Patent ID: 7706545
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: H03F,H03G,H04L

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a digital amplifier controller; an amplifier output stage coupled to the controller, and configured to receive audio signals from the controller; a plurality of sensors coupled to the output stage; a plurality of comparators each configured to compare an output from one of the sensors to a corresponding comparator threshold and produce a binary protection signal indicative of whether the comparator threshold is exceeded; and a plurality of accumulators each configured to receive a said binary protection signal from a corresponding one of the comparators, increment a corresponding count when the received binary protection signal is a first state, decrement the corresponding count when the received binary protection signal is a second state, and output a signal indicative of a potential failure condition when the corresponding count exceeds a corresponding accumulator threshold; wherein the amplifier output stage includes at least two transistors; wherein the controller is configured to perform one of a plurality of different programmable responses in dependence on the signals indicative of potential failure conditions; wherein one or more of the plurality of different programmable responses causes the system to operate in a modified manner without causing a turning off of any of the transistors of the amplifier output stage; and wherein in dependence on a said signal indicative of a potential failure condition being output by a said accumulator, the system operates in a modified manner for at least a period of time during which the potential failure condition persists until the corresponding count of the accumulator is sufficiently decremented such that the count no longer exceeds the corresponding accumulator threshold.