High Definition Distributed Sound System

• US 20110311072A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ISP Technologies LLC (Bank of Montreal)
• Original Assignee: ISP Technologies LLC (Bank of Montreal)
• Inventors: Waller, James K. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,510,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/80
• CPC Class Codes: H03G 1/02 Remote control of amplification, tone or bandwidth combined with remote tuning or selection of resonant circuits H03J
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/02 Spatial or constructional arrangements of loudspeakers

Abstract

A high definition distributed sound system has a master control hub with multiple serially linkable zones each capable of handling multiple serial arrays of powered speakers and a Cat5 cable. Each zone has an audio input, an internal master level controller and multiple powered-speaker outputs. Each of the serial arrays of powered speakers are connected to a corresponding powered-speaker output by the Cat5 cable. All of the zones can be used and controlled independently of the others or any number of them can be serially linked and controlled by their preceding zones. Additional master control hubs can be serially linked in a single system. The system interconnections can be done with Cat5 cable using RJ45 connectors. A low idle current power amplifier circuit offers extremely low levels of quiescent current, allowing a large number of speakers to be connected in one system.

Claims

1. A high definition distributed sound system comprising:

a master control hub having a plurality of serially linkable zones;

at least one serial array of powered speakers; and

a Cat5 cable;

one zone of said plurality of serially linkable zones having an audio input, an internal master level controller and at least one powered-speaker output; and

each of said at least one serial array of powered speakers being connected to a corresponding one of said at least one powered-speaker outputs by said Cat5 cable.

2. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input by said Cat5 cable.

3. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub.

4. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub and the system further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input by said Cat5 cable.

5. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1 further comprising:

another at least one serial array of powered speakers; and

another Cat5 cable;

another of said plurality of serially linkable zones being linked to said one zone, said another of said plurality of serially linkable zones having an audio input, an internal master level controller and at least one powered-speaker output, said internal master level controller of said another of said plurality of serially linkable zones being disabled by linkage to said one zone;

each of said another at least one serial array of powered speakers being discriminately connected to a corresponding one of said at least one powered-speaker outputs of said another of said plurality of linkable zones by said another Cat5 cable.

6. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 5 further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

said another zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input;

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input of said one zone by said Cat5 cable and to said remote zone level control input of said another zone by said another Cat5 cable.

7. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 5, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub.

8. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 5, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub and the system further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

said another zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input;

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input of said one zone by said Cat5 cable and to said remote zone level control input of said another zone by said another Cat5 cable.

9. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one other serial array of powered speakers; and

at least one other Cat5 cable;

at least one other of said plurality of serially linkable zones being serially linked to said one zone, each of said at least one other of said plurality of serially linkable zones having an audio input, an internal master level controller and at least one powered-speaker output, said internal master level controller of each said another of said plurality of serially linkable zones being disabled by serial linkage to said one zone;

each of said at least one other serial array of powered speakers being connected to a corresponding one of said at least one powered-speaker outputs of said at least one other of said plurality of linkable zones by a corresponding one of said at least one other Cat5 cables.

10. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 9 further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

each of said at least one other zones of said plurality of serially linkable zones having a remote zone level control input;

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input of said one zone by said Cat5 cable and to said remote zone level control input of each of said at least one other zones by a corresponding one of said at least one other Cat5 cables.

11. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 9, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub.

12. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 9, said master control hub having a link-in terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a preceding master control hub and a link-out terminal for serial connection of said master control hub to a following master control hub and the system further comprising:

a remote zone level controller;

said one zone of said plurality of linkable zones having a remote zone level control input; and

each of said at least one other zones of said plurality of serially linkable zones having a remote zone level control input;

said remote zone level controller being connected to said remote zone level control input of said one zone by said Cat5 cable and to said remote zone level control input of each of said at least one other zones by a corresponding one of said at least one other Cat5 cables.

13. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1, each said zone in said master control hub being linkable to allow a previous said zone to control a level of a next said zone in said master control hub.

14. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 1, each of said at least one powered speaker outputs feeding AC power via three twisted pair wires of said Cat5 cable.

15. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 14, audio being fed differentially down a remaining twisted pair wire of said Cat5 cable at a high level, received by a precision differential amplifier and attenuated before amplification whereby noise intrusion due to feeding AC power via said three twisted pair wires is eliminated.

16. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 14, said powered speakers converting said AC power to a regulated bipolar DC voltage to power internal active electronics comprising two power amplifiers, one said amplifier driving a woofer and another said amplifier driving a tweeter, in a bi-amplified configuration.

17. A high definition distributed sound system according to claim 16, said powered speakers further comprising a power amplifier consuming extremely low quiescent current, whereby the system is enabled to power several active speakers on each run of said Cat5 cable.

18. A high definition distributed sound system comprising a Cat5 cable delivering power and audio signals to at least one serial array of powered speakers with a low quiescent current amplifier limiting current consumption of each active speaker of said at least one serial array of speakers to less than 100 milliamps.