Networked sound masking and paging system

• US 8,817,999 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 777388 Ontario Limited
• Original Assignee: 777388 Ontario Limited
• Inventors: Moeller, Klaus, Moeller, Niklas, Rusu, Mircea, Derla, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-See
• Application Number:
  US10/646,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20040131199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,019 Days
• Field of Search: 381/73.1, 381104-109, 381/107, 381 97-100, 381102-103, 381 941- 943, 381/71.1, 381/57, 700/94
• US Class Current: 381/73.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/1752 Masking
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3014 Adaptive noise equalizers [ANE], i.e. where part of the unwanted sound is retained
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/30351 Identification of the environment for applying appropriate model characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 2210/3049 Random noise used, e.g. in model identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/12 for acoustic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/34 involving multiple cooperating jammers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/42 characterized by the control of the jamming frequency or wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/45 characterized by including monitoring of the target or target signal, e.g. in reactive jammers or follower jammers for example by means of an alternation of jamming phases and monitoring phases, called "look-through mode"
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/825 by jamming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/027 Annunciator systems for hospitals
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/002 Damping circuit arrangements for transducers, e.g. motional feedback circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring

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. According to another aspect, there is a networked paging system with individually addressable speaker units for announcing a paging signal selected from a number of paging signals.

Claims

1. A sound masking system for masking sound in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:

a communication network for said physical environment;

a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a digital processor configured for a sound masking signal generator and a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for receiving a plurality of control signals over said communication network, one of said control signals being a masking volume signal and a another, separate one of the control signals being a masking frequency signal, and said sound masking signal generator being responsive to said masking volume signal and said sound masking frequency signal for generating a sound masking output signal, said sound masking output signal having a volume derived from said masking volume signal, and said sound masking output signal having a frequency characteristic derived from said sound masking frequency signal;

a control unit configured to generate said control signals, said control unit configured to generate said masking volume signal and said control unit configured to separately generate said masking frequency signal, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operations of said plurality of sound masking units.

2. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sound masking unit includes an address component for recognizing control signals intended for the sound masking unit associated with said address component.

3. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sound masking units are associated with a plurality of sound masking zones, each of said sound masking units being associated with one of said plurality of sound masking zones, and said sound masking units providing sound masking for said associated sound masking zone independently of said other sound masking zones.

4. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said sound masking units associated with each of said sound masking zones are configured to provide a sound masking output tailored for said associated sound masking zone and said sound masking output being based on said masking volume and said masking frequency signals.

5. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of zones, and one or more of said sound masking units being configured for one or more of said zones.

6. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said zones includes one or more of a sound masking zone, a timer zone, and a switch zone.

7. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising:

a 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 comprising a processor configured to generate a sound masking signal and a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for receiving control signals over said communication network, one of said control signals being a masking volume signal and another, separate one of said control signals being a masking frequency signal, and said sound masking generator being responsive to said masking volume signal and said sound masking frequency signal for generating said sound masking signal;

a control unit configured to generate said control signals, said control unit configured to generate said masking volume signal and said control unit configured to separately generate said masking frequency signal, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said one or more control signals to selectively control operations of said plurality of sound masking units;

a plurality of zones, and one or more of said sound masking units being configured for one or more of said plurality of zones.

8. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said zones include one or more of a sound masking zone, a non-masking zone, a timer zone, and a switch zone.