Message announcement system

• US 6,856,258 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Issued: 02/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bombardier Transportation GmbH (Bombardier Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kirschner, Mark D., Yungwirth, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/268,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20040070496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/692, 340/286.11, 379/41, 379/48, 379/49, 381/82, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 725/32, 725/33, 725/35
• US Class Current: 340/994
• 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

Abstract

A message announcement system for broadcasting announcements at predetermined locations has an autonomous announcement computer at each predetermined location, wherein a plurality of event announcements and associated event identifiers are stored therein and, upon receipt of an event announcement command, the announcement computer broadcasts a particular event announcement at the location. A master computer is in communication with each announcement computer for adding, deleting or editing event announcements. This arrangement permits a modular system, whereby autonomous announcement computers, along with their associated public address systems and sign systems, may be added or removed as stations are added or removed. The system is also capable of broadcasting live announcements at each location.

Claims

1. A message announcement system for broadcasting announcements at predetermined locations, wherein the system is comprised of:

a) an autonomous announcement computer at each predetermined location, wherein a plurality of event announcements and associated event announcement identifiers are stored therein and upon receipt of an event announcement command, the announcement computer broadcasts a particular announcement at the location; and

b) a master computer in communication with each announcement computer for editing event announcements, wherein the master computer is capable of making live announcements through each of the announcement computers and associated public address systems.

2. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the master computer is in communication with each announcement computer to edit event announcements stored in each of the announcement computers.

3. The message announcement system according to claim 2 wherein the master computer is adapted to download to the storage of at least one announcement computer new or modified event announcements.

4. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the announcement computers are interchangeable modules.

5. The message announcement system according to claim 4 wherein each autonomous computer has stored therein identical event announcements and associated event announcement identifiers.

6. The message announcement system according to claim 4 wherein at least one autonomous computer has stored therein different event announcements and event associated announcement identifiers than those stored in other autonomous computers.

7. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein each event announcement may be comprised of one or both of text for a sign display and audio signals for a public address system.

8. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein each autonomous computer has stored therein identical event announcements each recorded in at least two different languages.

9. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the announcement computer furthermore has stored therein a language schedule to determine in which language or languages each event announcement should be presented at different times throughout the day.

10. The message announcement system according to claim 1 further including an intermediate computer that receives a signal from external sources and determines the appropriate event announcement to forward to each announcement computer.

11. The message announcement system according to claim 1 further including at least one satellite computer attached to the master computer and capable of making live announcements and editing or adding stored announcements to each announcement computer through the master computer.

12. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations are stations within a transit system.

13. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations are stations within a rail system.

14. The message announcement system according to claim 1 wherein the predetermined locations are attractions within an amusement park.

15. In a message announcement system for broadcasting event announcements at predetermined locations, a method for editing and broadcasting event announcements comprising the steps of:

a) storing in an autonomous announcement computer at each predetermined location, a plurality of event announcements and associated event announcement identifiers;

b) upon the receipt of an event announcement commands broadcasting an announcement at the predetermined location;

c) editing event announcements stored at the announcement computers using a master computer in communication with each announcement computer; and

d) using the master computer to make live announcements through the announcement computer and associated public address systems.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of editing is comprised of downloading to the storage of at least one announcement computer new or modified event announcements.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of storing is comprised of downloading to the announcement computers identical event announcements and associated event announcement identifiers.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of storing is comprised of downloading to at least one announcement computer different event announcements and associated event announcement identifiers than those stored in other autonomous computers.

19. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of storing is comprised of downloading to the announcement computers event announcements comprised of one or both of text for a sign display and audio signals for a public address system.

20. The method according to claim 15 wherein the step of storing is comprised of downloading to the announcement computers a plurality of identical event announcements in one language and a duplicate set of those same event announcements in a different language.

21. The method according to claim 15 further including the step of downloading to the announcement computers a language schedule specifying in which language or languages each event announcement should be presented at different times throughout the day.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the step of downloading further includes instruction of the sequence for playing different languages of the same event announcement within a predetermined window of time.