Approach for controlling audio signals in remote location

• US 20040175002A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Core Brands, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: ELAN Home Systems, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Christensen, Steve, Farinelli, Robert P. Jr., Newman, Raymond Anthony, Fisher, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00

Abstract

An example embodiment is directed to use in a facility benefiting from the distribution of audio throughout different facility zones (“audio zones”), with each audio zone receiving an audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller. For controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in one of the audio zones, a circuit arrangement includes isolation circuit, speaker load circuit, user-input device and an audio control unit. The isolation circuit generate a transformed audio signal by provide an impedance-matched termination and by permitting one of a number of impedance-matching circuits to be set wherein each impedance-matching circuit provides a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load. The speaker load circuit delivers, in response to the transformed audio signal, audible signals in the audio zone. The audio control unit has a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands generated via the user-input device.

Claims

1. For use in a facility with a plurality of remote audio zones, an arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to a user-controlled speaker load located in at least one remote audio zone, comprising:

an audio distribution controller having at least one power amplifier for generating at least one audio signal; and

a load arrangement located remote from the audio distribution controller and adapted to receive user-control signals in at least one co-located one of the remote audio zones, the load arrangement including

an isolation circuit for generating at least one transformed audio signal in response to receiving said at least one audio signal, wherein the isolation circuit is adapted to provide an impedance-matched termination for said at least one audio signal; and

a speaker load for delivering audible signals in the co-located one of the remote audio zones and in response to the user-control signals and said at least one transformed audio signal.

2. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 1, wherein the audio signal is electrically coupled through the load isolation circuit to the speaker load, and the load isolation circuit has multiple switches for setting one of a number of impedance-matching circuits wherein each impedance-matching circuit is adapted to provide a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load.

3. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 2, wherein the load arrangement further includes a microprocessor-based audio control unit and a user-input device coupled to provide input commands to the microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor responds to the input commands by controlling audio volume through the speaker load.

4. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 2, wherein the load arrangement further includes a microprocessor-based audio control unit that has a front panel keypad user input, the front panel keypad user input being adapted to control, in response to user input commands, audio volume through the speaker load, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the user input commands for selectively setting ones of the impedance-matching circuits and for activating visual volume-level indicators.

5. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 2, wherein the load arrangement further includes a microprocessor-based audio control unit that has a front panel keypad user input, the front panel keypad user input being adapted to control, in response to user input commands, audio volume through the speaker load, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the user input commands for setting of a predetermined override volume level in response to an override voltage stimulus.

6. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 5, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is further responsive to the user input commands for indicating that an override level is set by using the front panel LED associated with the volume setting.

7. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 2, wherein the load arrangement further includes a microprocessor-based audio control unit that has an infrared input, the infrared input being adapted to control, in response to infrared command signals, audio volume through the speaker load.

8. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the infrared command signals for setting of a predetermined override volume level in response to an override voltage stimulus.

9. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the infrared command signals for selectively setting ones of the impedance-matching circuits.

10. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the infrared command signals for activating visual indicators associated ones of the impedance-matching circuits.

11. An arrangement for controlling audio signals sent to the speaker load, according to claim 7, wherein the microprocessor-based audio control unit is responsive to the infrared command signals for activating visual indicators.

12. For use in a facility with a plurality of audio zones receiving at least one audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller, an arrangement for controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in at least one of the audio zones, comprising:

an isolation circuit for generating at least one transformed audio signal in response to receiving said at least one audio signal, wherein the isolation circuit is adapted to provide an impedance-matched termination for said at least one audio signal and to set one of a number of impedance-matching circuits wherein each impedance-matching circuit is adapted to provide a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load;

a speaker load circuit for delivering, in response to said at least one transformed audio signal, audible signals in the at least one of the audio zones;

a user-input device coupled to provide input commands; and

an audio control unit having a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands.

13. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, wherein the user-input device includes front panel user-communication selectors the microprocessor.

14. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, wherein the user-input device includes front panel wireless communication to the microprocessor.

15. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input for remote control of external system equipment.

16. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 15, wherein the microprocessor, in response to stimulus from infrared input, is further adapted to provide visually-recognizable indications of a volume status.

17. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from infrared input and the infrared control circuit provides pass-through infrared signaling for remotely controlling external system equipment.

18. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, further including an infrared control circuit that is coupled to the microprocessor, and wherein the microprocessor is responsive to stimulus from both a user-engaged input and an infrared input.

19. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 18, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to respond to a condition in which both the user-engaged input and the infrared input are activated simultaneously, by processing the user-engaged input over the infrared input and by providing visual indication of the input command.

20. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, further including a separate panel circuit connection for proving an override command to the audio control unit, wherein the override command causes the audio control unit to switch to a predetermined override setting as determined by user commands previously received by the audio control unit and regardless of a current state of the current volume setting, to provide visual indication of the override level setting, and to revert back to a pre-override state of the audio control unit in response to the override signal being removed.

21. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 20, wherein the microprocessor is adapted to respond to stimulus from both the override command and the user-engaged input, and to respond to the user-engaged input being activated during processing of the override command, by processing the user-engaged input over the override command and by ignoring the override command until the override command is removed and then reapplied at the separate panel circuit connection.

22. An arrangement for controlling audio, according to claim 12, further including a separate panel circuit connection for proving an override command to the audio control unit, wherein the override command causes the audio control unit to mute audio.

23. For use in a facility with a plurality of audio zones receiving at least one audio signal from a remotely-located audio distribution controller, an arrangement for controlling audio at a user-controlled speaker load located in at least one of the audio zones, comprising:

means for generating at least one transformed audio signal in response to receiving said at least one audio signal, for providing an impedance-matched termination for said at least one audio signal, and for setting one of a number of impedance-matching circuits wherein each impedance-matching circuit is adapted to provide a different amount of electrical power to the speaker load;

a speaker load circuit for delivering, in response to said at least one transformed audio signal, audible signals in the at least one of the audio zones;

user-input means for providing input commands; and

an audio control unit having a microprocessor adapted to control the delivery of the audible signals in response to the input commands.