Abstract:
An integrally mounted control point node for use in an audio distribution system and including a control processor for receiving command signals and providing audio control signals to response thereto; a command signal generator for producing the command signals in response to activation by a user of the system; a terminal for receiving a plurality of audio signals; an audio signal tuner for receiving the control signals and the audio signals; an amplifier receiving an output signal from the tuner and the control signals from the control processor; and a speaker terminal for transmitting the output signal to a speaker.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to the residential and the commercial premise distributed audio industries and, more particularly, to audio, video and control systems for multiple room home or office facilities.  
         [0002]     Currently, most audio distribution systems consist of a central control processor, amplifiers, matrix switches, sources, speakers, and keypads (further referenced here as Control Point Nodes). All of these components installed together comprise an audio distribution system. Typically in these systems sources, such as CD players, Music Servers, Satellite tuners, AM/FM tuners, tape decks, etc. . . . are centrally located and connected to a matrix switch via analog or digital signals. The signals are then routed to centrally located or remotely located amplifiers. The signal is amplified and then the signals are routed to the speakers for transduction within the installation spaces. In many of these installation systems the matrix switch and multiple amplifiers can create what is known as a multi source to multi room system. Thus, content from different sources can be reproduced in different rooms at the same time, and or the same source can be reproduced in all rooms.  
         [0003]     The typical way a user would control the source such as channel up, down or next track, as well as controlling the acoustical properties in the room such as volume and tone is via a small control point node. These control point nodes are typically wall mounted so that the control surface and display (if designed) are easily accessible by the user. These control point nodes can be installed within a single gang, or multiple gangs, or in some cases larger than standard electrical boxes.  
         [0004]     Examples of such prior audio systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,728; 6,501,389; and, 6,389,139; and PCT/AU98/00647.  
         [0005]     A significant disadvantage of currently available multi-room systems is their use of a fixed number of inputs available with external tuner source components. A building or large estate with twenty or more rooms equipped to reproduce sound requires a matrix switch capable of at least 20 inputs and outputs and 20 source component radio tuners to allow every room the ability to tune in a different station.  
         [0006]     The object of this invention therefore, is to provide in every room of a multi-room facility an integrated wall mounted control point node which allows a user to receive a particular audio input selected from a variety of available sources.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The invention is an integrally mounted control point node for use in an audio distribution system and including a control processor for receiving command signals and providing audio control signals in response thereto; a command signal generator for producing the command signals in response to activation by a user of the system; and a terminal for receiving a plurality of audio signals. Also included is an audio signal tuner for receiving the control signals and the audio signals, the tuner responding to the control signals by selecting one of the audio signals as an output signal; an amplifier receiving the output signal from the tuner and the control signals from the control processor; and amplifying the output signal in response to the control signals; and a speaker terminal for transmitting the output signal to a speaker. The control point node can be wall mounted to allow multiple room users to individually select a desired audio signal.  
         [0008]     According to one feature of the invention, the control processor means includes audio terminal means for receiving a plurality of other audio signals; and a signal processing unit receiving the other audio signals, the signal output, and the audio control signals, the processing unit responding to the control signals by selecting and routing one of the signals to the amplifier. The other audio signals can include, for example, Satellite tuners, CD players, music servers or tape decks.  
         [0009]     According to another feature of the invention, the other audio signals include available network audio signals, and the control processor means includes a network I/O for formatting the network audio signals in response to the control signals. This feature allows a user to control a multi-room system away from the control point node.  
         [0010]     According to yet another feature, the other signals include local signals received from a local audio I/O, and the control processor includes a local signal I/O for formatting the local signals in response to the control signals. This feature allows a user to control additional information sources in the room retaining the central point node.  
         [0011]     According to a further feature of the invention, the generator includes a terminal for receiving the command signals from an external hand held device and a control surface adapted for manual activation by a user to produce the command signals; a display for illustrating selected command signals at the control surface; and a command speaker adapted for audio activation by a user to produce the command signals. These features expand flexible use of the control point node by a user.  
         [0012]     According to an additional feature of the invention, the control processor includes a power terminal for receiving power from an external power source, and an energy storage module for supplementing the external power source. This feature provides a steady power level and quick transience response to improve system performance. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an audio system according to the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a wall-mountable, integrated Central Point Node utilized in the system of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of components of the Integrated Control Point Node of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a circuit design of an FM tuner component of the Integrated Control Point Node of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an audio system embodiment employing a plurality of Integrated Control Point Nodes shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a typical audio system;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of an audio system illustrating components contained within a typical Integrated Amplifier;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram of an audio system illustrating components contained within a typical Audio Receiver;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram of an audio system illustrating components contained within a typical Powered Speaker; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram of an audio system illustrating components contained in a typical Powered Subwoofer.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]     Diagrammatically illustrated in  FIG. 1  is an audio distribution system having an Integrated Control Point Node (ICP)  100 . Analog and Digital Audio signals are received by the ICP  100  via an Audio I/O Node  500  and a Network  200 . The received Analog and or Digital Audio signals are created by or transcoded by the ICP  100  and available for use remotely from the ICP  100  via the Audio I/O Node  500  and the Network  200 . Terrestrial radio frequencies for use in the ICP  100  also are received via an antenna  300 . Power is supplied to the ICP by a power supply  600 . The ICP  100  provides powerful amplified signals to drive the transduction in connected speakers  400 . In addition, the ICP  100  can transmit and receive data from the network  200  via connections which can be wired or wireless.  
         [0025]     In a preferred embodiment, the ICP  100  is an integrally mounted unit as shown in  FIG. 2 . Externally accessible visually or physically on the ICP  100  is a control surface  150  consisting of a button keypad  154  and a LCD  155 . Also accessible on the surface  150  are a Microphone  137  and infrared transceivers  160 ,  170 . The control surface  150  provides a means for physically controlling the audio system and sources via button presses  154 , voice control through the Microphone  137 , or sensory input via electronic sensors such as the passive infrared transceivers  160 ,  170 , ambient light sensors or external sensors. Also, the control surface  150  can provide visual  155  or audible feedback via speaker  157  to aid with the use and control of the ICP  100 . The IR transceivers  160 ,  170  facilitate infrared and radio frequency input and output for use from remote controlled devices. These devices can extend the functionality of the ICP  100  to a small handheld type device.  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  shows other components mounted behind the control surface  150  inside the ICP  100 . A Main Control Processor (MCP)  110  functions to control audio output of the ICP  100  and possesses a memory which can be flash upgradeable for future functionality. Connected to the MCP  110  is an FM tuner  120  also connected to an Antenna input connection  125  which receives audio signals from the antenna  300 . The integrated tuner  120  has provisions for both a single antenna and a plurality of antennas commonly known as diversity tuning. Controlling the tuner  120  directly are control signals from the MCP  110  to provide selected audio output signals to a sound processing unit  130 . The control signals are provided by the MCP  110  in response to command signals produced on the control surfaces  150  by a user of the system. In addition, the sound processing unit (SPU)  130  also receives from a microphone  137  input for use both in processing data such as for voice control applications and also for use with adaptive room correctional algorithms. The microphone  137  also can be used in calculating installation placement and triangulation, speaker polarity and placement and for use with intercom and or VoIP capabilities.  
         [0027]     The SPU  130  also receives, processes, and routes analog and digital audio signals from an audio I/O connection  135  communicating with the audio I/O  500  as well as analog and digital audio signals from the Network I/O  190  associated with the Network  200 . The SPU  130  also processes and produces analog and digital audio signals routed to the audio I/O connect  135 , Network I/O  190 , and to an integrated amplifier  140 . Controlled by the MCP  110 , the amplifier  140  provides its amplified audio output signal to the Speaker Output connectors  145 . The MCP  110  also receives processes, and routes Infrared and radio frequency serial data via an infrared receiver circuit  170  and creates and transmits infrared or radio frequency serial data via an infrared transmission circuit  160 . In addition, the MCP  110  is connected to the Network  200  via the Network I/O circuit  190 .  
         [0028]     The MCP  110  is powered by a power supply circuit  180  connected to the local or global power supply  600  via a power connection  185 . In the preferred embodiment of the ICP  100 , the power supply  180  is further enhanced by the use of an energy storage module (ESM)  187  which allows for quick transience response and helps the local or global power supply  600  deliver a steady level of power for the audio system to utilize and improve system performance.  
         [0029]     The control surface  150  of the ICP  100  is controlled and communicates directly with the MCP  110 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the control surface  150  may consist of the button pad  154  but in some embodiments may consist of touch panel technology. The display device  155  is part of the control surface  150  and may be controlled directly by the MCP  110 , or by a display controller  157  that is controlled by the MCP  110 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  shows an FM tuner  120  circuit design. In this embodiment the tuner  120  is controlled by the MCP  110  via an 12C data bus. The tuner  120  receives its radio frequencies via the antenna connection  125  and the audio output signals from the tuner  120  are connected directly to the SPU  130 .  
         [0031]     Typically, an ICP  100  is located within various rooms of a structure and  FIG. 5  illustrates its use with an audio port I/O  500 . This device serves as a local audio signal input and output to the ICP  100  internal sound processing units and may include an analog to digital converter and or a digital to analog converter. Uses of the I/O  500  include connections to a powered speaker or subwoofer within the room or connections to a local audio component.  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  depicts the audio distribution topology in a system wide deployment. A plurality of ICP nodes  100  are connected via a network  200  to a plurality of Audio Distribution Nodes (ADN)  1000 . This embodiment also shows connections of the Nodes  100  to External Interface Modules (EIM)  500  to provide both Audio signals and control data. The Modules  500  are in turn connected to remote audio sources  550 . Thus, the external sources  550  can connect to both the EIM  500  in the local rooms but also back at the central location and connect to the ADN  1000 . The type of connection to the network  200  shown in  FIG. 5  consists of DC power connections  291 ,  292 ; network data communications  293 ,  294 ; infrared data communications  298 ,  299 ; and audio signals  295 ,  296 ,  297 . A type of connection to locally available audio sources  550  consists of audio output signals  138 ,  139 ; logic  137 ; audio input signals  131 ,  132 ; and infrared data communications  133 ,  134 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of any audio system. Shown are four main components required to create a workable audio system; namely a Source  2000 , a Pre-Amp  3000 , an Amplifier  4000 , and a Speaker  400 .  
         [0034]      FIGS. 7-10  show block diagrams of audio systems and component clusters required for separate products.  
         [0035]     According to another embodiment, the ICP  100  can contain provisions for the control surface to be served up via the Network  200  allowing the user to control a multi-room system away from the ICP. In other embodiments the ICP  100  can be encoded directly or remotely to provide web services to other nodes on the network such as providing the radio tuner as a streamed global source; participate within a meshed packet switched network or cluster; and store, time shift, or space shift audio content for use of rendering the audio later or remotely. In still other embodiments, the ICP  100  can render signals derived from wireless WAN technologies or from satellite services such as from XM radio, Sirius, or Worldspace.  
         [0036]     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.