Patent ID: 7315204

Claim:
An apparatus for providing an output signal across a load, wherein the output signal corresponds to an amplified version of an input signal, the apparatus comprising: a mode control circuit that is arranged to select an operating mode associated with the apparatus, wherein the operating mode corresponds to either a class AB operating mode, or a class D operating mode; a class D driver circuit that is arranged to provide a first drive signal in response to the input signal; a class AB driver circuit that is arranged to provide a second drive signal in response to the input signal, the class AB driver circuit further comprising a first class AB driver circuit and a second class AB driver circuit, wherein the input signal comprises a differential signal that includes a first input signal and a second input signal, wherein the first class AB driver circuit is responsive to the first input signal, and wherein the second class AB driver circuit is responsive to the second input signal; and a power stage circuit that is arranged to provide the output signal across the load in response to one of the first drive signal and the second drive signal, wherein the power stage circuit is configured to respond to the first drive signal when the operating mode corresponds to the class D operating mode, and wherein the power stage circuit is configured to respond to the second drive signal when the operating mode corresponds to the class AB operating mode.