Lighting and audio communication system

• US 8,666,104 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MITEK CORPORATION
• Original Assignee: MITEK CORPORATION
• Inventors: Marlin, Bruce, Cross, Alan, Diedrich, Brad, Ivey, Loyd
• Primary Examiner(s): San Martin, Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US13/623,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20130016864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 381/340, 381/339, 381/347, 381/333, 381/306, 381/388, 181/141, 181/150, 181/152, 181/159, 181/177, 181/199, 362/253, 362/249.02, 362/249.06, 362/240, 116/137.R, 116/142.R
• US Class Current: 381/340
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0052 Audio or video equipment, e.g. televisions, telephones, cameras or computers; Remote control devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0076 Safety or security signalisation, e.g. smoke or burglar alarms, earthquake detectors; Self-defence devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/30 Combinations of transducers with horns, e.g. with mechanical matching means , i.e. front-loaded hornshorns in general G10K; transducer enclosures or mountings using a back-loaded horn H04R1/2861; application of horns as guiding means to obtain a predetermined directivity characteristic H04R1/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/345 for loudspeakers

Abstract

A lighting and communication system with a horn enclosure for recessed ceiling panel or wall mounting, including a speaker with a horn expansion area to direct sound waves from the speaker to a horn enclosure front, at least one light enclosure located within the horn enclosure, the light enclosure defining a light cavity which is separated from said horn expansion area, with a light source inside the light cavity. The light source can be an LED array, which is capable of displaying text, colors or patterns in response to a control system signal.

Claims

1. A lighting and communication system comprising;

a) a mounting comprising one of a vertical surface mounting and a ceiling mounting;

b) a horn enclosure mounted on said mounting and comprising at least one rear speaker aperture;

c) at least one speaker mounted adjacent to said horn enclosure;

d) at least one horn expansion area inside said horn enclosure to direct sound waves from said at least one speaker to a horn enclosure front;

e) at least one light enclosure located within said horn enclosure, wherein said light enclosure defines a light cavity which is separated from said horn expansion area by said light enclosure; and

f) said light enclosure comprising at least one light source coupling mounted within said light cavity.

2. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said horn enclosure is square or rectangular in shape.

3. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which a light source is coupled to said light source coupling and wherein said light source comprises an LED array.

4. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said light cavity is completely separated from said horn expansion area.

5. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said light enclosure comprises a light enclosure back, and said light source coupling is mounted adjacent to said light enclosure back.

6. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said light enclosure comprises a light enclosure side, and said light source coupling is mounted adjacent to said light enclosure side.

7. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which a light source coupled to said light source coupling operable to be controlled by a control system, said control system comprising a computer or other digital control equipment in order to allow said light source to display text, colors, or patterns.

8. The lighting and communication system according to claim 7 in which said control system is capable of changing at least one of said text, colors, and patterns in response to sound waves emitting from said horn enclosure.

9. The lighting and communication system according to claim 7 in which said control system is capable of changing said light source display text, colors or patterns in response to sound emitting from external sources comprising at least one of a bell and an alarm.

10. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said speaker is replaceable.

11. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said horn expansion area increases in volume as it approaches said horn enclosure front.

12. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said lighting and communications system is individually addressable by said control system adapted to use an individual internet protocol address.

13. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said lighting and communications system is communicatively coupled to at least one of commercial and emergency communications applications.

14. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said ceiling mounting comprises a ceiling panel for suspended ceilings.

15. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said horn expansion area includes a bifurcation bar to assist in dividing said sound waves toward multiple horn enclosure openings.

16. The lighting and communication system according to claim 15 in which said multiple horn openings number at least two.

17. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said speakers number at least two.

18. The lighting and communication system according to claim 1 in which said speaker comprises a contact transducer.

19. A lighting and communication system comprising;

a) a mounting comprising one of a vertical surface mounting and a ceiling mounting;

b) a horn enclosure mounted on said mounting and comprising at least one rear speaker aperture;

c) at least one speaker mounted adjacent to said horn enclosure and adjacent to said at least one rear speaker aperture;

d) at least one horn expansion area inside said horn enclosure to direct sound waves from said at least one speaker to a horn enclosure front; and

e) at least one light enclosure located within said horn enclosure, said light enclosure comprising at least one LED array mounted within said light enclosure, wherein said LED array comprises and LED array capable of displaying at least one of text, colors, and patterns in response to a signal received from a digital control system.

20. The lighting and communication system of claim 19, in which said lighting and communications system is individually addressable by said control system adapted to use an individual internet protocol address.