Audio distribution system

• US 5,363,434 A
• Filed: 01/09/1992
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ELAN Home Systems, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Farinelli, Robert, Unseld, Bill R., Stevenson, Bruce B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US07/818,664
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 379/159, 379/170, 379/171, 379/167, 379/103, 381/81, 381/85, 455/174.1
• US Class Current: 379/170
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/00 Arrangements for interconnection not involving centralised switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A signal distribution and communication arrangement controls the broadcast of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones. The system includes a telephone interfaced with a door speaker controller to allow communication between the telephone and a door speaker. A page may be broadcast over the speakers and subsequently muted to allow private communication when the page is answered. Also included is a doorbell interface circuit that responds to a doorbell source. The doorbell source may be activated by any one of a plurality of doorbell switches.

Claims

1. A signal distribution and communication arrangement for controlling broadcast of a plurality of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones, comprising:

a door speaker controller to a telephone to allow communication between said telephone and a door speaker;

for broadcasting over said speakers located in various zones from said telephone and thereafter muting the broadcast over said speakers located in various zones to allow private communication;

said broadcasting circuit further including means for placing a phone call on hold when said broadcasting said over said speakers located in various zones is originated.

2. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 1, wherein said door speaker controller is accessed from said telephone by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

3. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 1, wherein communication between said telephone and said door speaker is originated by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

4. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 1, wherein communication between said telephone and said speakers in various zones is originated by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

5. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 4, wherein said broadcast is muted by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

6. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 1, wherein a call is placed on hold by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

7. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 1, wherein said phone call may be resumed after said broadcasting is completed by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

24. The signal and distribution and communication arrangement of claim 3 wherein a door latching device can be activated by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

8. A signal distribution and communication arrangement for controlling the broadcast of a plurality of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones comprising;

an audio receiver for receiving a substantially continuously generated signal;

a tone generator circuit, responsive to at least one doorbell generator signal, for generating a predetermined tone;

a line interface circuit that is responsive to a page signal received over associated signal lines;

an amplifier circuit, coupled to the speakers, which amplifies at least the substantially continuously generated signal for broadcast through the speakers;

a control circuit which, in response to the audio receiver, to the tone generator circuit and to the line interface circuit, controls which of the substantially continuously generated signal, the predetermined tone and the page signal should be broadcast through the speakers;

means for connection to a door speaker to allow for communication between a door speaker and said telephone and to permit the activation of a door latching device by the said telephone; and

means for broadcasting over said speakers located in various zones from said telephone and for thereafter muting the broadcast over said speakers located in various zones to allow private communication;

said broadcasting means further including means for placing a phone call on hold when said broadcasting over said speakers located in various zones is originated.

9. The signal and distribution and communication arrangement of claim 8 wherein the communications module is activated from said telephone by transmitting predetermined sequences of at least a single digit from said telephone.

10. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 8, wherein communication between said telephone and said door speaker is originated by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

11. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 8, wherein communication between said telephone and said speakers in various zones is originated by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

12. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 11, wherein said broadcast is muted by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

13. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 8, wherein a call is placed on hold by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit on said telephone.

14. The signal distribution and communication arrangement of claim 8, wherein said phone call may be resumed after said broadcasting is completed by transmitting a predetermined sequence of at least a single digit from said telephone.

15. A signal distribution and communication arrangement for controlling the broadcast of a plurality of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones, comprising:

an audio receiver circuit which responds to a music signal from an external music source, said audio receiver circuit including a threshold detection circuit which provides a music mute function in response to the music signal not exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude;

wherein the threshold detection circuit creates a threshold detection control signal which disables the music mute function in response to the music signals exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude;

a page interface circuit, responsive to a page signal generated from a telephone handset, which generates a paging control signal, serves as a power source to the telephone handset and processes an audio signal from the telephone handset;

a doorbell interface circuit responsive to a single doorbell source that may be activated by any one of a plurality of doorbell switches, said doorbell interface circuit generating a doorbell control signal and a two-tone sequence identifying the doorbell switch that activated the doorbell source;

an amplifier circuit, coupled to the speakers, which amplifies the page signal, the music signal and said one of the doorbell tone sequences for broadcast by the speakers in each of the zones; and

a control circuit, responsive to the audio receiver circuit and to the page and doorbell interface circuits, which selects and couples one of the music signal, the page signal and said two-tone sequence to the amplifier circuit.

16. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 15, wherein the doorbell interface circuit includes a voltage controlled oscillator having a voltage which is sequentially varied, in response to said doorbell signal source, to produce said two-tone sequence.

17. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 16, further including a clock circuit which generates an oscillating signal, a sequencer circuit which responds to the oscillating signal by generating a sequence of output signals and a resistor summation circuit which responds to the sequencer circuit by providing a corresponding voltage to the voltage controlled oscillator.

18. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 15, wherein the threshold detection circuit provides a signal to the control circuit, which signal indicates when the music signal is below a prescribed signal magnitude.

19. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 15, wherein the page interface circuit equalizes the audio signal from the telephone handset.

20. A signal distribution and communication arrangement for controlling the broadcast of a plurality of different types of signals, including audio signals from at least one telephone handset, through speakers located in various zones, comprising:

an audio receiver circuit which responds to a music signal from an external music source, wherein the audio receiver circuit includes;

(a) a wall plate interface circuit with a signal interruption switch and a gain adjust control for respectively interrupting and adjusting the gain of the music signal,

(b) an automatic equalization circuit which compensates the music signal for reduced volume levels and frequency response roll-off; and

(c) a threshold detection circuit which provides a music mute function in response to the music signal not exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude, wherein the threshold detection circuit creates a threshold detection control signal which disables the music mute function in response to the music signals exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude;

a page interface circuit, responsive to a short-lived page signal and a page audio signal both generated from said at least one telephone handset, which generates a paging control signal and serves as a power source to the telephone in response to the short-lived page signal being received and passes at least the page audio signal from the telephone handset, wherein the page line interface circuit provides feedback control for the page audio signal to prevent positive feedback of the page audio signal;

a doorbell interface circuit responsive to a single doorbell source that may be activated by any one of a plurality of doorbell switches, said doorbell interface circuit generating a doorbell control signal and a two-tone sequence identifying the doorbell switch that activated the doorbell source;

an amplifier circuit, coupled to the speakers, which amplifies at least the music signal and said two-tone sequence for broadcast by the speakers in each of the zones; and

a control circuit, responsive to the audio receiver circuit and to the page and doorbell interface circuits, which selects and couples one of the music signal, the page signal and said two-tone sequence to the amplifier circuit.

21. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 20, wherein the control circuit, in response to more than one of the music signal, the page signal and said one of the doorbell tone sequences being received together, prioritizes these signals so that the page signal has highest priority, said two-tone sequence has intermediate priority and the music signal has lowest priority.

22. A signal distribution and communication arrangement, according to claim 20, wherein arrangement includes means of providing each speaker with its own volume control located near one of the speakers.

23. A signal distribution and communication arrangement for controlling the broadcast of a plurality of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones, comprising:

an audio receiver circuit which responds to a music signal from an external music source, said audio receiver circuit including a threshold detection circuit which provides a music mute function in response to the music signal not exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude;

wherein the threshold detection circuit creates a threshold detection control signal which disables the music mute function in response to the music signals exceeding a predetermined signal magnitude;

a page interface circuit, responsive to a page signal generated from a telephone handset, which generates a paging control signal, serves as a power source to the telephone handset and processes an audio signal from the telephone handset;

a doorbell interface circuit responsive to a single doorbell source that may be activated by any one of a plurality of doorbell switches, said doorbell interface circuit generating a doorbell control signal and a two-tone sequence identifying the doorbell switch that activated the doorbell source;

an amplifier circuit, coupled to the speakers, which amplifies the page signal, the music signal and said one of the doorbell tone sequences for broadcast by the speakers in each of the zones;

a control circuit, responsive to the audio receiver circuit and to the page and doorbell interface circuits, which selects and couples one of the music signal, the page signal and said two-tone sequence to the amplifier circuit;

a door speaker controller adapted to be connected to a telephone to allow communication between said telephone and a door speaker; and

means for broadcasting over said speakers located in various zones from said telephone and for thereafter muting the broadcast over said speakers located in various zones to allow private communication.