US 2006/0217061 A1Published application

RF amplification system and method

AssigneeAudiological Engineering Corporation

InventorsMichael Steele, David Franklin

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Abstract

Spread-spectrum technology, either direct sequence or frequency hopping, or a combination of the two, is used for transmitting audio signals one way and control signals two ways over an RF channel(s) to reduce interference with/from other RF transmissions and enabling use of multiple such systems in close proximity without requiring pre-selection of transmission frequencies. Alternatively, multiple channels with appended access codes may be used, wherein interference or loss of clear signal results in automatic switching to another channel. The control signals accompany the transmitted audio signal at some time in the transmission interval, or previous to the beginning of the transmission interval, and constitute a coded control message allowing a unique connection. In some cases the encoding keys may only occur at the beginning of the desired message, while in other cases the two-way control signals may continue throughout the interval of the message link.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for delivering amplified audio signals into a venue comprising the steps of:

at a first location:
(a) generating an audio signal;
(b) generating a first control signal;
(c) generating a first RF signal;
(d) encoding said first RF signal with said audio signal and said first control signal;
(e) from a first transmitter, wirelessly transmitting in spread spectrum format said first RF signal encoded with said audio signal and said first control signal;
(f) at a first receiver wirelessly receiving in spread spectrum format a second RF signal containing a second control signal but no audio signal;
(g) detecting said second RF signal and separating therefrom said second control signal;
(h) Identifying the separated second control signal;
(i) evaluating the separated second control signal for controlling transmission of said first RF signal in accordance with values of the second control signal;
at a second location spaced from said first location:
(j) at a second receiver, wirelessly receiving the transmitted first RF signal in spread spectrum format containing said audio signal and said first control signal;
(k) detecting said first RF signal and separating said audio signal and said first control signal therefrom;
(l) identifying the separated first control signal;
(m) evaluating the separated first control signal and controlling delivery of the separated audio signal in accordance with values of the first control signal;
(n) rendering the separated audio signal audible if and only if said first control signal contains predetermined instructions to do so;
(o) generating the second control signal;
(p) generating the second RF signal;
(q) encoding said second RF signal with said second control signal;
and
(r) from a second transmitter, wirelessly transmitting in spread spectrum format said second RF carrier signal containing said second control signal but no audio signal;
thereby effecting one-way spread spectrum transmission of audio signals and two-way spread spectrum transmission of control signals between said first and second locations.

19 more elements

A system for delivering amplified audio signals into a venue comprising:

at a first location:
an audio signal source or generating an audio signal;
first control signal means for generating a first control signal;
RF signal means for generating a first RF signal;
first encoder means for encoding said first RF signal with said audio signal and said first control signal;
a first transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said first RF signal encoded with said audio signal and said first control signal;
a first receiver for wirelessly receiving a second RF signal containing a second control signal but no audio signal;
a first detector for detecting said second RF signal and separating therefrom said second control signal;
first decoder means for Identifying the separated second control signal and evaluating the separated second control signal for controlling transmission of said first RF signal by said first transmitter in accordance with values of the second control signal;
at a second location spaced from said first location:
a second receiver for for wirelessly receiving the transmitted first RF signal containing said audio signal and said first control signal;
a second detector for detecting said first RF signal and separating said audio signal and said first control signal therefrom;
second decoder means for identifying the separated first control signal and evaluating the separated first control signal for controlling delivery of the separated audio signal in accordance with values of the first control signal;
means for rendering the separated audio signal audible if and only if said first control signal contains predetermined instructions to do so;
second control signal means for generating the second control signal;
RF signal means for generating the second RF signal;
second encoder means for encoding said second RF signal with said second control signal;
and
a second transmitter for wirelessly transmitting said second RF carrier signal containing said second control signal but no audio signal;
thereby effecting one-way transmission of audio signals and two-way transmission of control signals between said first and second locations.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.