Audio system with integrated power, audio signal and control distribution

Abstract

A control and distribution system provides electrical power distribution, audio signal distribution, and control signal distribution to one or more audio components, such as a powered loudspeaker element or a signal conditioning device such as a rack-mounted amplifier. Embodiments allow for the monitoring and/or control of parameters and/or components at or near the endpoint of the system. These parameters or components include low-level parameters associated with the external audio devices, as opposed to merely higher level parameters of the system. The control and distribution system may include an uninterrupted power source for providing power in an online or offline mode to selected components of the external audio devices. In some embodiments, online backup power is provided to low-power components without providing power to amplifiers within the external audio devices.

Therefore what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An audio, control and power distribution system for operating one or more external audio devices, comprising:
 an input power interface for receiving external mains power and for providing primary power for the one or more external audio devices based on the external mains power;   one or more input audio interfaces for receiving audio signals;   an output interface provided for external audio devices, wherein said output interface is configured to provide the primary power, the audio signals, and a control signal to the external audio devices;   a transceiver for transmitting and/or receiving the control signal;   a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver for generating and/or processing the control signal;   an uninterruptible power source for generating backup power for one or more electronic components of the external audio devices, wherein said output interface is further configured to provide the backup power to the external audio devices;   wherein said uninterruptible power source is configured to operate in:
 an offline mode for providing offline backup power to amplifiers within the external audio devices; and 
 an online mode for providing online backup power to one or more non-amplifier electronic components. 
   
     
     
         2 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 1 , wherein said processor is configured to:
 detect the occurrence of a failure of the power primary; and   in the event of a power failure, transmit instructions to one or more amplifier controllers to mute the amplifiers within the external audio devices such that the muting operation is performed during a time interval that is greater than the period of the lowest amplified audio frequency, thereby avoiding the generation of substantial audio distortion.   
     
     
         3 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 2  wherein the amplifier controllers are configured to complete the muting operation at a time approximately equal to the point in time when offline backup power is provided to the amplifiers. 
     
     
         4 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 1  wherein said uninterruptible power source is configured to provide backup power to non-amplifier electronic components within the external audio devices having a power requirement less than a selected threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 4  wherein said threshold is approximately 100 W. 
     
     
         6 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 4  wherein said threshold is approximately 50 W. 
     
     
         7 . The audio, control and power distribution system according to  claim 1  wherein the backup power provided to the amplifiers is a fraction of the power required by the amplifiers during normal operation.