Patent ID: 8755532

Claim:
A network audio processing circuit, comprising: a means for receiving a reproduced audio content signal; a microphone for providing a microphone output signal in accordance with ambient noise; a means for enabling the microphone output signal during first increments of time when the reproduced audio content signal is substantially off, and disabling the microphone output signal during second increments of time when the reproduced audio content signal is on; a signal processor, in communication with the means for receiving a reproduced audio content signal and the means for enabling and disabling the microphone output signal for: applying a transfer function to the reproduced audio content signal, the transfer function incrementally increasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio content signal as a function of an increasing amplitude of the microphone output signal, and incrementally decreasing gain adjustments to the reproduced audio content signal as a function of a decreasing amplitude of the microphone output signal; and applying an equalization curve to the audio content signal to boost frequencies in a vocal range that enhance consonant perception thus increasing speech intelligibility; a means for enabling the network audio processing circuit to identify itself on the network; and at least one amplifier having an input coupled to an output signal of the signal processor and an output coupled to an input of a speaker, wherein the signal processor communicates with the at least one amplifier to determine whether or not a respective speaker is connected to the audio processing circuit and if a connected speaker is operational.