Amplifier system utilizing regenerative and degenerative feedback to shape the frequency response

Claim 2

An amplifier system comprising, in combination: an input, an output, a master amplifier having an input means and an output means, gain control means for said master amplifier, a plurality of band amplifiers each having an input and an output terminal, said band amplifiers each being responsive to a given bandwidth section, regenerative and degenerative means, means connecting said output means to said output, means connecting said input means to said input, means connecting said regenerative and degenerative means to said input means, means connecting each of said input terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said input and output means of said master amplifier, and means connecting each of said output terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said regenerative or degenerative means.

Claim 3

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said band amplifiers includes an active band filter and variable signal output means.

Claim 4

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means connecting said input means to said input includes a buffer amplifier.

Claim 5

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means connecting each of said input terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said input and output means of said master amplifier includes first switch means, and said means connecting each of said output terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said regenerative and degenerative means includes second switch means.

Claim 6

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said regenerative and degenerative means includes a first inverting amplifier.

Claim 7

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said regenerative and degenerative means includes a first inverting amplifier and the other of said regenerative and degenerative means includes said first inverting amplifier and a second inverting amplifier.

Claim 8

An amplIfier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said band amplifiers includes a low pass amplifier filter, a high pass amplifier filter and an attenuator.

Claim 9

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said input means of said master amplifier includes a differential input having a non-inverting terminal and an inverting terminal, said means connecting said input to said input means includes means connecting said input to one of said non-inverting and inverting terminals, and said means connecting said regenerative and degenerative means to said input means includes means connecting said regenerative and degenerative means to the other of said noninverting and inverting terminals.

Claim 10

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said input means of said master amplifier includes a differential input having a non-inverting terminal and an inverting terminal, said band amplifiers are non-inverting amplifiers, said band amplifiers each having first and second switch means, said switch means each having an amplification contact and an attenuation contact, said means connecting each of said input terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said input and output means includes means connecting said amplification contacts of said first switch means to said non-inverting terminal and also includes means connecting said attenuation contacts of said first switch means to said output means, said means connecting each of said output terminals of said band amplifiers to one of said regenerative and degenerative means includes means connecting said amplification contacts of said second switch means to said regenerative means and also includes means connecting said attenuation contacts of said second switch means to said degenerative means.

Claim 11

An audio amplifier system to produce an acoustical output in an ambient environment having acoustical properties, comprising in combination, a pre-amplifier, a power amplifier, an electro-acoustical transducer, a master amplifier having a bandwidth with a substantially uniform gain, a plurality of band amplifiers each being responsive to a given bandwidth section of said bandwidth, means connecting said power amplifier to said transducer, means connecting said master amplifier to said power amplifier, means connecting said master amplifier to said pre-amplifier, and regenerative and degenerative means connecting said band amplifiers to said master amplifier to selectively amplify or attenuate certain bandwidth sections of the gain of said master amplifier to reinforce or attenuate an acoustical output of said transducer in accordance with the acoustical properties of the ambient environment.

Claim 12

An audio amplifier system to produce an acoustical output in an ambient environment having acoustical properties, comprising in combination, a pre-amplifier, a power amplifier, an electro-acoustical transducer, a master amplifier having a bandwidth with a substantially uniform gain, a plurality of band amplifiers each being responsive to a given bandwidth section of said bandwidth, means connecting said power amplifier to said transducer, means connecting said master amplifier to said power amplifier, means connecting said master amplifier to said pre-amplifier, and regenerative and degenerative means connecting said band amplifiers to said master amplifier to selectively amplify or attenuate certain bandwidth sections of the gain of said master amplifier to reinforce or attenuate an acoustical output of said transducer in accordance with the acoustical properties of the ambient environment.

Claim 13

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said band amplifiers varies the gain in a given bandwidth section and the number of band amplifiers required is equal to the number of bandwidth sections to be varied.

Claim 14

An audio amplifier system to produce an acoustical output in an ambient environment having acoustical properties, comprising in combination, a master amplifier having a given bandwidth, a plurality of band amplifiers responsive to a bandwidth section of said given bandwidth, an electro-acoustical transducer, means connecting said master amplifier to said transducer, and means connecting said band amplifiers to said master amplifier for amplifying and attenuating the acoustical output of the system in accordance with the acoustical properties of the ambient environment.

Claim 15

An audio amplifier system to produce an acoustical output in an ambient environment having acoustical properties, comprising in combination, a master amplifier having a given bandwidth, a plurality of band amplifiers responsive to a bandwidth section of said given bandwidth, an electro-acoustical transducer, means connecting said master amplifier to said transducer, and means connecting said band amplifiers to said master amplifier for amplifying and attenuating the acoustical output of the system in accordance with the acoustical properties of the ambient environment.

Claim 16

An audio amplifier system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said means connecting said band amplifiers to said master amplifier includes degenerative and regenerative means.

Claim 17

An audio amplifier system comprising in combination, means to amplify a given audio band, regenerative means to provide increased amplification of a plurality of selected discrete band sections each of less bandwidth than said givEn audio band, degenerative means to provide reduced amplification of a plurality of selected discrete band sections each of less bandwidth than said given audio band, and selectable means to select one of said regenerative and degenerative means for particular ones of said plurality of band sections.

Claim 18

An audio amplifier system comprising in combination, means to amplify a given audio band, regenerative means to provide increased amplification of a plurality of selected discrete band sections each of less bandwidth than said givEn audio band, degenerative means to provide reduced amplification of a plurality of selected discrete band sections each of less bandwidth than said given audio band, and selectable means to select one of said regenerative and degenerative means for particular ones of said plurality of band sections.

Claim 19

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 14, including active filter means connected as a part of said regenerative and degenerative means.

Claim 20

An amplifier system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said regenerative and degenerative means each has an input and an output and including means to separate the input of the regenerative means from the input of the degenerative means by connections to opposite ends of amplifier means.