A perceptually transparent audio power reduction algorithm for loudspeaker power management

Power management in loudspeakers is used to extend the battery life of portable electronics and to prevent thermal damage to the speakers. Traditionally, speaker power management has been implemented as an adaptive gain control, which limits the power applied to the loudspeaker uniformly. In this paper, we present a perception-based algorithm that suppresses inaudible contents from the audio before sending it to the amplifier and loudspeaker. The power reduction algorithm attenuates the signal energy in the digital domain. Subjective test results show that the energy reduction is largely unnoticeable in small loudspeakers.