NETWORKED SOUND MASKING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise level in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
- (a) a communication network spanning at least a portion of said physical environment;
(b) a plurality of sound masking units, some of said sound masking units including a sound masking component for generating a sound masking output signal and said sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling said sound masking units to said communication network for receiving control signals over said communication network;
(c) a control unit, said control unit having a communication interface for coupling said control unit to said communication network for transmitting control signals over said communication network to said sound masking units, and said control signals including signals for selectively controlling the operation of said sound masking units.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sound masking system for shaping the ambient noise level in a physical environment. The sound masking system comprises a networked and distributed system having a number of master units coupled together and to a control unit. One or more of the master units may include satellite sound masking units which function to reproduce the sound masking signal generated by the master sound masking unit. Each of the master units is addressable over the network by the control unit enabling the control unit to program the contour, spectral band, and gain characteristics of the sound masking output signal. The system may also include a remote control unit which provides the capability to tune and adjust each master sound masking unit in situ without requiring physical access through the ceiling installation.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise level in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
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(a) a communication network spanning at least a portion of said physical environment; (b) a plurality of sound masking units, some of said sound masking units including a sound masking component for generating a sound masking output signal and said sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling said sound masking units to said communication network for receiving control signals over said communication network; (c) a control unit, said control unit having a communication interface for coupling said control unit to said communication network for transmitting control signals over said communication network to said sound masking units, and said control signals including signals for selectively controlling the operation of said sound masking units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A sound masking system for shaping the ambient noise level in a physical environment, the sound masking system comprises:
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(a) a communication network spanning at least a portion of said physical environment; (b) a plurality of sound masking units, some of said sound masking units including a sound masking circuit for generating a sound masking output signal for shaping the ambient noise level in the vicinity of each of said sound masking units, a programmable controller and at least one digital component for controlling operation of said sound masking circuit, and a communication interface for coupling said sound masking units to said communication network, and said programmable controller being coupled to said communication network for receiving control signals from said communication network for altering the operation of said sound masking circuit; (c) a control unit, said control unit having a communication interface for coupling said control unit to said communication network for transmitting control signals over said communication network to said sound masking units, and said control signals including signals for controlling the operation of at least some of said sound masking units; (d) wherein said sound masking circuit comprises a random noise generating component for generating an incoherent signal output, a filter component for receiving the incoherent signal output and generating an incoherent signal output with a predetermined contour, and an output amplifier for amplifying said contour incoherent signal output, and said digital component comprising a digital potentiometer coupled to said filter component for altering the contour of said incoherent signal output in response to a control signal from said programmable controller. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. In a networked sound masking system for controlling ambient noise level in a physical environment, the networked sound masking system having a communication network for coupling a plurality of sound masking units, the sound masking units spanning the physical environment, the sound masking units including a sound masking component for generating a sound masking output signal and including a communication interface to the communication network for receiving control signals over said communication network, and a control unit having a communication interface for coupling the control unit to the communication network for transmitting control signals to the sound masking units, and the control signals including signals for selectively controlling the operation of said sound masking units, a remote control unit for generating adjustment signals for the control unit for adjusting characteristics of the sound masking signal output produced by the sound masking units, said remote control unit comprising:
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(a) a remote communication interface for transmitting the adjustment signals to the control unit, and the control unit having an external communication interface compatible with said remote communication interface; (b) a input component for receiving sound level readings for the physical environment; (c) a component responsive to said sound level readings for generating the adjustment signals associated with the characteristics of the sound masking output signal for the sound masking units. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification