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US 8,411,875 B2Granted
Speaker control via audio connection
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsJonathan W. Leach, Andrew G. Berezowski, Jesse J. Otis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Members of a plurality of loud speakers receive control commands or signals via audio communication lines. The control commands, or, signals are responded to by those speakers which have been previously addressed.
Claims20
A speaker module comprising:
- a pair of audio input ports that together form a common circuit path and that together receive audio signals and control signals commonly carried by the pair of audio input ports;
- a loud speaker;
- control circuitry, coupled to at least one of the ports, and the speaker;
- and
- a programmed processor coupled to the pair of input ports and control circuitry, the programmed processor is responsive to the control signals received through the pair of audio input ports and operates to switch the control circuitry between a speaker output mode and a different mode wherein the speaker output mode broadcasts the audio signals as verbal messages or other types of audio signals into a region in the vicinity of the speaker module and wherein the control signals received on the pair of audio input ports are beyond the response range of the loudspeaker.
2 more elements
A verbal output module comprising:
- a pair of input ports for signals which together form a common circuit path and which together carry a verbal message and control signals where the verbal message and control signals are commonly carried by the pair of input ports;
- a verbal output transducer;
- an electrical switch coupled between at least one of the ports and the transducer, the switch having at least two states;
- and
- a programmable processor coupled to the pair of input ports and to a control port of the switch and software executable by the processor to change the state of the switch in response to a command of the control signals received via the input ports wherein during a first of the at least two states the verbal output transducer broadcasts the verbal message into a region in the vicinity of the module and wherein the control signals on the pair of audio input ports are beyond the response range of the verbal output transducer.
2 more elements
A system comprising a plurality of audio output modules coupled by a medium to a source of audio signals, each of the modules comprising:
- a pair of input ports for signals which together faun a common circuit path and which together carry a verbal message and control signals where the verbal message and control signals are commonly carried by the pair of input ports;
- a verbal output transducer;
- an electrical switch coupled between at least one of the ports and the transducer, the switch having at least two states;
- control circuitry coupled to the pair of input ports and to a control port of the switch and software executable thereby to change the state of the switch in response to a command received via the pair of ports, where the software responds to module specifying indicia of the control signals received via the pair of ports;
- and where the software responds to received commands of the control signals which include at least, a command to couple verbal messages from the pair of input ports to the transducer, and a command of the control signals to alter a volume output parameter of the transducer wherein during a first of the at least two states the verbal output transducer broadcasts the verbal messages into a region in the vicinity of the module and wherein the control signals on the pair of audio input ports are beyond the response range of the verbal output transducer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.