US 12,483,846 B2
System and method for playing an audio indicator to identify a location of a ceiling mounted loudspeaker
Ekin Binal, Brooklyn, NY (US); and Neil Hildick-Smith, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to Crestron Electronics, Inc., Rockleigh, NJ (US)
Filed by Crestron Electronics, Inc., Rockleigh, NJ (US)
Filed on Aug. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/878,198.
Prior Publication US 2024/0040326 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. H04S 7/00 (2006.01); H04L 65/611 (2022.01); H04R 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC H04S 7/30 (2013.01) [H04L 65/611 (2022.05); H04R 5/02 (2013.01); H04R 2420/07 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An audio distribution system (ADS), comprising:
at least two loudspeaker assemblies, each of which are adapted to receive digitally encoded audio signals and other digital signals, each of the at least two loudspeaker assemblies having a unique digital address and each comprising at least one loudspeaker; and
a personal computer (PC) communicatively coupled to the ADS, and wherein the personal computer comprises:
at least one PC processor communicatively coupled to each of the at least two loudspeaker assemblies;
a PC input device communicatively coupled to the at least one PC processor; and
a PC memory operatively connected with the at least one PC processor, wherein the PC memory stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one PC processor, causes the at least one PC processor to execute a method that comprises:
receiving an input from the PC input device at the at least one PC processor, the input indicating which one of the at least two loudspeaker assemblies to identify a location thereof;
generating a message to be transmitted to the indicated loudspeaker assembly, wherein the message contains commands and data to generate both an audio indicator in the indicated loudspeaker assembly, and a visual indicator from the indicated loudspeaker assembly;
transmitting the message to the indicated loudspeaker assembly; and
playing the audio indicator first according to the message at the indicated loudspeaker assembly and then playing the visual indicator according to the message at the indicated loudspeaker assembly,
wherein the at least two loudspeaker assemblies comprises:
a first and second loudspeaker assembly are communicatively coupled to the at least one processor,
wherein the first loudspeaker assembly is an active loudspeaker assembly and comprises at least one amplifier for amplifying audio signals prior to broadcast by the at least one loudspeaker, and
wherein the second loudspeaker assembly is a passive loudspeaker assembly that receives amplified audio from the active loudspeaker assembly,
wherein, when the second loudspeaker assembly is the indicated loudspeaker assembly, the first loudspeaker assembly does not generate a visual indicator of an audio indicator, while the second loudspeaker assembly generates the audio indicator first and then the visual indicator.