text:
US7279964B2 - Drive circuit, device, and method for suppressing noise, and use - Google Patents
Drive circuit, device, and method for suppressing noise, and use Download PDF
clock signal
Stephan Bolz
Günter Lugert
Simon Makar
Continental Automotive GmbH
Continental Automotive Systems Inc
Continental Automotive Systems US Inc
2003-07-30 Application filed by Siemens AG, Continental Automotive Systems US Inc filed Critical Siemens AG
2004-05-03 Assigned to SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION reassignment SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MAKAR, SIMON
2004-05-10 Assigned to SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT reassignment SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BOLZ, STEPHAN, LUGERT, GUNTER
2011-11-19 Assigned to CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH reassignment CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
2015-02-12 Assigned to CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC. reassignment CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION
2015-02-25 Assigned to CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC. reassignment CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC. MERGER (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.
G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
G10K—SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
G10K11/00—Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound in general; Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
G10K11/16—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general
G10K11/175—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound
G10K11/178—Methods or devices for protecting against, or for damping, noise or other acoustic waves in general using interference effects; Masking sound by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase
H03—BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
H03F—AMPLIFIERS
H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
H03F1/26—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of noise generated by amplifying elements
H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
H03F3/20—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers
H03F3/21—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
H03F3/217—Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers
H03F3/2173—Class D power amplifiers; Switching amplifiers of the bridge type
H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
H03K7/00—Modulating pulses with a continuously-variable modulating signal
H03K7/08—Duration or width modulation Duty cycle modulation
H03F2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers
H03F2200/351—Pulse width modulation being used in an amplifying circuit
H03F2200/372—Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
A low-frequency PWM-modulated signal and a high-frequency, unmodulated signal for generating a high-frequency PWM-modulated signal is employed directly for driving an output stage of a device for noise suppression. The low-frequency signal and the high-frequency signal is advantageously provided by a microcontroller which already has an AD converter on the input side. The microcontroller furthermore already makes a PWM output signal with a high bit width available which has the high resolution necessary for driving the loudspeaker.
TECHNICAL FIELD TO THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a drive circuit, particularly in a device for suppressing the noises of a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a device and method for suppressing noise and to a use.
With modern motor vehicles there is a need to reduce the undesirably produced noises in the motor vehicle as much as possible. Alongside the engine frame, the intake section constitutes a main source of these vehicle noises over a wide range of speeds. The noise in the intake section can be damped by means of several passive Helmholtz resonators integrated in the intake section. Although these resonators designed as plastic molded parts are relatively inexpensive and easy to produce, they take up a large amount of space especially when low-frequency noises have to be damped. As, moreover, today's motor vehicles are exceptionally compact in design, particularly in the engine area, the use especially in the confined engine compartment of such space-consuming resonators causes substantial design problems. A further problem arises from the fact that the engine's sound characteristics are not easily influenced by these passive damping means.
For these reasons there are various methods and devices for influencing noise emissions by electronic means. Such devices for electronic noise suppression are also referred to as Active Noise Canceling (ANC) devices.
In ANC systems the noise being damped is registered by means of a microphone then appropriately filtered and inverted. Inversion is typically effected by means of a 180° phase rotation of the registered noise signal. The noise signal having been thus filtered, amplified, and inverted is fed out by means of a loudspeaker and superimposed on the signal being damped, as a result of which the two noise signals are canceled out owing to interferences.
A device of this type is described in, for example, European patent EP 878 001 B1.
With the aid of a schematic block diagram, FIG. 1 shows the basic principle of an ANC system as employed, for instance, in a motor vehicle. Alongside a microphone 102 for registering a noise signal being damped, an ANC system has an amplifier 110 connected downstream in the circuit for appropriately amplifying this noise signal. Connected at the output side downstream of the amplifier 110 is an electronic regulator 140, an output stage 119 for driving a loudspeaker, and a loudspeaker 105. The regulator 140 contains a digital signal processor (DSP) and a codec circuit. The codec circuit essentially contains an input-side analog/digital converter for digitizing the analog noise signal and a digital/analog converter for converting the appropriately conditioned noise signals back into an analog output signal. The DSP processor performs, among other things, the function of digitally filtering and calculating an output signal.
With the aid of a schematic block diagram, FIG. 2 shows a more detailed representation of an ANC system with a digital signal processor and an output stage of class D design.
The inverted noise signals fed out by the loudspeaker 105 for the purpose of noise suppression are appropriately amplified by the upstream output stage 119. The performance of the loudspeaker 105, and hence the quality of noise suppression, essentially depends on the output stage. The loudspeakers require a maximum loudspeaker power Pmax of approximately 30 watt. Although class AB or B linear amplifiers will, if used as output stages, provide the required performance, their efficiency η is only around 60%. The power dissipation PV generated by the output stage will then be as follows:
P V =P max*(1−η)=30W*(1−0.6)=12 watt.
In the case of maximum loudspeaker power Pmax of 30 watt and 60% efficiency, the output stage 119 thus generates around 12 watt power dissipation PV, which is mainly manifested through heating of the relevant sections of the circuit. This, however, means that additional, expensive cooling measures are required for the output stage. Furthermore, this extensive heating is a factor which in itself renders such output stages unsuitable for miniaturization.
Class D output stages 119 are therefore typically employed for driving loudspeakers. These offer optimum efficiency and very low power dissipation, so are particularly suitable for miniaturization. A class D output stage 119 of this type has a PWM modulator 136 (PWM=Pulse Width Modulator), a downstream output stage driver 121, and a downstream bridge circuit 120 with power MOSFETs. The analog input signal is first converted by means of the PWM modulator into a digital signal with a fixed frequency and a pulse duty factor proportional to the voltage. This converted digital signal is used to drive the power transistors, with these being operated exclusively in switched mode. This prevents the occurrence of the losses with a principle cause that ensue in the case of linear output stages when the supply voltage is divided between the transistor and loudspeaker.
Class D output stages are today typically produced as fully integrated circuits. However, a problem associated with the use of class D output stages is that they are relatively expensive to produce owing to the degree of accuracy required for the PWM modulator. This is compounded by the fact that signal processing in the codec circuit 109 requires a digital signal processor 108 specially provided for this which, moreover, is hardly ever employed for any other functions. However, the use of a digital signal processor 108 solely for the purpose of noise suppression makes the entire system more expensive.
Finally, in order to meet the accuracy requirements for driving the PWM modulator it is necessary to employ an automobile-compatible 12-bit digital/analog converter at the output of the codec circuit 109. To allow fast and hence dynamic conversion, a parallel converter is typically employed here which, however, is relatively expensive.
The functions of a DSP and of a AD converter could, for example, also be performed by a microcontroller as this already has an analog/digital converter on the input side and, in the case of, for instance, a 32-bit microcontroller, offers excellent real-time performance. Furthermore, the functionality of a digital signal processor could be advantageously combined here with other functional properties, for example an engine control or a control device, which would have considerable cost advantages and permit the entire electronic circuit to be significantly miniaturized.
Microprocessors are not, however, used at present for driving a loudspeaker for noise suppression proposes. The reason for this is the necessary resolution of the drive signal of the loudspeaker of 12 bits and a necessary clock frequency of the microcontrollers—currently available for automotive applications—of approximately 40 MHz. The PWM clock frequency fPWM derived from this is as follows:
f PWM=40 MHz/212=9.76 kHz.
Although class D output stages can be operated with a PWM clock frequency of approximately 10 kHz, the filter elements at the output of the output stage would then be exceptionally large. Moreover, a higher-order output filter would then be necessary because the PWM frequency is in the audible range, which would in turn necessitate a lowering to below the threshold of perception.
However, PWM frequencies of approximately 200 kHz are required for ANC systems for noise suppression purposes because a highly advantageous compromise can be achieved here between the costs relating to the size of the filter elements on the one hand and the losses due to switching reasons of the power transistors of the class D output stage on the other hand.
Proceeding from this, the object of the present invention is to facilitate simpler, in particular more economical noise suppression in conjunction with a high degree of efficiency.
This object can be achieved by a drive circuit for driving an output stage of a device for noise suppression, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising a first input for coupling in an unmodulated first clock signal of a first frequency, a second input for coupling in a PWM-modulated second clock signal of a second, lower frequency, a modulator circuit which from the first clock signal generates a PWM-modulated third clock signal of the first frequency which can be tapped at the PWM output of the drive circuit, and a regulating circuit which regulates the pulse width of the third clock signal until the sum of the pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of the inverted third clock signal is 100%.
The regulating circuit may have an addresser which generates a first regulating signal from the sum of the second clock signal and of the inverted third clock signal. The addresser may have a first voltage divider whose resistors have the same conductance. The regulating circuit may have a first comparator which generates the first regulating signal for driving the modulator circuit as a function of a difference between a reference potential and a summation signal generated by the addresser. For generating the reference potential a second voltage divider may be provided which is located between terminals of a supply voltage source. The regulating circuit can be designed as a PID regulator and/or as an I regulator. The modulator circuit may have a NAND gate, a downstream ramp generator, second comparator, and flip-flop. The ramp generator may have a switchable current source and an integration capacitor for generating a ramp voltage. The second comparator can be connected on the input side to the output of the ramp generator and to the output of the regulating circuit, with the second comparator comparing the ramp voltage with the first regulating signal and, as a function of this, generating a trigger signal for triggering the flip-flop. The flip-flop can be connected on the input side to the first input and to the output of the second comparator, with the flip-flop making the third clock signal and a clock signal inverted with respect to this available at the output as a function of the trigger signal and of the first clock signal. The drive circuit can be a component part of a program-controlled unit, in particular of a microcontroller or microprocessor.
The object can also be achieved by a device for electronic noise suppression, in particular for a motor vehicle comprising a microphone for registering noises, a loudspeaker for feeding out acoustic signals for noise suppression, a circuit arrangement for driving the loudspeaker according to the registered noises which has a drive circuit for provisioning a PWM-modulated clock signal, and an output stage which is connected immediately downstream of the drive circuit and which drives the loudspeaker. The drive circuit comprises a first input for coupling in an unmodulated first clock signal of a first frequency, a second input for coupling in a PWM-modulated second clock signal of a second, lower frequency, a modulator circuit which from the first clock signal generates a PWM-modulated third clock signal of the first frequency which can be tapped at the PWM output of the drive circuit, and a regulating circuit which regulates the pulse width of the third clock signal until the sum of the pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of the inverted third clock signal is 100%.
The output stage can be designed as a class D amplifier. The output stage may have a driver circuit and a bridge circuit, in particular a full bridge, which is connected downstream of the driver circuit. A program-controlled unit, in particular a microcontroller or microprocessor, can be provided which is connected immediately upstream of the drive circuit or which has the drive circuit. The output stage can be driven directly by a microcontroller.
The object can also be achieved by a method for driving an output stage of a device for noise suppression, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of generating from an unmodulated first clock signal of a first frequency and from a PWM-modulated second clock signal of a second frequency, which is lower than the first frequency, a PWM-modulated third clock signal of the first frequency whose pulse duty factor continues being increased on a regulated basis until the sum of the pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of the third clock signal is 100%, using the frequency of the first clock signal as a control variable, and using the third clock signal made available on the output side as a regulating variable for regulation. The first and/or second clock signal can be made available by a program-controlled unit. A flip-flop can be used for generating the pulse width of the PWM-modulated third clock signal.
Furthermore, a microprocessor or microcontroller can be used for directly driving an output stage, in particular a class D output stage, with a PWM-modulated clock signal in a device for electronic noise suppression.
The idea underlying the present invention consists in surmounting the gap between the relatively low PWM frequency that can be achieved with a high bit resolution using a microcontroller and the high PWM frequency required for operating a class D output stage. The present invention is based on the knowledge that, contrary to technical specialists' hitherto prevailing understanding (which was briefly outlined above), it is certainly possible to employ a microcontroller here.
A microcontroller offers the advantage that, on the one hand, it already has an AD converter at its input and, on the other hand, that it in any event delivers a PWM signal at its output. However, this PWM signal has a clock frequency that is too low. To be able to use this PWM signal for driving a downstream output stage, according to the invention a regulated PWM modulator has been provided whose unmodulated or only slightly modulated clock frequency originates, for example, from the microcontroller and whose pulse duty factor is derived from a PWM signal also originating from the microcontroller. Proceeding from this, the PWM modulator generates a PWM signal at the output side with a much higher clock frequency compared to the frequency of the PWM signal routed to the input side. This higher clock frequency is advantageously sufficient to drive a downstream class D output stage. The difference in pulse duty factors between the PWM signal of the microcontroller and the PWM signal generated by the PWM modulator serves as an error gauge for regulation purposes.
The particular advantage of the invention lies in being able to dispense with a digital signal processor. Rather a microprocessor which is typically present in any event can be used for the ANC system. A commercially available 16-bit or 32-bit microcontroller of this type is cheaper than a digital signal processor and is particularly suitable on account of its greater flexibility. Apart from noise suppression, this microcontroller can in particular additionally or alternatively perform other diagnostic and communication functions in the motor vehicle. For example, alongside its function as a component in an ANC system, the microcontroller could also be used as a bus controller of a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus system. This advantageously reduces circuit-related costs and hence also the costs of an ANC system according to the invention compared to conventional ANC systems cited at the start.
In order to ensure the high resolution necessary for noise suppression, an analog/digital converter (AD converter) with a minimum 12-bit resolution is required which, furthermore, performs it conversion operations as dynamically and as quickly as possible. A 12-bit AD converter of this type is, however, relatively expensive, especially when signal conversion has to be performed very quickly. A microcontroller advantageously already has an AD converter of this type, which renders the additional provisioning of an AD converter unnecessary.
Furthermore, duplicated conversion of the loudspeaker drive signals is not necessary, either, which is also a cost advantage.
The drive circuit according to the invention allows the elements of the output filter, in particular its inductors and capacitors in the case of a low-pass filter, to be dimensioned to a very small scale, as a result of which the entire output filter offers cost advantages owing to the possibility of miniaturization.
A further advantage of the drive circuit according to the invention is that it allows the loudspeaker's output stage to be driven directly. In particular, this will then obviate the need for a digital/analog converter to drive the output stage, which is also a cost advantage.
Another aspect of the circuit according to the invention which should not be left out of account is that its elements are very easy to implement using standard components. As the drive circuit according to the invention allows a class D output stage to be used which in terms of power dissipation offers an optimized switching topography, the entire drive circuit, the output stage, and hence the entire ANC system can be of optimized integrated design.
The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the schematic figures of the drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a known ANC system with the aid of a block diagram;
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a detailed representation of a known ANC system;
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an ANC system according to the invention which has a drive circuit for a loudspeaker, a microcontroller, and a direct PWM drive;
FIG. 4 shows a general representation of a circuit arrangement of a microcontroller according to the invention with a direct PWM drive;
FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of a PWM regulating circuit according to the invention;
FIG. 6 shows the control characteristic of the PWM modulator;
FIG. 7 shows a second, simplified embodiment of a PWM regulating circuit.
Unless indicated otherwise, identical or functionally similar elements, signals, and functions have been given the same designation in all the figures of the drawing.
In a block diagram, FIG. 3 shows a representation of an ANC system according to the invention with a drive circuit according to the invention.
The ANC system according to the invention is identified in FIG. 3 by reference numeral 1. The ANC system 1 is suitable for suppressing noises generated by, for example, an internal combustion engine, its intake section or the exhaust of a motor vehicle. The ANC system 1 has a microphone 2 via which the noises 3 being damped or suppressed are registered. Connected downstream of the microphone 2 is a drive circuit 4 to which a signal derived from the noise 3 is routed and which on the output side generates drive signals 6 for driving a loudspeaker 5. As a function of drive signals 6, the loudspeaker 5 generates acoustic signals 7 which, on being superimposed on the noises being suppressed, largely eliminate these noises or at least damp them.
The drive circuit 4 has a pre-amplifier 10 to which the analog output signal 11 is routed and which appropriately amplifies this analog signal 11. The analog signal 12 amplified in this way is routed to a downstream microcontroller 13. On the input side the microcontroller 13 has an analog/digital converter 14 (AD converter) which converts the analog signal 12 into a digital signal. Also provided is a memory 15, for example a RAM or SRAM, which is connected to the microcontroller 13 via a bi-directionally operable data/address bus 16. The microcontroller has a PWM output 17 at which a PWM-modulated output signal 18 can be tapped. The PWM signal 18 is derived from the analog signal 12. This PWM signal 18 is routed to an output stage circuit 19 downstream of microcontroller 13.
In the present embodiment the output stage circuit 19 is a class D output stage. The output stage circuit 19 contains a bridge circuit 20, designed here as a full bridge. The full bridge 20 consists in the present example of four power transistors, n-channel MOSFETs, for example, whose control terminals are driven via a driver circuit 21. In the present embodiment the bridge circuit 20 is located between a first terminal 22 with a first supply potential, for example a positive battery potential VCC, and a second supply terminal 23 with a second supply potential, for example the potential of the ground reference GND. A load resistor 24 is located between the bridge circuit 20 and second supply terminal 23 so that the power transistors of the bridge circuit 20 are designed as high-side switches.
Typically, but not necessarily, a low-pass filter 25 is connected downstream of the class D output stage circuit 19 in order to reduce the EMC radiation generated by the switching edges in the analog output signal 6. For this purpose, in a known manner the low-pass filter has inductors and capacitors (LC elements) between the power transistors of the output stage 19 and the loudspeaker 5.
The generation of a PWM signal 18 for driving an output stage circuit 19 using a microcontroller is described in greater detail below with the aid of FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 shows a microcontroller 13, for example a 32-bit microcontroller. The microcontroller 13 is connected to a device 30 for provisioning a system clock, for example with a frequency of 40 MHz. The microcontroller 13 has a first output 31 for provisioning a PWM signal 32 whose pulse duty factor is generated with high resolution, for example 12 bits, by means of regulating software in the microcontroller 13. The currently present pulse duty factor corresponds here to a required voltage value for driving the loudspeaker 5. In the embodiment in FIG. 4 the frequency of the PWM signal 32 is 10 kHz, for example.
The microcontroller 13 also has a second output 33 at which an unmodulated (or also a weakly modulated) signal 34 with a frequency of, for example, 200 kHz can be tapped. The pulse duty factor of this unmodulated signal 34 is generally of no relevance. However, a signal 34 with clock pauses that are as short as possible is advantageously used to make it easier to control a PWM modulator.
According to the invention, a PWM regulating circuit 35 is connected downstream of the outputs 31, 33 of the microcontroller 13. The PWM regulating circuit 35 has a PWM modulator 36 whose input is connected to the second output 33 of the microcontroller 13. The PWM modulator 36 has two outputs 37, 38. The PWM signal 18 (Q signal) can be tapped at the first output 37, which is connected to the PWM output 17. The PWM signal 18 has a frequency of 200 kHz.
At second output 38 it is possible to tap the output signal Q′, inverted with respect to the signal Q, which thus also has the frequency of 200 kHz. This inverted PWM signal Q′ is routed to an adding device 39 to which the 10-kHz PWM signal 32 of the first output 31 of the microcontroller 13 is routed in addition. These two signals Q′, 32 are added together and routed to an inverting input of a downstream regulator 40. In the present embodiment the regulator 40 is designed as a PID regulator. The second input of the regulator 40 is connected to the second supply terminal 23 via a reference voltage source 41. The regulator 40 generates a control signal 42 at the output side for driving the PWM modulator 36.
The inverting output 38 of the PWM modulator 36, the adding device 39, and the regulator 40 form a feedback branch of the PWM regulating circuit 35, with the inverted PWM signal Q′ being employed as a regulating variable and the PWM signal 32 forming a control variable.
The signal 34 which can be tapped at the second output 33 of the microcontroller 13 clocks the downstream PWM modulator 36, which in turn generates two 200 kHz PWM signals Q, Q′ which are mutually inverted. The pulse width of these two PWM signals Q, Q′ is controlled by the regulator 40. The regulator 40 continues changing the pulse width of the output signals Q, Q′ generated by the PWM modulator 36 until the sum of the pulse duty factor of the 10-kHz PWM signal 32 and the pulse duty factor of the inverted 200-kHz PWM signal Q′ is 100%. The PWM signal Q and the PWM signal 32 then have exactly the same pulse duty factor. The upper cut-off frequency of the regulator 40 is chosen such that, on the one hand, the frequency of 10 kHz of the PWM signal 32 cannot occur as a modulation in the PWM signal Q and, on the other hand, such that the modulation frequency, for example 600 Hz, is reproduced exactly.
For clarity's sake the PWM regulating circuit 35 has been shown in FIG. 4 as an autonomous unit separate from the microcontroller 13. Alternatively, the PWM regulating circuit 35 can, however, also be a component part of the microcontroller 13, which means it would then be possible to tap the PWM signal Q at the output of the microcontroller 13.
With the aid of a schematic circuit diagram, FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the implementation of a PWM regulating circuit 35 in circuitry form. The PWM modulator 36 of the PWM regulating circuit 35 contains a ramp generator 50, a comparator 51, a flip-flop 52, and a NAND gate 53. The ramp generator 51 contains a switchable current balancing circuit with the resistor R6 and the transistors T1, T2, an integration capacitor C3, and a resetting transistor T3. The ramp generator 51 is located between the supply terminals 22, 23.
The NAND gate 53 is connected by means of its first input to the second output 33 of the microcontroller 13. The second input of the NAND gate 53 is connected to the inverting output 38 of the PWM modulator 36. On the input side the PWM signals 34 and Q′ are thus routed to the NAND gate 53. The NAND gate is coupled on the output side to an input of the ramp generator 50. The output of the ramp generator 50 is connected to an input of the comparator 51. The inverted input of the comparator 51 is connected to the output of the regulator 40. The output of the comparator 51 is connected to a clock input CLK of the flip-flop 52. This flip-flop 52 is connected by means of its first input CLR to the output 33 of the microcontroller 13. A second input PRE of the flip-flop 52 is connected to the first supply terminal 22. At the output side the flip-flop 52 generates the PWM signal Q and the PWM signal Q′ inverted with respect to it.
The output of the NAND gate 53 controls the ramp generator 50 with a drive signal. If its value is low, it means the resetting transistor T3 has been deactivated. In addition, the base point of the resistor R6 is then close to the potential of the ground reference GND, which results in a flow of current through resistor R6 and through the transistor T1, switched as a diode, of the current balancing circuit R6, T1, T2. Because the control terminals of the current balancing transistors T2, T1 are short-circuited, the result is a current balancing circuit where—if the transistor areas are equal—approximately the same current flows through the current balancing transistors T1, T2. The current flowing through the transistor T2 then charges the integration capacitor C3 linearly with increasing time so that a voltage ramp is generated. It is important to note that at the end of each 200-kHz clock the voltage at the capacitor C3 is definitely below the saturation voltage of the current balancing circuit R6, T1, T2 or below the maximum input voltage of the comparator 51.
The comparator 51 then compares the ramp voltage generated in this way and the regulating signal 42 made available on the output side by regulator 40 serving as a reference value. The ramp voltage at the capacitor C3 then continues rising until it reaches the value of the output voltage 42 generated by the regulator 40, whereupon the output of the comparator 51 jumps from a logically low value (LOW) value to a logically high value (HIGH). This triggers the flip-flop 52. The signal Q′ at the inverting output 38 of the flip-flop 52 jumps in a corresponding manner from HIGH to LOW, thereby switching the input of the NAND gate 53 connected to this output 38 to HIGH. Because the current through the current balancing transistor T2 has now become zero, on the one hand the current balancing circuit T1, T2, R6 is deactivated and, on the other hand, the resetting transistor T3 is activated, whereupon the integration capacitor C3 discharges very quickly. The ramp generator 50 has thereby been reset to 0 volt.
If—possibly owing to overdriving of the regulator 40—the voltage of the ramp generator 50 does not reach the second reference value 42 generated by the regulator 40, the ramp generator 50 will be reset by the 200-kHz signal 34 at the end of each clock.
The unmodulated 200-kHz signal 34 preferably has a relatively long HIGH phase of, for example, about 50 μs and an as short as possible LOW phase of, for example, 12.5 ns with a clock frequency of the microcontroller 13 of 40 MHz. Although the consequence of this is that a very small percentage of approximately 0.4% of the possible PWM range will be lost, it will have no, or virtually no impact on the attainable resolution; it will only limit the maximum attainable peak value of the drive signal 6 for driving the loudspeaker 5.
The addresser 39 contains a voltage divider consisting of the resistors R1, R2. These resistors R1, R2 are advantageously identically dimensioned and so have the same impedance. The PWM signal 32 of the microcontroller 13 and the inverted output signal Q′ (200-kHz signal) generated by the flip-flop 52 are added in this way. The addition of these two signals 32, Q′ produces a regulating signal 55 which is routed to the regulator 40 via the pre-resistor R3.
In conjunction with the resistors R1, R2, a capacitor C1 connected to the center tap 54 of the voltage divider R1, R2 forms a low pass which filters the mean dc voltage value of the two PWM signals 32, Q′. Because the two PWM signals 32, Q′ should have an opposing pulse duty factor, at a supply voltage of, for example, 5 V the result is a mean dc voltage value of 2.5 V. This potential (2.5 V) is being applied to the center tap 54 and hence also to the capacitor C1.
In another embodiment, the low-pass filter consisting of the elements R1, R2, C1, and hence the low-pass effect of the adding circuit 39, could be further improved by designing this low-pass filter R1, R2, C1 together with the regulator 40 as a higher-order filter.
In the embodiment in FIG. 5 the regulator 40 is designed as an integrator (I regulator). It is, of course, also possible to use other types of regulators here, such as a PID regulator or PI regulator and the like, with an accompanying requirement to adapt the circuit 35 from FIG. 5 to this.
The regulator 40 has an amplifier 56 into whose inverting input the signal 55 is coupled. A reference potential Vref is coupled into the non-inverting input of the amplifier 56. A voltage divider consisting of the resistors R4, R5 located between the supply terminals 22, 23 is provided to form this reference potential Vref. In the event that the voltage divider resistors R4, R5 in each case have the same resistance value, there will then be a reference potential Vref from half the supply voltage VCC/2. The amplifier 56 of the regulator 40 compares the signal 55 acquired in the addresser 39 with the reference potential Vref and, from a possibly present differential voltage between the input signal 55 and the reference potential Vref, acquires a regulating variable which ultimately determines the regulating voltage 42 at the output of the regulator 40. This output voltage 42 serves as a second reference value for controlling the downstream PWM modulator 36.
As the entire circuit arrangement and hence also the regulator 40 are fed overall from the supply potentials VCC, GND—meaning that all the signal levels are either VCC or 0 V—the impact on the PWM-modulated signal Q, Q′ of voltage fluctuations in the supply voltage is virtually totally eliminated by the voltage divider R4, R5 for generating the reference voltage.
With the aid of signal-time diagrams, FIG. 6 shows the control characteristics of the comparator 51 and of the ramp generator 50. As an illustration, the signal 42 as a second reference value is here slowly changed from 0 V to around 4 V (see FIG. 6( a)). The pulse duty factor of the non-inverting output signal Q of the flip-flop 52, which means the 200-kHz PWM signal Q, at the same time changes continuously from a modulation of approximately 0% to close to 100% (see FIG. 6( b)).
The flip-flop 52 is initially reset from the short LOW level of the unmodulated signal 34 (200-kHz signal). The ramp generator 50 is simultaneously reset by this signal 34 via the NAND gate 53, then enabled. If the comparator 51 switches when the ramp voltage reaches the second reference value of the signal 42, the flip-flop 52 will be triggered by the output signal of the comparator 51. A synchronous pulse-width modulated signal Q (200-kHz signal) whose pulse width is controlled by the ramp generator 50 therefore appears at the non-inverting output 37 of the flip-flop 52.
With the aid of a circuit diagram, FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment for implementing the PWM regulating circuit 35. In contrast to the embodiment in FIG. 5, the PWM modulator 36, and here in particular the ramp generator 50 for driving the comparator 51, has been implemented more simply in circuitry terms. In contrast to the embodiment in FIG. 5, the current balancing circuit R6, T1, T2 has been replaced by a simple resistor R7 which is connected to the non-inverting output 37 of the flip-flop 52. As a result, the capacitor C1 of the addresser 39 is charged already during the integration phase (Q=HIGH level), whereas the resistor R7 is set to a no-current state (Q=LOW level) when the ramp generator 50 is reset. The ramp voltage generated by the ramp generator 50 now has the form of an exponential charging curve, which is compensated by the regulator 40.
Although the present invention was described above with the aid of preferred embodiments, it is not restricted to these and can be modified in multifarious ways.
The invention is not, for instance, necessarily restricted to ANC systems for the purpose of noise suppression in a motor vehicle but can of course be applied advantageously to any other applications.
Nor is the use of a microcontroller which makes a PWM signal available at one of its outputs a necessary requirement for the drive circuit. Rather this PWM signal can also be provided by a suitable other circuit, such as a modulator circuit.
Nor is the invention restricted to microcontrollers. Rather the function of a microcontroller to which the PWM regulating circuit according to the invention is connected upstream can also be implemented by any other program-controlled unit, for example a microprocessor or signal processor and the like.
In particular the invention is of course not restricted to the numbers given above but can be modified in any way within the scope of specialist technical knowledge.
The specific circuit variants that are given solely represent possible embodiments that can be very simply modified by replacing simple components without departing from the fundamental function of the PWM regulating circuit or the object of the present invention.
It should finally be noted that although the adding device, regulator, PWM modulator, pre-amplifier, and output filter are designed in the present embodiment as hardware components, these elements or parts thereof can of course also be implemented by means of software functions.
1. Drive circuit for driving an output stage of a device for noise suppression, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising:
a first input for coupling in an unmodulated first clock signal of a first frequency,
a second input for coupling in a PWM-modulated second clock signal of a second, lower frequency,
a modulator circuit which from the first clock signal generates a PWM-modulated third clock signal of the first frequency which can be tapped at a PWM output of the drive circuit, and
a regulating circuit which regulates the pulse width of the third clock signal until a sum of a pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of an inverted third clock signal is 100%.
2. Drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein the regulating circuit has an addresser, wherein the regulating circuit generates a first regulating signal from the sum of the second clock signal and of the inverted third clock signal.
3. Drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the addresser has a first voltage divider whose resistors have the same conductance.
4. Drive circuit according to claim 2, wherein the regulating circuit has a first comparator which generates the first regulating signal for driving the modulator circuit as a function of a difference between a reference potential and a summation signal generated by the addresser.
5. Drive circuit according to claim 4, wherein the addresser has a first voltage divider whose resistors have the same conductance and wherein the reference potential includes a second voltage divider coupled between a voltage supply and ground.
6. Drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein the regulating circuit is designed as a PID regulator and/or as an I regulator.
7. Drive circuit according to claim 4, wherein the modulator circuit has a NAND gate, a downstream ramp generator, second comparator, and flip-flop.
8. Drive circuit according to claim 7, wherein the ramp generator has a switchable current source and an integration capacitor for generating a ramp voltage.
9. Drive circuit according to claim 7, wherein the second comparator is connected on the input sides to the output of the ramp generator and to the output of the regulating circuit, wherein the second comparator comparing a ramp voltage with the first regulating signal, for generating a trigger signal for triggering the flip-flop.
10. Drive circuit according to claim 7, wherein the flip-flop is connected on the input sides to the first input and to the output of the second comparator, wherein the flip-flop produces the third clock signal and an inverted clock signal with respect to the third clock signal as a function of a trigger signal and of the first clock signal.
11. Drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein the drive circuit is a peripheral device within a program-controlled unit, in particular within a microcontroller or microprocessor.
12. Devices for electronic noise suppression, in particular for a motor vehicle comprising:
a microphone for registering noises,
a loudspeaker for feeding out acoustic signals for noise suppression,
a circuit arrangement for driving the loudspeaker according to the registered noises which has a drive circuit for provisioning a PWM-modulated clock signal, comprising:
a regulating circuit which regulates the pulse width of the third clock signal until a sum of a pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of an inverted third clock signal is 100%,
an output stage which is connected immediately downstream of the drive circuit and which drives the loudspeaker.
13. Device according to claim 12, wherein the output stage is designed as a class D amplifier.
14. Device according to claim 12, wherein the output stage has a driver circuit and a bridge circuit, in particular a full bridge, which is connected downstream of the driver circuit.
15. Device according to claim 14, wherein a program-controlled unit, in particular a microcontroller or microprocessor, is provided which is connected immediately upstream of the driver circuit or which includes the driver circuit.
16. Device according to claim 12, wherein the output stage is driven directly by a microcontroller.
17. Method for driving an output stage of a device for noise suppression, in particular in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:
generating from an unmodulated first clock signal of a first frequency and from a PWM-modulated second clock signal of a second frequency, which is lower than the first frequency, a PWM-modulated third clock signal of the first frequency whose pulse duty factor continues being increased on a regulated basis until a sum of pulse duty factors of the second clock signal and of an inverted third clock signal is 100%,
using the frequency of the first clock signal as a control variable, and
using the third clock signal as a regulating variable for regulation.
18. Method according to claim 17, wherein the first and/or second clock signal are/is made available by a program-controlled unit.
19. Method according to claim 17, wherein a flip-flop is used for generating the pulse width of the PWM-modulated third clock signal.
20. A method according to claim 17, comprising the step of using a microprocessor or microcontroller for directly driving an output stage, in particular a class D output stage, with a PWM-modulated clock signal in the device for electronic noise suppression.
US10/630,108 2003-07-30 2003-07-30 Drive circuit, device, and method for suppressing noise, and use Active 2025-07-29 US7279964B2 (en)
US10/630,108 US7279964B2 (en) 2003-07-30 2003-07-30 Drive circuit, device, and method for suppressing noise, and use
DE200410033129 DE102004033129B4 (en) 2003-07-30 2004-07-08 Drive circuit, device and method for noise suppression
GB0415818A GB2404521B (en) 2003-07-30 2004-07-15 Drive circuit device and method for suppressing noise and use
US10/630,108 Active 2025-07-29 US7279964B2 (en) 2003-07-30 2003-07-30 Drive circuit, device, and method for suppressing noise, and use
DE (1) DE102004033129B4 (en)
GB (1) GB2404521B (en)
US20080129381A1 (en) * 2004-11-02 2008-06-05 Pioneer Corporation Digital Amplifying Apparatus
US20080260018A1 (en) * 2007-03-15 2008-10-23 Gerhard Pfaffinger Suppression of high-frequency perturbations in pulse-width modulation
US20090180636A1 (en) * 2008-01-15 2009-07-16 Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd. Communication machine room wideband noise suppression system
US8008969B1 (en) * 2010-03-30 2011-08-30 Texas Instruments Incorporated Single supply class-D amplifier
US9762255B1 (en) 2016-09-19 2017-09-12 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Reconfiguring paths in a multiple path analog-to-digital converter
US9774342B1 (en) 2014-03-05 2017-09-26 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Multi-path analog front end and analog-to-digital converter for a signal processing system
US9780800B1 (en) 2016-09-19 2017-10-03 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Matching paths in a multiple path analog-to-digital converter
US9807504B2 (en) 2015-12-29 2017-10-31 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Multi-path analog front end and analog-to-digital converter for a signal processing system with low-pass filter between paths
US9813814B1 (en) 2016-08-23 2017-11-07 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Enhancing dynamic range based on spectral content of signal
US9831843B1 (en) 2013-09-05 2017-11-28 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Opportunistic playback state changes for audio devices
US9880802B2 (en) 2016-01-21 2018-01-30 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for reducing audio artifacts from switching between paths of a multi-path signal processing system
US9917557B1 (en) 2017-04-17 2018-03-13 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Calibration for amplifier with configurable final output stage
US9929703B1 (en) * 2016-09-27 2018-03-27 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Amplifier with configurable final output stage
US9955254B2 (en) 2015-11-25 2018-04-24 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for preventing distortion due to supply-based modulation index changes in an audio playback system
US9959856B2 (en) 2015-06-15 2018-05-01 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for reducing artifacts and improving performance of a multi-path analog-to-digital converter
US9967665B2 (en) 2016-10-05 2018-05-08 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Adaptation of dynamic range enhancement based on noise floor of signal
US9998823B2 (en) 2014-09-11 2018-06-12 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Systems and methods for reduction of audio artifacts in an audio system with dynamic range enhancement
US9998826B2 (en) 2016-06-28 2018-06-12 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Optimization of performance and power in audio system
US10008992B1 (en) 2017-04-14 2018-06-26 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Switching in amplifier with configurable final output stage
US10263630B2 (en) 2016-08-11 2019-04-16 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Multi-path analog front end with adaptive path
US10284217B1 (en) 2014-03-05 2019-05-07 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Multi-path analog front end and analog-to-digital converter for a signal processing system
US10321230B2 (en) 2017-04-07 2019-06-11 Cirrus Logic, Inc. Switching in an audio system with multiple playback paths
US7388789B2 (en) 2005-08-31 2008-06-17 Micron Technology NAND memory device and programming methods
US8193746B2 (en) * 2008-05-23 2012-06-05 Lear Corporation Automotive electric motor speed control system
TWI401659B (en) 2008-08-22 2013-07-11 Novatek Microelectronics Corp Driving device for liquid crystal display
DE102017103636A1 (en) * 2016-04-06 2017-10-12 Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG System and method for active sound influencing
DE102017103657A1 (en) 2016-04-06 2017-10-12 Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG System and method for active sound influencing
WO2017174166A1 (en) * 2016-04-06 2017-10-12 Eberspächer Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG System and method for influencing sound in an active manner
US5617058A (en) * 1995-11-13 1997-04-01 Apogee Technology, Inc. Digital signal processing for linearization of small input signals to a tri-state power switch
US5903819A (en) 1996-03-13 1999-05-11 Ericsson Inc. Noise suppressor circuit and associated method for suppressing periodic interference component portions of a communication signal
EP0878001B1 (en) 1995-11-30 2001-10-10 Siemens Canada Limited System and method for reducing engine noise
US6356151B1 (en) * 1997-07-23 2002-03-12 Linfinity Microelectronics Multiple channel class D audio amplifier
EP1293647A2 (en) 1996-11-04 2003-03-19 Tenneco Automotive Inc. Active noise conditioning system
2004-07-08 DE DE200410033129 patent/DE102004033129B4/en active Active
2004-07-15 GB GB0415818A patent/GB2404521B/en active Active
US7508263B2 (en) * 2004-11-02 2009-03-24 Pioneer Corporation Digital amplifying apparatus with noise reduction
US8350635B2 (en) * 2007-03-15 2013-01-08 Harman Becker Automotive Systems Gmbh Suppression of high-frequency perturbations in pulse-width modulation
US8085945B2 (en) * 2008-01-15 2011-12-27 Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd. Communication machine room wideband noise suppression system
US20180091102A1 (en) * 2016-09-27 2018-03-29 Cirrus Logic International Semiconductor Ltd. Amplifier with configurable final output stage
GB0415818D0 (en) 2004-08-18
GB2404521B (en) 2006-08-09
DE102004033129A1 (en) 2005-03-03
GB2404521A (en) 2005-02-02
DE102004033129B4 (en) 2010-02-11
US7425864B2 (en) 2008-09-16 Recovery from clipping events in a class D amplifier
JP3953443B2 (en) 2007-08-08 Buck dc-dc converter and a portable apparatus using the same
US5389829A (en) 1995-02-14 Output limiter for class-D BICMOS hearing aid output amplifier
US7312654B2 (en) 2007-12-25 Quiet power up and power down of a digital audio amplifier
CN100571021C (en) 2009-12-16 Filterless class D power amplifier
CN1237711C (en) 2006-01-18 Class D audio amplifier
JP3941443B2 (en) 2007-07-04 Self-propelled pwm amplifier
US20050083115A1 (en) 2005-04-21 Soft transitions between muted and unmuted states in class D audio amplifiers
US7737776B1 (en) 2010-06-15 Power efficient amplifier
US20100181983A1 (en) 2010-07-22 Constant on-time converter and the method of operation
CN1768472B (en) 2011-06-08 Digital amplifier
US20090015327A1 (en) 2009-01-15 Switching audio power amplifier with de-noise function
US6891342B2 (en) 2005-05-10 Drive apparatus for PWM control of two inductive loads with reduced generation of electrical noise
US7068103B2 (en) 2006-06-27 Operational transconductance amplifier input driver for class D audio amplifiers
EP1770855B1 (en) 2011-08-17 Class D amplifier
JP4710298B2 (en) 2011-06-29 Class D amplifier
JP2734265B2 (en) 1998-03-30 Electret condenser microphone for amplification circuit
US7417473B2 (en) 2008-08-26 Signal generator including current control element and signal forming element for achieving low noise level and low switching loss
US7400191B2 (en) 2008-07-15 Switching power amplifier
US20060028192A1 (en) 2006-02-09 Current detection circuit and switching power supply using the same
JP4017513B2 (en) 2007-12-05 Power amplifier clipping circuit
GB2429351A (en) 2007-02-21 Feedback controller for PWM amplifier
US8093951B1 (en) 2012-01-10 Pulse-width modulated (PWM) audio power amplifier having output signal magnitude controlled pulse voltage and switching frequency
US5815581A (en) 1998-09-29 Class D hearing aid amplifier with feedback
FR2532806A1 (en) 1984-03-09 Device for converting an electrical signal to an acoustic signal
Owner name: SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION, MICHIGAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MAKAR, SIMON;REEL/FRAME:015297/0703
Owner name: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, GERMANY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:BOLZ, STEPHAN;LUGERT, GUNTER;REEL/FRAME:015299/0021
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH, GERMANY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT;REEL/FRAME:027263/0068
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:SIEMENS VDO AUTOMOTIVE CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:034979/0865
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNOR:CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS US, INC.;REEL/FRAME:035091/0577
Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY


text:
Amburgey v. Sauder
Plaintiff was bitten by a horse as she walked through a stable.
The court determined that Plaintiff was a "participant" for the purposes of the Equine Activity Liability Act (EALA), and thus the Defendant stables owner was insulated from liability arising out of the unanticipated, abnormal behavior of the horse.
Bloomfield Estates Improvement Ass'n, Inc. v. City of Birmingham
In this Michigan case, a property association brought an action against the city of Birmingham to enforce a deed restriction. The association alleged that the city's plan to build a dog park violated the residential use restriction in the deed. The Circuit Court of Oakland County granted the city's motion for summary disposition; the Court of Appeals reversed. The Supreme Court held that the city's use of the lot as a "dog park" (a fenced area where dogs could roam unleashed with their owners) did indeed violate the deed restriction limiting use of land to "strictly residential purposes only." Further, despite the association's failure to contest the previous use of the land as a vacant park, the association could contest the dog park violation because the former use was deemed a "less serious" violation.
Boulahanis v. Prevo's Family Market, Inc.
Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed that the Federal Meat Inspection Act prevents states from adding or modifying federal requirements on meat producers. Claims that purchased meat products are adulterated must be based on federal standards, not
standards. The United States Department of Agriculture elected not to address E. coli contamination, thus
may not impose liability on manufacturers for not addressing possible E. coli contamination.
Brans v. Extrom
When the plaintiff accidentally stepped on the dog, the dog bit him. On the statutory claim, the jury found that the biting was with provocation even though from an unintentional act. On the common law claim, the jury found that the incident did not result from the abnormally dangerous propensities of the dog. The court affirmed, finding the trial court correctly instructed the jury that an unintentional act could constitute provocation under the dog-bite statute.
Cole v. Ladbroke Racing Michigan, Inc.
Plaintiff, a licensed horse exercise rider sued the operator of a horse racing facility after he had been injured when he was thrown off a horse that he had been exercising, when the horse became spooked by a kite on the Defendant's premises.
The court determined that the Equine Activity Liability Act (EALA) did not offer protection of immunity to the Defendant because the exercising was found to be an activity in preparation for a horse race and the EALA does not apply to "horse race meetings."
However, the Plaintiff had previously signed a release, which covered "all risks of any injury that the undersigned may sustain while on the premises," therefore, the Defendant was released from liability of negligence.
Daniels v. City of Ann Arbor (2015)
Detailed Discussion of Michigan Anti-animal Cruelty Law
This article details Michigan's animal anti-cruelty law. Included in the discussion is an examination of the intentional infliction of pain and suffering law, the duty to provide care law, the animal anti-fighting provision, among other topics. The article also examines the relevant constitutional provisions such as notice requirements, search and seizure law, and the "plain view" exception.
Detailed Discussion of Michigan Great Ape Laws The following discussion begins with a general overview of the various Michigan state statutes and regulations affecting Great Apes. It then analyzes the applicability of those laws to the possession and use of apes for specific purposes, including their possession as pets, for scientific research, for commercial purposes, and in sanctuaries. The discussion concludes with a compilation of local ordinances which govern the possession and use of apes within geographic subdivisions of the state.
Hardrick v. City of Detroit In January of 2005, the Detroit City Council passed an ordinance granting special police powers to officers working in the Animal Control Division (ACD). The ordinance allowed ACD officers to have "the right of entry without a warrant" for the purpose of capturing or restraining any animal. Detroit residents filed a petition arguing that the ordinance was unconstitutional and the court granted a petition for a preliminary injunction on the basis that the ordinance violated the Fourth Amendment. Following the injunction a number of residents filed suit seeking damages against the City of Detroit arguing that the City improperly seized their pets and failed to provide adequate post-deprivation remedies. Lastly, the residents argued that the City operated its animal shelter in a "grossly negligent manner" after numerous dogs suffered severe illnesses after having been taken to the shelter for quarantine by the ACD. The court reviewed the testimonies of the individual residents who claimed that their pets had been improperly seized and determined that the seizures of the pets were "objectionably reasonable." In order to determine whether the seizures were "objectionably reasonable" the court stated that it "must balance the nature and quality of the intrusion on the individuals Fourth Amendment interests against the countervailing governmental interests at stake by analyzing the totality of the circumstances." Ultimately, the court found that it was reasonable for the officers to have seize the pets in each situation based on the facts presented and therefore granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Detroit. Finally, the court reviewed the residents' arguments pertaining to the Fourteenth Amendment and held that because the vast majority of the pets were found "unrestrained, unlicensed, abandoned by their owner, or accused of biting another animal or human," the City's interest in protecting the public was far greater than any "pre-seizure due process owed to the plaintiffs." As a result, the court granted summary judgment in favor of the City. With regard to the residents' claim about the state of the City's animal shelter, the court declined to assert supplemental jurisdiction and therefore dismissed the claim.
Keep Michigan Wolves Protected v. State, Dep't of Nat. Res. Plaintiff, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected (KMWP), appealed an order of the Court of Claims concluding that PA 281 does not violate Michigan's Constitution or statutes, and the granting of summary disposition in favor of defendants, the State of Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Natural Resources Commission. The issue began in 2011 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed gray wolves from the federal list of endangered species, returning management of wolf populations to Michigan. In 2012, the governor of Michigan signed PA 520 into law, which added the wolf to the definition of "game" animals. Plaintiff KMWP organized a statewide referendum petition drive to reject PA 520 at the November 4, 2014 general election, which would have rendered PA 520 ineffective unless approved by a majority of voters. In 2013, Michigan's Governor signed into law PA 21 and PA 22, which granted the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) authority to manage wolves. In addition, the laws also gave qualified members of the military free game and fish licenses. Another petition drive was initiated by plaintiff and required signatures were collected to place the issue on the November 2014 ballot. However, in December 2013, before this, Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management (CPWM) circulated a petition to initiate the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Management Act also known as PA 281. This new law would reenact PA 520 and 21, giving the NRC authority for designating game animals, offering free military hunting and fishing licenses, and appropriating $1 million to manage invasive species. In May of 2014, the CPWM certified this initiative petition and submitted directly it to the Legislature to enact or reject the law. The Legislature adopted the law, which became known as PA 281. Notably, at the November 2014 election, a majority of voters rejected PA 520 and PA 21. Regardless, PA 281, which included the voter-rejected designation of the wolf as a game species, was signed into law and the NRC designated wolves as a game species effective March 2015. Following this, plaintiff filed the underlying complaint that challenged the constitutionality of PA 281, specifically that it violated the Title–Object Clause of Michigan's Constitution, Const 1963, art 4, § 24, which states that (1) a law must not embrace more than one object, and (2) the object of the law must be expressed in its title. The Court of Claims granted defendants' summary disposition motion, holding the the general purpose of PA 281 is to "manage fish, wildlife, and their habitats" and that all of the law's provisions relate to this purpose, and concluded that the law did not violate the single-object requirement of the Title–Object Clause. The Court of Appeals found that some provisions of PA 281 did not violate the Title-Object Clause including (1) free licenses to military and (2) appropriating $1 million to respond to the threat of invasive fish species. However, the court did find that the free licenses to members of the military has no necessary connection to the scientific management of fish, wildlife, and their habitats violating the single-object rule of the Title-Object Clause. While the court noted that there is a severability option with provisions of laws that violate the Title-Object Clause, the court cannot conclude the Legislature would have passed PA 281 without the provision allowing free hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses for active members of the military. Thus, this provision cannot be severed from PA 281, and, consequently, the court found PA 281 is unconstitutional. The court noted that its decision rests solely under an analysis of the Michigan Constitution and related cases. However, the court noted that plaintiff's assertion that the initiating petition by defendant put "curb appeal" of free military licenses and invasive species control to "surreptitiously" reenact a provision that would ensure wolves would be on the game species list was an "accurate" assessment. The court even said that PA 281 "conjures up images of a Trojan Horse, within which the ability to hunt wolves was cleverly hidden." The order granting summary judgment for defendants was reversed and the matter was remanded.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Foldable Dog Crate Architecture | Theprimordials.com 54 foldable dog crate. foldable dog crate uk. foldable dog crate instructions.
Foldable Dog Crate Popular Amazon Com IRIS Collapsible Pet Travel Carrier Medium Inside 2. Foldable Dog Crate Popular Frisco Fold Carry Single Door 36 In Chewy Com Regarding 3. Foldable Dog Crate Awesome Maelson Soft Kennel Beige Petsonline For 4. Foldable Dog Crate Incredible Timeless Crates 2 Door Pet Reviews Wayfair In 5. Foldable Dog Crate Elegant Pet 30Inch Kogan Com Intended For 6. Foldable Dog Crate Awesome PETMAKER 2 Door Cage Small Target Throughout 7. Foldable Dog Crate Modern Amazon Com 2PET Soft Easy To Fold Carry Throughout 8. Foldable Dog Crate New Interesting Engineering News Trending The Intended For 9. Foldable Dog Crate Attractive The Super Plastic Folding 1800PetMeds Intended For 10. Foldable Dog Crate Modern Amazon Com EXPAWLORER Collapsible Indoor With 11. Foldable Dog Crate Elegant TrendPet TPX Soft Bench Petsonline For 12. Foldable Dog Crate Elegant Heavy Duty Collapsible Pet Petstop Australia Within 13. Foldable Dog Crate Contemporary OxGord 48 Heavy Duty Double Door With Divider Inside 14. Foldable Dog Crate Stylish Large With Divider For Sale In Newport KY OfferUp Intended 15. Foldable Dog Crate Elegant 50 Best Large Crates 2018 Pet Life Today Throughout 16. Foldable Dog Crate Brilliant PETMAKER Medium 2 Door 30 X 19 8377930 HSN Intended For 17. Foldable Dog Crate Attractive With Side Entry Door Fleece Pad Brown In 18. Foldable Dog Crate Awesome Shop GoPetClub Brown Polyester 32 Inch Folding Soft Free Intended For 19.


text:
namespace {

class variable_name_view_widget : public omni::ui::entity_base_widget {
public:
    variable_name_view_widget (QWidget * parent) :
        entity_base_widget (parent),
        _layout (this),
        _label (this),
        _variableDecl ()
    {
        _layout.addWidget (& _label);
    }

    std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> getEntity ()
    {
        return _variableDecl;
    }

    void setEntity (std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> entity)
    {
        _variableDecl = std::dynamic_pointer_cast <omni::core::model::variable_declaration_expression> (entity);
        if (!_variableDecl) {
            throw omni::core::invalid_argument_error (__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "entity", "Not of type variable_declaration_expression or null");
        }
        _label.setText (QString::fromStdString (_variableDecl->getName ()));
    }

private:
    QHBoxLayout _layout;
    QLabel _label;
    std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::variable_declaration_expression> _variableDecl;
};

class variable_name_edit_provider : public omni::ui::entity_widget_provider_base {
public:
    std::unique_ptr <omni::ui::entity_base_widget> createViewWidget (QWidget * parent, omni::core::context &, omni::ui::entity_base_widget * editWidget) override
    {
        auto result = std::unique_ptr <variable_name_view_widget> (new variable_name_view_widget (parent));
        if (editWidget != nullptr) {
            result->setEntity (editWidget->getEntity ());
        }
        return std::move (result);
    }

    std::unique_ptr <omni::ui::entity_base_widget> createEditWidget (QWidget * parent, omni::core::context &, omni::ui::entity_base_widget & viewWidget) override
    {
        auto result = std::unique_ptr <omni::ui::generic_entity_editor> (new omni::ui::generic_entity_editor (parent));
        result->setEntityToTextConverter (
            [] (std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> originatingEntity) -> std::string {
                return originatingEntity->getName ();
            });
        result->setTextToEntityConverter (
            [] (std::string text, std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> originatingEntity) -> std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> {
                auto variableDecl = std::dynamic_pointer_cast <omni::core::model::variable_declaration_expression> (originatingEntity);
                if (! variableDecl) {
                    throw omni::core::invalid_argument_error (__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "entity", "Can't convert text to entity. Not of type variable_declaration_expression or null");
                }
                variableDecl->setName (text);
                return variableDecl;
            });
        result->setEntity (viewWidget.getEntity ());
        return std::move (result);
    }

    bool keyPressEvent (QKeyEvent * ) override
    {
        return false;
    }
};
}

omni::ui::variable_declaration_expression_view::variable_declaration_expression_view (omni::core::context & context, omni::core::model::module & module, QWidget * parent) :
    entity_base_widget (parent),
    _layout (this),
    _varFixedText (this),
    _nameWidgetProvider (std::unique_ptr <variable_name_edit_provider> (new variable_name_edit_provider ())),
    _nameWidget (context, * _nameWidgetProvider, this),
    _assignmentOperator (this),
    _initializationExpression (context, module, this, omni::core::model::expression::getStaticMetaInfo ()),
    _variableDeclExpression (),
    _initExpressionExpandedConnection (_initializationExpression.onEntityExpanded.connect ([this] (std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> entity) -> void { updateInitializationExpression (entity); }))
{
    _layout.addWidget (& _varFixedText, 0, Qt::AlignLeft);
    _layout.addWidget (& _nameWidget, 0, Qt::AlignLeft);
    _layout.addWidget (& _assignmentOperator, 0, Qt::AlignLeft);
    _layout.addWidget (& _initializationExpression, 1, Qt::AlignLeft);
    _varFixedText.setText ("var ");
    _assignmentOperator.setText (" = ");
    setAutoFillBackground (true);
    auto pal = palette ();
    pal.setBrush (QPalette::Background, QBrush (QColor (128, 73, 255)));
    setPalette (pal);
}

std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> omni::ui::variable_declaration_expression_view::getEntity ()
{
    return _variableDeclExpression;
}

void omni::ui::variable_declaration_expression_view::setEntity (std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> entity)
{
    _variableDeclExpression = std::dynamic_pointer_cast <omni::core::model::variable_declaration_expression> (entity);
    if (!_variableDeclExpression) {
        throw omni::core::invalid_argument_error (__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "entity", "Not of type variable_declaration_expression or null");
    }
    _nameWidget.setEntity (entity);
}

void omni::ui::variable_declaration_expression_view::startEdit ()
{
    if (_nameWidget.currentViewMode () != omni::ui::entity_toggle_widget::Mode::m_edit) {
        _nameWidget.toggleViewMode ();
        _nameWidget.setFocus (Qt::TabFocusReason);
    }
}

void omni::ui::variable_declaration_expression_view::updateInitializationExpression (std::shared_ptr <omni::core::model::entity> initializationExpression)
{
    auto initExpr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast <omni::core::model::expression> (initializationExpression);
    if (!initExpr) {
        throw omni::core::invalid_argument_error (__FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, "initializationExpression", "Not of type expression or null");
    }
    _variableDeclExpression->setInitializationExpression (initExpr);
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I was shopping at Target the other day with one of my stampin friends and as we passed the greeting card section I asked her, "How long has it been since you've walked down the card section of a store"? She laughed and replied, "it has been YEARS!!!". I said, "ME too, I don't think I've shopped for a card in over 17 years".
Most of the cards I receive are hand made but occasionally people will send me store bought cards and I don't mind at all, I think the act of taking the time to send a card is such a thoughtful gesture, especially now a days! Most of the time however when I do receive store bought cards it is because the person sending it is not a crafter. So when my very crafty friend came to visit me bringing me a card and gift, I had to smile when I saw that her card was store bought.
As I opened up the envelope, I saw the name impressed on the back of the envelope flap. You know the name from the company that makes tv commercials that make you cry. The same company that makes the cheesiest love story movies that I am not ashamed to admit I'm addicted to, LOL. So I pull the card out of the envelope mentioning "the name" with a smile on my face and my friend starts to laugh. It was a REALLY good laugh! She knows exactly what I am thinking, I don't have to say a word!
I smiled and laughed too. It felt good to laugh especially with her.
The funny thing is, it LOOKS hand made, don't you think?.
Although my friend and I laughed about it being store bought, I was especially touched that she would take the time to not only bring me a card but with it a beautiful Brighton Power of Pink Bracelet.
You see, my friend said she wanted to do something for me because of what I went through. The thing is, she understands fully because she went through and is STILL going through the same type of situation. The challenging part is her cancer was invasive and her treatments are on going and have been really difficult for her. What I went through pales in comparison with what she is still dealing with today. It is those circumstances that have kept her from crafting and doing the things she loves.
As we spent time together, we laughed and I told her that her card was beautiful and that it "INSPIRED" me to stamp something similar. I told her "I'm going to use this card as my inspiration to create a card with Stampin' Up! products." She smiled and asked, "Are you going to do it right now?", I said, "Set your timer for ten minutes and don't watch me".
So I gave her a Stampin' Up! catalog to look at and I went to work.
On your mark, get set, GO. The challenge was on and in exactly ten minutes, this is what I made.
To make this card I grabbed the first set that had a similar flower. It was the set called You've Got This. I grabbed my black ink pad and stamped the flower. I watercolored it with an Aqua Painter using Rose Red Ink, Daffodil Delight Ink and Sweet Sugarplum Ink.
When I watercolored the leaves I just tried to follow a similar pattern by coloring way outside the lines. I also used the Fluttering Textured Embossing Folder to add butterflies to the black background piece of card stock. This represented the beautiful gift I received along with the card.
To finish the card I added some of our new black rhinestones and some mini gold sequins I had left over from our Water Color Christmas Card kit.
I love the black and gold sparkly details that give this card the perfect finishing touch.
When I finished stamping we both sat and looked at the completed card and smiled. I told my friend, I'm making this card for you! However you can't take it today cause I need to write a message in it and I'll send it to you soon.
As I looked at the card suddenly it hit me. Of all the stamp sets in my entire stamp studio the one I choose in ten minutes or less was You've Got This. My mission was to copy a card and then give it to my friend. My beautiful, vibrant, strong friend who has been going through a challenging season. It felt like a divine moment where the words in this set were the exact message God wanted her to hear. With all she is going through she needed encouragement.
Do you want to know what other sentiments are in this set? One stamp says, "Good Things ARE going to happen". Another image says, "I'm HERE for you" and of course the one I used which shares the same name as the set, "You've Got This".
Prior to sending it I looked at it one more time and noticed that the leaf images in the original card look more stamped than watercolored. So I made a second card.
This time rather than watercoloring the leaves I used Sweet Sugarplum Ink and I stamped over them using leaves from the Bunch of Blossoms stamp set. I used two different generations of the ink so one would appear darker than the other. I also used a Daffodil Delight Stampin' Marker to color and brighten up the center before I added the embellishments.
I think both versions of this card turned out beautiful and I hope my friend will act surprised when it arrives in her mail box this week.
I Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Encourage One Another and Build Each Other Up"! I hope that when my friend receives my card that she will feel that way, the same way that she made me feel when she came by to visit me.
This week you will encounter many people who need love and encouragement. It may be people you know or someone you've never met. As you go through this week I hope you will remember that you have the power to make a difference.
Thank you "friend", you know who you are, for making a difference in my life. Be strong, Be Courageous, Keep Fighting and Remember You've Got This!!!


The editors of the "New Books Network" (http://newbooksnetwork.com) are seeking one or more hosts for a new channel, "New Books in Human Rights" (http://newbooksinhumanrights.com). The channel will feature regular podcast interviews with authors of new books on human rights, conflict resolution, genocide studies, and peace studies.
The "New Books Network" is a not-for-profit consortium of academic podcasts aimed at disseminating discipline-specific information about new books to wide audiences.
This entry was posted in human rights, New Resources by Jean Nelson. Bookmark the permalink.


THIS WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 27, 2018 AT 12:00PM EST.
This 45-minute session will provide new and experienced managers 5 practical actions they can take to become a coaching manager. Webinar log-in details will be sent to you via email after registration is complete (you will not be charged to register).


The Doors took to a Florida stage in 1969 with their usual flashy gusto. Frontman Jim Morrison got drunk, simulated masturbation, and twice flashed the crowd... or so they say. Whatever actually went down that night, it forever altered the fabric of US culture.


EXTRA LONG FLAT RATCHET RINGNER SET 8-19mm. Extra Long Flat Ringners, each with a standard 12 point Ring End and a 72 tooth Ratcheting Ring End. 12 Sizes; 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19mm. Extra Long ranging from 213mm on the 8mmner to 390mm for the 19mm. Highly polished chrome finish and supplied in a Foam Tray (427 x 258mm). The item "Britool Hallmark 12Pc Extra Long Flat Ratchet Ringner Set 8-19mm RRXLSET12" is in sale since Monday, November 5, 2018. This item is in the category "Vehicle Parts & Accessories\Garage Equipment & Tools\Hand Tools\Spanners & Wrenches". The seller is "ct-tools" and is located in weston super mare, Somerset. This item can be shipped to United Kingdom.


text:
We Comment
Opinion Line
Forum Trends
/ Barry He
Home / Opinion / Barry He
Chinese app innovators influence worldwide tech culture
By Barry He | China Daily Global | Updated: 2020-12-08 18:00
The TikTok logo is pictured outside the company's US head office in Culver City, California, US, Sept 15, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
The Western narrative in recent decades was that Chinese brands and products tried to emulate the West.
Nowadays, the plot of the global social media story has changed, with Chinese super apps such as TikTok leading the charge.
In previous decades, it was the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley that dictated how we use social media. However, Chinese apps have the potential to reshape this relationship with the future of our global technological culture resting instead in Beijing or Shanghai.
Chinese trends are being mimicked by Western apps that are now motivated to compete with newcomers in their respective domestic markets.
One such example is the concept of "super apps", where many
different functions can be done within a single app. WeChat for example, not only lets you talk with friends, but also allows users to send money to each other, and even order taxis or purchase items.
Instagram recently took this on board. Last month, the Facebook-owned venture opened up Instagram Marketplace, which allows users to shop for items, coyly exploiting many user's thumb muscle memories by placing the "shop" button where the "post" button used to be.
The hope is that the budding influencer community, with its entrepreneurial mindset, will find success in selling items in the same place where their creative content can be easily accessed. The combination of e-commerce alongside social media is, so far, proving to be the most lucrative trend in China, with apps such as Douyin leading the charge, meaning that, if successful, Instagram has a lot to gain too.
With nearly 200 million users in the US and Europe combined, TikTok has proven that Chinese apps can and do command recognition as creative brands in their own right overseas. This will in all likelihood act as a role model for other Chinese companies to follow in their footsteps.
Chinese technology is about to become even more ambitious. As the domestic market gradually becomes more and more saturated with fiercely sophisticated technology initiatives, brands will look abroad and spill outward from their highly competitive home.
Likewise, on the other side of the coin, Google and Facebook are also increasingly looking toward the East, to see if Asian markets have any space for the original app creators. This will prove difficult, as countries across Asia, not just China, are also increasingly raising their game.
The fertilization of different business ideas globally happens across permeable membranes, and this two-way exchange of ideas will, in all likelihood, reach a gradual universal standard for how we interact with each other online.
Ideas originating in the West can be refined in Asia and then re-dispersed back to receptive European and American markets.
Our perception of these brands may, in time, also come to change. Just as how we see Facebook as a global phenomenon, apps like TikTok and WeChat may slowly start to lose their Chinese-specific connotations, and become staples of our global technological structure.
The Year of Tiger brings good luck to people and biz
A year of celebration and progress
China in sports: 2021 booms, 2022 excites
Xi's year of diplomacy in 9 keywords
World's top 10 women in business
Former UN official hails China's fight against climate change
From readers: US 'summit for democracy' reveals hegemonic intentions
Readers: Time to ensure the safety of overseas students
Columnists +
China, Germany show the way to mutually beneficial cooperation
Housing problem different in urban and rural areas
US democracy has become an empty slogan
Promoting China-ASEAN relations by deepening industrial cooperation
China Views
Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri
Colin Speakman
Laurence Brahm
Dan Steinbock
Bruce Connolly
China and the World Roundtable +
How to ensure the success of policy to ease pupils' burden
Youths' rising interest in culture welcome


NB: Please go through the whole thread before starting so you have a good idea of what to expect and where to be careful.
NB : a good magnet tipped screwdriver is crucial - a screw dropped is not fun!
once those screws are out you can gently remove the plastic cover THEN the black cover THEN the clear plastic over the 4x4 lights and THEN the black film over the 4x4 lights - it should come off VERY easily.
You can now unscrew the big three screws to loosen the cluster.
NB: ONCE AGAIN THE CONNECTORS HAVE BUTTONS TO PRESS TO GET THEM OUT - IF YOU FORCE YOU WILL BREAK THE WHOLE CLUSTER - I WARNED YOU!!!!!
Last edited by 4ePikanini on Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:13 am, edited 3 times in total.
How far is the enjin ??
I thought it would be nice to give some feedback on how to go about this as there is very little info on the issue ( lots on the flashing lights though ) even though it seems to be a common problem.
RE engine : I'm resisting the urge to phone and check on the engine as I actually only want it back at the end of August for financial reasons.
Have you worked out where to get spare bulbs at all?
Diesel Electric stock those, and probably Midas and Autozone as well. They are quite commonly used as dash board lghts.
HotDog: 1986 3Y Hilux SWB 4x2 - Sold!
Last week I bought myself a 1999 Gen 2.5, very happy with it BUT, yesterday put it in 4H and the green 4H lights just keep flashing.
I have looked at the troubleshooting and not being the most technically or mechanically adept person thought that maybe it would be best to just take it to a Mitsu dealership and get it checked out. I did try the basic things such as reversing in a straight line which did not solve the issue.
Slightly worried that it could be a major issue with the transfer case, could this end up being an expensive problem?
if you bought it a week ago, make it the previous owner's problem.
they get sticky if not used for long periods. Try and move it back and forth between 2h and 4h (with forward and reverse motion in a straight line) numerous times, I have heard of some people having it "fix" itself after up to 40 tries.
My gen2 was very sticky when I bought it but when I used it as company vehicle on the dirt road (engaging 4h on a daily basis) the 4h selection became almost instantaneous after about 2 weeks of on/off use.


So I know trash cans aren't the most exciting topic, but believe it or not, I bought a really exciting trash can! We were living with a broken kitchen trash can for weeks after the step pedal broke on our old one, so I decided to use a gift certificate I had to CSN Stores to buy a new one. I ended up getting a super exciting motion sensing trash can! I was so excited to receive it that I even raced home from work the day it was supposed to arrive and threw open the box the second I walked in the door!
It has an infrared motion sensor (how cool does that sound) and the lid opens and closes automatically if you wave your hand over it! Now I feel like James Bond every time I throw out a piece of trash!
Isn't that cool! Needless to say, this is the most exciting trash can I've ever owned! Besides being futuristic, it's also very functional as it holds a lot of trash and the lid seals tightly keeping any yucky trash smells sealed in. Am I going overboard or do you get excited with this type of stuff too?
Happy Easter! Today was a beautiful day and we enjoyed a wonderful Easter, I hope you did too. Since I shared some Easter dessert ideas with you last week, I figured I'd show you what I ended up making.
First, I started off with carrot cake cupcakes. Yum! I've always wanted to make carrot cake and it was pretty easy. Plus, my biceps got a nice workout grating almost 1 pound of carrots! I followed this recipe from BHG and topped the cupcakes off with a simple cream cheese frosting recipe. I'd never made cream cheese frosting before either but it was also pretty simple, just cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar. I just modified the frosting recipe a bit using less butter and more cream cheese.
To make the carrot cake cupcakes a little extra special for Easter, I decorated them with bunny faces using my sister's bunny cupcakes as an example.
Mine aren't as fancy as hers, but I used what I had on hand and think they came out cute. I used strawberry wafer ears (I had to cut two little openings into the cupcakes to slip the wafers into), M&M eyes, peanut M&M nose, and spaghetti whiskers.
In addition to the carrot cake bunny cupcakes, I made an Easter basket shaped fruit salad. This is usually done with a watermelon, but I decided to try my hand at cutting a pineapple into a basket shape.
I didn't get the best photo of it, but I think it turned out pretty cute and adds a little fun to a fruit salad.
So those are my sweet treats from Easter. How was your holiday? Did you cook up something special?
Aren't they the cutest? I love the wafer ears and cute little jellybean noses. Plus I'll use any excuse to buy wafer cookies.
Update: Since there were some questions about my sister's bunny cupcakes, here's some more info on how they're decorated. She started off with a white frosted cupcake and added (trimmed) strawberry wafers for bunny ears. The eyes are skittles or M&Ms. The nose is a jelly bean with a mini marshmallow on each side and bits of spaghetti as whiskers. The mouth is a chocolate sprinkle and the ones with teeth are rolled out tootsie rolls. How clever!
Another Update: I made my own version of my sister's bunny cupcakes.
I love that these desserts look so cute, in addition to looking delicious of course! And I'm super impressed that they're all adorned with edible decorations. Because lets face it, if it's on my cupcake I'm going to want to eat it. Have any other fun Easter desserts you can share?
And while we're on the subject of Easter, you can also check out my Easter wreath from last year.
Update: Check out my 2012 Easter Dessert Ideas for even more desserts.
I've been waiting all winter for the weather to warm up so garage sale season could begin again! Finally, last weekend the weather was nice enough and I headed out to my first garage sale of the season. I pulled up to the first yard sale and right in the driveway was a beautiful ping pong table for sale. Rob has been wanting a ping pong table, so once I found out it was being sold for a steal I bought it!
What? You never bought a spur-of-the-moment ping pong table? Haha, maybe it was a bit spontaneous, but I'm so glad I bought it.
Once I got the ping pong table home (with the help of my Dad and his pickup truck), we had to figure out how to get it down into our basement, through our U-shaped stairs. First, we tried the back breaking method of lets just pick it up and carry it down and see what happens. That resulted in us getting the ping pong table stuck halfway down the stairs (also resulted in a sore back- ouch!). Once the old-college try didn't work, we squeezed the table back upstairs and decided to think through our method a little more. Sure enough, 32 screws later we were able to easily bring the ping pong table down into the basement in three easy (and thankfully much lighter) sections.
And since then, there's been a lot of fun pinging and ponging going on in our basement! I cleaned up our basement a bit, but I'm still looking to refresh the basement and make it more like a game room, especially with our fun new addition. I'm thinking of adding some cool wall art and fabric to make the basement feel a little cozier without the expense of actually finishing it. Any suggestions for the basement?
I'm so happy I got such a fun start to garage sale season this year! Have you been to any yard sales yet?
Regardless, I love that they featured fruit prints as a hot trend because I'm in totally on board with them. Fruit prints are so colorful and cheerful and I think they're a perfect accent to spice up a home's décor in Spring and Summer. They leave me smiling and singing like Carmen Miranda!
Are you a fan of fruit prints? Oh and if you're keeping track, this is my 7th post where I've made a mention of the Golden Girls! But only my first mention of Carmen Miranda!
I'm always browsing real estate listings to find our next house which we dream will have more square feet, more bedrooms, more storage, and just MORE in general. But truth is, our house fits us perfectly for now and probably even has more room than we need. We've even been purposely making an effort to eat in our dining room and hang out in the often neglected living room more often since we typically only spend time in our kitchen and family room.
And some people just find big houses excessive and unnecessary. Jay Shafer built himself an 89 square house because he was concerned about the impact of a large home on the environment and because he didn't want to maintain a lot of unused space. He's since started a company, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, to help others build tiny houses too.
Of course around the world, many people live in apartments that are small by American standards. One architect in Hong Kong used smart design and moving walls to transform a 330 square foot apartment (which once housed his family of 5 plus a tenant) into 24 rooms.
I think these tiny homes are pretty cool and they've inspired me to think about how I use all of my space. Do you have unused rooms in your house? I think these small spaces are pretty cool and I like the "coziness" of them. What do you think?
I took a little field trip to West Elm on Friday to check out their new Spring stock. I've shopped their website before, but this was my first trip into their stores to check out their stylish goods in person. And of course I loved what I saw!
Coming into the store, they had this pretty living "room" set up with all blue and white accents. I've noticed the blue and white trend a lot this season, including in the new Sabrina Soto collection at Target.
I'll admit I wasn't crazy about the blue and white trend when I first started to see it, but now I'm really starting to like it. I love anything beach related and West Elm did a great job making this space look serene while adding nautical accents (without making it look like a bad theme restaurant!) I'm even loving the cute whale pillows.
There was more blue and white in their patio table display as well. This color scheme paired with the natural baskets made for a sophisticated look. I love the idea of using big baskets outdoors to stash bottled drinks or barbecue supplies.
The glass lanterns hanging from the patio umbrella also caught my eye. I bought similar lanterns from the Christmas Tree Shops last year (for under a buck!) and had been wondering if there was a way to attach them to my patio umbrella. These were just attached with string which looks great, but I wonder if this is just for show or if the umbrella can actually be shut with the lanterns attached. I will have to try this once we start dining on our patio again.
In addition to all of the pretty decor accents, the store was full of DIY inspiration as well. West Elm has these cute bottles filled with sand which I bet could be cutely recreated at home with an empty wine bottle.
I was also inspired by this frame with natural fabric mat. I couldn't really tell if the mat was made of a type of burlap or some type of linen fabric, but regardless I love this idea. I think I'll try to recreate this at home with a collage photo frame I have on hand.
I was so happy to finally visit West Elm in person. Although I restrained myself and left without any shopping bags, I did leave with plenty of inspiration! Are you a West Elm fan? How do you like this season's popular blue and white color pallet?
Since my modernized Golden Girls house was a hit, I decided to make this a regular feature on the blog! Today, I'm putting a modern twist on the Brady Bunch house!
I loved watching this show as a kid; the Brady kids were always having fun with wholesome mischief like potato sack races in the yard, dressing up as ghosts to spook potential home buyers, and finding ancient haunted tikis in Hawaii.
Here's the happy family lined up on the stairs for a family portrait. In one episode the boys play ball in the house, against Carol's rules, and accidentally break a precious vase on this table. The horse luckily remains intact.
Here's Peter and Jan putting on a magic show for the family. Cindy was too scared by the magic to attend.
I decided to recreate the Brady Bunch living room to imagine what it would look like if the show took place today. This awesome drawing of their living room provides a good look at all of its 70s charm.
And here's my version of an updated and modernized Brady Bunch house. As I was putting this room together, it occurred to me how much of the Brady's furniture is back in style these days!
- Brown Sectional: With 6 kids the Bradys need a lot of seating so I chose a sectional rather than a sofa. It's not green and floral but it is a 70s approved chocolate brown with stain resistant fabric to boot.
-Canary Print Pillows: The floral print of the sofa had to go, but I kept a fun print with these canary throw pillows.
- Green Chair: I had to keep some green furniture, so I chose this Z Gallerie chair which is strikingly similar to the original.
-Wood Coffee Table: I choose a mid-century looking coffee table, this time with a shelf for extra storage for the kiddos.
-Cube Side Table: It's not a hexagon, but this chunky cube makes for a nice side table with hidden storage.
-Silver Lamp: Z Gallerie must have been checking out the Brady bunch house too because this lamp is also strikingly similar to the original.
-Striped Curtains: I'm not sure what those curtains in the background of the living room are, but I found some similar horizontal striped ones.
-Collage Frame: I couldn't resist adding a collage frame for those smiling family portraits, including Alice of course.
-Buffet Table: Z Gallerie came through again with another piece that's very close to the original. I'm seriously starting to wonder if Mike Brady has some ties to the store.
-Horse Statue: The room can't be complete without their iconic horse, of course. Another Z Gallerie find!
Do you approve of my modernized take on the Brady Bunch living room decor? What shows would you like to see me modernize next?
I tend to hold onto clothes for a little too long...okay, way too long. I always like to think that something will come back into style, magically unshrink itself, or that I'll just grow to love it or fit into it someday. But as much as I hate parting with things, the truth is that it's really annoying to have to sift through the extra stuff when I get dressed in the morning and have my closet filled with clothes I don't like. So I decided to finally get real, as Dr. Phil likes to say, and realized that I'm never going to wear this stuff and it's time to get rid of it.
Don't let those shopping bags fool you, they were packed with clothing. In fact, 100 articles of clothing! To be fair about 20 items were my husband's, but regardless it's still a lot of stuff to get rid of and it felt great! Almost everything I got rid of went to Goodwill where I received a donation reciept for next year's tax return, but I held onto a few of the nicer things to sell to a consignment shop, on ebay, or possibly a future garage sale.
I mainly got rid of cold weather clothing, but I plan to sift through my warm weather clothes soon. Have you purged your closet recently? Any tips you can share?
Happy April! I don't want to jinx anything, but it's finally starting to feel a little like Spring around here! But before our April showers bring May flowers, let's take a look at how March went in like a lion and out like a lamb (those elementary school phrases sure made an impact on me).
Bow-Tie Bookmarks from How About Orange.
Such fun projects this month! What did you cook up in March, leave a comment with a link to your favorite projects too!
P.S. If you've been featured here, feel free to grab a button to display on your site!