Compact public address access point apparatuses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10757518-B2
Application number	US-201816174034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2018
Priority date	Sep 11, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

Apparatuses that operate as both a public address speaker and a wireless access point (AP) for mounting to a ceiling or wall. The compact public address access points described herein may include an AP housing, enclosing a radio (e.g., a 3×3 MIMO radio) and antenna, that is coupled to a speaker assembly including a speaker, a conical acoustic reflector positioned between a front of the speaker and the housing of the AP, and an annular region comprising a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector. Although the AP is nested atop the front of the speaker, the speaker may produce high-quality sound with accurate voice reproduction without interfering with the operation of the wireless transmission of the AP. Methods of operating and installing these apparatuses are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a public address from a wireless access point (AP), the method comprising:
receiving a public address signal indicated for audio broadcast at a compact public address AP apparatus; and
emitting the public address signal as an audible signal from a speaker of the compact public address AP, wherein the speaker is mounted behind a housing of the AP, the housing enclosing an antenna and radio, so that the audible signal is projected from a front of the speaker and reflected from a conical acoustic reflector positioned between the front of the speaker and the housing of the AP so that the audible signal is directed out of an annular region surrounding the conical acoustic reflector and housing of the AP, wherein the annular region comprises a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly transmitting the public address signal from a handheld device, wherein the public address signal is indicated for audio broadcast.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compact public address AP apparatus concurrently connects a plurality of wireless devices to a network to which the radio of the compact public address AP is connected.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving an audible response signal from a microphone of the compact public address AP, encoding the audible response signal, and transmitting the encoded audible response signal.

5. The method of claim 4 , further wherein transmitting the encoded audible response signal comprises transmitting the encoded audible response signal to a handheld device.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the radio and antenna of the compact public address AP concurrently emit the public address signal as the audible signal and simultaneously couple one or a plurality of wireless devices to a network using 3×3 MIMO operation in 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz or 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands.

7. A method of making a public address from a wireless access point (AP), the method comprising:
wirelessly transmitting a public address signal from a handheld device, wherein the public address signal is indicated for audio broadcast;
receiving the public address signal at a compact public address AP apparatus; and
emitting the public address signal as an audible signal from a speaker of the compact public address AP, wherein the speaker is mounted behind a housing of the AP, the housing enclosing an antenna and radio, so that the audible signal is projected from a front of the speaker and reflected from a conical acoustic reflector positioned between the front of the speaker and the housing of the AP so that the audible signal is directed out of an annular region surrounding the conical acoustic reflector and housing of the AP, wherein the annular region comprises a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector;
wherein the compact public address AP apparatus concurrently connects a plurality of wireless devices to a network to which the radio of the compact public address AP is connected.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving an audible response signal from a microphone of the compact public address AP, encoding the audible response, and transmitting the encoded audible response signal.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving an audible response signal from a microphone of the compact public address AP, encoding the audible response, and transmitting the encoded audible response signal to the handheld device.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the radio and antenna of the compact public address AP concurrently emit the public address signal as an audible signal and simultaneously couple one or a plurality of wireless devices to a network using 3×3 MIMO operation in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz or 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands.

11. A method of installing a compact public address access point (AP), wherein the compact public address access point includes a speaker surrounded by a frame and an access point housing covering the speaker, further wherein the access point housing encloses a wireless radio and antenna configured to connect a plurality of wireless devices to a network, the method comprising: cutting a hole into a ceiling surface; releasing the access point housing from a speaker assembly of the compact public address access point to expose a conical acoustic reflector positioned between a front of the speaker and the housing of the AP and an annular region comprising a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector; connecting an Ethernet cable from the ceiling into a main port of the compact public address access point for connection to the network; adjusting a plurality of clamp brackets so that the compact public address AP is held within the hole when the clamp brackets hold the ceiling surface between the clamp bracket and the compact public address AP; and applying data and power through the Ethernet connection to the wireless radio and antenna of the AP.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein cutting the hole into the ceiling surface comprises placing a mounting template against the ceiling surface to guide cutting the hole.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein releasing the access point housing comprises rotating the access point housing relative to the compact public address access point.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising connecting a second Ethernet cable between the access point housing and the speaker assembly.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising connecting a USB connector between the access point housing and the speaker assembly.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising re-attaching the access point housing to the speaker assembly.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising attaching a safety wire coupled to the compact public address access point to a structural point in the ceiling.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising concurrently emitting an audible signal from a speaker of the compact public address AP and connecting, via the wireless radio, a plurality of wireless devices to the network.

19. A method of installing a compact public address access point (AP), wherein the compact public address access point includes a speaker surrounded by a frame and an access point housing covering the speaker, further wherein the access point housing encloses a wireless radio and antenna configured to connect a plurality of wireless devices to a network, the method comprising:
placing a mounting template against a ceiling surface;
cutting a hole into a ceiling surface;
releasing the access point housing from a speaker assembly of the compact public address access point to expose a conical acoustic reflector positioned between a front of the speaker and the housing of the AP and an annular region comprising a concave inner wall facing the conical acoustic reflector;
connecting an Ethernet cable from the ceiling into a main port of the compact public address access point for connection to the network;
adjusting a plurality of clamp brackets so that the compact public access AP is held within the hole when the clamp brackets hold the ceiling surface between the clamp bracket and the compact public address access point;
connecting a second Ethernet cable between the AP housing and the speaker assembly;
connecting a USB connector between the access point housing and the speaker assembly;
re-attaching the access point housing to the speaker assembly; and
applying data and power through the Ethernet connection to the wireless rad

Assignees

• Ubiquiti Inc

Inventors

• Lee Jude
• Blanchard Mark A
• Pera Robert J

Classifications

• H04L12/10

  Current supply arrangements · CPC title

• H04R2201/028

  Structural combinations of loudspeakers with built-in power amplifiers, e.g. in the same acoustic enclosure (H04R2499/10 takes precedence; Single (sub)woofer with two or more satellite loudspeakers for mid- and high-frequency band reproduction driven via the (sub)woofer H04R2205/026) · CPC title

• H04R1/345

  for loudspeakers · CPC title

• H04R2227/003

  Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet · CPC title

• H04R27/00 Primary

  Public address systems (circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; {monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007}; amplifiers H03F) · CPC title