Servo circuit

Abstract: The circuit comprises a variable gain amplifier (VCA) (71) supplied with a process signal (S55), a signal processor (72-74) for detecting and calculating the level of either the process signal or an output signal of the VCA and the level of a control signal (S56), and outputting a gain control signal (S60) in accordance with the level difference between them. A voltage output type amplifier (77) is switchable to either a normal operating state for delivering at its output terminal the gain control signal obtained from said signal processor or a signal interrupting state for retaining said output terminal at a high impedance state. A converter (78) converts the output voltage of the amplifier (77) into a current and voltage holding means (75) generate a voltage proportional to the current supplied thereto from the converter (78). The VCA (71) amplifies the process signal according to the output voltage of the voltage holding means (75). The servo circuit is adapted for controlling a variable gain amplifier to process an audio signal in a television receiver, a stereo apparatus or the like. When the servo circuit is formed into an IC configuration, a high-precision operating characteristic is attained merely by a bipolar-transistor manufacturing process to consequently minimize the number of required process steps, hence curtailing the production cost.

Description: The present invention relates to a servo circuit and, more particularly, to a means for controlling a variable gain amplifier to process an audio signal in a television receiver, a stereo apparatus or the like. There is a known a servo circuit for controlling the gain in a signal, which is to be processed, by changing a control voltage or current supplied to a variable gain amplifier (hereinafter referred to as VCA) to vary the gain of such amplifier. Servo circuits are classified into a closed loop type and an open loop type, and a variety of methods and circuit configurations are presently contrived for controlling a VCA. Now, a description will be given of a conventional servo circuit in which gain variation is reduced by the use of a switch circuit in a feedback path of the closed-loop servo circuit. As shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is known a servo circuit for controlling the gain of a VCA by an output voltage of an integrator. In such servo circuit, both the level of an input signal to be processed and the level of a control signal are detected and calculated, and then the voltage held by the integrator is changed in accordance with the result of such calculation to change the output voltage, thereby controlling the gain of the VCA. During such gain control action, it is occasionally needed to execute an operation of halting the VCA gain variation in a certain state so as not to cause any gain change in the VCA despite any level change of the control signal. Such gain control can be achieved by interrupting the current flowing in the integrator. More specifically, when the input current is interrupted, the integrator holds the voltage at such instant, so that the control voltage for the VCA is maintained at a fixed value to thereby retain the gain of the VCA at a certain fixed value. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary servo circuit based on the prior art. In this diagram, there are included a VCA 31, a first level detector 32, a second level detector 33, a calculator 34, an integrator 35, and a switch 30. The switch 30 is provided for interrupting an input current flowing into the integrator 35. It has been generally customary in the conventional servo circuit to employ a MOS FET or a junction FET as the switch 30. Therefore, in manufacturing the servo circuit of Fig. 1 by a bipolar production process, an additional step of forming an FET for the switch 30 is required to consequently raise the production cost. For the purpose of averting such increase in the production cost, there may be contrived an improvement where, as shown in a circuit diagram of Fig. 2, a bipolar transistor Q1 is interposed between the calculator 34 and the integrator 35 to constitute the switch 30. In this case, it becomes possible to eliminate the necessity of adding the FET forming process for the switch 30, hence solving the problem of an increase in the production cost that is derived from the additional process step. However, there occurs an operational inconvenience as will be described below. In an exemplary circuit configuration where the output of a calculator is provided in the form of a voltage, if the voltages at individual portions are such as those shown in Fig. 4, the output current I i obtained in the absence of a switch 36 is expressed as Input current I i = (V1 - V2) / R1 Therefore the input current I i comes to have a value determined at the input terminal of the integrator 35. When the bipolar transistor Q1 in the circuit of Fig. 2 is turned on, the input current I i comes to flow in the resistor R1 in accordance with the potential difference across the resistor R1. It is expressed as Input current I i = (V1 - V3) / R1 The voltage V3 is rendered lower than the control voltage V4 by a value corresponding to the base-emitter voltage V BE . However, since the base-emitter voltage V BE changes depending on the input current I i or the temperature, it follows that the voltage V3 also varies correspondingly thereto. Accordingly the input current I i changes in conformity with the temperature fluctuation and so forth, and the current inputted practically to the integrator 35 fails to be accurately proportional to the output voltage V1 of the calculator 34, hence inducing a disadvantage that the precision is deteriorated when the bipolar transistor Q1 is used as the switch 30. According to the present invention, there is provided a servo circuit comprising: a variable gain amplifier with an input terminal adapted to receive a process signal; a signal processor having two input terminals, said signal processor being for detecting and calculating the level of a signal supplied to one of said signal processor input terminals, said signal being either said process signal or an output signal of said variable gain amplifier, and for detecting and calculating the level of a control signal supplied to the other of said signal processor input terminals, and for then outputting a gain control signal in accordance with the level difference between the two signals supplied to said input terminals; a voltage output type amplifier selectively switchable to either a normal operating state for directly delivering to an output terminal thereof, the gain control signal obtained from said signal processor or a signal interrupting state for retaining said output terminal at a high impedance; an amplifier output converter for converting the output voltage of said voltage output type amplifier into a current; voltage holding means for generating and outputting a voltage proportional to the current supplied thereto from said amplifier output converter, wherein said variable gain amplifier is so formed that the gain thereof is controlled by the output voltage of said voltage holding means and serving to amplify the process signal in accordance with the level of said gain control signal. According to another aspect, the present invention provide a servo circuit comprising: a variable gain amplifier with an input terminal adapted to receive a process signal; a signal processor having two input terminals, said signal processor being for detecting and calculating the level of a signal supplied to one of said signal processor input terminals, said signal being either said process signal or an output signal of said variable gain amplifier, and for detecting and calculating the level of a control signal supplied to the other of said signal processor input terminals, and for then outputting a gain control signal in accordance with the level difference between the two signals supplied to said input terminals; a current output type amplifier for producing an output current of a value corresponding to the gain control signal outputted from said signal processor, and selectively supplying the output current from an output terminal thereof or interrupting such output current; voltage holding means for generating and outputting a voltage proportional to the current supplied thereto from said current output type amplifier; wherein said variable gain amplifier is so formed that the gain thereof is controlled by the output voltage of said voltage holding means and serving to amplify the process signal in accordance with the level of said gain control signal. The invention will be further described by way of non-limitative example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a block diagram of a conventional closed-loop servo circuit with a switch means employed in its closed loop; Figure 2 is a switch circuit diagram where the switch means employed in the closed loop of Figure 1 is composed of a bipolar transistor; Figure 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention representing a closed-loop servo circuit with a switch means employed in a feedback circuit; Figure 4 is a specific circuit diagram of the switch means employed in the first and second embodiments of the present invention shown in Figures 3 and 5, respectively; Figure 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention representing an open-loop servo circuit with a switch means; Figure 6 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention representing another closed-loop servo circuit with a switch means; Figure 7 is a specific circuit diagram of the switch means employed in the third and fourth embodiments of the present invention shown in Figures 6 and 8, respectively; Figure 8 is a block diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention representing another open-loop servo circuit with a switch means; and Figure 9 is a block diagram of an exemplary constitution where the servo circuit of Figure 2 is used in a stereophonic surround apparatus. Hereinafter, some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 3 is a block diagram of a servo circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention. As obvious from this diagram, this embodiment is equipped with a switch circuit 76 which consists of a voltage output type amplifier 77 and a voltage-current converter 78 and is interposed between a calculator 74 and an integrator 75. In Figure 3, a process signal S55 fed to a process signal input terminal T1 is supplied to a VCA 71 and a control signal S56 fed to a control signal input terminal T2 is supplied to a first level detector 72. In the meantime, a VCA output signal S57 is delivered to an output terminal T3 while being supplied also to a second level detector 73. Such output signals S58 and S59 of the first and second level detectors 72, 73 are fed to a calculator 74. Then, the calculator 74 compares the received signals S58 and S59 with each other and, in accordance with the result of such comparison, produces a signal S60 for controlling the gain of the VCA 71. For example, when the output signal S59 of the second level detector 73 is smaller than the output signal S58 of the first level detector 72, there is outputted a gain control signal S60 to increase the gain of the VCA 71. The gain control signal S60 outputted from the calculator 74 is supplied to a voltage output type amplifier 77 constituting the switch circuit 76. The amplifier 77 is provided to serve as a buffer amplifier and is turned on or off in conformity with an output state control signal S61 fed to the control input terminal. The circuit diagram of Fig. 4 represents an example of the amplifier 77. As obvious from Fig. 4, an amplifier 83 is a type generally used and, when constant current sources are controlled in a normal operating state by the output state control signal S61, currents I 1 and I 2 of predetermined values are caused to flow so that the amplifier 83 itself functions as an ordinary buffer amplifier. Therefore, the signal voltage applied to the amplifier 83 is outputted without being amplified at all, whereby the output voltage of the calculator 74 is fed without any change to an output terminal 83a of the amplifier 83. In this case, an integrator 81 is supplied with a current of the value obtained through division of the potential difference between the output terminal 83a of the amplifier 83 and the ground by the resistance of a resistor R4, and the voltage held by the integrator 81 is changed in accordance with such current value to thereby perform the servo action. Since the bipolar transistor is not employed solely to serve as an analog switch, there occurs none of an error which may otherwise be derived from incomplete insulation between the switching transistor driver and the integrator. If the circuit is so formed that the currents I 1 and I 2 are not caused to flow by switching the output state control signal S61 fed to the constant current source, the transistor in the output stage is not supplied with a bias current and is therefore turned off, whereby the output terminal 83a of the amplifier 83 comes to have a high impedance. As a result, the impedance at one end of the resistor R4 is also rendered high so that the input current I i to the integrator 81 is reduced to zero. Thus, the voltage at the instant of reduction of the currents I 1 and I 2 of the amplifier 83 to zero is held by the integrator 81, hence maintaining the gain of the VCA 71 to the value at such instant. The embodiment mentioned above represents the configuration of an exemplary closed-loop servo circuit where the gain of the VCA 71 is determined by the result of a comparison between the VCA output signal S57 and the control signal S56. However, the configuration may be modified to an open-loop servo circuit of Fig. 5 where a direct comparison is executed between a process signal S71 and a control signal S72. The servo circuit of the above configuration is adapted for use in, for example, a matrix surround circuit of a sound multiplexer as shown in a block diagram of Fig. 9. In the constitution of Fig. 9, an opposite-phase component (L - R) of a right channel signal R and a left channel signal L fed to one input terminal is supplied to a process signal input terminal T1 of the servo circuit while being supplied also to a first level detector 131 via a first buffer amplifier 130. In the meantime, an in-phase component (L + R) fed to the other input terminal is supplied to a control signal input terminal T2 of the servo circuit while being supplied also to a second level detector 133 via a second buffer amplifier 132. And respective detection outputs Sx and Sy of the first and second level detectors 131, 133 are supplied to a comparator 134 which detects the ratio of the opposite-phase component (L - R) and the in-phase component (L + R). In case the ratio thus detected is greater than a predetermined value, an output state control signal S97 for operating an amplifier 97 of the servo circuit in a normal state is outputted from the comparator 134 to the servo circuit. Consequently the servo circuit is placed in a normal operating state wherein an output signal (L - R)' obtained through controlling the level of the opposite-phase component (L - R) by the gain conforming with the in-phase component (L + R) is delivered to an output terminal T3. In another case where the detected ratio is smaller than a predetermined value, the comparator 134 provides an output state control signal S97 to halt the operation of the amplifier 97 in the servo circuit. Then the impedance at the output terminal 97a of the amplifier 97 is rendered high to consequently block a current inflow to the integrator 95 as described. Therefore the voltage held by the integrator 95is maintained to the value at such instant, hence preventing deterioration of the signal-to-noise ratio which may otherwise be caused by an excessive increase of the gain of the VCA 91 derived from an excessive level reduction of the opposite-phase component (L - R). In the present invention, as described hereinabove, a voltage output type amplifier selectively switchable to either a normal operating state for directly delivering an input gain control signal to an output terminal or a signal interrupting state for retaining the output terminal at a high impedance is disposed between a signal processing circuit, which outputs the gain control signal in accordance with the level difference between a process signal fed to one input terminal and a control signal fed to the other input terminal, and a voltage holding circuit for generating a control voltage in conformity with the gain control signal and controlling the gain of the VCA; and a current proportional to the output voltage of the amplifier is generated and supplied to the voltage holding circuit. Therefore, a desired operation performed by an FET switch circuit can be achieved similarly by the use of a bipolar-transistor switch circuit as well. Consequently, when such servo circuit is formed into an IC configuration, it becomes possible to produce a satisfactory high-precision servo circuit merely by a bipolar manufacturing process, hence minimizing the number of required process steps to eventually curtail the production cost. Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a servo circuit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, as obvious from Fig. 6 , a switch circuit 106 disposed between a calculator 104 and an integrator 105 is composed of a current output type amplifier 107. In Fig. 6, a process signal S81 fed to a process signal input terminal T1 is supplied to a VCA 101, and a control signal S82 fed to a control signal input terminal T2 is supplied to a first level detector 102. In the meantime, a VCA output signal S83 is delivered as a servo output signal to an output terminal T3 while being supplied also to a second level detector 103. And respective output signals S84 and S85 of the first and second level detectors 102, 103 are supplied to a calculator 104. Then the calculator 104 compares the received signals S84 and S85 with each other and produces, in accordance with the result of such comparison, a signal S86 for controlling the gain of the VCA 101. For example, when the output signal S85 of the second level detector 103 is smaller than the output signal S84 of the first level detector 102, there is produced a gain control signal S86 for increasing the gain of the VCA 101 so that a servo action is performed to increase the level of the output signal S85 from the second level detector 103. The gain control signal S86 outputted from the calculator 104 is supplied to an amplifier 107 constituting a switch circuit 106. The amplifier 107 is provided to serve as a buffer amplifier and, in this embodiment, consists of a current output type amplifier 110 as shown in a circuit diagram of Fig. 7. As obvious from this diagram, the amplifier 110 comprises a current generator 111, a controller 112 and an output selector 113. The current generator 111 is composed of a pair of transistors Q11, Q12 and three constant current sources a , b , c to function as a differential amplifier. A current I flowing in the constant current source c interposed between the mutually connected emitters and the ground is maintained constant, while currents I 1 , I 2 flowing in the constant current sources a , b respectively are changed in accordance with the gain control signal S86 outputted from the calculator 104 and supplied to the control electrodes of the transistors Q11, Q12, whereby the currents I 1 , I 2 are rendered proportionate to the gain control signal S86. The output selector 113 is composed of four transistors Q13 - Q16 and three constant current sources d , e , f wherein signals for turning on or off the transistors Q13 - Q16 are supplied to the control electrodes of the individual transistors. As indicated by broken-line arrows, a mirror current from the constant current source a flows into the constant current source d , and a mirror current from the constant current source d flows into the constant current source e . Further a mirror current from the constant current source b flows into the constant current source f . Thus, each of the currents flowing into the constant current sources d , e , f in the output selector 113 is rendered proportional to the gain control signal S86. Consequently, the output selector 113 is driven under the conditions that the potentials at the output terminals 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d of the controller 112 are turned respectively to "H" (high), "L" (low), "H", "L" levels in conformity with the output state control signal S87 fed to the control input terminal of the controller 112, whereby a current I i proportional to the gain control signal S86 is caused to flow in the output terminal 107a. Meanwhile, under different conditions that the potentials at the output terminals 112a, 112b, 112c, 112d are turned to "L", "H", "L", "H" levels respectively, the current caused to flow in the output terminal 107a is reduced to zero. Accordingly, when the controller 112 is controlled in a normal operating state by the output state control signal S87, the input current I i of a predetermined value conforming with the gain control output signal S86 is provided from the current output type amplifier 107 and then is supplied to an integrator 105. Thus, a servo action is performed as the voltage held by the integrator 105 is changed in accordance with the input current I i . In this case, since the bipolar transistor is not employed solely to serve as an analog switch, there occurs none of an error which may otherwise be derived from incomplete insulation between the switching transistor driver and the integrator. If the circuit is so formed that no current is caused to flow in the output terminal 107a by switching the output s tate control signal S87 fed to the controller 112, the input current I i to the integrator 105 is reduced to zero, and the voltage obtained upon reduction of the output current of the amplifier 107 to zero is held by the integrator 105, so that the gain of the VCA 101 is maintained to the value at such instant. The third embodiment mentioned above represents an exemplary configuration of a closed-loop servo circuit where the gain of the VCA 101 is determined by the result of a comparison between the VCA output signal S83 and the control signal S82. However, the configuration may be modified to an open-loop servo circuit where, as shown in a block diagram of Fig. 8, a process signal S91 is compared with a control signal S92. Similarly to the foregoing example described in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 5 , the servo circuit of the above configuration according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is adapted for use in a matrix surround circuit of a sound multiplexer as shown in a block diagram of Fig. 9 . Therefore, as in the aforementioned example, a current output type amplifier selectively switchable to either a first operating state for delivering a current from an output terminal in conformity to a gain control signal obtained from a signal processing circuit or a second operating state for reducing to zero the current delivered from the output terminal is disposed between the signal processing circuit, which outputs therefrom the gain control signal in accordance with the level difference between a process signal fed to one input terminal and a control signal fed to the other input terminal, and a voltage holding circuit for controlling the gain of the VCA in accordance with the gain control signal, wherein the output current of the amplifier is supplied to the voltage holding circuit. Therefore, a desired operation performed by an FET switch circuit can be achieved similarly by the use of a bipolar-transistor switch circuit as well. Consequently, when such servo circuit is formed into an IC configuration, it becomes possible to attain high-precision operating characteristic merely by a bipolar transistor manufacturing process, hence minimizing the number of required process steps to eventually curtail the production cost.

Claims: A servo circuit comprising: a variable gain amplifier (71,91) with an input terminal (T 1 ) adapted to receive a process signal; a signal processor having two input terminals (T 2 ), said signal processor being for detecting and calculating the level of a signal supplied to one of said signal processor input terminals, said signal being either said process signal or an output signal of said variable gain amplifier (71,91), and for detecting and calculating the level of a control signal supplied to the other of said signal processor input terminals (T 2 ), and for then outputting a gain control signal (S 60 ,S 76 ) in accordance with the level difference between the two signals supplied to said input terminals; a voltage output type amplifier (77,97) selectively switchable to either a normal operating state for directly delivering to an output terminal thereof, the gain control signal obtained from said signal processor or a signal interrupting state for retaining said output terminal at a high impedance; an amplifier output converter (78,98) for converting the output voltage of said voltage output type amplifier (77,97) into a current; voltage holding means (75,95) for generating and outputting a voltage proportional to the current supplied thereto from said amplifier output converter; (78,98), wherein said variable gain amplifier (71,91) is so formed that the gain thereof is controlled by the output voltage of said voltage holding means (75,95) and serving to amplify the process signal in accordance with the level of said gain control signal. A servo circuit comprising: a variable gain amplifier (101,121) with an input terminal (T 1 ) adapted to receive a process signal; a signal processor having two input terminals (T 2 ), said signal processor being for detecting and calculating the level of a signal supplied to one of said signal processor input terminals, said signal being either said process signal or an output signal of said variable gain amplifier (101,121), and for detecting and calculating the level of a control signal supplied to the other of said signal processor input terminals (T 2 ), and for then outputting a gain control signal (S 60 ,S 76 ) in accordance with the level difference between the two signals supplied to said input terminals; a current output type amplifier (106,126) for producing an output current of a value corresponding to the gain control signal outputted from said signal processor, and selectively supplying the output current from an output terminal thereof or interrupting such output current; voltage holding means (105,125) for generating and outputting a voltage proportional to the current supplied thereto from said current output type amplifier (106,126); wherein said variable gain amplifier (101,121) is so formed that the gain thereof is controlled by the output voltage of said voltage holding means (105,125) and serving to amplify the process signal in accordance with the level of said gain control signal. A servo circuit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said voltage holding means (75,95,105,125) is an integrator.

Inventors: ISHIHARA MASAAKI, ISHIHARA, MASAAKI, ISHIHARA, MASAAKI C/O SONY CORPORATION
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H03G3
IPC codes: H03G1, H03G3, H03F3, H03K17