Discrete lateral MOSFET power amplifier expansion card

Abstract

The teachings are directed to a power amplifier expansion card (“amplifier card”) for a computer. The amplifier card receives audio data through an input port and amplifies the audio data to high-level passive speaker power for transmissions through an output port. The amplifier card can comprise a circuit board having (i) at least two audio channels; (ii) an audio power amplification circuit for amplifying audio power to at least 20 W RMS per channel; and (iii) an onboard cooling system. The amplifier card can be used, for example, in a multimedia system having at least a studio controller operably connected to the amplifier card for receiving and processing input audio data. Examples of such multimedia systems include, but are not limited to, a television home entertainment system, an audio home entertainment system, a music production studio system, a gaming system, a personal computing system, or any combination thereof.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An audio power amplifier expansion card, comprising:
 a circuit board having (i) at least two audio channels; (ii) an audio power amplification circuit for amplifying audio power to at least 20 W RMS per channel; and (iii) an onboard cooling system; and   a mounting bracket operably connected to the circuit board and having I/O ports;   wherein, the expansion card
 operably interfaces with a motherboard of a computer; and, 
 comprises a circuitry having laterally configured MOSFET transistors. In some embodiments, the discrete lateral MOSFET circuitry composes the output stage of the amplifier circuitry. 
   
     
     
         2 . The expansion card of  claim 1 , wherein the MOSFET transistors comprise discrete lateral MOSFET circuitry in the output stage of the amplifier circuitry. 
     
     
         3 . The expansion card of  claim 1 , wherein the audio power amplification circuit amplifies audio power to at least 50 W RMS per channel and having at least 100 W RMS total audio amplification power. 
     
     
         4 . The expansion card of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion card functions to receive and amplify audio data having a frequency from about 10 Hz to about 100 kHz. 
     
     
         5 . The expansion card of  claim 1 , wherein the expansion card operates independent of the operating system of the computer. 
     
     
         6 . An audio power amplifier expansion card, comprising:
 a circuit board having (i) at least two audio channels; (ii) an audio power amplification circuit for amplifying audio power to at least 50 W RMS per channel; and (iii) an onboard cooling system; and   a mounting bracket operably connected to the circuit board and having I/O ports;   wherein, the expansion card operably interfaces with a motherboard of a computer.   
     
     
         7 . The expansion card of  claim 6 , wherein the expansion card comprises a circuitry having discrete lateral MOSFET circuitry at the output stage of the amplifier circuitry. 
     
     
         8 . The expansion card of  claim 6 , wherein the audio power amplification circuit amplifies audio power to at least 100 W RMS total audio amplification power. 
     
     
         9 . The expansion card of  claim 6  wherein the audio power amplification circuit comprises an output stage consisting of discrete circuitry. 
     
     
         10 . The expansion card of  claim 6 , wherein the expansion card functions to receive and amplify audio data having a frequency from about 10 Hz to about 100 kHz. 
     
     
         11 . The expansion card of  claim 6 , wherein the expansion card operates independent of the operating system of the computer. 
     
     
         12 . The expansion card of  claim 6  having audio mixing functionality for splitting mono audio into at least two audio channels or combining more than two audio channels into two audio channels. 
     
     
         13 . The expansion card of  claim 6  functioning to (i) receive and amplify standard digital audio data, standard analog audio data, or a combination thereof; and optionally, (ii) operate independent of operation of the computer. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing an audio power amplifier expansion card, the method comprising:
 configuring a circuit board to have (i) at least two audio channels; (ii) an audio power amplification circuit for amplifying audio power to at least 50 W RMS per channel; and (iii) an onboard cooling system; and   adapting the expansion card to operably interface with a motherboard of a computer.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising manufacturing the expansion card using discrete lateral MOSFET circuitry at the output stage of the amplifier circuitry. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , comprises configuring the audio power amplification circuit to amplify audio power to at least 100 W RMS total audio amplification power. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising configuring the circuit board to have integrated audio amplifier circuitry. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising configuring the expansion card to receive and amplify audio data having a frequency from about 10 Hz to about 100 kHz. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising configuring the expansion card to operate independent of the operating system of the computer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising configuring the expansion card to include audio mixing functionality for splitting mono audio into at least two audio channels or combining more than two audio channels into two audio channels.