Method and apparatus for simplified interconnection and control of audio components of an home automation system

A method and apparatus for distributing stereo signal of an audio system integrated with an home automation system. The audio system is further integrated with intercom and video intercom including the controlling of the intercom communications and the home automation appliances via a network and the Internet. The stereo signals are encoded and distributed from a selector/encoder, via distributors or directly to speakers via at least one single twisted pair carrying the encoded signals multiplexed with serial signals and with microphone signals for communicating with the intercom or with e-station via the network or the Internet. The multiplexed signals are propagated via the same twisted pair that also feeds a constant current to the system devices or providing power via separated twisted pair. The speakers include wired or wireless remote control receivers and transmitters for propagating remote control signals. The system is flexible and can be connected in many configurations using fitted network cables and connectors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is related to music players, audio amplifiers and speakers used in home automation and to intercoms or video interphone systems.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Audio and stereo amplifiers and pre amplifiers that are used in connection with home automations, home theater and similar applications, are in fact a common, well known audio appliances that are used and operated by consumers. The differences are in their structures, such as being constructed into a rack mounting enclosure and are provided with additional control line or bus line connectors for operating the audio appliances from a centralized panel.

Such audio systems are interconnected by different wires and shielded audio cables between the system rack, the speakers and a range of audio players. This requires long stretched audio cables, all the way from the user operated players such as CD, DVD, Blue-ray and/or ipod cradle that are located or placed in the living or dining room etc, at the user option, for convenient handling of audio or video disks. All the stereo signals including a television audio output signal require audio shielded cables that are fitted with plugs at the cable ends. No conduits are provided for such audio cables by the building architects during the design of the residence and during the construction.

Many such audio cables and heavy gauge speaker cables and control wires must be laid for connecting the audio system when the building is completed and the plurality of cables and wired must be stretched along built walls that spoil the interiors. Moreover, such connections are costly and must be handled by specialists.

Further, such audio systems do not provide connections and control for integrating the audio system with the intercom or video interphone, having two way communications with the entry panels, nor the remotely opening of the buildings or the house's doors, nor for communicating with the guard, a virtual doorman, a concierge and a virtual e-concierge connected to the video intercom or the intercom system of the building or the house.

Such intercom or video intercom systems are commonly installed along with the electrical system and are connected via twisted pair or pairs, such as a pair or pairs of the CAT 5 cables used for networking or telephones in a building. Such cables cannot be used to connect stereo audio signal into the input connectors of an audio pre amplifier or the amplifier. On the other hand, such CAT 5 cables are commonly designed for and are installed into conduit in building and houses, by the electrical contractor at far lower costs than the costs of wiring shielded audio cables.

In large cities such as N.Y the Fire department is intending to integrate the intercom system of apartment buildings with the fire alarms and to provide for transmitting voice messages or commands to a selected or all the apartments in the event of fire. Such interfacing and integration with intercoms is not readily available with many of the current intercoms and video intercoms system, some of which propagate digital audio signals that cannot be directly connected to audio amplifiers or pre amplifiers.

Further, audio systems for home automation do not incorporate microphones for processing the well known “hands free” audio signals, such as used by hands free telephones, while such two way hands free communications are very useful for bed ridden, the elderly and the sick to call for emergency and communicate with medical doctors, a service that is more and more needed due to the aging of the population.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interconnecting the audio system components with the home automation system and/or the intercom or the video intercom via simple wiring method, such as using twisted pair wires, similar to the communication wires used for networking or telephones.

The term intercom in the following descriptions comprise an intercom, and/or a video intercom, and/or an interphone, and/or video interphone, and/or a shopping terminal and combinations thereof, operated in a stand alone setup or in a system and/or as a part of a larger system having two way audio communications between a tenant with one or more entry panels of a building and/or between a tenant with one or more local stations, such a concierge station, a guard station and an administration station of a building and/or between a tenant and e-stations, such as fire station, alarm monitoring station, medical station, e-concierge station, e-service station, e-doorman or virtual doorman station and e-shopping station via a network and/or between the local stations and the e-stations.

A tenant in the following descriptions can be a person in his residence and/or in a commercial facility, and/or in a warehouse, and/or in a factory and/or in other building, and/or in houses and combinations thereof.

In the following descriptions a Building refers to a single house and/or to multi apartment building, and/or to a warehouse, and/or to a commercial building, and/or to a factory building, and/or to other structured building and combinations thereof. An apartment refers to a unit within a building, such as a residence unit, or office unit, or factory unit, or a shop and other units of buildings.

The terms Left speaker and Right speaker in the following descriptions are used for convenience only, in line with the orientation of the illustrated speakers in the drawings. Whenever a left speaker or right speaker is disclosed and/or its structure is detailed, the Left-Right orientations of the drawings, in the specifications and the claims are illustrative only, with the Left-Right terms are reversible, as the case may be, wherein left can be read as right and right can be read as left.

Video interphone systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,923,363; 6,603,842 and 6,940,957. Shopping terminals are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,012 and a continuation application Ser. No. 12/275,452.

A method and apparatus for controlling and/or operating appliances of an home automation system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,702, published application Ser. No. 11/509,315 and patent application Ser. Nos. 11/874,309; 11/939,785; 11/949,853 and 12/236,656.

The audio system of the present invention includes a selector/encoder unit for placement in the living or dining room or in other locations as selected by a tenant, along with or close to the playback device or devices. The term “music source or sources” in the following descriptions refers to one or more playback devices, such as CD, DVD, Blue-ray, ipod, ipod cradle, MP3, including a radio, television, set-top box, cable box, satellite box and other appliances having output stereo connectors for outputting audio signals, analog or digital, via standard cable assemblies with plugs, for connecting to the input connectors of the selector/encoder unit.

The selector/encoder unit includes a remote control IR and/or wireless receiver for receiving select commands and for connecting any of the selector inputs to the encoder circuit, for outputting and propagating an encoded stereo signal to an audio distributor for distributing the signals to speaker pairs mounted on walls and/or ceilings and/or for connecting free standing speakers that are placed in the apartment as desired by the tenant.

The audio distributor may include a decoder for decoding the stereo signals and an amplifier or amplifiers for outputting decoded and amplified stereo signals to the stereo speakers in one or more rooms of the building or the apartment.

The present invention feeds the encoded stereo signals multiplexed with control signals via a single twist pair to one set of left-right speakers, each includes a decoder and a power amplifier, or to one speaker only, for example the left speaker, having a decoder, a stereo amplifier and terminals for connecting the right speaker of the example, via a separate twist pair. Such arrangement enables to connect the right-left speakers in a cascaded extension, when at least one of the speakers includes decoder/amplifier. A twist pair is a reference also to one pair of wires of a CAT 5 cable that is commonly used in buildings for network or telephone connections.

Similarly, the encoded stereo signals can be propagated to the audio distributor by a single twisted pair connecting the selector/encoder to the audio distributor, thereby providing for propagating the selected audio signals from the encoder via a twisted pair all the way to the each pair of left-right speakers in the apartment.

The selector/encoder is also operated by serial command signals and can communicate with the home automation distributor and with the video interphone monitor or the intercom controller. The video interphone monitor, the shopping terminal and the home automation distributor are disclosed in the above reference patents and patent applications that are incorporated herein by reference.

The serial command signals, such as the well known RS422 or RS485 or any other serial signals that are propagated between the intercom system, the electrical operated appliances, the controllers of the electrical appliances, keypads and the remote control devices and drivers are exchanged through the home automation distributor and by connecting the control circuit of the audio distributor and the selector/encoder to the serial command circuit of the home automation, it become clear that the audio system of the present invention can be integrated to operate and be controlled through the home automation and/or the intercom system.

Another objective of the present invention is to incorporate two way audio communications between the apartment and the entry panels of the building and/or between the apartment and a local station such as local guard and/or with e-station such as alarm, emergency and medical monitoring stations.

For this purpose the present invention provides for propagating a monaural audio from at least one room or zone of the apartment, in which at least one of the left-right speakers includes a microphone. For example, the left speaker comprising a decoder and an amplifier further includes a microphone and a circuit for multiplexing the microphone signal into the encoded stereo signal line and propagating the multiplexed microphone signal to the audio distributor or to the selector/encoder unit, in reverse direction to the propagation of the encoded stereo signal. Both the audio distributor and the selector/encoder include a circuit for extracting and feeding the extracted microphone signal to the intercom system.

The serial command signals according to the present invention are also processed and are multiplexed into the stereo encoded line for propagating two way multiplexed signals including the commands between the speakers, the microphone circuits, the audio distributor, the selector/encoder unit, the home automation distributor and the intercom system.

Even though the present invention provides for propagating the multiplexed two way serial commands via the encoded signal line to the selector/encoder unit, in practice and as explained in the description of the preferred embodiment, the serial commands between the selector/encoder unit and the audio distributor are propagated separately via a twisted pair of a standard network cable, such as CAT 5 cable. CAT 5 cable is commonly available fitted with well known RJ45 connectors having 8 pins for connecting four twisted pair wires into a network switch or a PC, or RJ11 with 4 pins for connecting two pair of wires into telephones. Wall sockets with RJ45 or RJ11 connectors (8 pins or 4 pins) are commonly available and because the selector/encoder of the present invention is intended to be placed by the user in a convenient location, it will be simple to use a standard network cable fitted with plugs at both ends for connecting the selector/encoder to a standard RJ45 wall socket, that is hooked up at its other end of the cable with the audio distributor.

As explained above the internal connections of the audio system components including the connections with the home automation system are made via twisted pairs throughout and as explained further below, the same twisted pairs are used to connect the audio system to the intercom system. Further, since CAT 5 cables and the twisted pairs are commonly installed along with and during the electrical installation of a building by the electrical installers, it becomes clear that the audio system of the present invention can be conveniently installed by electricians at far lower costs.

The commonly employed intercom systems generate analog audio signals that are propagated via low impedance lines and circuits to the handset or to the hand's free mic and speaker system, for communicating with the entry panel or panels of the building or with the local station, such as a guardman station. The use of low impedance (lines and circuits) is because low impedance based signals are less sensitive to electrical noises and to the AC electrical current noises, including the known 50 Hz or 60 Hz “hum”. The low impedances of the commonly installed intercoms and their circuits can therefore be connected via twisted pairs such as the twisted pairs of the CAT 5 cables.

This enables to connect the intercom system with the audio distributor via two twisted pairs, one pair for carrying the speaker signal of the intercom system through the audio distributor to the audio system speakers and the other pair for carrying the microphone signal, reprocessed by the audio distributor, in reversed direction—to the intercom system, thereby completing the interconnection for the two way audio communication between the intercom system and the audio system of the home automation. The serial command signals can be fed from the intercom controller or from the video interphone of the preferred embodiment controller to the audio distributor via a single twisted pair connected to both, the home automation distributor and the audio distributor.

As disclosed in the above referenced video interphones, shopping terminal and home automation patents and applications which are incorporated herein by reference, the video interphone monitor is feeding via a twisted pair a combination, multiplexed signals selected from audio, video, control, data, code and alarm signals to a serial converter such as USB converter associated with the home automation distributor, for communicating with the tenant's PC. By this arrangement the video interphone is connected to both, the home automation system and the audio system by a total of four twisted pairs of a standard CAT 5 cables, two pairs for connecting the microphone and speaker signals, one pair for the serial command signal and one pair for the combination, multiplexed signals.

Even though the interconnections between the video interphone or video intercom with the home automation and the audio system of the present invention via few twisted pair wires is simple, and even though the interconnections are non polar and can be reversed, the need to interconnect two distributors and follow the wires of the CAT 5 cables color code within the system can be improved. It may be preferable therefore to use a well known standard connectors such as RJ45 throughout the system. For this the present invention provides a combined audio with home automation distributor, including speakers, that are all connected via standard cables such as CAT 5 and standard connectors, such as RJ45.

As further disclosed in the published patent application Ser. No. 11/509,315 incorporated herein by reference, the remote control commands generated by each of the IR or wireless remote controls of the audio playback devices, such as the CD or DVD player, the ipod, including the remote control devices of a radio and/or the TV, are recorded into the memory of the video interphone or the shopping terminal and are used as the command source for the remote controlling of the audio playback devices through an IR and/or wireless repeaters or drivers that are installed in the different rooms or zones of the apartment.

The selector/encoder is further providing an individual wired remote control for each audio playback device via an individual serial command connector. This ability to control each of the audio playback device, the radio and/or the TV that are connected to the selector/encoder100is another advantage, enhancing the simplicity of the interconnections, the setting up, the controlling and the operation of the integrated audio and home automation system of the present invention.

Further, the speakers of the present invention include one or more IR receiver and processing circuit for injecting the received IR commands into the stereo encoded line, for propagating the IR commands to either the home automation distributor, or to the audio distributor or to both, by this the preferred embodiment speakers of the present invention provide additional receiving relay stations for the IR commands and thus creating an improved IR commands receiving environment for the home automation system. Similarly, the speakers of the present invention include one or more IR transmitters providing added distribution and improved propagation of the IR commands of the home automation system.

Moreover, the expansion of the home automation IR remote control network via the IR receivers and/or the IR transmitters of the speakers enables to propagate the IR remote control command to the selector/encoder of the present invention, even if it is not wired to the home automation serial command line. This is because the selector/encoder receives the commands via the IR drivers of the home automation system. The propagations of the IR commands are further explained in the preferred embodiment description.

As the speakers boxes of the present invention may include control circuit, microphone circuit, decoder circuit and audio power amplifier, the circuits in the speaker boxes must be powered accordingly.

As disclosed in the above video interphone U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 and the referenced patents and applications, the power can be fed via the multiplexed signal line with a fixed and constant controlled current, with a portion of the current drain is allocated to charge a rechargeable battery associated with the video interphone or the shopping terminal. The referenced patents also disclose the powering of the video interphone and the shopping terminal via a separate power line.

Similar powering methods are incorporated in the present invention, one is to apply a controlled limited current for operating the speakers with lower audio power output. The second is to apply a controlled current for operating the lower audio power output, plus a charge current for charging a rechargeable batteries associated with the speaker boxes, for using the charged batteries to enable a higher peak power audio output. The third is to connect DC power directly to the speaker box, for example to power the speaker boxes via a DC power line in combination with the power fed to the audio distributor and to the selector/encoder, using an external power supply that is also used to power the home automation control system.

The method and apparatus for connecting the speakers of the present invention by a single twisted pair including the powering of one pair of two speakers, Left and Right, features error free simplified interconnection, such as providing for non polar connections in which the two wires can be connected with reverse polarities. The error free reversed polarity covers the power feed via separate twisted pair line and the encoded stereo lines and/or the multiplexed signal lines, with or without power feed. The detailed simplified connections of the power lines for powering the audio system are further explained in the details of the preferred embodiment descriptions.

The propagated stereo signal source such as DVD, ipod or radio is selected through a well known analog or digital selector and is fed from the selector to a well known stereo encoder that is available in different IC packages but can be assembled into well known stereo encoder circuit using discrete components. The stereo encoder is fed with a clock such as 38 KHz or higher frequency for generating and outputting an encoded stereo signals with 19 KHz pilot signal, which is the same pilot signal used for the transmission of stereo signal by FM radio stations. The encoded stereo L-R signals are fed to a well known differential driver amplifier for feeding the encoded stereo signal via a twisted pair to a speaker incorporating stereo decoder and amplifier directly or via the audio distributor.

For propagating digital and/or compressed audio signals, the combined left-right signals are programmed and timed to provide zero time delays between the left and right channels. For digital signal propagation there are many well known digitizing, coding and compression circuits and programs, any of which can replace the stereo encoder and mixer that are used for the analog stereo signals propagation. Moreover, as explained further below, with digital signals propagation it is possible to combine the control signal through the same DSP (digital signal processor), CPU or other digital devices that are widely available in an IC packages, to reduce the total components need and the costs.

The referenced patent applications of the home automation disclose a simple addressing method and apparatuses for setting the addresses by the installer of the system, i.e., the electrician and/or even the user himself. Similarly, the address for each pair of speaker must correspond to the assigned room or zone where the speakers are installed. This is the same addressing as applied for lights, airconditioners and the different audio and video appliances, all set via at least one rotary switch, as disclosed in the referenced home automation patent applications.

The present invention provide for n rotary or DIP switches incorporated in the audio distributor, for setting an address to each encoded stereo output line, or for each amplified stereo output line and to each speaker incorporating the encoder. The rotary or DIP switches are accessible through the panel of the audio distributor and the speaker cover and can be set from number 1 to n (room address), using common screwdriver. This eliminates the need to code the addresses by using a complex programming and processes, which are prone to errors, particularly when the installer is not an IT specialist or the user is not familiar with the programming altogether.

The audio distributor includes n number of well known differential buffer amplifiers to feed n speakers in the apartment. When the speaker circuits are fed with power via the same twisted pair carrying the combined modulated stereo signal the differential buffer amplifiers include, or are connected to, DC feed circuits such as DC and signal inserter or injector/separator or separator which are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363. The power line inside the speakers leading to the power regulator include a bridge rectifier to enable non polar DC power connection, regardless if the power is fed to the speaker circuits through the encoded or multiplexed signal line, or via a separate twisted pair that carries DC power only.

The present invention further provides for incorporating an IR remote control circuit inside the speakers for feeding remote control commands directly to the speakers for operating the volume, the tone control and balance control and/or for switching the sound on and off. The received IR commands can be propagated via the encoded signal lines back to the audio distributor and/or to the selector/encoder unit when the volume, tone, balance and on-off commands are controlled by the selector/encoder unit. Furthermore the IR remote control can be used to activate the hands free circuit for requesting medical or emergency help, or in response to a call by a visitor through the intercom panel, or by the guardman and/or by an alarm messages, it can close the hands free circuit, thereby switch off the intercom communications and/or open an electric door lock to enable a visitor to enter the building.

The two way hands free communication of the present invention offer yet other substantial advantages. For example, when the communication with the intercom system is activated, automatically via the alarm system or via a visitor or a concierge call, the left channel speaker is automatically muted for eliminating acoustic feed back to the microphone, that is included in the example of the left speaker. The monaural incoming speaker sound is fed, in the example, to the right speaker that is commonly mounted at a distance from the left speaker, thereby providing a far better acoustic condition for the hands free two way communications.

This too is further improved by operating a remote control key to mute also the right side speaker while the tenant is talking to the microphone, thereby providing undisturbed two way hands free communications at the user control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1Ashows a basic interconnection and a setup of an audio system of the present invention, wherein playback audio devices (not shown) such as ipod, MP3, DVD, CD and/or blue-ray players and/or a radio and/or a TV set are connected to the input connectors of a selector/encoder100. The selector/encoder100is further connected to a power supply56for powering the selector/encoder100and for feeding power via the cable6and a twisted pair6A to the Left speaker assembly90. As will be explained later the selector/encoder100encodes a selected stereo signal fed from any of the playback audio devices, the radio or the TV for feeding an encoded stereo signal via a single twisted pair to the speaker assembly90.

The cable assembly6is a well known standard network cable, such as CAT 5 cable, comprising four twisted pair wires, that is commonly available in reels or otherwise in different length, fitted with RJ45 connectors21at the cable ends, or non-fitted. The selector/encoder100includes a matching RJ45 socket, shown inFIG. 2, for connecting one end of a fitted cable assembly6, such as a well known network cable that connects different PCs to a network hub or switch. The other end of the cable assembly6is plugged into a well known standard wall socket9incorporating a standard RJ45 socket21.

The use of wall socket and a fitted cable6enables the placement of the selector/encoder100at the user's preferred location and/or adjacent and/or close to the playback audio devices, the radio or the TV. The socket21of the wall socket9is connected via a twisted pair6A to the Left speaker assembly90. The shown twisted pair6A can be a single pair of a CAT 5 cable that is commonly installed by electrical installer and fed through a conduit, plenum, and/or inside walls during the construction of a building or along the walls when the building is completed.

The Left speaker assembly90shown inFIG. 1Ais powered by a DC power fed through the cable6and the twisted pair6A by the power supply56and through the selector/encoder100. The details of the power feed are explained later. The left speaker assembly90includes a decoder for decoding the encoded stereo signal and a stereo power amplifier that feeds its left channel output signal directly to the left speaker of the speaker assembly90. The Right speaker assembly99is connected to the right channel output signal of the stereo amplifier via a twisted pair such as twisted pair of a CAT 5 cable and via terminals provided in both speaker assemblies90and99. By this the audio system shown inFIG. 1Ais feeding stereo signals generated by an audio stereo playback device or other source of stereo signal to a pair of speakers, including all the power feed via a cascaded single twisted pair, connecting all the system elements in a cascaded chain, starting at the power supply56and terminating at the Right speaker assembly99.

Even though the explanation does not refer to each cascaded interconnection as a segment, for simplifying the explanations and the claims, the term “first segment” cover the cascaded interconnection between the referenced selector/encoders and a left speaker or between the referenced selector/encoders and a referenced audio distributor.

The term “next segment” covers the cascaded interconnection between the referenced audio distributor and the left speaker.

The term “subsequent segment” covers the interconnection between the left speaker and the right speaker.

The term “last segment” covers the interconnections between the distributor64ofFIG. 14with the speakers99ofFIG. 4B.

The interconnections within a segment such as the interconnections to and from an intersecting one or more wall sockets of the first segment for example, are termed “sections”.

The audio system is operated via the front panel keys11,12and13shown in the front panel10of the selector/encoder100ofFIG. 2and/or via an IR remote control48. Instead of IR a well known RF remote control or any other remote control48can be used. Even though the preferred embodiment description repeatedly touches upon IR remote control, any well known wired or wireless remote control, such as RF, ultrasound or others can be used. From the above explanation it becomes clear that the components or elements of the audio system of the present invention as shown inFIG. 1Aare interconnected by a single twisted pair and that the audio system can be remotely operated via an IR or RF remote control device, and/or directly through the select and operate keys of the selector/encoder100.

FIG. 1Bshows the same interconnections shown inFIG. 1Awith an added signal lines6C of an intercom speaker and6B of a microphone included in the speaker90for integrating the audio system with the intercom circuit of the video interphone or intercom monitor50. The Left speaker90of the audio system ofFIG. 1Bincludes a microphone70and a circuit to multiplex the microphone signal into the encoded signal line for propagating the microphone signal to the selector/encoder100via the encoded signal line6A. The selector/encoder100includes a decoder or extractor for extracting the microphone signal and for feeding the extracted microphone signal through a twisted pair6B of the cable assembly6connecting the selector/encoder100to the wall socket9. An extension twisted pair6B, such as a pair of CAT 5 cable, connecting the video interphone or intercom, feeds the microphone signal from the wall socket9to a microphone terminal of the video interphone or intercom50.

The speaker signal from the intercom circuit of the video intercom monitor50is fed via a twisted pair6C to the wall socket9and via a separate twisted pair6C of the cable assembly6to the selector/encoder100. The serial command signals are exchanged between the selector/encoder100with the video interphone50through a twisted pair line6D that is also interconnected via the wall socket9. The interconnections ofFIG. 1Bshow that the two way intercom communications and controls are integrated with the audio system including at least one of the speakers90or99and the microphone70and that the integrated intercom system can be operated by the keys of the selector/encoder100, or by the remote control48.

FIG. 1Cshows the audio system ofFIG. 1Aintegrated with the home automation having similar interconnections to those shown inFIG. 1Awithout the microphone and speaker signals, but with the serial command signal line6D for exchanging serial commands including control, codes and alarm signals between the home automation distributor55, the speaker90and the selector/encoder100through the wall socket9. The home automation distributor feeds the command, control and alarm signals to the selector/encoder100via the serial command line6D through the wall socket9and to the speaker90via the stereo encoded line6A. The line6D connecting the wall socket9and feeding the serial commands to the selector/encoder100is a twisted pair of the standard CAT 5 network cable6fitted with the RJ45 connectors21.

Even though the serial commands can be propagated to the selector/encoder100via the twisted pair6A carrying the encoded stereo signal, it is simpler to propagate the serial command signal to the selector/encoder100via the separate twisted pair6D. This is firstly because the home automation distributor55includes an extract serial commands circuit for extracting the serial signals from the multiplexed signals fed to it, and secondly because the standard network cable6consists of four twisted pairs and it is simpler and less costly to feed the extracted serial commands, via an available existing twisted pair6D of the cable assembly6.

The cable assembly6fitted with the standard RJ45 connectors21, such as used with network hubs, switches, routers and PCs, or non-fitted is adopted to be the connecting cable for all the versions and variations of the audio system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Yet, even though the RJ45 connectors and CAT 5 cable are repeatedly disclosed here, any other standard or non standard connectors and/or terminals and/or cables can be used to replace the disclosed RJ45 connectors21and/or the CAT 5 cable and/or the cable assembly6.

The exchanging of multiplexed combination of signals are disclosed in details in the referenced video interphone and shopping terminal patents and pending application and in the referenced patent application Ser. Nos. 11/939,785, 11/509,315 and the other non published applications disclosed above, which are all incorporated herein by reference. By the shown interconnections ofFIG. 1Cit becomes clear that the audio system of the present invention can be integrated with the home automation system disclosed in the referenced patents and be operated via the home automation controls and moreover, keys of the selector/encoder100and/or the remote control48can be used to operate the home automation system.

The power for the speaker70and the selector/encoder100shown inFIG. 1Cis fed by the power supply56that is also used to power the home automation control and propagation circuits and the audio system ofFIG. 1C. The power can be fed two ways, via the encoded stereo line6A or it can be fed to the speaker92ofFIG. 5Bvia a separate twisted pair6G of a CAT 5 cable, if such cable is used to connect the speakers with the wall socket9. Similarly, when the selector/encoder100is not connected to the intercom speaker and microphone lines, the unused twisted pairs6B or6C can be used to carry the DC power to the selector/encoder100, the twisted pair carrying power is referred to hereafter as6G

FIG. 1Dshows an expanded setup of the audio system interconnections including the audio distributor60of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which n pairs of left-right speakers90-1˜90-n and99-1˜99-n can be installed and connected in the many rooms or zones of an apartment, with each of the speaker pairs can be controlled and switched on-off independently.

The audio distributor60is fed with the encoded stereo signal through the twisted pair6A of the CAT5 cable6, connecting the selector/encoder100with the audio distributor60, via the wall socket9and via RJ45 connector21fitted at the end of the CAT 5 cable6. The audio distributor60includes n number of differential line receivers and buffers42shown inFIGS. 12 and 13for propagating buffered encoded stereo signal including a multiplexed two way serial command signals to and from the n speakers90-1˜90-n.

The DC power supply56shown inFIG. 1Dpowers the audio distributor60, the speakers90-1˜90-n and the selector/encoder100. For powering the speakers90-1˜90-n the DC power is fed by the audio distributor60via the DC injectors or inserters35B shown inFIG. 12through the buffered and multiplexed signal terminals1-1˜1-n, or it can be fed via a separate twisted pair6G of the CAT 5 cable and via terminals3-1˜3-n of the audio distributor63shown inFIG. 13to the n speakers92shown inFIG. 5B.

The distributor60ofFIG. 1Dpropagates the multiplexed two way serial signals between the speakers90-1˜90-n and the selector/encoder100through the encoded line6A, providing for the selector/encoder100to be the control center for the stand alone system shown inFIG. 1D, including the use of the remote control48.

The power to the selector/encoder100can be fed from the audio distributor60via the encoded line6A or via an otherwise unused twisted pair line6G, or it can be fed by a separate power supply56directly to the power connector17shown inFIG. 2.

Each of the right side speakers99-1˜99-n is connected by a twisted pair6F, such as a pair of a CAT 5 cable extending from the left side speakers90-1˜90-n via the terminals4shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B, thereby completing the interconnections of the expanded audio system shown inFIG. 1Dusing twisted pairs, cascading throughout the system interconnections.

The operations and controls of the system shown inFIG. 1Dare same as described above for the system shown inFIG. 1Awith the exception of the addressing of each pair of speakers90and99, which will be explained later.

FIG. 1Eshows an expanded audio system interconnection similar to the system shown inFIG. 1Dexplained above, integrated with the intercom circuit of the video interphone or video intercom monitor50. The intercom interconnections ofFIG. 1Eare similar to interconnection used for the system shown inFIG. 1Babove and includes the intercom speaker signal that is fed via the twisted pair6C to the distributor for propagating the signal to the speakers90and a microphone signal fed from the microphones70included in the n speakers90. The microphone signal is multiplexed and propagated in reverse direction via the encoded line6A from the speakers90-1˜90-n to the audio distributor60. The audio distributor60includes a circuit to extract and feed a selected microphone signal to the intercom system via the twisted pair6B, thereby completing the two way interconnections and propagation of signals between the intercom and a selected channel of the speakers90and99and a microphone70included in the speaker90.

The serial command signals for operating and controlling the integrated audio and intercom system are multiplexed and propagated over the encoded signal line6A between the speakers90-1˜90-n and the audio distributor60and via the serial command line6D between the video intercom monitor50and the audio distributor60. The serial command between the distributor60and the selector/encoder100can be propagated via the encoded and multiplexed line6A or via the serial command line6D and through the wall socket9as propagated in the system shown inFIG. 1Cabove. Because the video interphone or intercom50includes a serial command terminals for exchanging two way serial signals with the audio distributor60and the home automation distributor55, the same twisted pair line6D can be used also to exchange serial commands between the video interphone or intercom50and the selector/encoder100, be it via the audio distributor60, and/or via the home automation distributor.

By this it become clear that the expanded audio system of the present invention as shown inFIG. 1Ecan propagate the encoded stereo signals via cascading twisted pairs throughout the system, including the multiplexed microphone signals and the intercom speaker signals needed to integrate the audio system with the intercom system, and be operated by the keys of the selector/encoder100, the remote control48, and via the video interphone or intercom50.

FIG. 1Fshows the integration of the expanded audio system shown inFIG. 1Ewith the home automation system via the home automation distributor55. The differences between the interconnections shown inFIG. 1Ffrom those shown inFIG. 1Eare limited to the introduction of the home automation distributor55and particularly to the connection of the serial command line6D between the video interphone or intercom50and the audio distributor60to include the home automation distributor55and a multiplexed signals fed via a twisted pair6E.

The referenced video interphones, shopping appliance and home automation patents and applications disclose the propagation of multiplexed signals, selected from a group comprising audio, video, alarm, control, data and command signals including combinations thereof, via a single twisted pair6E ofFIG. 1Fto the home automation distributor55, for feeding the multiplexed signals via the connector58to a USB converter80associated with the home automation distributor55and shown inFIG. 2.

Yet another difference betweenFIGS. 1E and 1Fis the power feed interconnection. Shown inFIG. 1Fis a power feed to the audio distributor60through the home automation distributor55. It is clear fromFIG. 1Fthat the home automation system, the audio system and the intercom system can be powered by the same power supply and be integrated via simple interconnections using CAT 5 cables and twisted pair throughout. The further details of the system interconnections are shown inFIG. 2and explained in the below descriptions.

FIG. 2shows in details the system shown inFIG. 1F, including the interconnections of the integrated system combining the audio system, the intercom circuit of the video interphone or video intercom monitor50and the home automation distributor55of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The selector/encoder100ofFIG. 2includes the front panel10and the rear panel16, with the front panel comprising operate touch, push or other keys11, such as volume up-down keys, tone hi-low keys and channel up-down keys. The shown operation keys can be expanded to provide keys for many other function, such as fast forward, rewind, skip, stop, play, pause, preset and any other function or type of keys used with audio devices. The intercom touch keys12of the front panel16are represented by two keys only, open voice key for activating the hands free communication with the intercom and door open key for releasing an electric door lock (not shown) associated with the intercom system, for enabling a visitor or a deliveryman to enter the building. Other keys to operate other functions or features of the intercom can be added to the selector/encoder100.

The five select touch or push keys13shown are for selecting the stereo signal source such as ipod, MP3, Blue-ray, CD, DVD, TV or radio or any other device for feeding music or sound signal to the selector/encoder100, including such devices as players, recorders, television set-top box and others. Even though only five keys13are shown, any number of select keys can be added to the selector/encoder100. The power key13A is used to switch the selector/encoder on and off. The term “key or keys” hereafter refer to any of the operation or the select keys.

The shown IR receiver14is for receiving IR commands from the IR remote control48. Even thoughFIG. 2shows only IR remote control receiver14any other remote control receiver such as RF, ultrasound and/or wired remote control can be used instead. When wired remote control is used, a connector (not shown) for such wired remote control can be included in the front panel10, the rear panel16or in other part or surface of the selector/encoder100.

The rear panel16includes power connector17, five stereo input jacks18, stereo output jacks19, five connectors20for connecting control and command signals to the respective devices and RJ45 connector21for connecting the selector/encoder100to the wall socket9. Even though only five stereo input jacks18are shown, corresponding to the select keys13, n number of stereo inputs and n number of select keys13can be used, enabling the connection of n number of audio playback, radio and/or TV devices. Same applies to the wired remote control connectors20, n number of connectors for feeding wired control and command signals to the playback and other devices, such as television and radio can be incorporated, to provide the needed wired remote control connectors for the connected stereo input sources. However, if the playback and other stereo devices cannot be operated by a wired remote control signals the respective connector is either not used or not provided altogether.

The stereo output jacks19connect a selected stereo signals to a separate well known stereo amplifier (not shown) that operates independently from the audio system of the present invention. Here too, only one pair of stereo output jacks are shown, but the selector can provide for n output stereo jacks and it is possible to select and connect different input signal to each of the stereo output, or feed the same input signal to several or all the stereo outputs simultaneously.

The shown power connector17is for connecting the power supply56directly to the selector/encoder100. The power feed methods and apparatus of the present invention provide for different power feed routs, shown inFIGS. 1A˜1Eas well as to power the different elements or units individually by a dedicated power supply56, such as connecting the power supply56to the connector17for powering the selector/encoder100only.

The CAT 5 cables6connecting the selector/encoder100to the audio distributor60via the wall socket9and via RJ45 connectors21comprising four twisted pairs, the encoded stereo line6A, the serial command line6D, the intercom speaker line6C and a power feeding line6G that is otherwise used as a microphone line6B, such as in the system shown inFIG. 1B.

The other CAT5 cable6connecting the video interphone or video intercom50to the audio distributor60and the home automation distributor55does not use RJ45 connectors and instead it connects directly to the two distributor's terminals and ports, with the microphone line6B is connected to the terminal56and the intercom speaker line6C is connected to the terminal57of the audio distributor.

The serial command line6D is shown connected to the terminal53of the home automation distributor55, but can be connected to terminal53of the audio distributor60instead. It makes no difference to which distributor the serial command line is connected to, because both terminals53of the two distributors60and55are tied together via line6D in parallel into the two terminals or ports53. The forth twisted pair line6E is connected to the home automation distributor terminal54that feeds the multiplexed line signals propagated from the video interphone system to the connector58. The shown connector58is in practice the same RJ45 connector discussed above.

The multiplexed signals fed through the line6E include video, audio, data, command, control and other signals that are explained in details in the video interphones and the shopping terminal patents and applications referenced above, and are fed to an interface unit such as the USB converter80via CAT 5 cable59. The USB converter80feeds the USB converted signals to a PC or to a network communicator83via a standard USB cable assembly82.

The PC83can communicate via ADSL or other interfaced connection84and via the Internet or other networks85for communicating with other PCs or Personal Digital Assistant devices (PDA) or cellular phones, including the transmissions of the video images generated by the entry panels of the video interphone or video intercom system.

The USB converter80enables communications between visitors at the building entrances and tenants being in remote locations and/or provide the tenants the means to control the appliances of their home automation system remotely.

Moreover, bed ridden elderly or handicapped and/or the sick can generate an alarm or emergency and/or ask family members for help via the integrated audio-intercom system and through the PC83, using the audio system's hands free voice communications of the present invention.

Similarly, the audio system of the present invention provide for connecting the elderly and the sick directly to their designated hospitals or medical doctors for communicating their needs and medical conditions via the intercom system and/or via the PC83over the Internet. When the camera50A and/or any combination of medical devices such as monitors, sensors, diagnosis, analysis, applicators, treatment, life support and rehabilitation50B for monitoring and treating the bed ridden or the sick are connected to the video interphone monitor50, via the interface80, and/or the PC83the images, the voice and/or the monitored data of the caller, such as heartbeat and blood pressure of the caller are communicated simultaneously via a network84or the Internet85to a hospital, doctor or an emergency service station, allowing nurses, the doctor and/or the emergency station to operate the medical devices and other emergency devices remotely.

The interface or the USB converter80and/or the PC83includes a well known video signal processing programs for feeding the video signals generated by the video intercom or video interphone's entrance panels to the television set-top box or cable box or the antenna line, or directly to the television video inputs terminals whenever a visitor calls the apartment. At the same time the intercom call activates the home automation IR drivers to generate a command to switch on or switch over the television to display the visitor image, thereby expanding the intercom system to include video displays onto the television sets, controlled by the home automation system.

The power supply56connects to the home automation distributor via terminal51. A parallel terminal51links or connects the power to the terminal51of the audio distributor60and the distributor60links or feeds the power to the selector/encoder100through the twisted pair line6G of the CAT 5 cables6and the wall socket9. Yet, as explained above it is also possible to feed the power to the selector/encoder100via the encoded line6A of the CAT 5 cable assemblies6.

Similarly, the audio distributor60feeds the power to the speaker90via the stereo encoded line6A. Alternatively the audio distributor61shown inFIG. 11feeds the power to the speakers92ofFIG. 5Bvia a twisted pair6G and via the terminals3. It becomes clear that the interconnections between the audio components, the intercom circuit, including the video interphone50and its related components such as the camera50A and/or medical device or devices50B and/or alarm and other devices can be connected and integrated with the home automation system, using twisted pairs in a simple cascading chain, including the power feed and that the integrated audio with the video interphone or intercom including the cameras, medical monitoring50B, alarm and emergency devices (not shown) can be operated through the home automation control and command network, including the remote access and control via a network and/or the Internet85.

Communication equipment installers, such as networks and telephones installers engaged with CAT 5 cables, prefer to terminate the CAT 5 cables with standard connectors such as RJ45 and not tie up separated individual color coded twisted pairs of a CAT 5 cable into terminals. For such fitted CAT 5 cables interconnectionsFIG. 3shows a combined distributor200and speakers290and299for integrating the audio system and the video interphone or intercom system with the home automation of the preferred embodiment using cascaded fitted CAT 5 cables throughout.

The combination distributor200shown inFIG. 3combining the two separate distributors55and60shown inFIG. 2. and the speakers290and299include standard connectors such as RJ45 for the whole integrated system, using standard cable such as the CAT 5 cable6, fitted with RJ4521or other standard or custom made connectors. While the speakers290and299and the combined distributor200are disclosed in details later, the system ofFIG. 3clearly shows that the whole integrated system can be installed by IT installers conveniently and without error and that the system operation and controls shown inFIG. 2are identical with those of the system shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 4Ashows the left speaker90of the systems shown inFIGS. 1A˜1FandFIG. 2. As stated above the references to the left speaker in the specifications and the drawings are for convenience only. Whenever a reference is made to left or right speakers, the audio amplifier output channels or to the speaker connectors, the reference left and right is an example only, describing the one audio channel or the other. The left-right terms are reversible, wherein left can be read as right and right can be read as left.

Terminals1ofFIG. 4Aconnect the speaker assembly90to the line6A ofFIGS. 1A˜1F, and to terminals1-1˜1-n, via line6A ofFIG. 2, wherein the twisted pair line6A carries DC power and propagates the encoded stereo signal to the speakers along with a two way multiplexed serial commands signals to and from the speaker assembly90.

The speakers90shown inFIG. 2include the microphone70shown inFIG. 4Athat propagates a multiplexed microphone signals from the speaker to the audio distributor60and to the selector/encoder100via the wall socket9and via the same line6A. InFIGS. 1B,1E,1F and2the microphone70signal is multiplexed and fed to the distributor60via the line6A and is fed from the distributor to the intercom microphone terminal (not shown) directly via line6B.

The microphone70of the speakers90as well as of the speakers91,92and291ofFIGS. 4A,5A,5B and6A respectively, cannot be operated when music signal is fed to the speakers. This is because the microphone70will be overwhelmed by the sound generated by the speaker. For this reason the preferred embodiments of the present invention mutes the music or switch off the sound propagated through the speakers90,91,92and291when the microphone is activated. This enables simple multiplexing of two signals only, the encoded stereo signal multiplexed with the two way serial commands, or the microphone signal multiplexed with the two way serial commands.

There are many well known multiplexing techniques and methods. The preferred embodiment explained below uses well known band separation to multiplex the two only signals, out of the three, i.e., the encoded signal, the microphone signal and the serial command signal, for example 30 Hz˜90 KHz for the encoded stereo signal, 100 KHz˜150 KHz for the two way command signal and 200 KHz+10 KHz for the FM modulated microphone signal.

The circuits to separate the signals includes well known band pass, low pass and high pass filters by employing coils and capacitors and/or using digital filters when digital signal are propagated. The circuits to inject and extract the signals are all well known circuit that are widely available in IC packages, or are designed into software programmed circuits of a gate array and/or FPGA. The multiplexed signals are fed to or extracted from a differential transmission line, i.e., the twisted pair line6A that carries DC power to the speakers90or91, and/or to the selector/encoder100.

The circuits feeding and separating the DC power from the signals propagated over the same twisted pair line6A employ well known filters, coils and capacitors that remove the signals from the DC power, inject and extract a selected or all the multiplexed signals. The circuits such as the circuit71ofFIG. 5A, circuits32A ofFIG. 5B, circuit35A ofFIG. 9and circuit35B ofFIGS. 10 and 12for feeding and/or extracting DC and for separating/extracting multiplexed signals are fully disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 and are incorporated herein by reference.

Accordingly, the separated DC power is fed from the circuit71to the current control circuit72ofFIG. 5A. The current control72outputs the VCC, a regulated voltage source for powering the entire circuits of the speaker assembly91, with the exception of the speaker stereo amplifier68. The speaker amplifier68is fed by a controlled voltage and current VDD that limits the current to a given value, such as 0.3 A. This limits the audio power output that is fed to the speaker91and its pair99shown inFIG. 4B. The audio power output depends on the audio signal content and the audio signal level, therefore as the music signal is a varying signals and levels, a varying current drain by the speaker amplifier68is unavoidable.

The power feed to the speaker pair90and91via the twisted pair line6A carrying multiplexed signals is only possible when the DC current is fixed and constant. This is because a variation in the DC current drain directly cause variations and deformation of the differential signal propagation. For this reason the current drain must be maintained fixed and constant.

For example feeding the selector/encoder100via the twisted pair line6A that consume steady current with minor current variations can be powered with no limitation, because the current control using well known DC power regulator circuit34B ofFIG. 8controls the current fed via the DC separator circuit35. To prevent minor variation in current drain the circuit34B is calculated to drain higher current, such as 10% more than the actual calculated current consumption, and shunt the unused current portion via an adjustable dummy load. For example, if the calculated consumption of the selector/encoder100is 120 mA the DC power regulator34B is designed to drain 132 mA, using the 10% over current of 12 mA to be shunted via an adjustable dummy load of the circuit34B. By this it is possible to drain steady current through the encoded and multiplexed line6A and ensure that no current fluctuation due to signals, temperature, and/or component tolerances will affect the signal propagation.

Such current control circuit is used by the speaker91ofFIG. 5A, however the current fluctuations by the speaker amplifier68mandates a limit to the current control and shunting range. For this reason the power output of the speaker amplifier must be limited to a value that its current falls within the control range of the current control72A. For example, a maximum current of 0.2 A and a DC voltage level of 10V, it is possible to output some 1.5 W of a good sound quality, which is more than needed for playing background music in a living room of a given apartment.

FIG. 4Ashows the speaker assembly90, which is similar to the speaker assembly91with the exception of the battery control circuit73and the rechargeable battery74. The constant fixed current drain controlled by the current control circuit72is the same as the constant fixed current drained by the speaker91via the current control72A, with the battery control circuit73is the adjustable dummy load of the current control72.

The maximum fixed constant current is drained by the speaker assembly90regardless if the speakers are switched on or off. When the speakers are off most of the current drain is used to charge the rechargeable battery74. When the speakers are switched on with a low level output, the current to the speaker amplifier68is fed through the battery control circuit73, shunting the unused current to the battery74for continued charging.

As the current drain by the speaker amplifier68increases to higher audio power output, the current fed to charge the battery74decreases or is completely cut. When the current is further increased to allow for yet higher output power, the battery control73will reverse its current path to feed the additional current drain from the charged battery. By such battery control circuit73and the rechargeable battery74, associated with the speaker90, it becomes obvious that the speaker90can generate higher audio output sound exceeding the fixed and constant current that is fed to speaker90via the twisted pair line6A without disturbing the propagated signals including the encoded stereo signal and the two way serial command signal.

Here too, the video interphone U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 discloses a rechargeable battery and a battery control circuit used for operating the video interphone, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. The other powering method disclosed by the U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 patent is the direct connections of power supply to the monitors, same applies to the speakers of the present invention.

The speaker assemblies92ofFIG. 5B,290ofFIG. 6A and 299ofFIG. 6Bare all powered via a separate power line, using a twisted pair of a standard CAT 5 cable, such as line6G.FIG. 5Bshows the power terminals3for linking or connecting the power line6G. The entire circuit or the block diagram of the speaker92ofFIG. 5Bis similar to the speaker91ofFIG. 5Awith the exception of the power feed circuits.

The direct power link or feed is controlled by a well known power control and regulator circuit34, including a well known switching regulator or an analog regulator using standard ICs, diodes, transistors and other discrete components for outputting regulated voltage source VCC that feeds all the circuits of the speaker92excluding the speaker amplifier68that is shown fed by VDD, which is a regulated voltage line for a wide current fluctuating drain needed to operate the amplifier at full volume at its rated output. Another difference is the removal of the DC separating circuit portion of the circuit71of the speaker91shown inFIG. 5A.

The circuit32A of the speaker92does not include the DC separator circuit portion. The speakers90,91and92ofFIGS. 4A,5A and5B include identical circuits71or32A for extracting the encoded stereo signal and the serial command signal one way, and for injecting the microphone signals and the serial command signal in the opposite direction. The stereo decoder signal67, which is a well known stereo decoder IC, and available in great variety at low cost, such as stereo decoders used for stereo FM radio. When the encoded signal is a compressed audio digital signal the stereo decoder will be an IC containing digital stereo decoder, such as used in MP3, ipod, or CD players, or such decoding program can be installed into a DSP device (not shown) or into the CPU41.

The output of the stereo decoder67is fed to the speaker amplifier68that feeds its left channel output to the left speaker69, as explained above the speaker69can be either right or left speaker. The other output channel of the speaker amplifier feeds the right, or left as the case may be, speaker via the terminals4for connecting the other speaker via a twisted pair6F. The shown speaker99ofFIG. 4Bis the right, or left as the case may be, that connects via its terminal4the other end of the twisted pair line6F. The speaker amplifier68is a well known stereo output amplifier that is controlled by serial commands or protocols and is available in IC packages by different manufacturers. Similarly the stereo decoder67is also controlled by serial commands.

It becomes clear that the encoded stereo signal propagated via the twisted pair line6A is extracted, decoded, amplified and fed to a pair of left-right speakers, via a cascading twisted pair.

The multiplexed serial command signal, such as the well known RS422 or RS485 is fed to the speaker over the encoded stereo signal line6A, it is extracted by the signal extractor circuit32A or71and is fed to the CPU41. The serial command signals comprise coded commands, also known as protocols that include for example protocols for commanding power on, power off, mute, volume up, volume down, tone high, tone low, balance left, balance right, right channel mute, left channel mute, hands free microphone activate, talk, listen, door open and many other commands for operating the video interphone or the intercom and/or the home automation system. The protocols or commands can also be fed to the CPU41via the IR receivers25R-1˜25R-n and via the IR RX26R. The IR remote control commands processed by the CPU41and the IR transmitters are explained later.

The term “residence information signals” in the following description and the claims refers to propagation of individual signals, such as video only, audio only, encoded signal only, serial signal only, microphone signal only, intercom speaker signal only, remote control signals only, alarm signal only, data signal only, control signal only and/or to combinations thereof, multiplexed and propagated via one or more twisted pair, wherein said serial signal may comprise commands, control, status, data, remote control, digital audio and digital video. Said encoded signal comprises encoded stereo, encoded monaural audio signals and combinations thereof and wherein the reference to remote control signal can be a wireless propagated signals such as IR or RF and wired remote control such as propagated with the serial signals in combination with an home automation propagated serial signals.

The audio system programmed command protocols including the home automation and the video interphone or intercom protocols are listed into a lookup table and stored into the memory of the CPUs41and24for enabling the processing of any commands extracted from the propagated multiplexed serial commands signal and/or the received IR remote control commands. This enables the speakers, the audio distributors90˜95and200and the selector/encoder100˜103to process, control and communicate with the intercom and/or to propagate commands relating to the home automation and the audio system in other rooms or zones of the apartment and/or to propagate commands for operating the intercom circuits, such as opening the main or other doors of the building and/or to generate emergency and alarm, and to communicate such alarm, emergencies or medical conditions with e-stations such as e-service, e-alarm, e-medical and/or e-hospitals and/or e-shopping via a network or the Internet.

The CPU41processes all the received commands, regardless if they are addressed to the room or zone of the speaker assembly or not. The CPU41will, according to the lookup table, generate IR control commands for example to operate home appliances of the same room or zone, or will relay control command addressed to other room or zone. Commands addressed for operating the speaker, the audio system and/or the intercom system in the room or zone in which the speakers are installed will be executed by the speaker's CPU41, including the control and operation of the stereo decoder67, the speaker amplifier68and the hands free amplifier76.

As explained above, the music must be muted or cut to enable the microphone70communicate with the intercom and when the video interphone or the intercom50generates a call command, a given scenario may be to automatically connects the intercom speaker via the input IN-M of the selector22ofFIGS. 7 and 8to the output port OUT-2, thereby cutting the music source from the encoder29by switching over from the music source fed to the encoder with the intercom speaker signal fed via the line6C. Simultaneously the CPU24switches the stereo encoder29into monaural mode for propagating the intercom speaker signal to the right speaker channel.

The intercom call command is also received, extracted and fed by the signal extractor of the circuit71or32A, of the speakers90,91and92shown inFIGS. 4A,5A and5B, to the CPU41of the referenced speaker assembly, for initiating the speaker's intercom call mode, wherein the CPU41commands the speaker amplifier68to mute the left channel output and generate a call or ringing tone through the right output channel of the speaker amplifier68. The call or ringing tone can also be a selectable stored melody or a chime sound with selectable duration, all stored in the memory of the CPU41. Immediately after the call tone has stopped the speaker shown in4A,5A or5B is commanded by the CPU41program to enter into an intercom wait mode.

There are several communication scenarios possible during the intercom call or wait mode. Another scenario provides for the right speaker4B to output the voice of a visitor standing in front of the intercom entrance panel, the microphone70however is muted until a tenant touches the open voice key12or the open voice key of the IR remote control unit48. This opens the well known hands free communications, in which the microphone and the speaker will operate alternately.

The hands free control circuit76fed by the microphone70is a well known circuit, available in many different IC packages, such as used in wired or wireless telephone systems.

The hands free microphone amplifier76feeds a status signal to the CPU41with its command receiving input is continuously ready for receiving the CPU41commands, such as switch on, switch off, talk, listen, wait and mute. At the same time the CPU41controls the stereo decoder67and the speaker amplifier68, which enables the CPU41to fully manage the hands free open voice communication, remove acoustic howling and feed back, increase or decrease the volume of the speaker or the microphone or both.

The ability to control the hands free communication between the video interphone or the shopping terminal of the referenced patents and application or any other video intercom or intercom of a building through the audio system of the present invention via the speakers and the microphones described above opens a whole new remote voice communications opportunities, particularly for bed ridden, sick and the elderly needing attention, for example in a nursing buildings or homes for the elderly and the bed ridden. The CPU41is programmed to enable a “care taker” desk to remotely feed an “open voice” serial command to the audio system of an apartment of a bed ridden tenant that is unable to do so by himself, giving the care taker desk, a medical doctor or an hospital the ability to remotely monitor and communicate with a bed ridden or other care needing tenants.

Yet, another scenario is to add a “talk” key to the IR remote control48, enabling a hearing impaired tenant to switch over from a listen mode to talk mode, by pressing the talk key. This eliminated the speaker to microphone acoustic loop and feed back altogether, and provide for increased volume of the speaker amplifier68, thereby providing for high volume sound level communications to the hearing impaired and the elders. It becomes clear from the above that different scenarios and communication processing programs can be incorporated into the CPU41and its memory, and be made selectable. It should be note again that the references above to left-right speakers are for convenience only and that the left-right terms are reversible as the case may be.

The amplified microphone signal outputted from the hands free amplifier76is fed to a modulator and output buffer77, a well known FM modulator having a carrier frequency such as 200 KHz, and an output buffer for feeding the FM modulated microphone signal to the signal injector or inserter circuits71or32A. The signal injector or inserter can be a coupling capacitor or an RF signal transformer and a well known differential line amplifier for feeding the FM modulated microphone signal to the twisted pair line6A and for propagating the microphone signal in reverse direction to the encoded stereo signal propagation. Even though FM modulation is the modulation of the preferred embodiment of this invention any other modulation such as AM, SSB or PM can be used instead, moreover when the microphone signal is a digital signal, a modulation such as the well known digital modulation OOK, ASK, FSK, PSK technique can be used, or any other processing of the digital signals used in a data transmission and/or multiplexing.

As explained above, the encoded stereo signal is muted when the intercom communication is active, therefore the multiplexing is limited only to the FM modulated microphone signal and the serial command signals. Further details of the signal extractor injector or inserter are described in the video interphone U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 and are incorporated herein by reference.

The serial commands fed to and from the speakers90,91and92shown inFIGS. 4A,5A and5B are extracted and inserted by the signal extractor injector or inserter71or32A fed to and from the CPU41. Serial command signals such as the well known RS422 or RS485 that are transmitted over a differential signal line, such as the twisted pair line6D are used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however any other control and commands signals can be used, such as DTMF or line coding and/or modulated data such as PCM and/or compressed data or other scheme to propagate commands between the audio components of this invention, the video interphone or intercom50and/or the home automation explained above and detailed in the home automation patent applications referenced above.

The serial commands include an address such as room or zone address, set via a digital rotary or DIP switch44or via other address setting process, such as hardware jumper setting or installing the address into a memory of the CPU41of the left speakers assemblies. As will be explained later the audio distributor60also provides address setting for each distributed stereo encoded line6A.

Another novel item of the present invention is the IR receivers25R and the IR transmitter25T shown inFIGS. 4A,5A,6A and6B, wherein n number of IR photo transistor or pin diodes25R-n and IR LEDs25T-n can be incorporated into the left speaker and/or the right speaker such as shown inFIGS. 6A and 6B. The IR photo transistor or pin diodes25R receive the commands from the IR remote control unit48and feed the received commands via the IR RX circuit26R to the CPU41, which operates the stereo decoder67and the speaker amplifier68in accordance with the command received, or the CPU41will regenerate commands that are intended for operating an home automation appliance in the same room or zone and direct the regenerated command, on the basis of the lookup table referred to above, to the transmitter circuit26T that feeds an IR remote control current signal to the IR LEDs25T-1˜25T-n, thereby becoming an IR remote control driver such as described in the reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/939,785, the details of the disclosed IR drivers are incorporated herein by reference.

When the IR command received by the IR receiver25R is addressed to another room or zone the CPU41will process the command and feed a serial command, on the basis of the lookup table, to the injector or inserter circuit71or32A for propagating the processed serial command via line6A to the audio distributor60and/or the home automation distributor55and/or to the video interphone or intercom50and/or to the selector/encoder100, thereby the speaker assembly90,91and92ofFIGS. 4A,5A and5B become an IR distribution driver for propagating IR commands throughout the audio, home automation and video interphone or intercom combined. The IR photo transistor or pin diodes25R-n and the IR LEDs25T-n can be made rotatable and adjustable, similar to IR drivers disclosed in the patent application Ser. No. 11/939,785, incorporated herein by reference, thereby become a novel appliance, an IR driver with speaker assembly.

It is of course possible to use the IR drivers of the home automation, outside the speaker, to remotely control the system via the serial command signal of the integrated system. It is also possible to propagate wired or RF remote control and data signal within the integrated system for automatically addressing the intercom by an alarm, emergency or medical devices associated with the intercom and/or the home automation system. Such devices shown inFIGS. 2 and 3as the camera50A and the medical monitor or other medical devices50B are connected to the video interphone or intercom50, instead they can be connected for exchanging remote control signals for operating the medical devices to the interface or USB converter80. The video interphone referenced patents disclose an RF transceiver for communicating with emergency, alarm and medical devices.

It is clear from the above explanation that the speaker assemblies shown inFIGS. 4A,5A and5B, and as will be explained later, also the speaker assemblies shown inFIGS. 6A and 6Bcan receive encoded stereo signal propagated via a single twisted pair line6A for outputting controlled stereo sound or monaural intercom sound and feed a returned microphone signal to communicate with the intercom system over the same line6A. It is also clear from the above that the speakers can be controlled by the home automation system, the video interphone system and via an IR or any other remote control device. It is also clear that the speaker assemblies of the present invention can become an IR driver system for propagating IR remote controls for controlling and operating the audio system, the hands free microphone signal communication, the communication and the operation of the video interphone or intercom system and/or for operating the home automation system of the apartment.

The selector/encoder100shown inFIGS. 1A˜1F,FIG. 2andFIG. 3is a selector/encoder that combines all versions and combination possibilities. Shown inFIGS. 7,8and9are three block diagrams of the selector/encoders101,102and103respectively, each shows different power feed and different circuits and connections for connecting the intercom speaker and the microphone signals. The speaker and the microphone signals of the preferred embodiment are analog signals that are commonly used by intercom systems for interconnecting more than one intercom handset or panel inside a given apartment. Such common intercom speaker and microphone signals are connected between ground line, the microphone line terminal and the speaker line terminal such as the terminals56and57shown inFIG. 10. Because the impedances and signal levels must match the corresponding output and input of the audio system, the microphone and the speaker signals and lines must be buffered, using an input line buffer38for the speaker signal and an output signal buffer37for the microphone signal. By such buffers the lower impedances and higher signal levels of the analog speaker and microphone signals of the commonly used intercoms are matched with the higher impedances and lower signal levels used for audio signal propagations.

Similar buffer circuits are needed for interconnecting common intercom system with the audio system of the present invention when the signals propagated are all digital. However when the intercom system uses digital audio propagations the buffer circuits37and38will include D/A (digital to analog) and/or A/D (analog to digital) converters and include DSP devices or a digital audio processing programs that are installed into the CPU41or24to ensure compatibility between the processed signals of both the intercom and the audio systems.

Because some of the buffer amplifiers37or38or both may be included in a speaker assembly such as290ofFIG. 6A, or in the selector/encoder101and102ofFIGS. 7 and 8, or in the distributor60,61and200ofFIGS. 10,11and15, not all the connection possibilities are illustrated inFIGS. 7˜9, but the shown block diagrams will suffice to fully disclose the many interconnection possibilities.

The many power feeding possibilities to the selector/encoder100are explained above in connection with the power feed to the speakers or the power link or feed to the whole system, i.e., via the selector/encoder100, or via the audio distributor60, or via the home automation distributor55, or via both distributors55and60, with power fed via the encoded stereo line6A, or via a separate power line link6G, or direct power feed from a power supply linking the selector/encoder100via its power connector17.

FIG. 7shows the selector/encoder101with the power directly fed by the power supply56(not shown) via the power connector17, or linked to the power supply56via one or both distributors55and60and via the twisted pair line6G ofFIG. 1C. When the power is fed via the line6G the connector17is not used and is unnecessary. When the power is fed directly by the power supply56to the connector17, the line6G becomes a link line feeding to the speaker assemblies92,290and299shown inFIGS. 5B,6A and6B.

The power fed directly to connector17or via the line6G is regulated and controlled by the DC power control and regulate circuit34of the speakers assemblies ofFIGS. 5B,6A and6B and the power regulate circuit34A of the selector/encoder101ofFIG. 7. While both regulators34and34A provide regulated voltage VCC, the difference between the two regulators is the voltage and current control line VDD needed for the speaker assemblies and provided by the regulator and control circuit34, while the regulator34A of the selector/encoder101ofFIG. 7outputs the regulated VCC only.

FIG. 8shows the selector/encoder102that its power is fed by the power supply56through one or both distributors55and60via the encoded line6A to the DC separator circuit35, which is a circuit comprising coils, capacitors and filters that are also used by the circuit71of the speakers90and91ofFIGS. 4A and 5Arespectively and explained above. The separated DC is fed to the current control and DC power regulate circuit34B that regulates the VCC needed for the operation of the selector/encoder102ofFIG. 8.

As explained above the current consumption of the selector/encoder102is low and therefore the current fed to selector/encoder102is a constant fixed current, controlled by the current control circuit34B that includes a controlled shunt circuit to adjust a residual current fluctuation of about 10%, that is calculated to ensure variations in current drain because of temperature, component tolerances and other minor variants. The low current drain by the selector/encoder makes it simple to feed DC current along with the propagation of the encoded stereo signal and the multiplexed serial or the microphone signals via the twisted pair line6A between the selector/encoder100and the audio distributor60without limitations.

FIG. 9on the other hand shows the selector/encoder103that includes DC feed by the power supply56through the connector17of the selector/encoder103, via the power control and regulate34C and the DC injector or inserter35A that injects the DC power to the encoded stereo line6A for powering the speaker assembly90ofFIG. 4A, shown inFIGS. 1A and 1Band explained above. The current fed to the speaker does fluctuate and it is necessary to limit the current that is fed to the speakers via the encoded line6A. The current is controlled by a well known constant current regulator portion of the power control and regulate circuit34C.

Except the power supply link and the intercom signals propagation variations all other circuits of the selector/encoders101˜103are same. The selector22is a well known analog multiplexer or digital switch or a matrix selector for connecting any of the IN-1˜IN-n and IN-M to any of the outputs19, shown as OUT-1and OUT-2. Each of the five shown inputs18are stereo L-R inputs for connecting any well known music player such as MP3, CD, ipod, DVD, Blue-ray and any other music player, or other audio sources including radio and television sets or set-top boxes, cable and/or satellite converters for the television. Even though only five stereo inputs are shown any number of inputs can be incorporated into the selector22. The shown input IN-M is a monaural input for the intercom speaker signal. The two shown outputs19, OUT-1for connecting a selected input to other well known audio amplifiers or preamplifier and OUT-2is for feeding the selected input to the stereo encoder29. Even though two only outputs are shown the selector can incorporate any number of outputs.

The selector is operated by a command fed from the CPU24to connect one selected input to all the outputs, or a given input to a given output, in accordance to a command fed to the selector/encoders101˜103via the operate and select keys11˜13A, the IR remote control unit48via the IR photo transistor or pin diode25and the IR RX26, or other types of remote control units and/or via the serial command network, shared by the video interphone50and the home automation control system, propagated via the serial line6D and the serial driver28to the CPU24.

Alternatively the serial command can be extracted from the multiplexed encoded stereo line6A by the differential receiver extractor32and fed to the CPU24via the ASK decoder33. The CPU also commands the stereo modulator29to switch on and output stereo encoded signal to the differential twist pair driver31. The stereo encoder is a well known encoder IC, available in different packages, including a single package IC for feeding the encoded signal to an FM radio transmitter, such as the well known model NJM2035 by JRC, or BH1415 by ROHM and many other stereo encoder ICs. When a digital stereo signal is propagated a digital stereo encoder is used instead, for example the well known IC MC44C401L by Free Scale or other ICs that are widely available.

Some digital stereo encoders and decoders are a programmed DSP device that can propagate multi audio channels and data signals including the two way intercom speaker and microphone signals between the encoder and the decoder. Such DSP device renders the differential receiver32and the ASK decoder33unnecessary and not used.

The CPU24feeds serial command for remotely operating each of the playback devices and/or the music sources individually, via the connector20-1˜20-n. The commands generated via the operate and select keys11˜13A or the IR remote control48, or via the home automation control network and the video interphone50are fed from the CPU24, on the basis of a lookup table stored into a memory of the CPU24, to the playback devices or the music sources that are provided with such serial command input connectors (not shown). The CPU24will respond and operate all of the functions and features of the audio system on the basis of the commands it receives, or transfer via the serial driver28, line6D and/or via the differential twist pair driver31and line6A commands for operating home automation appliances.

FIG. 7shows the two buffer circuits, the intercom speaker buffer38and the microphone buffer37explained above, as being necessary to match the signal levels and line impedances. The two buffers are needed when the selector/encoder101is connected, via the wall socket9, directly to the speaker90shown inFIG. 1Bthat shows the video interphone or intercom is also connected to the wall socket9.

As the speaker90is connected via a single twisted pair6A, it is impossible to feed the intercom speaker signal to the speaker directly, and for this reason the speaker signal is fed to the selector/encoder100through the wall socket9via a speaker twist pair line6C of the CAT 5 cable6and via an RJ45 pin to the input of the intercom speaker buffer38shown inFIG. 7. The speaker buffer38matches the signal level and the impedance to feed, when the intercom is active, the intercom speaker signal to the input IN-M of the selector22for connecting the monaural speaker signal to the encoder29, operating in monaural mode, and to the differential driver31for feeding the encoded monaural signal via the line6A to the speaker90.

The microphone signal is fed in reverse direction from the speaker90multiplexed over the twisted pair line6A through the wall socket9, the CAT 5 cable6and the RJ45 connector21to the differential receiver32that feeds the received FM modulator microphone signal to the FM demodulator36for outputting demodulated microphone signal to the microphone buffer amplifier37for outputting a matching microphone signal level and line impedance to the microphone input of the intercom circuit via a twisted pair line6B of the CAT 5 cable and the wall socket9.

FIG. 8shows the selector/encoder102that includes only the intercom speaker buffer38but not the microphone buffer37. This is because the microphone signal is routed via a buffer amplifier37, included in the audio distributor91ofFIG. 11, directly to the intercom circuit via terminal56shown inFIG. 2.

The intercom speaker signal is routed via the selector/encoder100as shown inFIG. 11, wherein the speaker line is connected via terminal57to the RJ45 connector21for feeding the signal directly via line6C to the selector/encoder102ofFIG. 8via the wall socket9and CAT 5 cable6as shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 9shows the selector/encoder103incorporating no buffer circuit for the intercom. The selector/encoder103provides only for connecting a buffered intercom speaker signal fed via the twisted pair line6C. For example, such speaker buffered signal is fed from the combined home automation and audio distributor200ofFIG. 15to the wall socket9via the twisted pair line6C of a CAT 5 cable6and shown inFIG. 3, accordingly the selector22can connect the speaker signal to the encoder29as explained above.

Because no microphone signal is fed to the selector/encoders102and103ofFIGS. 8 and 9, the FM demodulator36, the microphone buffer amplifier37and the connecting pin of the RJ4521for the microphone line6B shown inFIG. 7are not included in the block diagram of the selector/encoders102and103ofFIGS. 8 and 9. As explained above different interconnections between the intercom circuit and the audio systems are possible, and it is clear fromFIGS. 7,8and9that the microphone signal and the speaker signal to and from the video interphone or intercom can be buffered and propagated to and from the audio system, be it through the selector/encoder100,101,102or103or via the audio distributors as will be explained below.

The selector/encoders101,102and103, all are shown to include differential receiver32and ASK decoder33for extracting and decoding the serial command signals fed via the multiplexed encoded line6A for feeding the serial command to the CPU24. Similarly the CPU24is shown to feed serial command signal to the differential twist pair driver31for multiplexing and propagating serial commands to the distributors55and60˜63via the encoded line6A.

The pins6D of the connector21that can be connected to a serial command signal propagated two way are a serial command port, also known as I/O port.FIGS. 7,8and9also show that all the selector/encoders101,102and103respectively include serial driver in-out28, which feeds two way serial commands via the twisted pair line6D. This dual signal propagation enables flexibility in system configurations and a selection of one rout or the other for propagating the serial commands signals but it is not a must.

From all the above it is clear that the selector/encoder100,101,102and103may comprise other variations and modifications of the different circuits and that different connections can be implemented to set up of an audio system that feeds the stereo sound to a pair of speakers via a cascading single twisted pair carrying encoded stereo signal and other multiplexed signals and that the audio system can be operated by an IR or other remote control devices and/or via serial command propagated by the home automation system.

It is also clear that an expanded audio system comprising the referenced selector/encoders can be integrated and connected with the video interphone or intercom system and/or with the home automation system using cascading twisted pairs of a CAT 5 or other cables.

FIG. 10shows the audio distributor60that is shown inFIGS. 1D˜1FandFIG. 2propagating encoded stereo signals to n speakers90and99, including the propagation of the two way serial commands and with the power fed to the speakers via the encoded line6A. The audio distributor60is further shown inFIGS. 1E,1F and2to connect the microphone signal to the intercom50and the intercom speaker signal to the speakers90.

As explained above for the selector/encoders101,102and103, the impedances and signal levels of the intercom circuits and the audio system circuits need to be matched. For this two buffer circuits, the speaker buffer38and the microphone buffer37are shown inFIG. 7, but not inFIG. 9. The reason for not using buffer circuits with the selector/encoder103ofFIG. 9is the introduction of the same buffer circuits in the audio distributor60shown inFIG. 10, which propagates the microphone and the intercom speaker signals directly between the intercom circuits of the video interphone50via terminals57and58of the distributor60and to the speakers90of the audio system via line6A shown also inFIG. 2. In such a setup the selector/encoder101function is only to mute or cut the music and switch over the mode to monaural when the intercom is activated.

FIG. 11shows the audio distributor61that includes microphone buffer37but not the intercom speaker buffer38. The microphone buffered signal is fed directly to the microphone terminal (not shown) of the video interphone50via the terminal56of the distributor61. The intercom speaker signal however is fed through the RJ45 connector21via the twisted pair line6C, feeding the non buffered speaker signal to the input of the speaker buffer circuit38of the selector/encoder102shown inFIG. 8via the corresponding connector RJ45 of the selector/encoder102.

The microphone signals from the speakers90or91ofFIGS. 4A and 5Aare fed from the terminals of the differential line connecting the twist pair receivers and drivers42-1˜42-n via the signal separator and DC injectors or inserters35B-1˜35B-n to a differential switch40for selecting the speaker channel that is engaged with the intercom when its microphone circuit is activated. The differential switch40is a well known selector, such as the well known analog multiplexer switch or the well known digital switch for connecting any of the two way ports shown inFIGS. 10 and 11as1A/1B˜nA/nB to the two way ports1C/1D˜2C/2D. The differential switch40is operated and controlled by the CPU41to propagate the operating and active microphone FM modulated signal to a microphone signal extractor comprising the differential receiver32, the FM demodulator36and the buffer37. The FM demodulator36feeds the demodulated microphone signal to the buffer amplifier37for feeding a buffered microphone signal to the microphone terminal56and to a microphone connection pin of the RJ45 connector21.

The intercom speaker signal is shown inFIG. 10fed through the terminal57to the speaker buffer amplifier38that feeds the speaker buffered signal to the differential driver31. The differential driver31injects a differential speaker signal through the differential switch40into the differential line, connecting the selected and engaged speaker channel with the intercom50, i.e., the channel that its microphone signal is fed in the opposite direction. By this it becomes clear that the two way communications between a selected speaker channel and the intercom circuit of the shown video interphone50of the present invention is well implemented.

As explained above the stereo encoder29is commanded to mute, for example the left speaker and switch over to monaural mode, enabling to inject a monaural speaker sound, having frequency range of between 50 Hz and 5 KHz to the differential signal line that is fed to the stereo decoder67for feeding the speaker signal to the speaker amplifier68commanded to amplify as per the example, the right speaker signal only. The FM modulated microphone signals having 200 KHz carrier frequency, is well separated from the audio frequency allocated to the encoded stereo 30 Hz˜90 KHz band, and thus, the speaker and microphone signals cannot and do not interfere with each other, moreover the CPU41of all the referenced speakers, control the hands free circuit76such that the acoustic feedback is minimized, and the signals will be propagated alternately. It becomes obvious that the intercom communication through the audio system via the encoded line6A of the preferred embodiment makes the hands free communication with the video interphone or intercom50convenient and flawless.

FIG. 10shows that the power is fed to the audio distributor60via the power terminal or connector51that is also connected to the pins6G of the RJ45 connector21, for connecting the power via the twisted pair line6G to the selector/encoder101ofFIG. 7. The power is fed to the power control and regulate34of the audio distributor60for providing a regulated VCC voltage source to the distributor circuits and controlled current for injecting the power to the speakers90and91ofFIGS. 4A and 5Avia the stereo encoded lines6A that are connected to the speaker terminals1-1˜1-n.

The DC current is injected to the encoded stereo line via signal separator and DC injector circuits35B-1˜35B-n. The circuit similar to the other DC inject or insert circuits explained above include coils, filters and capacitor to allow the two way signals to and from the speaker assemblies90and91to pass and remove all the signals from the power feed terminals. By this the two way communication including the encoded stereo signal fed from any of the referenced selector/encoders including the multiplexed serial signals and/or the FM modulated microphone signals, such as in the system shown inFIG. 1B, can be propagated with no disturbance, along with the DC current fed to speakers90or91, all via the twisted pair line6A.

The differential receiver and buffer42-1˜42-n are explained above and are disclosed in the referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,363 are all fed with the encoded stereo signals from any of the receiver/encoders100,101,102and103but only the addressed driver or drivers will operate as commanded by the CPU41. As shown inFIGS. 10˜15all the referenced distributors60,61,62,63,64and200include the circuits44-1˜44-n for setting the room or zone address for each stereo channel and include an extract and inject circuits to and from the serial command signals, propagated via the encoded line6A and/or via the serial command line, including the serial command of the home automation connected to any of the audio distributors via the terminals53shown inFIGS. 10˜14.

The serial command signals propagated to and from the home automation distributor55shown inFIG. 2are exchanged through the serial driver in/out28via the serial command ports53and line6D shown in all the referenced audio distributors ofFIGS. 10˜15that feeds and receive the serial commands to and from the CPU41and to and from the selector/encoder100,101,102and103via the respective serial command ports and the serial command signal line6D.

The circuits44-1˜44-n ensure that only the differential driver or drivers42-1˜42-n having a corresponding addressed room or zone as set will receive a command, such as to feed the encoded signal or the intercom speaker signal and/or a serial commands to pass. The serial signals however fed from the speakers will be extracted from the driver42by the extract circuit of the circuits44-1˜44-n and fed to the CPU41to act upon, or be propagated from the CPU41via the serial driver28to the home automation distributor55or to the selector/encoder100˜103.

FIG. 11shows a modified audio distributor61in which the intercom speaker signal is not processed, but only fed through the terminal57to the RJ45 connector for transferring the intercom speaker signal via the twisted pair line6C to the input of the speaker buffer38of the selector/encoder101shown inFIG. 7. Another difference is in the powering of the audio distributor61, shown to be directly linked to a power supply56(not shown) via terminal51. The power is fed to the power control and regulate34that provide VCC for the distributor circuits and separate power distribution to the speakers92ofFIG. 5Bvia the connectors3-1˜3-n. Outside the connection to the power supply56, direct or through the home automation distributor55, the power feed to the speaker92and the transfer of the intercom signal to the selector/encoder101, all the remaining circuits function and operate the same way as explained above for the audio distributor60.

The distributor62ofFIG. 12is a modified version of the distributor60ofFIG. 10. It does not include the intercom interconnections, the intercom communication integration circuits and the microphone—speaker selector40. Otherwise the audio distributor62is identical with the audio distributor60for propagating the encoded stereo signals to the speakers90and91including power via the twist pair line6A. Similarly the audio distributor62can be connected to the home automation distributor55and communicate with the two way serial command signals with the home automation system propagated via the serial line6D and the serial command ports or connector53, or with the selector/encoder101via the encoded line6A and/or via the serial command line and ports6D.

The audio distributor63ofFIG. 13is a modified version of the audio distributor61ofFIG. 10. It does not include the microphone processing circuits, the interconnection to the interphone speaker and microphone lines and the microphone/speaker selector22. Otherwise it is similar to the audio distributor61, having direct power feed method to the speakers92via the power connectors3-1˜3-n. The distributor63, similar to the distributor61can be integrated with the home automation distributor55for power feed and for exchanging the serial commands between the audio system and the home automation system via the serial line and port6D, or between the distributor63and the selector/encoder103via the encoded line6A. The distribution of the encoded stereo signal to the speaker92and the control of the audio system and of the audio distributor63is the same as explained above for the distributor60, except the controlling of the intercom system that is not included in the distributor63.

FIG. 14shows an audio distributor64that combines n amplifiers65for feeding amplified stereo signals to n speakers99shown inFIG. 4B. The distributor64receives the encoded stereo signals via a differential receiver and injector or inserter32, feeds the encoded signal to a stereo decoder67, that is the same or similar to the decoder used by the speakers4A,5A,5B and6A, for feeding Left/Right stereo signals to the n stereo amplifiers65. The stereo output signals are fed via the connectors4-1L/4-1R˜4-nL/4-nR and a twisted pair line6F to the speakers99shown inFIG. 4B. As the speaker assembly shown inFIG. 4Bcontain only the speaker itself with the connector4, and no other circuitry, microphone and IR receivers/IR transmitters, many of the circuits used in the other referenced distributors, such as DC injector, two way signal separators and/or multiple differential receivers and buffers become unnecessary and are not used.

The power to the audio distributor64is connected directly from a power supply56, or via the home automation distributor55to the connector51shown inFIG. 14, or via the twisted pair line6G and the RJ45 connector21. The two way serial command signals can be propagated between the audio distributor64and the selector/encoder101via the serial command line6D or via the encoded line6A, both through the RJ45 connector21. The serial command signals integrating the audio system and the home automation system are connected to both distributors55and64and are fed via the serial command terminals or ports53and exchanged through the driver28. Otherwise the other circuits, including the CPU41and the stereo amplifiers65are all explained above.

It is clear from the above explanation that the audio distributor64can distribute the amplified stereo signal to the speakers99shown inFIG. 4Bvia the twisted pairs6F, a single twisted pair for connecting each speaker and use a single twisted pair to feed the encoded stereo signal multiplexed with serial commands, and using the serial commands for controlling the music fed to the speakers pairs from the keys of the selector/encoder103, via an IR remote control48and/or via the home automation system.

Shown inFIG. 3is the interconnecting method and apparatus of the audio system of the present invention, using CAT 5 cables6or other standard cables and RJ45 connectors or other standard connector throughout explained above. Because such interconnections using multiple twisted pairs of a given cable, such as the CAT 5 cable6, having four twisted pairs as standard for PC networking, the need for multiplexing the different signals into a combined signal for propagation the multiplexed signal over a single twisted pair is not required, as it is possible to propagate the signals individually via the multiple twisted pairs. By this, the signal inject, extract and/or DC inject circuit become unnecessary and are not included in the distributor or the speakers structured for multiple twisted pair connection which may compensate both, the material cost and labor versus the cost of the fitted multiple connectors.

The distributor200ofFIG. 15, the left speaker290ofFIG. 6Aand the right speaker299ofFIG. 6Bare combined into a system shown inFIG. 3, interconnected via CAT5 cable6and RJ45 connectors21throughout. The reference here to the left-right speakers is again, for convenience only and can be reversed, wherein left can be read as right or A speaker and right can be read as left or B speaker.

FIG. 6Ashows the speaker assembly290that uses two RJ45 connectors,201is for connecting the left speaker290to the combined distributor200ofFIG. 15, using CAT 5 cable6. Connector202is for connecting the left speaker assembly290with the right speaker assembly299shown inFIG. 6Bvia same CAT5 cable6and RJ45 connectors. The multiplex signal receiver, extractor or separator and injector or inserter32, is the same circuit used in the audio distributor64shown inFIG. 14, for receiving encoded stereo signal multiplexed with two way serial signals, but without the multiplexing input for the FM modulated microphone signal of the circuit32A shown in the speaker assembly92ofFIG. 5B. This is because the microphone signal of the speaker290is not injected into the encoded line6A. The microphone signal fed from the hands free microphone amplifier and buffer76B to the combined distributor200is a buffered microphone signal fed via a twisted pair line6B of the CAT 5 cable6, fitted with RJ45 connectors201.

Outside the above described microphone circuit76B and the above connectors201,202and the addition of the serial driver28and the serial signal connections, the speaker290is similar to the speaker92shown inFIG. 5Bwith its circuit and operation explained above.

The addition of the serial driver28is to provide for exchanging serial commands with the IR RX26R and IR TX26T included in the speaker assembly299for expanding the IR transmitters25T-1˜25T-n and IR receivers25R-1˜25R-n coverage area in the room or zone they are installed. The power to the speaker assembly290is fed via the twisted pair6G of the CAT 5 cable6via the RJ45 connector201. The power is fed to the control and regulator34, same as the power regulator of the speaker assembly92. The terminals6G of the RJ45 connector202are for extending the power line to feed the speaker assembly299. The speaker299ofFIG. 6Bis similar speaker to the speaker shown inFIG. 4A, with the exception of the RJ45 connector202that uses2pins to connect the line6F to the speaker. The other differences between the speakers99and299are the IR circuits and the serial driver28explained above. The addition of IR circuits to the speaker assembly299is to provide wider coverage of the IR remote control network of the home automation and the audio system.

FIG. 15shows the combined distributor200that provides for interconnecting the audio system of the present invention via a CAT 5 cable and RJ45 connectors and/or other standard or custom cables and/or other standard or custom connectors.

The combined distributor255includes the home automation circuit incorporated herein by the referenced home automation patent applications Ser. Nos. 11/874,309; 11/939,785 and 12/236,656 and shown as a circuit block255for feeding RJ45 connectors8-1˜8-n, each with four lines of twisted pair8A˜8D carrying two way serial commands, with or without power feed, to the home automation individual control circuits (not shown). The home automation circuit block255is powered by the power fed to the combined distributor200and communicates with the other elements of the combined distributor via the serial command line6D connecting the circuit block255with and through the serial driver28for communicating with the CPU41and all the devices of the audio system.

The combined distributor200includes a USB RJ45 connector58, which is replacing the same connector58of the home automation distributor55, an RJ45 wall socket connector21replacing the same connector21of the audio distributor60, an RJ45 video interphone or intercom connector7for interconnecting the video interphone or intercom50, using CAT 5 cable fitted with RJ45 connector, and n number of RJ45 speaker connectors201-1˜201-n for connecting n speaker assemblies290, explained above.

The USB connector58feeds the same multiplexed signals generated by the video interphone50to the home automation distributor55, and as explained above, for propagating the multiplexed signal via a twisted pair line6E, the two way serial signal via line6D and VCC power feed via line6G to the USB converter80shown inFIG. 3, replacing the connector58of the home automation distributor55, for interconnecting the USB converter80with the combined distributor200via a CAT 5 cable6fitted with RJ45 connector58shown inFIG. 3.

The wall socket connector21feeds intercom speaker signal, buffered by the speaker buffer amplifier38of the combined distributor200for feeding the speaker signal via line6C to a modified selector/encoder100. The modified selector/encoder100does not include the speaker buffer circuit38, the microphone processing circuits36and the buffer37shown inFIG. 7. The other signals fed via the wall socket21include the serial command signal via line6D and the encoded stereo signal multiplexed with serial commands signals via the line6A, same as explained above in connection with the audio distributors60˜64. The wall socket9is shown inFIG. 3extended between the combined distributor200and the selector/encoder100. The forth twisted pair of the wall socket9feeds the power to the selector/encoder100via line6G. By this the wall socket connector21provides for connecting the combined distributor200with the selector/encoder100as shown inFIG. 3, including the interconnection for feeding the speaker signal of the intercom50to the modified selector/encoder100.

The video interphone connector7transfers the speaker signal fed from the intercom circuit50via the twisted pair line6C to the input of the speaker buffer amplifier38, which feeds its buffered output to the wall socket, explained above. The video interphone connector7feeds also the video, audio, control, alarm and data multiplexed signals via the twisted pair line6E to the USB connector58, also explained above. The connector7connects to the microphone driver output terminal amplifier37for propagating the buffered microphone signal to the intercom circuit50via the twisted pair line6B. The last connected line6D of the connector7is to exchange serial commands between the combined distributor200and the video interphone50, thereby providing for all the connections between the video interphone50and the combined distributor200, using CAT 5 cable and standard RJ45 connectors7.

Each of the RJ45 connectors201-1˜201-n propagate to a speaker assembly290the encoded stereo signal multiplexed with serial commands via line6A, and via the line6G it links or feeds the power to the speakers. The line6B propagates in reverse direction the buffered microphone signals to the inputs of the selector40M, that is similar to the selector40ofFIGS. 7 and 8, but provides for connecting only microphone signal to one output terminal. The output terminal of the selector40M feed the selected microphone signal to the buffer amplifier37explained above, that matches the impedance and the microphone signal level with the impedance and signal levels of the video interphone or intercom50. All the speaker connectors201are connected to the serial command line6D for exchanging commands between the speakers and the combined distributor200and are distributed by the distributor200to all other devices of the audio system and the home automation system as shown inFIG. 3.

The other circuits of the combined distributor200are explained above in connection with the audio distributors.FIG. 15shows two serial drivers28for propagating the serial commands to the audio system and the home automation/intercom system, and exchanged between the two systems via the CPU41. The power control and regulator34is the same as the power control and regulator34of the audio distributor61, for powering the circuits of the combined distributor200and for extending the power line or link6G to the speakers290via the connector201-1˜201-n, to the selector/encoder100via the wall socket21and for feeding power to home automation distributor circuit block255.

The differential twist pair receiver and buffer42-1˜42-n are the same circuits shown in the audio distributors60,61,62and63and explained above, used for feeding encoded stereo signals, multiplexed with serial commands to the speakers290via line6A. The return serial commands can be propagated via the same line6A, but as the speaker290and299are connected via the serial command line6D to the serial driver28, the two way commands of the combined system shown inFIG. 3is based on serial command communication exchanges via the lines6D, including the IR control commands exchanged and operated via the IR receivers and IR transmitters of the speakers290and299.

From the above andFIGS. 3,6A,6B and15, it is clear that the combined system using the distributor200and the speakers290and299of the audio system of the present invention can be integrated with the home automation system and with the video interphone or intercom system, using simple and efficient interconnections via cascading CAT 5 cables fitted with RJ45 connectors, or other cables and connectors. It is also clear that the propagated stereo sound signal is an encoded stereo signal fed through the combined distributor200to the speakers299via a single twist pair6A of the CAT 5 cables.

It is also clear that the selector/encoder100or103can be connected to the speakers290and299in a cascaded network interconnections or segments using the CAT 5 cable6fitted with RJ45 connectors, replacing the speakers90and99and the speakers interconnecting twisted pairs6A and6F shown inFIGS. 1A and 1B.

The microphone and its associated circuits may not be necessary and not used when no intercom is integrated with the audio system, similarly if the audio system is a stand alone system, the IR receivers and transmitters with all their associated circuits may not be necessary and not used. Any other circuit shown that may be unnecessary in a given setup may not be used for that given system.

In the examples explained in the summary of the invention above, it was mentioned that it is possible to provide both the left and the right speaker assemblies with single channel amplifier, the example is not shown, but it should be clear that such setup is achieved by connecting the two speakers in a cascaded line6A, for feeding the same encoded stereo signal to both speakers, such as two speaker assemblies5B having correct termination for the double connected line6A, and commanding or programming one of the speaker's CPU41to play only left channel and the other CPU41to play only the right channel. For such speakers, the connector4is unnecessary and not used, while the speaker amplifier68maybe changed to a single channel output amplifier.

Another modification to the shown examples of interconnections is the introduction of the audio amplifier68along with all the circuits shown in the speaker assemblies4A,5A,5B or6A into an IR driver assembly disclosed in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/939,785 for connecting two speakers shown inFIG. 4Bor6B via wall sockets, such as wall socket9, for placing the two speaker assemblies99at the tenant desired position.

Though the repeated references to the well known wall socket and the illustrated wall socket9are to an RJ45 connector, such as commonly used for network connections, any type of well known or custom connectors and wall sockets can be used instead. The term wall socket includes pigtails with or without connectors, interconnecting junction boxes, junction boards, or junction strips and other interconnection devices such as terminal blocks and similar.

The selector/encoders100,101,102and103are referenced above and illustrated as a combined unit however, the selector and the encoder can be divided and operated independently and be interconnected by an added cascading fitted network cable, by using for example two twisted pairs for outputting from a select or unit the left-right stereo signals to an encoder unit. One of the remaining two twisted pairs can be used for serial command signals and the other for the power line feed.

From all the above explanations it should be clear that many different interconnections and different circuits for the speaker assemblies, the selector/encoder and the distributors can be structured and/or configured or that the shown circuits can be modified in many forms, and be integrated in different setups, and not all possibilities for such modifications, changes and setups are disclosed.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, which modifications do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.