Audio distribution system having programmable zoning features

• US 5,440,644 A
• Filed: 04/15/1993
• Issued: 08/08/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ELAN Home Systems, LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Original Assignee: Square D Company (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Farinelli, Robert, Carrin, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Isen, Forester W.
• Application Number:
  US08/048,203
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 379/167, 379/170, 379/172, 379/58, 379/61, 379/63, 381/77, 381/81, 381/85
• US Class Current: 381/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/025 Door telephones adapted for television H04N7/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/00 Arrangements for interconnection not involving centralised switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 9/08 Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• 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 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S

Abstract

A signal distribution and communication arrangement includes an electronic processor-based master control unit which controls the broadcast of different types of signals through speakers located in various zones. The system includes a telephone interfaced with a door speaker controller to allow communication between the telephone and a door speaker. A page may now be broadcast over selected speakers and zones selectively muted to allow private communication when the page is answered. Also included is a doorbell interface circuit that responds to a doorbell source. The doorbell source may be activated by any one of a plurality of doorbell switches. An additional aspect of the present invention includes grouping zones together so that all source selection works concurrently, and each subzone in the group retains independent volume control, bass and treble. Further, a new sub-set of zone programming allows the installer to label a zone as any alpha-numeric seven-digit name.

Claims

1. An electronically controlled signal routing network having designated signal zones, each zone representing a facility area in which audio signals are broadcasted, the network comprising:

a plurality of signal generating devices, each said signal generating device generating a signal for broadcast independently of the other signal generating devices;

a receiving circuit, arranged to operate independently with respect to the plurality of signal generating devices, receiving user input information to designate selected zones in which to route at least one of said respectively generated signals for broadcast; and

an electronic control circuit including

a routing circuit for routing the signals respectively generated by said signal generating devices between a plurality of the signal zones, and

a programmable controller, responsive to the user input information received by the receiving, circuit, for establishing and storing a routing path through the routing circuit;

said electronic control circuit routing at least one of the plurality of signals to the selected zones for broadcast therein according to the established and stored routing path, wherein in response to repeated generation of said at least one of the respectively generated signals, the electronic control circuit repeatedly uses the stored routing path to route each said at least one of the respectively generated signals.

2. An electronically controlled signal routing network, according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of signal generating devices includes at least two of the following:

a doorbell generator, a music generator and a pager.

3. An electronically controlled signal routing network, according to claim 2, wherein said receiving circuit includes an inwall receiver.

4. An electronically controlled signal routing network, according to claim 3, wherein said inwall receiver includes a keypad.

5. An electronically controlled signal routing network, according to claim 3, wherein said inwall receiver includes a circuit for receiving remotely-generated signals.