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Congratulations Atmasphere!

I noticed today that Ralph Karsten (whom regular and even occasional participants in this forum will of course recognize as the designer and proprietor of Atma-Sphere Music Systems, as well as a uniquely valuable contributor to the forum) was granted United States patent number 10,469,042 on November 5, 2019. It covers an audio amplification technique he had indicated here that he has been developing, which in simple terms appears to me to basically be a clever combination of an analog-to-pulse train converter (as used in traditional class D amplifiers for example, among other audio-related applications), with an output stage employing circlotron topology (analogous to the topology used in his OTL power amplifiers, but utilizing solid state devices).

Link to the Patent.

Congratulations Ralph!!

Best regards,
--Al


128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xalmarg
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg OP
9,670 posts
 
I’m curious though, not being well versed in the entire history of switching amps, what parts are new here? The balanced outputs?
Hi Erik,

What is new is defined by the 20 very precisely worded claims stated in the "Claims" section of the patent (which are on the last two pages of the document I linked to).

Also, keep in mind that even if a design is comprised entirely of parts, sub-sections, or other elements none of which are new it may still be very patentable, as long as those elements are combined in a manner that meets the basic patentability requirements of being new, useful, and non-obvious to one reasonably skilled in the particular art.

Best regards,
-- Al


shkong78's avatar
shkong78
1,485 posts
 
Congratulation!

The market for OTL tube amp for headphone is pretty solid.

You may consider developing one for Sennheiser 800s (300 ohm impedance) or 660 headphones.

Thomas
erik_squires
16,352 posts
 
Well, I can't say it was easy to find. :)
Claims start in section 13. I'll take a look later.

Best,
E
erik_squires
16,352 posts
 
BTW - I'm really not being a jerk here, I just really couldn't find the "claims" section.
almarg's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
almarg OP
9,670 posts
 
@erik_squires
FYI, patents are also presented at uspto.gov in an alternative format in which the claims section is identified more explicitly, and is placed near the beginning.

I chose the other format for the link I provided in my initial post, though, because with this alternative format it can be more difficult to find the figures/drawings.

In the immortal words of Roseanne Roseannadanna, it’s always something :-)

Best regards,
-- Al

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