Networked sound masking system
First Claim
1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
- a sound masking command control network in said physical environment;
a plurality of sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for receiving control signals over said sound masking command control network including a masking volume command and a masking frequency command, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking component, said sound masking component being responsive to said control signals for generating a sound masking output signal;
a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume command and said masking frequency command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sound masking system for shaping the ambient noise level in a physical environment. The sound masking system comprises a networked and distributed system having a number of master units coupled together and to a control unit. One or more of the master units may include satellite sound masking units which function to reproduce the sound masking signal generated by the master sound masking unit. Each of the master units is addressable over the network by the control unit enabling the control unit to program the contour, spectral band, and gain characteristics of the sound masking output signal. The system may also include a remote control unit which provides the capability to tune and adjust each master sound masking unit in situ without requiring physical access through the ceiling installation.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
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a sound masking command control network in said physical environment; a plurality of sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for receiving control signals over said sound masking command control network including a masking volume command and a masking frequency command, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking component, said sound masking component being responsive to said control signals for generating a sound masking output signal; a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume command and said masking frequency command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
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a control communication network configured for controlling a plurality of sound masking units in said physical environment; at least some of said sound masking units including a controller and a communication interface for coupling to said control communication network for receiving control signals over said control communication network, and said controller being responsive to said control signals for generating a sound masking signal and said control signals including a masking volume setting command and a masking frequency setting command; a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking control setting command and said masking frequency setting command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for sending said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
- a sound masking control communication network in said physical environment;
a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a controller having a component for generating a sound masking output signal and a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for receiving and transmitting control information over said sound masking control communication network, and said control information including address information identifying one or more of said sound masking units, and said controller being responsive to said control information addressed to said associated sound masking unit for controlling said sound masking output signal; and
a control unit configured to generate said control information including said address information, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for transmitting said control information to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units, wherein said control information includes a sound masking volume command and a sound masking frequency command. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
- a sound masking control communication network in said physical environment;
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13. A method for selectively controlling a plurality of sound masking units, said method comprising the steps of:
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configuring said plurality of sound masking units in a sound masking control communication network so as to have an interface for receiving a plurality of control commands over said sound masking control communication network to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units; generating said plurality of control commands;
monitoring said sound masking control communication network and said plurality of control commands and receiving one of said plurality of control commands addressed to one of said sound masking units;interpreting said received control command; and generating a sound masking signal having one or more characteristics based on said interpreted control command, wherein said interpreted command comprises a sound masking volume setting command and a sound masking frequency setting command.
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16. A networkable sound masking device comprising:
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a communication interface for interfacing to a sound masking device control network for transmitting control signals to selectively control operation of said networkable sound masking device; a controller for receiving said control signals from said interface, said control signals being intended for the networkable sound masking device and said control signals comprising a masking volume command and a masking frequency command; a sound masking component for generating a sound masking output signal, said sound masking component being responsive to said controller, and said sound masking output signal being responsive to said masking volume command and said masking frequency command; an output stage for outputting said sound masking signal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
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a communication network configured for controlling sound masking in said physical environment; a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking generator and a communication interface for coupling to said communication network configured for controlling sound masking and configured for receiving control signals over said communication network including a masking volume setting signal and a masking frequency setting signal, and said sound masking generator being responsive to said masking volume setting signal and said sound masking frequency setting signal for generating a sound masking output signal; a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume setting signal and said masking frequency setting signal, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units; a plurality of zones, and one or more of said sound masking units being associated with one or more of said zones.
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22. A sound masking system for masking sound in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:
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a sound masking control communication network for said physical environment; a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking generator and a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for receiving a plurality of control signals over said sound masking control communication network including a masking volume control command and a masking frequency control command, and said sound masking generator being responsive to said masking volume control command and said sound masking frequency control command for generating a sound masking output signal, said sound masking output signal having a volume derived from said masking volume control command and a frequency characteristic derived from said sound masking frequency control command; a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume control command and said masking frequency control command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification