Audio signal sound diffusion system

• US 7,019,633 B1
• Filed: 07/20/2000
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ADT Security Services SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ADT Security Services SA (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaceioli, Carlo, Villa, Giorgio Dalla
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/031,763
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/511, 340/635, 340/657, 340/825.25, 340/384.1
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/126 of annunciator circuits

Abstract

The present invention relates to an audio signal sound diffusion system for diffusing, e.g., alarm signals, pre-recorded signals and microphone signals over wide areas. According to one of its aspects, the present invention relates to an audio signal sound diffusion system characterised in that it comprises: at least one diffuser (35a–38a, 35b–38b); at least one amplifier (31–34) connected to said diffuser (35a–38a, 35b–38b); a generation circuit (27) for generating at least one audio signal connected to said amplifier (31–34); a control circuit (10) for controlling said sound diffusion system adapted to detect the malfunctions of said diffusion system and to generate a status alarm (14) of said diffusion system; connection means (17, 40) adapted to connect said control circuit (10) to a management system; said control circuit (10) is adapted to send to said management system at least one status alarm (14) of said sound diffusion system.

Claims

1. Audio signal sound diffusion system, comprising:

at least one diffuser;

at least one amplifier connected to said at least one diffuser;

a generation circuit connected to said at least one amplifier for generating at least one audio signal;

a control circuit for controlling said sound diffusion system adapted to detect the malfunctions of said diffusion system and to generate an appropriate status alarm of said diffusion system in response thereto; and

connection means adapted to connect said control circuit to a management system;

said control circuit being adapted to send to said management system at least one status alarm of said sound diffusion system, said status alarm signal indicating which of a plurality of malfunctions has occurred.

2. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said audio signal is an alarm signal.

3. The sound diffusion system of claim 2, wherein a local control for the manual activation of said at least one alarm signal.

4. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said at least one status alarm indicates a malfuncton selected from the list of:

lack of mains voltage, failure of said at least one amplifier, failure of said at least one diffuser, and a charge state of reserve batteries for powering said diffusion system in the event of lack of mains voltage.

5. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a test circuit adapted to cyclically check the correct operation of said at least one amplifier.

6. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a test circuit adapted to cyclically check the correct operation of said at least one diffuser.

7. The sound diffusion system of claim 5, wherein said test circuit sends a test signal to the input of said at least one amplifier and measures the relevant signal at the output of said at least one amplifier.

8. The sound diffusion system of claim 2, wherein said management system is a computer.

9. The sound diffusion system of claim 8, wherein said computer allows the programming of the parameters of said at least one alarm signal.

10. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said management system is remote and is connected to said control circuit through cable.

11. The sound diffusion system of claim 1, wherein said management system is remote and connected to said control circuit through telephone line or optical fibre or radio link.

12. The sound diffusion system of claim 2, wherein said management system is adapted to send to said sound diffusion system an activation command of said at least one alarm signal.

13. The sound system of claim 6, wherein said test circuit sends a test signal to the input of said at least one amplifier and measures the relevant signal at the output of said at least one amplifier.