Audio distribution system with local integrally wall mounted control point nodes

• US 7,711,126 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clearone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: NetStreams LLC (Clearone Incorporated)
• Inventors: Braithwaite, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin; Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kurr; Jason R
• Application Number:
  US11/078,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20060204018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 381/77, 381/85, 381 80- 82, 381/110, 381/300, 381/306, 381/104, 379/101.01, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/007 for public address systems public address systems per se H04R27/00

Abstract

An integrally mounted control point node for use in an audio distribution system and including a control processor for receiving command signals and providing audio control signals to response thereto; a command signal generator for producing the command signals in response to activation by a user of the system; a terminal for receiving a plurality of audio signals; an audio signal tuner for receiving the control signals and the audio signals; an amplifier receiving an output signal from the tuner and the control signals from the control processor; and a speaker terminal for transmitting the output signal to a speaker.

Claims

1. A networked integrated control node for a networked audio distribution system, where the system includes one or more networked audio distribution nodes and one or more networked integrated control nodes, and where each networked integrated control node further includes a local I/O connection to connect to a variety of local I/O devices that includes local speakers and or local audio devices, comprising:

a control processor that further comprises a flash upgradeable memory, a control surface that receives control information, IR/RF transceivers for transmitting and receiving control information, and a display device that displays control information, said control processor uses web services to control the networked audio distribution node and or other integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

a network connection that couples to said control processor, said network connection transmits and receives digital audio from the networked audio distribution node and or other networked integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

a speaker output connection that couples to said control processor, said speaker output connection transmits analog audio to the local speaker;

a local audio I/O connection that couples to said control processor, said local audio I/O connection transmits and receives digital audio or analog audio to and from the local audio device, said control processor uses said local audio I/O connection to transmit and receive control information to and from the local audio device; and

a sound processing unit with an integrated amplifier that couples to said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection, said sound processing unit receives, processes, and transmits analog and digital audio between said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection.

2. The claim of claim 1 further comprising an integrated FM radio tuner with antenna connections that couples to said control processor.

3. The claim of claim 1 further comprising a power supply circuit that couples to said control processor, said power supply circuit couples to the local power or the global power supply and optionally couples to an energy storage module.

4. A method to make a networked integrated control node for a networked audio distribution system, where the system includes one or more networked audio distribution nodes and one or more networked integrated control nodes, and where each networked integrated control node further includes a local I/O connection to connect to a variety of local I/O devices that includes local speakers and or local audio devices, comprising:

providing a control processor that further comprises a flash upgradeable memory, a control surface that receives control information, IR/RF transceivers for transmitting and receiving control information, and a display device that displays control information, said control processor uses web services to control the networked audio distribution node and or other integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

coupling a network connection to said control processor, said network connection transmits and receives digital audio from the networked audio distribution node and or other networked integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

coupling a speaker output connection to said control processor, said speaker output connection transmits analog audio to the local speaker;

coupling a local audio I/O connection to said control processor, said local audio I/O connection transmits and receives digital audio or analog audio to and from the local audio device, said control processor uses said local audio I/O connection to transmit and receive control information to and from the local audio device; and

coupling a sound processing unit with an integrated amplifier to said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection, said sound processing unit receives, processes, and transmits analog and digital audio between said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection.

5. The claim of claim 4 further comprising an integrated FM radio tuner with antenna connections that couples to said control processor.

6. The claim of claim 4 further comprising a power supply circuit that couples to said control processor, said power supply circuit couples to the local power or the global power supply and optionally couples to an energy storage module.

7. A method to use a networked integrated control node for a networked audio distribution system, where the system includes one or more networked audio distribution nodes and one or more networked integrated control nodes, and where each networked integrated control node further includes a local I/O connection to connect to a variety of local I/O devices that includes local speakers and or local audio devices, comprising:

using a control processor that further comprises a flash upgradeable memory, a control surface that receives control information, IR/RF transceivers for transmitting and receiving control information, and a display device that displays control information, said control processor uses web services to control the networked audio distribution node and or other integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

transmitting and receiving digital audio from the networked audio distribution node and or other networked integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system with a network connection, said network connection couples to said control processor;

transmitting analog audio to the local speaker through a speaker output connection, said speaker output connection couples to said control processor;

transmitting and receiving digital audio and or analog audio to and from the local audio device through a local audio I/O connection, said local audio I/O connection couples to said control processor, said control processor uses said local audio I/O connection to transmit and receive control information to and from the local audio device; and

receiving, processing, and transmitting analog and or digital audio between said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection through a sound processing unit with an integrated amplifier, said sound processing unit couples to said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection.

8. The claim of claim 7 further comprising an integrated FM radio tuner with antenna connections that couples to said control processor.

9. The claim of claim 7 further comprising a power supply circuit that couples to said control processor, said power supply circuit couples to the local power or the global power supply and optionally couples to an energy storage module.

10. A program storage device readable by a computing device that tangibly embodies a program of instructions executable by the computing device to perform a method to use a networked integrated control node for a networked audio distribution system, where the system includes one or more networked audio distribution nodes and one or more networked integrated control nodes, and where each networked integrated control node further includes a local I/O connection to connect to a variety of local I/O devices that includes local speakers and or local audio devices, comprising:

using a control processor that further comprises a flash upgradeable memory, a control surface that receives control information, IR/RF transceivers for transmitting and receiving control information, and a display device that displays control information, said control processor uses web services to control the networked audio distribution node and or other integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system;

transmitting and receiving digital audio from the networked audio distribution node and or other networked integrated control nodes in the audio distribution system with a network connection, said network connection couples to said control processor;

transmitting analog audio to the local speaker through a speaker output connection, said speaker output connection couples to said control processor;

transmitting and receiving digital audio and or analog audio to and from the local audio device through a local audio I/O connection, said local audio I/O connection couples to said control processor, said control processor uses said local audio I/O connection to transmit and receive control information to and from the local audio device; and

receiving, processing, and transmitting analog and or digital audio between said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection through a sound processing unit with an integrated amplifier, said sound processing unit couples to said local audio I/O connection, said network connection, and said speaker output connection.

11. The claim of claim 10 further comprising an integrated FM radio tuner with antenna connections that couples to said control processor.

12. The claim of claim 10 further comprising a power supply circuit that couples to said control processor, said power supply circuit couples to the local power or the global power supply and optionally couples to an energy storage module.