• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.385-391
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• 2007

A class D digital audio amplifier with small size, low cost, and high quality is positively necessary in the multimedia era. Since the digital audio amplifier is based on the PWM signal processing, it is improper to analyze the principle of signal generation using linear system theories. In this paper, a class D digital audio amplifier based ADSM (Advanced Delta-Sigma Modulation) is considered. We first model the digital audio amplifier and then explain the operation principle using variable structure control algorithm. Moreover, the ripple signal generated by the hysteresis in the comparator has a significant effect on the system performance. Thus, we present a method to find the magnitude and the frequency of the ripple signal using describing function. Finally, simulations and experiments are provided to show the validity of the proposed methods.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 2014

This paper presents a high-efficiency digital class-D audio amplifier using a composite interpolation filter for portable audio devices. The proposed audio amplifier is composed of an interpolation filter, a delta-sigma modulator, and a class-D output stage. To reduce power consumption, the designed interpolation filter has an optimized composite structure that uses a direct-form symmetric and Lagrange FIR filters. Compared to the filters with homogeneous structures, the hardware cost and complexity are reduced by about half by the optimization. The coefficients of the digital delta-sigma modulator are also optimized for low power consumption. The class-D output stage has gate driver circuits to reduce shoot-through current. The implemented class-D audio amplifier exhibited a high efficiency of 87.8 % with an output power of 57 mW at a load impedance of $16{\Omega}$ and a power supply voltage of 1.8 V. An outstanding signal-to-noise ratio of 90 dB and a total harmonic distortion plus noise of 0.03 % are achieved for a single-tone input signal with a frequency of 1 kHz.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.149-156
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• 2012

A digital input class-D audio amplifier is presented for digital hearing aid. The class-D audio amplifier is composed of digital and analog circuits. The analog circuit converts a digital input to a analog audio signal (DAC) with noise suppression in the audio band. An interpolated digital delta-sigma modulator is used to convert data types between digital signal processor (DSP) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC). An 16-bit, 25-kbps pulse code modulated (PCM) input is interpolated to 16-bit, 50-kbps by a digital filter. The output signal of interpolation filter is noise-shaped by a third-order digital sigma-delta modulator (SDM). As a result, 1.5-bit, 3.2-Mbps signal is applied to simple digital to analog converter.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2004.11c
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• pp.605-607
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• 2004

A class D digital audio amplifier with small size, low cost, and high quality is positively necessary in the multimedia era made of home theater system and the digital audio broadcasting (DAB). It is impossible to analyze the stability of the digital audio amplifier, which is based on the PWM signal processing. To solve this problem, the digital audio amplifier is analyzed using variable structure control theory which is one of nonlinear system theories. Moreover, the magnitude and the frequency of ripple signal, which generated by hysteresis in the comparator, is obtained using describing function which is useful to represent the input-output relation of nonlinear system.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.819-826
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• 2013

A class-D audio amplifier for a digital hearing aid is described. The class-D amplifier operates with a pulse-code modulated (PCM) digital input and consists of an interpolation filter, a digital sigma-delta modulator (SDM), and an analog SDM, along with an H-bridge power switch. The noise of the power switch is suppressed by feeding it back to the input of the analog SDM. The interpolation filter removes the unwanted image tones of the PCM input, improving the linearity and power efficiency. The class-D amplifier is implemented in a 0.13-${\mu}m$ CMOS process. The maximum output power delivered to the receiver (speaker) is 1.19 mW. The measured total harmonic distortion plus noise is 0.015%, and the dynamic range is 86.0 dB. The class-D amplifier consumes 304 ${\mu}W$ from a 1.2-V power supply.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.976-979
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• 2002

A new controller for switching audio power amplifier with digital PWM input is proposed- Bi-directional Saw-tooth Error Correction (BSEC). This control method for high quality switching amplifier is based on a pulsed edge correction approach using PWM audio signal input as a reference of power switching digital to analog converter. The proposed controller has excellent features such as wide error correction range and no limitation on the modulation index. The controller is implemented in the half-bridge class D amplifier and the performance is verified through hardware experiments. It delivers 100W into 4${\Omega}$ load with less than 0.2% of total harmonic distortion (THD) all over operating range and an maximum efficiency of 82%.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.44-51
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• 2008

A stereo audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a power amplifier using asymmetric pulse-width modulation (PWM) is presented. To adopt class-D amplifier mainly used in high-power audio appliances for head-phones application, this work analyzes the noise caused by the inter-channel interference during the integration and optimizes the design of the sigma-delta modulator to decrease the performance degradation caused by the noise. The asymmetric PWM is implemented to reduce switching noise and power loss generated from the power amplifier. This proposed architecture is fabricated in 0.13-mm CMOS technology. The proposed audio DAC including the power amplifier with single-ended output achieves a dynamic range (DR) of 95-dB dissipating 4.4-mW.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.47 no.11
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• pp.6-12
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• 2010

A sigma-delta modulator based class-D audio amplifier is presented. Parallel digital input is serialized to two-bit output by a fourth-order digital sigma-delta noise shaper. The output of the digital sigma-delta noise shaper is applied to a fourth-order analog sigma-delta modulator whose three-level output drives power switches. The pulse density modulated (PDM) output of the power switches is low-pass filtered by an LC-filter. The PDM output of the power switches is fed back to the input of the analog sigma-delta modulator. The first integrator of the analog sigma-delta modulator is a hybrid of continuous-time (CT) and switched-capacitor (SC) integrator. While the sampled input is applied to SC path, the continuous-time feedback signal is applied to CT path to suppress the noise of the PDM output. The class-D audio amplifier is fabricated in a standard $0.13-{\mu}m$ CMOS process and operates for the signal bandwidth from 100-Hz to 20-kHz. With 4-${\Omega}$ load, the maximum output power is 18.3-mW. The total harmonic distortion plus noise and dynamic range are 0.035-% and 80-dB, respectively. The modulator consumes 457-uW from 1.2-V power supply.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.44-53
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• 2008

In this paper, we present the design of delta-sigma modulation-based class-D amplifier for driving headphones in portable audio applications. The presented class-D amplifier generates PWM(pulse width modulation) signals using a single-bit fourth-order high-performance delta-sigma modulator. To achieve a high SNR(signal-to-noise ratio) and ensure system stability, the locations of the modulator loop filter poles and zeros are optimized and thoroughly simulated. The test chip is fabricated using a standard $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS process. The active area of the chip is $1.6mm^2$. It operates for the signal bandwidth from 20Hz to 20kHz. The measured THD+N(total harmonic distortion plus noise) at the $32{\Omega}$ load terminal is less than 0.03% from a 3V power supply.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.335-342
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• 2022

In this paper, a single-bit 3rd-order feedforward delta sigma modulator is proposed for audio applications. The proposed modulator is based on a class-C inverter for low voltage and power applications. For the high-precision requirement, the class-C inverter with regulated cascode structure increases its DC gain and acts as a low-voltage subthreshold amplifier. The proposed Class-C inverter-based modulator is designed and simulated in 180-nm CMOS process. With no performance loss and a low supply voltage compatibility, the proposed class-C inverter-based switched-capacitor modulator achieves high power efficiency. This design achieves an signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) of 93.9 dB, an signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 108 dB, an spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 102 dB, and a dynamic range (DR) of 102 dB at a signal bandwidth of 20 kHz and a sampling frequency of 4 MHz, while only using 280 μW of power consumption from a 0.8-V power supply.