured to, based on an excursion linearity function associated with the audio speaker, process the modeled linear displacement to generate a predicted actual displacement of the audio speaker, wherein the excursion linearity function is a function of the modeled linear displacement and has a response modeling non-linearities of the displacement of the audio speaker as a function of the audio input signal. | 03-26-2015 |
20150086026 | INTRINSICALLY SAFE AUDIO CIRCUIT FOR A PORTABLE TWO-WAY RADIO - An intrinsically safe audio circuit and intrinsically safe portable two-way radio device meet conventional audio output requirements and intrinsically safe design limitations by separating the speaker coil of the device's speaker into separate coils to limit the energy storage possible in any one of the coils. Each separate coil is driven by one of several different audio power amplifiers that each output a substantially identical signal, and each of which are current limited. | 03-26-2015 |
20150139428 | APPARATUS WITH A SPEAKER USED AS SECOND MICROPHONE - An apparatus comprising at least a first microphone with a first acoustic sensitivity to provide a first microphone signal and a second microphone with a lower second acoustic sensitivity to provide a second microphone signal, that apparatus furthermore comprises a signal processor that is built to process the first microphone signal to be recorded and/or transmitted and an overload detector to detect an overload of the first microphone signal and wherein the signal processor in case of a detected overload is built to process the second microphone signal to substitute the first microphone signal to be recorded and/or transmitted during the time period in which the overload of the first microphone signal is detected, which apparatus furthermore comprises at least a first speaker built to receive a first speaker signal and transform it into acoustic sound, in a speaker mode of the first speaker, while the apparatus is built to use the first speaker as second microphone, in a microphone mode of the first speaker. | 05-21-2015 |
20150139429 | CONTROL OF A LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUT - A loudspeaker control system is disclosed. The loudspeaker control system includes a loudspeaker, a sensor for measuring a voltage and current and a processor. The processor is adapted to calculate an input-voltage-to-excursion transfer function over time from an admittance function, blocked electrical impedance and force factor, use the input-voltage-to-excursion transfer function over time to predict an excursion and use the excursion to control audio processing of the loudspeaker. | 05-21-2015 |
20150304772 | CONTROL AND PROTECTION OF LOUDSPEAKERS - A nonlinear control system and a loudspeaker protection system. In particular, a nonlinear control system including a controller, an audio system, and a model is disclosed. The controller is configured to accept one or more input signals, and one or more estimated states produced by the model to produce one or more control signals. The audio system includes one or more transducers configured to accept the control signals to produce a rendered audio stream therefrom. An active loudspeaker with an integrated amplifier is disclosed. A loudspeaker protection system and a quality control system are disclosed. More particularly, a system for clamping the input to a loudspeaker dependent upon a bank of representative models is disclosed. | 10-22-2015 |
20150304773 | EMBEDDED SPEAKER PROTECTION FOR AUTOMOTIVE AUDIO POWER AMPLIFIER - A method of operating a speaker system including a speaker coupled to an amplifier, and a dedicated digital speaker protection circuit includes turning on the amplifier in a mute mode, after a first delay period, issuing a play command to the amplifier to place the amplifier in a play mode, but without an input signal during a second delay period, and performing a speaker offset detection during the second delay period, wherein, if there is an offset, then the amplifier is forced back into the mute mode, and if there is no offset, then the amplifier is allowed to continue to operate in the play mode. The method also includes issuing a speaker protection control signal or command if an offset is detected. | 10-22-2015 |
20150319529 | METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRO-ACOUSTICAL TRANSDUCER - An arrangement and method for converting an input signal into a mechanical or acoustical output signal by using a transducer and additional means for generating a desired transfer behavior and for protecting said transducer against overload. Transducers of this kind are for example loudspeaker, headphones and other mechanical or acoustical actuators. The additional means comprise a controller, a power amplifier and a detector. The detector identifies parameters of the transducer model if the stimulus provides sufficient excitation of the transducer. The detector permanently identifies time variant properties of the transducer for any stimulus supplied to the transducer. The controller provided with this information generates a desired linear or nonlinear transfer behavior; in particular electric control linearizes, stabilizes and protects the transducer against electric, thermal and mechanical overload at high amplitudes of the input signal. | 11-05-2015 |
20150350783 | INTELLIGENT DYNAMICS PROCESSING - A multi-band audio compressor that may provide not only better and brighter sound, but also speaker protection. The multi-band audio compressor breaks an input audio signal into different frequency bands. For each band signal, a volume re-mapper translates a user preference volume level to a converted volume level based on a programmable volume curve for the band signal. For each frequency band, the band signal is processed by a gain stage and a compressor. Each gain stage applies a signal gain to the band signal based on the converted volume level. Each compressor compresses the output of the gain stage. After compression, the different frequency band signals are re-combined and the combined audio signal may then be passed to a power amplifier that is driving a speaker. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 12-03-2015 |
20160014507 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A SPEAKER | 01-14-2016 |
20160014508 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROTECTING A SPEAKER | 01-14-2016 |
20160057533 | ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM WITH PREDICTIVE BACK-EMF PROTECTION - A predictive back-emf protection methodology for an electromechanical system, including a signal processor that processes a source signal to provide a modified source signal, a driver that converts the modified source signal to a drive signal, and an electromechanical transducer that generates, from the drive signal, a transducer response, and a back-emf signal coupled back to the driver output. A predictive back-emf generator (such as a routine in the signal processor) is characterized by a back-emf transfer function (linear parameterized model of the electromechanical transducer) for transforming an input signal into a transform back-emf representation of a back-emf signal predicted by the back-emf transfer function as a response of the electromechanical transducer to such input signal. The signal processor processes the source signal based on the transform back-emf representation to generate the modified source signal input to the driver. An example application is limiting peaking current in an audio system. | 02-25-2016 |
20160073196 | CONTROL OF A LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUT - A loudspeaker drive circuit comprises an input for receiving an audio signal and a signal processor for processing the audio signal before application to the loudspeaker. The signal processor processes the audio signal to derive a loudspeaker drive signal which results in the loudspeaker membrane reaching its maximum displacement in both directions of diaphragm displacement. | 03-10-2016 |
20160105746 | OVERHEAT PROTECTOR AND PROTECTION METHODOLOGY FOR ELECTRODYNAMIC LOUDSPEAKERS - The present invention relates in one aspect to a voice coil temperature protector for electrodynamic loudspeakers. The voice coil temperature protector comprises an audio signal input for receipt of an audio signal supplied by an audio signal source and a probe signal source for generation of a low-frequency probe signal. A signal combiner is configured to combine the audio signal with the low-frequency probe signal to provide a composite loudspeaker drive signal comprising an audio signal component and a probe signal component. The voice coil temperature protector comprises a current detector configured for detecting a level of a probe current component flowing through the voice coil in response to the composite loudspeaker drive signal and a current comparator which is configured to comparing the detected level of the probe current component with a predetermined probe current threshold. The predetermined probe current threshold corresponds to a predetermined voice coil temperature via a known temperature dependency of a voice coil resistance. The voice coil temperature protector further comprises a signal controller configured for attenuating a level of the audio signal in response to the probe current component falls below the predetermined probe current threshold. | 04-14-2016 |
20160119714 | AUDIO POWER LIMITING BASED ON THERMAL MODELING - Systems and methods for audio power limiting based on thermal modeling are described. In some embodiments, a method includes monitoring a first temperature of a power die within an audio system; monitoring a second temperature of a digital die within the audio system; and using the first and second temperatures to limit an amplitude of an audio signal provided to a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (MOSFET) of an amplifier within the audio system to keep an operating temperature of the MOSFET under a thermal protection threshold without stopping the audio signal from being output by the audio system. | 04-28-2016 |
20160142819 | SPEAKER CONTROL DEVICE AND SPEAKER CONTROL METHOD - A speaker control device in one embodiment includes an oscillator connected in parallel with a drive circuit for driving a speaker, the oscillator changing an oscillation frequency according to a voltage, and a control circuit detecting a variation in the oscillation frequency of the oscillator, and adjusting an amount of current supplied to the speaker by the drive circuit in the case where a variation in the voltage exceeds an allowable value. | 05-19-2016 |
20160156322 | VOICE COIL PROTECTION USING DAMPING | 06-02-2016 |
20160157014 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR LOUDSPEAKER EXCURSION DOMAIN PROCESSING | 06-02-2016 |
20160157015 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR LOUDSPEAKER EXCURSION DOMAIN PROCESSING | 06-02-2016 |
20160173983 | METHOD OF CONTROLLING DIAPHRAGM EXCURSION OF ELECTRODYNAMIC LOUDSPEAKERS | 06-16-2016 |
20160182998 | SPEAKER PROTECTION CIRCUIT WITH IMPROVED ACCURACY | 06-23-2016 |
20160192070 | LOUDSPEAKER PROTECTION AGAINST EXCESSIVE EXCURSION - Systems and methods for loudspeaker protection against excessive excursion are described. In an illustrative, non limiting embodiment, a method may include splitting an input signal into two or more signals, each of the two or more signals within a given frequency band; independently selecting between a power attenuation or an excursion attenuation for each of the two or more signals; independently applying the selected power attenuation or excursion attenuation to each of the two or more signals; combining the attenuated two or more signals into an output signal; and providing the output signal to a loudspeaker. | 06-30-2016 |
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