DR. THOMAS JOHN JOHNSON, O.D.
Optometry at Lincoln Hwy, East Saint Louis, IL

2003014, Jul 31, 2003

Mar 28, 2002

10/112340

Kenneth Roy - Holtwood PA, US
Thomas Johnson - Chesterfield MO, US
Ronald Fuller - Burbank CA, US
Steve Dove - Lebanon PA, US

H04R003/02, H04R029/00, H04R003/00

381/073100, 381/059000, 381/096000, 381/101000

A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies. octave equalization is provided to compensate for known frequency response characteristics of the flat panel radiators of the system and to compensate for varying room acoustics to provide a low special variation of sound among the various zones of the space. The result is a high quality high fidelity sound that is consistent from zone to zone.

2003014, Jul 31, 2003

Mar 28, 2002

10/109188

Kenneth Roy - Holtwood PA, US
Thomas Johnson - Chesterfield MO, US
Ronald Fuller - Burbank CA, US
Steve Dove - Lebanon PA, US

H04M001/00, H04M009/00

379/388040

A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies. octave equalization is provided to compensate for known frequency response characteristics of the flat panel radiators of the system and to compensate for varying room acoustics to provide a low special variation of sound among the various zones of the space. The result is a high quality high fidelity sound that is consistent from zone to zone.

2003019, Oct 23, 2003

Apr 19, 2002

10/126592

Kenneth Roy - Holtwood PA, US
Thomas Johnson - Chesterfield MO, US
Ronald Fuller - Burbank CA, US
Steve Dove - Lebanon PA, US

H04M001/00, H04M009/00

379/387010

A compact sound processing system and method for use with a plurality of sound radiators. A microcontroller accepts a plurality of user-selected speaker equalization and space equalization settings and receives a paging control signal from a telephone interface. An analog mixer combines music signal inputs and a paging signal. A digital signal processor generates and filters masking noise, and processes the masking noise and combined music and paging signals based on user-selectable settings for distribution to the sound radiators. An audio amplifier modulates and amplifies the output signal from the digital signal processor, and delivers the output signal to the sound radiators via a transformer in defined zones. The sound radiators can be flat panel sound radiators or conventional type speakers. A masking filter used with the masking noise generator can be programmed to shape the virtual random noise generated by decreasing the noise at a constant rate over the frequency range of human speech. A paging over music function reduces the music sound level by a preset amount whenever a paging control signal is received. A talkback controller is also provided to enable an individual to respond to a page using the sound radiator as a microphone.

6164408, Dec 26, 2000

Mar 10, 1999

9/265664

Michael E. Lamm - High Ridge MO
Thomas J. Johnson - Chesterfield MO
Joseph A. Ferrante - Wildwood MO

Atlas Sound - Ennis TX

E04B 199

181 30

A plenum mounted, flat metal panel diaphragm masking loudspeaker includes a flat, stamped sheet metal frame which has a deployed state and an undeployed, flat state well suited to storage or shipping. A large, movable tab at the bottom of the frame is weakened by a series of small apertures and forms a hinge or fold line. Electrical accessories including a transformer, a rotary switch for selecting transformer taps and signal connections are included in an enclosed box mounted on the foldable tab. The flat panel masking loudspeaker is shipped flat in the undeployed state and then the large tab is deployed by being folded outwardly before installing the flat panel masking loudspeaker in a ceiling plenum. During installation, the tab is folded along the hinge or fold line out to approximately 90. degree. with respect to the rest of the masking speaker frame, the entire assembly is then held overhead by the installer and is positioned above the suspended ceiling T-bar supports, within the plenum, whereupon the assembly is lowered or pushed downwardly and is held in place by one or more spring clips gripping the speaker frame and the ceiling T-bar supports.

2003014, Jul 31, 2003

Mar 28, 2002

10/109137

Kenneth Roy - Holtwood PA, US
Thomas Johnson - Chesterfield MO, US
Ronald Fuller - Burbank CA, US
Steve Dove - Lebanon PA, US

G10L019/00

704/500000

A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies. octave equalization is provided to compensate for known frequency response characteristics of the flat panel radiators of the system and to compensate for varying room acoustics to provide a low special variation of sound among the various zones of the space. The result is a high quality high fidelity sound that is consistent from zone to zone.

2003014, Jul 31, 2003

Mar 28, 2002

10/109103

Kenneth Roy - Holtwood PA, US
Thomas Johnson - Chesterfield MO, US
Ronald Fuller - Burbank CA, US
Steve Dove - Lebanon PA, US

G10L021/00

704/278000

A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies. octave equalization is provided to compensate for known frequency response characteristics of the flat panel radiators of the system and to compensate for varying room acoustics to provide a low special variation of sound among the various zones of the space. The result is a high quality high fidelity sound that is consistent from zone to zone.