PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 15903734
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-02
Publication Date: 2018-08
Patent Classification: ["381", "120000"]

Abstract:
This application relates to amplifier circuits for amplifying an audio signal. An amplifier circuit ( 100 ) has a voltage regulator ( 201 ) for outputting a supply voltage to an amplifier ( 104 ). An output capacitor ( 103 ) coupled to an output node of the voltage regulator. The voltage regulator is operable in a voltage-control mode to maintain the output voltage (V S ) at a nominal output voltage and in current-control mode to limit the input current drawn to exceed a defined limit. A controller ( 301 ) is operable in a first mode to define the nominal output voltage so as not to exceed a first voltage magnitude and in a second mode to define the nominal output voltage to be equal to a second, higher, voltage magnitude. The controller ( 301 ) monitors the audio signal for a high-amplitude part of the audio signal, that could result in the voltage regulator operating in the current-control mode to apply current limiting and, on such detection swaps from the first to the second mode until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal has been amplified. The second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the output voltage over a plurality of switching cycles of the voltage regulator when operating in the current-control mode.

Claim (Index 19):
An amplifier circuit for amplifying an audio signal, comprising:\n an amplifier; a voltage regulator having an input node for receiving an input voltage and an output node for outputting a supply voltage to said amplifier, the voltage regulator comprising an output capacitor coupled to the output node; the voltage regulator comprising a voltage control loop for controlling the voltage at the output node to a nominal output voltage and a current control loop for, when activated, limiting an input current drawn by the voltage regulator via the input node so as not to exceed a defined input current limit, wherein the voltage regulator operates according to the voltage control loop unless the current control loop is activated; and a controller for defining the nominal output voltage; wherein the controller is operable in a first mode to define the nominal output voltage so as not to exceed a first voltage magnitude and is operable in a second mode to define the nominal output voltage to be equal to a second voltage magnitude, the second voltage magnitude being greater than the first voltage magnitude; wherein the controller is configured to monitor an indication of the level of the audio signal for a high-amplitude part of the audio signal that could result in the current control loop of the voltage regulator being activated; and wherein the controller is configured to operate in said first mode until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal is detected and, on such detection to operate in the second mode of operation until such a high-amplitude part of the audio signal has been amplified; wherein the second voltage magnitude is greater than required for voltage headroom for amplifying the high-amplitude part of the audio signal so as to allow for a voltage droop of the supply voltage over a plurality of switching cycles of the current control loop dominating the voltage control loop.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 44.0
- Percentile: 88.0
- Lexical Diversity: 2.68817
- Patent Class: 381.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: True
- Related Applications: ['11482020', '14315863', '14182798', '15350431', '14805454']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.6596576758645556
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.4909124099607159
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.6427831492741716
- Mean Citation Score: 217.590838
- Max Citation Score: 227.12703
- Similarity Product: 180.33467180871963

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test