Audio system adapters for audio signal distribution using electrical extension cables

• US 8,295,513 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berman, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): FAULK, DEVONA E
• Application Number:
  US12/647,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20110156477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 381/77, 381/120, 381/94.1, 381/94.5, 439/386, 439/63, 439/620, 439/26
• US Class Current: 381/120
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2203/5487 cables
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 3/56 Circuits for coupling, blocking, or by-passing of signals

Abstract

Audio cables used in deploying audio equipment are typically selected to minimize signal transmission losses and may be chosen based on a distance between, and terminations of, an amplifier system and a loudspeaker system. Since this is usually unknown prior to deployment, multiple audio cables with different sizes and terminations and a variety of electrical extension cords to connect to a power supply line are transported. A loudspeaker adapter for the loudspeaker system and an amplifier adapter for the amplifier system can be used to interconnect the two systems via electrical extension cords. This precludes the need for transporting a large number of audio cables, and allows for interconnecting the loudspeaker and the amplifier systems without prior knowledge of the distance between the systems. Safety hazards and component damage can also be minimized by not connecting a hot terminal in the AC connectors of the loudspeaker and amplifier adapters.

Claims

1. An audio device adapter comprising:

an audio connector configured to couple to a positive and a negative audio terminal on an audio device, wherein the audio connector comprises a first terminal configured to couple to the positive audio terminal on the audio device and a second terminal configured to couple to the negative audio terminal on the audio device; and

an AC connector coupled to the audio connector and comprising a ground terminal, a neutral terminal, and a hot terminal, wherein the neutral terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the first terminal of the audio connector, and the ground terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the second terminal of the audio connector.

2. The audio device adapter of claim 1, wherein the hot terminal of the AC connector is not connected to the audio connector.

3. The audio device adapter of claim 1, wherein the AC connector comprises a male AC connector configured to couple to a female AC connector of an AC extension cord.

4. The audio device adapter of claim 1, wherein the AC connector comprises a female AC connector configured to couple to a male AC connector of an AC extension cord.

5. The audio device adapter of claim 1, wherein the AC connector is a NEMA 5-15 connector.

6. A loudspeaker adapter comprising:

an audio connector configured to couple to a positive and a negative audio terminal on a loudspeaker system, wherein the audio connector comprises a first terminal configured to couple to the positive audio terminal on the loudspeaker system and a second terminal configured to couple to the negative audio terminal on the loudspeaker system; and

an AC connector coupled to the audio connector and comprising a ground terminal, a neutral terminal, and a hot terminal, wherein the neutral terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the first terminal of the audio connector, the ground terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the second terminal of the audio connector, and the hot terminal of the AC connector is not connected to the audio connector.

7. The loudspeaker adaptor of claim 6, wherein the AC connector comprises a male AC connector configured to couple to a female AC connector of an AC extension cord or a female AC connector configured to couple to a male AC connector of an AC extension cord.

8. The loudspeaker adapter of claim 6, further comprising a protection circuit, wherein the audio connector is coupled to the AC connector via the protection circuit.

9. The loudspeaker adapter of claim 6, further comprising a protection circuit, wherein the protection circuit comprises a first fuse, a second fuse, and a overvoltage device, wherein a first terminal of the first fuse is coupled to the neutral terminal of the AC connector and a second terminal of the first fuse is coupled to a first terminal of the overvoltage device and to the first terminal of the audio connector, wherein a first terminal of the second fuse is coupled to the ground terminal of the AC connector and a second terminal of the second fuse is coupled to a second terminal of the overvoltage device and to the second terminal of the audio connector.

10. The loudspeaker adapter of claim 6, wherein the loudspeaker audio connector is a banana plug, a ¼

^th inch phone plug, or a Speakon plug.

11. An amplifier adapter comprising:

an audio connector configured to couple to a positive and a negative audio terminal on an amplifier system, wherein the audio connector comprises a first terminal configured to couple to the positive audio terminal on the amplifier system and a second terminal configured to couple to the negative audio terminal on the amplifier system; and

an AC connector coupled to the audio connector and comprising a ground terminal, a neutral terminal, and a hot terminal, wherein the neutral terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the first terminal of the audio connector, the ground terminal of the AC connector is coupled to the second terminal of the audio connector, and the hot terminal of the AC connector is not connected to the audio connector.

12. The amplifier adapter of claim 11, wherein the AC connector comprises a female AC connector configured to couple to a male AC connector of an AC extension cord or a male AC connector configured to couple to a female AC connector of an AC extension cord.

13. The amplifier adapter of claim 11, wherein the amplifier audio connector is a banana plug, a ¼

^th inch phone plug, or a Speakon plug.

14. An amplifier adapter comprising:

an amplifier audio connector configured to couple to a positive and a negative amplifier audio terminal on an amplifier system, wherein the amplifier audio connector comprises a first terminal configured to couple to the positive amplifier audio terminal on the amplifier system and a second terminal configured to couple to the negative amplifier audio terminal on the amplifier system; and

a duplex AC connector comprising a first AC connector and a second AC connector, wherein the first AC connector and the second AC connector are coupled to the amplifier audio connector, wherein each of the first AC connector and the second AC connector comprise a ground terminal, a neutral terminal, and a hot terminal, and wherein the neutral terminal of the first AC connector and the neutral terminal of the second AC connector are coupled to the first terminal of the amplifier audio connector, the ground terminal of the first AC connector and the ground terminal of the second AC connector are coupled to the second terminal of the amplifier audio connector, and the hot terminal of the first AC connector and the hot terminal of the second AC connector are not connected to the amplifier audio connector.

15. The amplifier adapter of claim 14, wherein the first AC connector of the duplex AC connector is configured to couple to a first loudspeaker adapter associated with a first loudspeaker via a first AC extension cord, and the second AC connector of the duplex AC connector is configured to couple to a second loudspeaker adapter associated with a second loudspeaker via a second AC extension cord, wherein the first AC connector and the second AC connector of the duplex AC connector are configured to provide an audio output on one audio channel of the amplifier system to the first and second loudspeakers.

16. The amplifier adapter of claim 14, further comprising:

a second amplifier audio connector configured to couple to a second positive and a second negative amplifier audio terminal on the amplifier system, wherein the second amplifier audio connector comprises a first terminal configured to couple to the second positive amplifier audio terminal on the amplifier system and a second terminal configured to couple to the second negative amplifier audio terminal on the amplifier system; and

the duplex AC connector, wherein the first AC connector is coupled to the first amplifier audio connector and the second AC connector is coupled to the second amplifier audio connector, wherein the neutral terminal of the first AC connector is coupled to the first terminal of the first amplifier audio connector, the ground terminal of the first AC connector is coupled to the second terminal of the first amplifier audio connector, the hot terminal of the first AC connector is not connected to the first amplifier audio connector, the neutral terminal of the second AC connector is coupled to the first terminal of the second amplifier audio connector, the ground terminal of the second AC connector is coupled to the second terminal of the second amplifier audio connector, and the hot terminal of the second AC connector is not connected to the second amplifier audio connector.

17. The amplifier adapter of claim 16, wherein the first amplifier audio connector and the first AC connector of the duplex AC connector are configured to couple to a first loudspeaker adapter associated with a first loudspeaker via a first AC extension cord, and the second amplifier audio connector and the second AC connector of the duplex AC connector is configured to couple to a second loudspeaker adapter associated with a second loudspeaker via a second AC extension cord, wherein the first amplifier audio connector and the first AC connector are configured to provide an audio output on a first audio channel of the amplifier system to the first loudspeaker, and the second amplifier audio connector and the second AC adapter are configured to provide an audio output on a second audio channel of the amplifier system to the second loudspeaker.

18. The amplifier adapter of claim 16, wherein the duplex AC connector does not include a shunt bar connecting the first AC connector and the second AC connector in the duplex AC connector.

19. The amplifier adapter of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second AC connectors of the duplex AC connector is a female AC connector configured to couple to a male AC connector of an AC extension cord or a male AC connector configured to couple to a female AC connector of the AC extension cord.

20. The amplifier adapter of claim 14, wherein the first AC connector and the second AC connector are NEMA 5-15 connectors.