Patent Document

TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a device and a method for digital pulse width modulation, in particular a device and a method for the digital pulse width modulation of audio and video signals. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Digital pulse width modulators (PWM) are in widespread use in entertainment electronics and other areas. Existing digital pulse width modulators require a high time resolution of the pulse widths, which, for example in the audio range of 0 to 20 kHz, necessitates a clock frequency of approximately 100 MHz. According to Erick Bresch, Wayne T. Padgett, “TMS320C67-Based Design of a Digital Audio Power Amplifier Introducing Novel Feedback Strategy”, relatively strong non-linear distortions occur in the case of high modulation in a digital PWM. 
     When sigma-delta modulation (SDM) is used, only a low clock frequency, of for example 2 to 4 MHz, is required for an audio signal, but the output signal then tends to be a pulse-density-modulated signal, which is unsuitable for example for a Class-D amplification on account of the signal-dependent pulse density, since, in the case of pulses that are not ideal, this leads to non-linear distortions. In particular, according to A. J. McGrath, M. B. Sandler, “Power digital to analogue conversion . . . , Electronic Letters, issue 31, No. 4, 1995, a constant pulse frequency is not ensured in the case of sigma-delta modulation. 
     Class-D amplifiers have in comparison with A, AB amplifiers a much lower power loss and are typically driven by PWM signals. It is known that digital pulse width modulators require a high time resolution of the PWM signal in order to minimize distortions caused by the time quantization. To date, a digital input signal is reduced with the aid of a multi-bit sigma-delta modulator in the amplitude resolution with, for example, 8 bits for a dynamic range greater than 80 dB and then the quantized signal with low resolution is fed to a pulse width modulator. On the one hand, as already mentioned, this requires a high clock frequency of more than 100 MHz on account of the relatively high time resolution of the pulse width signals (8 bits correspond to 256 different pulse widths), and on the other hand the pulse-width-modulated signal generated in this way is not free from non-linear distortions, since it is not the PWM signal but the amplitude-quantized signal that is fed back in the control loop, the two signals in the baseband, i.e. in the audio range of for example 0 to 20 kHz, not being completely identical. Therefore, the quantization noise is not optimally suppressed for the PWM signal by the control loop in the sigma-delta modulator. 
     Apart from great complexity of its circuitry, according to Jorge Varona, ECE University of Toronto, “Power Digital to Analog Conversion Using Sigma Delta and Pulse Width Modulations”, a known method for digital PWM likewise requires a high operating clock frequency. In  FIG. 6 , a typical configuration for a digital pulse width modulator is represented. For the linearization of the PWM signal  15 ′, the digital input signal  1  is extremely highly interpolated in an interpolation filter  10  and then limited in the amplitude resolution by means of a noise shaper  23  in the sigma-delta modulator. Since, however, the noise shaper  23  does not process the quantized PWM signal  15 ′ but only the quantized amplitude signal before the pulse width modulation in a pulse width modulator  24 , the actual quantization noise and the non-linearities of the time-quantized PWM signal  15 ′ can only be suppressed sub-optimally. The digital PWM signal  15 ′ is subsequently typically filtered in a post-filter  16 , preferably after the amplification of the signal in an amplifier device (not represented). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for digital pulse width modulation by which a high linearity and low power loss are made possible in an amplifier device in the case of a large input signal bandwidth along with a reduction in the complexity of the circuitry. 
     According to the invention, this object is achieved by the device for digital pulse width modulation specified in Claim  1  and Claim  11  and by the method for digital pulse width modulation according to Claim  12 . 
     The idea on which the present invention is based consists essentially in using the pulse-width-modulated signal as a feedback signal in a digital control loop and thereby linearizing it. Consequently, a modified sigma-delta modulator with multi-bit quantization is provided, the respective quantization stages being assigned corresponding pulse widths and these then serving as a feedback signal in the control loop. 
     In the present invention, the problem mentioned at the beginning is solved in particular by providing a device for digital pulse width modulation with: (a) a filter device for filtering a filter input signal; (b) a quantization device for quantizing a filter output signal of the filter device; (c) a PWM mapper device for generating a digital PWM signal from an output signal of the quantization device; and (d) a feedback loop for feeding back the digital PWM signal to a loop input signal for generating the filter input signal by subtraction. 
     In this way, a high linearity, and consequently as good as no distortions, is made possible even in the case of a low time resolution of the PWM signal for an audio signal, for example a pulse frequency of 350 kHz in the case of eight different pulse widths (3 bits). Moreover, a constant pulse frequency is guaranteed, so that no linear distortions occur in the case of asymmetrical pulses. For this reason, the present invention is suitable in particular for the generation of a PWM signal for Class-D amplifiers and, furthermore, on account of the relatively low pulse frequency, results in extremely small power losses in a downstream amplifier device or switch output stage. By contrast with the prior art, according to the present invention the digital PWM signal is processed directly in a modified noise shaper, which leads to high linearity of the digital PWM signal and in principle does not require any interpolation of the digital input signal. 
     Advantageous developments and improvements of the respective subject matter of the invention can be found in the subclaims. 
     According to a preferred development, a different sampling rate is provided at the filter device than the sampling rate of the quantization device. 
     According to a further preferred development, a pulse frequency of the PWM signal corresponds to the sampling frequency of the quantization device and is smaller by a factor of 2 N  than the sampling frequency of the filter device, N corresponding to the number of bits of the quantization device. 
     According to a further preferred development, the PWM signal has a constant pulse frequency. 
     According to a preferred further development, amplitude values of the output signal of the quantization device can be converted into pulse widths of the PWM signal in the PWM mapper device. 
     According to a further preferred development, two at least similar feedback loops which are connected to each other on the output side via a load are provided, loop input signals that are inverse in relation to each other being provided on the two loops for generating a differential PWM signal at the load. 
     According to a further preferred development, provided downstream of the PWM mapper for amplification and/or filtering of the digital PWM signal there is an amplifier device and/or filter device, which is connected to a voltage supply which is likewise connected to an A/D converter, the output signal of which is connected to a multiplier in the control loop. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the description which follows and are represented in the drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device for explaining a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device for explaining a third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  shows a schematic block diagram of a filter device for explaining a detail of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a schematic block diagram for explaining a detail according to  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  shows a schematic block diagram of a known digital PWM device; 
         FIG. 7  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device for explaining a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device for explaining a fifth embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  shows a schematic block diagram of a digital PWM device for explaining a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the figures, the same reference numerals designate component parts that are the same or functionally the same. 
     Represented in  FIG. 1  is a digital PWM device in which a digital input signal  1  is processed into a digital loop input signal  10 ′, preferably in an interpolation device  10 , such as for example an interpolation filter. Following a summation point +, a filter input signal  10 ″ is fed to a filter device  11 , for example a loop filter. The filter device  11  is operated with a filter sampling rate  12  and outputs a filter output signal  11 ′, which is fed to a quantization device  13 . A modified sigma-delta modulator is made up of the filter device  11  and the quantization device  13 , the digital signal  11 ′ being quantized in amplitude in the quantization device  13  at the output of the loop filter  11 . The quantization device  13  is operated with an independent quantization sampling rate  14 . 
     An output signal  13 ′ of the quantization device  13  is subsequently converted by a PWM mapper device  15  into a digital PWM signal  15 ′ with the time resolution which is obtained from the amplitude quantization by the quantization device  13 . The PWM signal  15 ′ generated in such a way is then fed back in the control loop  17  and subtracted from the loop input signal  10 ′ at the summation point +, so that the filter input signal  10 ″ is then generated. A post-filter device  16  preferably filters the digital PWM signal  15 ′, the post-filter device  16  preferably being arranged downstream of an amplifier device (not represented). The optional interpolation device  10  according to  FIG. 1  serves merely for simplifying the post-filter  16  downstream of the PWM, since, without interpolation, wide frequency spectra lie close to one another. 
     Since the various amplitude values of the output signal  13 ′ of the quantization device  13  are converted into different pulse widths in the PWM mapper device  15 , the filter device  11  operates with a different sampling rate  12  than the quantization device  13 . The ratio of the sampling rate  12  of the filter device  11  and the sampling rate  14  of the quantization device  13  is obtained from the resolution of the PWM signal  15 ′ as 2 N =sampling rate  12 /sampling rate  14 , N corresponding to the number of bits of the quantization device  13  and 2 N  corresponding to the number of possible pulse widths. From the sampling rate  14  of the quantization device  13  there is obtained the constant pulse frequency of the PWM signal  15 ′, which is reduced by a factor of 2 N  with respect to the sampling rate  12  of the filter device  11 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an extended configuration in comparison with  FIG. 1 . Illustrated in  FIG. 2  is the realization of the digital pulse width modulator according to  FIG. 1  in a differential configuration. The differential embodiment of the digital PWM is essentially based on two similar single-ended embodiments according to  FIG. 1 , the input signals  1 , − 1 , or the loop input signals  10 ′, − 10 ′, respectively being inverted in relation to each other. The two single-ended strands are connected to each other downstream of the post-filter device  16  via a load  18 . 
     Represented in  FIG. 3  is a further embodiment for the digital pulse width modulation according to the present invention. A digital input signal  1  is likewise optionally fed to an interpolation device  10 , preferably an interpolation filter, and a loop input signal  10 ′ is formed. Following a summation point +, a loop signal  21 ′ is provided and is applied to a quantization device  13 . The quantization device  13  is operated with a sampling rate  14  and passes on a quantized output signal  13 ′ to a PWM mapper device  15 . 
     A digital PWM signal  15 ′ generated in the PWM mapper device  15  according to  FIG. 1  is on the one hand emitted to a post-filter device  16  and on the other hand subtracted in a feedback loop  22  from the loop signal  21 ′ at a further summation point +, resulting in a filter input signal  10 ″, which is subjected to a filtering in a filter device  19 , which is operated with a filter sampling rate  12 . A filter output signal  11 ′ of the filter device  19  is added to the loop input signal  10 ′ for generating the loop signal  21 ′ of a further loop  21 . According to  FIG. 3 , a realization of the control loop with an “error feedback” structure similar to in the case of sigma-delta modulators is illustrated, the filter device  19  being adapted to this structure. 
       FIG. 4  shows an application-related implementation of a filter device  11 , of the 4th order, which has four integrators I 1 , I 2 , I 3  and I 4 . The filter input signal  10 ″ is multiplied by coefficients a 0 , a 1 , a 2 , a 3  and, according to  FIG. 4 , passed via the corresponding integrators I 1  to I 4  and also via additional factors α, β for generating the filter output signal  11 ′. This is followed by the quantization device  13  and the corresponding quantization output signal  13 ′. The loop filter according to  FIG. 4  is provided with a quantization resolution of preferably 4 bits, it being optimized for an oversampling factor of 100. As an example, there is consequently obtained in the audio range for a filter sampling rate  12  of 8 MHz and 4 bits, which corresponds to 16 different pulse widths, a resolution of the PWM signal  15 ′ of 80 dB SNR+THD single-ended according to  FIG. 1  and of 93 dB SNR+THD in the case of a differential arrangement according to  FIG. 2 , the pulse frequency being 8 MHz/2 N =500 kHz. 
     For stabilization in the case of overloading of the filter device  11 , the values in the integrators according to  FIG. 5  can be limited by a limiting device  20 . In addition, a reset can be carried out at the beginning of the PWM by a short sequence of Os at the input of the control loop  17 ,  17 ′,  21 ,  22 . 
     Represented in  FIG. 7  is a further embodiment, which resembles the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . The amplification device  16  is supplied with an operating voltage  25 , which is likewise fed to an A/D converter  26 . This digitized operating voltage  27  is then multiplied in a multiplying device X by the digital PWM signal  15 ′, to also flow into the control loop  17 . 
     Normal Class-D amplifiers on the other hand are essentially simple switching amplifiers, which, with a simple design, have no operating voltage suppression. Interferences on the operating voltage therefore directly influence the output signal and can lead to distortions and reduction of the weighted signal-to-noise ratio. According to this fourth embodiment, however, the interference voltage on the operating voltage is digitized. With the aid of this digitized interference signal  27 , the output signal is then remodeled on the basis of the Class-D output stage  16  and fed in a correspondingly inverted form to the input of the pulse width modulator for compensation. Since the A/D converter  26  merely digitizes the interference voltage and consequently only influences the pulse amplitude of the digital feedback signal  15 ′ of the control loop  17 , but does not change the pulse edges of the feedback signal  15 ′, the overall dynamic range is not limited by the A/D converter  26 . 
     The A/D converter  26  can accordingly have a much lower resolution than the PWM modulator. In addition, the stability of the digital pulse width modulator is not influenced by the A/D converter  26 . Generally occurring falsifications or distortions of the output signal of the switching amplifier  16  often result in interferences on the operating voltage  25 . These interferences, i.e. this non-ideal amplification, are corrected according to the embodiment according to  FIG. 7 . 
     The effect of the amplifier device  16  can be described as multiplication of the digital PWM signal  15 ′ by its operating voltage  25 . The embodiment according to  FIG. 7  is based on the simulation of the amplifier signal, in that the operating voltage  25  of the amplifier device  16  is digitally recorded, and the amplitudes of the PWM signals are multiplicatively modified in the feedback path  17  by the digitized operating voltage signal  27 . An operating voltage interference or fluctuation occurring is then corrected by the feedback in the control loop  17 . According to  FIG. 7 , after an optional interpolation in an interpolation device  10 , the digital input signal  1  to be amplified is fed to a digital pulse width modulator that is modified in comparison with the embodiment according to  FIG. 1 . The PWM mapper  15  generates the corresponding PWM signals  15 ′ from the roughly quantized PWM signals  13 ′. 
     The A/D converter  26  digitizes the operating voltage  25  of the amplification device  16  and multiplies it by the digital PWM signal  15 ′, which consequently corresponds to the output signal of the switching amplifier (apart from the signal level). As a result, the digital pulse width modulator also records the interference on the operating voltage  25 , so that this are [sic] consequently suppressed by the signal inversion in the control loop  17 . Self-interferences caused by the switching operations of the amplification device  16  are also consequently recorded and correspondingly corrected. Since the loop gain for the self-interferences is chosen to be significantly less than 1, the control loop always remains stable, because the operating voltage  25  generally does not change in the same ratio as the voltage which drops across the load (not represented in  FIG. 7 ). The resolution of the A/D converter  26  can be adapted to the dynamic range of the operating voltage  25 , so that the resolution of the PWM signal is not limited by the converter resolution. 
     A fifth embodiment of the present invention, which resembles the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 , is represented in  FIG. 8 . The embodiment according to  FIG. 8  likewise has the extension according to  FIG. 7  with the analog-digital converter unit  26  for converting the operating voltage  25  into a digital signal  27 , which is respectively coupled in via a multiplication device X in both strands  17 ,  17 ′. The behavior of this differential arrangement with two identical strands otherwise corresponds essentially to the embodiment according to  FIG. 2 . Since both amplification devices  16  are appropriately supplied with the same operating voltage, only one A/D converter  16  is required for both signal paths (not represented in  FIG. 8 . 
     With a purely differential design of the digital pulse width modulator according to  FIG. 8  with subsequent Class-D amplification, the full system dynamic range is retained even with rough quantization of the operating voltage signal  25 , since an interference is purely multiplicative. Therefore, the quantization noise of the A/D converter  26 , for example with a zero signal at the input, is not also amplified. For an exact simulation of the PWM output signal amplitude, the ratio of the internal resistance of the operating voltage source  25  to the internal resistance of the amplifier  16  must be determined, in order to achieve amplitude simulation in the control loop that is as accurate as possible. 
     Represented in  FIG. 9  is a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is based on the embodiment according to  FIG. 3 . Here, too, the modification consists in the generation of a digitized signal  27 , which is generated in the A/D converter  26  from the operating voltage  25  which is present at the amplifier device  16 . This digitized operating voltage signal  27  is multiplicatively combined with the digitized PWM signal  15 ′ in the control loop  22 . With this “error feedback” structure according to  FIG. 9 , the loop filter  19  has a modified transfer function, as explained with respect to  FIG. 3 . 
     Although the present invention has been described above on the basis of several exemplary embodiments, it is not restricted to these but can be modified in various ways. 
     For example, in the case of dynamically distorted pulses of the PWM signal on account of the low number of pulse widths, a correction value can be introduced into the control loop with the aid of a look-up table, whereby a linear frequency spectrum of the digital pulse width modulator can be achieved even in the case of distortions that are extremely dependent on the pulse width in an amplifier device (not represented). Apart from this, a filter device of the 4th order, or 4 and 3 bits of the filter device and/or the quantization device, respectively, are to be regarded as given by way of example. According to the present invention, a bandpass PWM can also be easily realized.

Technology Category: h