IP Library Granted Patent US 10,015,608
Granted Patent B2
US 10,015,608 · App. 15/642,940 · Granted Jul 3, 2018

Methods and apparatus related to protection of a speaker

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,015,608
App. No.
15/642,940
Granted
Jul 3, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one general aspect, a method can include calculating, at a calibration temperature of a speaker, a calibration parameter through a coil of the speaker in response to a first test signal, and can include sending a second test signal through the coil of the speaker. The method can also include measuring a parameter through the coil of the speaker based on the second test signal, and calculating a temperature change of the coil of the speaker based on the parameter and based on the calibration parameter at the calibration temperature.

Claims (44)

1. A speaker drive circuit comprising:

a modulator configured to drive a speaker based on an audio signal;

a first circuit configured to generate an error signal based on a current used to drive the speaker; and

a second circuit configured to monitor the error signal;

a change detector configured to:

determine a displacement of the speaker based on a change in the error signal,

determine that the displacement of the speaker exceeds an over-excursion threshold value, and

upon determining the displacement of the speaker exceeds the over-excursion threshold value, generate a control signal to cause a reduction in an amplifier gain; and a controller configured to:

generate an instruction based on the control signal, the instruction being configured to cause the reduction in the amplifier gain, and

communicate the instruction to the modulator, the modulator including an amplifier configured to attenuate the audio signal based on the instruction.

2. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a current sense device configured to mirror a current output of the modulator;

an amplifier configured to mirror a voltage input to the modulator;

a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to generate a digital representation of the current; and

a second ADC configured to generate a digital representation of the voltage.

3. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first circuit includes:

a summation circuit configured to generate the error signal based on a digital representation of the current and a digital representation of a voltage,

a scaling circuit scale the digital representation of the voltage based on a scaling factor, and

an integrator configured to generate the scaling factor based on operational conditions of the first circuit and the second circuit.

4. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein

the current is associated with a low-frequency portion of the audio signal, and

the second circuit generates the control signal to cause the low-frequency portion of the audio signal to be attenuated.

5. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein the current is sensed using a device configured to mirror the current through a coil of the speaker.

6. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second circuit is further configured to generate a control signal to cause an increase in the amplifier gain.

7. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein if the over-excursion threshold value associated with the error signal is exceeded for more than a period of time the control signal is generated to cause reduction in an amplifier gain.

8. The speaker drive circuit of claim 1 , wherein

the amplifier gain is reduced for a period of time, and

after the period of time has expired, the amplifier gain is restored to original value.

9. A method comprising: generating an error signal based on a current used to drive a speaker; monitoring the error signal; determining a displacement of the speaker based on a change in the error signal,

determining that the displacement of the speaker exceeds an over-excursion threshold value, and in response to determining the displacement of the speaker exceeds the over-excursion threshold value, generating an instruction configured to cause a reduction in an amplifier gain; and communicating the instruction to a modulator, the modulator including an amplifier configured to attenuate the audio signal based on the instruction.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the error signal is generated based on a digital representation of the current and a digital representation of a voltage, the method further comprising: scaling the digital representation of the voltage based on a scaling factor.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the current is sensed using a device configured to mirror the current through a coil of the speaker.

12. The method of claim 9 , method further comprising generating a control signal to cause an increase in an amplifier gain.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein if the over-excursion threshold value associated with the error signal is exceeded for more than a period of time the control signal is generated to cause reduction in an amplifier gain.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the amplifier gain is reduced for a period of time, and after the period of time has expired, the amplifier gain is restored to original value.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable program code which, when executed on a computer system, causes the computer system to perform steps comprising:

generating an error signal based on a current used to drive a speaker;

monitoring the error signal; determining a displacement of the speaker based on a change in the error signal; determining that the displacement of the speaker exceeds an over-excursion threshold value; in response to determining the displacement of the speaker exceeds the over-excursion threshold value, generating an instruction configured to cause a reduction in an amplifier gain; and communicating the instruction to a modulator, the modulator including an amplifier configured to attenuate the audio signal based on the instruction.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the error signal is generated based on a digital representation of the current and a digital representation of a voltage, the steps further comprising:

scaling the digital representation of the voltage based on a scaling factor.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the current is sensed using a device configured to mirror the current through a coil of the speaker.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , the steps further comprising generating a control signal to cause an increase in an amplifier gain.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein if the over-excursion threshold value associated with the error signal is exceeded for more than a period of time the control signal is generated to cause reduction in an amplifier gain.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the amplifier gain is reduced for a period of time, and after the period of time has expired, the amplifier gain is restored to original value.

Assignments (7)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 046530, FRAME 0460 Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064075/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 058871, FRAME 0799 Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065653/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2021
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058871/0799 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2021
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH
To: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057969/0206 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2021
From: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 057694/0374 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 11, 2018
From: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC; FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046530/0460 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 6, 2017
From: LLEWELLYN, WILLIAM D.; CRAWLEY, PHILIP; SCHREYER, EARL D.; SHUSHTARIAN, MAJID
To: FAIRCHILD SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042924/0722 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,207,060