Audio distribution system

• US 5,666,428 A
• Filed: 06/03/1994
• Issued: 09/09/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Core Brands, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: ELAN Home Systems, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: McCollister, H. Richard, Dunaway, Jason K., Farinelli, Robert, Carrin, Thomas Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/253,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 381/77, 381/80, 381/81, 379/105, 379/171, 379/202, 379/50, 379/87, 379/103, 379/221, 379/159, 379/167
• US Class Current: 381/81
• 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 includes an electronic processor-based master control unit which 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. An electronically controlled audio distribution system for use in a facility, the system having designated audio zones, including a first zone and a second zone, with each zone representing a separate and distinct facility area in which signals are broadcasted, comprising:

a plurality of signal generating devices including a first signal generating device including a music generator, located at a first facility location and a second signal generating device including a doorbell generator, located at a second facility location that is distally removed from the first facility location, each said signal generating device generating a signal for audio broadcast independently of the other signal generating devices;

a plurality of user-input controllers including a first user-input controller located in the first zone and a second user-input controller located in the second zone, each of the plurality of user input controllers including input circuitry for sending a plurality of command signals to control at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices; and

a master controller having a programming circuit with an input for receiving priority-command signals to program the master controller with a routing priority for each of said plurality of signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices, and including a signal routing circuit, responsive to the programming circuit, for routing a selected one of said plurality of signals respectively by said signal generating devices with a highest priority in response to two or more of the signals being simultaneously presented for broadcast to the same zone and in accordance with the routing priority programmed in the master controller, the master controller thereby routing signals for broadcast in the designated audio zones and permitting at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices to be controlled from various facility areas via the plurality of user-input controllers.

2. An electrically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the user-input controllers includes input circuitry, responsive to manual interaction by a user, for disabling at least a selected one of the plurality of signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices from being broadcast in at least one zone.

3. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, for use in a facility, the system having designated audio zones, including a first zone and a second zone, with each zone representing a separate and distinct facility area in which signals are broadcasted, comprising:

a plurality of signal generating devices including a first signal generating device located at a first facility location and a second signal generating device located at a second facility location that is distally removed from the first facility location, each said signal generating device generating a signal for audio broadcast independently of the other signal generating devices;

a plurality of user-input controllers including a first user-input controller located in the first zone and a second user-input controller located in the second zone, each of the plurality of user input controllers including input circuitry for sending a plurality of command signals to control at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices; and

a master controller having a programming circuit with an input for receiving priority-command signals to program the master controller with a routing priority for each of said plurality of signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices, and including a signal routing circuit, responsive to the programming circuit, for routing a selected one of said plurality of signals respectively by said signal generating devices with a highest priority in response to two or more of the signals being simultaneously presented for broadcast to the same zone and in accordance with the routing priority programmed in the master controller, the master controller thereby routing signals for broadcast in the designated audio zones and permitting at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices to be controlled from various facility areas via the plurality of user-input controllers;

wherein said plurality of signal generating devices includes a music generator, a doorbell generator, and a page generator.

4. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 3, wherein the first signal generating device includes at least one of the following:

a music generator, a doorbell generator, and a page generator.

5. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 3, wherein the second signal generating device includes at least one of the following:

a music generator, a doorbell generator, and a page generator.

6. An elect ally controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 3, wherein each of the user-input controllers includes input circuitry, responsive to manual interaction by a user, for disabling at least one of the signals generated by the doorbell and page generators from being broadcasted in at least one zone, so that the signal generated by the music generator is broadcasted without interruption.

7. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 6, wherein the input circuitry for disabling are part of a common input circuit.

8. An electronically controlled audio distribution system for use in a facility, the system having designated audio zones, including a first zone and a second zone, with each zone representing a separate and distinct facility area in which audio signals are broadcasted, comprising:

a plurality of signal generating devices, including first signal generating device located at a first facility location and a second signal generating device located at a second facility location that is distally removed form the first facility location, each said signal generating device generating a signal for audio broadcast independently of the other signal generating devices;

a plurality of in-wall keypads, each in-wall keypad located in a separate and distinct zone and including input circuitry for sending a plurality of user-generated command signals to control at least one of the signal generating devices and including a remote-signal input circuit for receiving remotely generated command signals to control at least one of the signal generating devices;

a hand-held controller for sending the remotely generated command signals;

a master controller having a programming circuit with an input for receiving priority-command signals to program the master controller with a routing priority for each of said first and second signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices, and including a signal routing circuit, responsive to the programming circuit, for routing a selected one of said first and second signals with a highest priority in response to said first and second signals being simultaneously presented for broadcast to the same zone and in accordance with the routing priority programmed in the master controller, the master controller thereby routing signals for broadcast in the designated audio zones and permitting at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices to be controlled from various facility areas via the in-wall keypads and the hand-held remote controller;

a programming device, communicatively coupled to the programming circuit of the master control unit, including input means for altering the programmed routing priority; and

the plurality of signal generating devices including at least three of the following;

a door bell signal generator generating a door bell signal, a telephone generating an audio signal, a pager generating a pager signal, and a music source generating music.

9. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 8, wherein the first signal generating device includes at least one of the following:

a music generator, a doorbell generator, and a page generator.

10. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 8, wherein the second signal generating device includes at least one of the following:

a music generator, a doorbell generator, and a page generator.

11. An electronically controlled audio distribution system, according to claim 8, wherein the programmed routing priority is arranged with the following priority from highest priority to lowest priority:

door bell signal over paging signal, paging signal over telephone audio signal, telephone audio signal over music.

12. An electronically controlled audio distribution system for use in a facility, the system having designated audio zones, including a first zone and a second zone, with each zone representing a separate and distinct facility area in which signals are broadcasted, comprising:

a plurality of signal generating devices including a first signal generating device including a music generator, located at a first facility location and a second signal generating device including a doorbell generator, located at a second facility location that is distally removed from the first facility location, each said signal generating device generating a signal for audio broadcast independently of the other signal generating devices;

a plurality of user-input controllers including a first user-input controller located in the first zone and a second user-input controller located in the second zone, each of the plurality of user input controllers including input circuitry for sending a plurality of command signals to control at least one of the plurality of signal generating devices; and

a circuit controller having a programming circuit with an input configured and arranged to receive priority-command signals to program the circuit controller with a routing priority for each of said plurality of signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices, and including a signal routing circuit, configured and arranged to respond to the programming circuit, by routing a selected one of said plurality of signals respectively by said signal generating devices with a highest priority in response to two or more of the signals being simultaneously presented for broadcast to the same zone and in accordance with the routing priority programmed in the master controller.