Wireless digital transmission system for loudspeakers

• US 9,313,574 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TouchTunes Music Corporation (The Octave Music Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nathan, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US13/692,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 381 77- 85, 340 123- 1234, 340/311.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• 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

This invention relates to a wireless digital transmission system for loudspeakers comprising: compression means for the file representing the digital audio signal of the “compact disc” type, a transmission device comprising means of converting this compressed signal into a series signal moving by packets going to a modulator circuit with phase quadrature and means of transmitting the signals exiting the modulator circuit with phase quadrature to the domestic network for feeding electricity; a receiving device comprising means of connecting to this domestic network and of extracting from the feed electrical signal, by a demodulator with phase quadrature, data packets moving the digital audio signal to convert it into a parallelized digital signal sent to a decompression circuit; means of converting the decompressed digital signals into an analog signal intended to feed a loudspeaker after adequate amplification.

Claims

1. A loudspeaker system, comprising:

a transmitting unit;

a plurality of loudspeakers, each said loudspeaker having an individual receiving unit and an individual address associated therewith;

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to;

convert output information to be transmitted into packets, the packets including digital data having been compressed, serialized, and modulated for subsequent transmission,

address plural different audio signals to plural different loudspeakers, and

transmit, over AC power lines, the packetized information including packetized data corresponding to the plural different audio signals to the plural different loudspeakers; and

wherein the loudspeakers are each configured to;

receive the packetized information via their respective receiving units;

compare the addresses associated with the packetized information with the address associated with their respective receiving units receiving the information; and

when one of the addresses associated with the packetized information corresponds to the address associated with the respective receiving unit receiving the information, process the packetized information in order to (a) demodulate, parallelize, and decompress the digital data, (b) convert the digital data from the packetized information into analog data, and (c) cause the analog data to be output by the respective loudspeaker.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the output information converted into packets includes audio information that is selectively reproducible by the loudspeakers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the output information converted into packets includes commands for controlling a loudspeaker, and the loudspeakers are selectively adjustable in accordance with the commands included in the packetized information.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a remote control unit configured to issue commands for controlling the loudspeaker, wherein the commands from the remote control unit are included in the information converted into packets and the loudspeakers are selectively adjustable in accordance with the commands.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit includes a digital modulator.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the digital modulator is a phase quadrature digital modulator.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising circuitry configured to multiplex plural digital files representing different music signals intended for reception by different receiving units having different addresses associated therewith.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting unit comprises an encryption module configured to encrypt the digital data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the receiving units each comprise a decryption module configured to decrypt digital data encrypted by the encryption module of the transmitting unit.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the digital data is serialized according to a protocol including a part for starting protocol data, a part for an address of an intended recipient, a part for a digital signal and/or multiplexed digital signal, and a part for ending protocol data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the protocol further includes a part for control data for the loudspeaker(s).

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the protocol further includes a part for an encryption key for use in decrypting the digital data.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital data is serialized according to a protocol including a part for starting protocol data, a part for an address of an intended recipient, a part for a digital signal and/or multiplexed digital signal, and a part for ending protocol data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the protocol further includes a part for control data for the loudspeaker(s).

15. A transmitting unit for use with a loudspeaker system comprising a plurality of loudspeakers, each said loudspeaker having an individual receiving unit and an individual address associated therewith, wherein the transmitting unit is configured to:

convert output information to be transmitted into packets, the packets including digital data having been compressed, serialized, and modulated for subsequent transmission,

address plural different audio signals to plural different loudspeakers, and

transmit, over AC power lines, the packetized information including packetized data corresponding to the plural different audio signals to the plural different loudspeakers; and

wherein the loudspeakers are each configured to;

receive the packetized information via their respective receiving units;

compare the addresses associated with the packetized information with the address associated with their respective receiving units receiving the information; and

when one of the addresses associated with the packetized information corresponds to the address associated with the respective receiving unit receiving the information, process the packetized information in order to (a) demodulate, parallelize, and decompress the digital data, (b) convert the digital data from the packetized information into analog data, and (c) cause the analog data to be output by the respective loudspeaker.

16. The transmitting unit of claim 15, wherein the output information converted into packets includes audio information that is selectively reproducible by the loudspeakers.

17. The transmitting unit of claim 15, wherein the output information converted into packets includes commands for controlling a loudspeaker, and the loudspeakers are selectively adjustable in accordance with the commands included in the packetized information.

18. The transmitting unit of claim 15, further comprising a digital modulator that is a phase quadrature digital modulator.

19. The transmitting unit of claim 15, further comprising circuitry configured to multiplex plural digital files representing different music signals intended for reception by different receiving units having different addresses associated therewith.

20. The transmitting unit of claim 15, further comprising an encryption module configured to encrypt the digital data.