Volume control over shared trunk lines in intercom systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11438461-B2
Application number	US-202017071688-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Oct 15, 2020
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for volume control over intercom trunk lines. One example method includes receiving, from a first keypanel coupled to a first intercom, a call request identifying a remote keypanel coupled to a second intercom. The method includes transmitting a trunk request based on the call request and receiving a trunk setup message. The method includes activating a first crosspoint to provide a two-way audio connection between the first and second intercom devices. The method includes applying a trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the remote keypanel and transmitting, with an audio gain based on the trunk gain value, an audio stream received from the first keypanel. The method includes receiving, from the second intercom, a gain adjustment value associated with the first keypanel and the remote keypanel and applying an adjusted trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the gain adjustment value.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An intercom device comprising:
a plurality of audio ports including a first port coupled to a first keypanel and a second port coupled to a trunk line providing a two-way audio connection between the intercom device and a second intercom device;
a plurality of crosspoints for interconnecting the plurality of audio ports;
a communication interface; and
an electronic processor coupled to the plurality of crosspoints and the communication interface;
wherein the electronic processor is configured to
receive, from the first keypanel, a call request identifying a remote keypanel coupled to the second intercom device;
transmit, to a trunk controller via the communication interface, a trunk request based on the call request;
receive, from the trunk controller via the communication interface, a trunk setup message;
activate a first crosspoint of the plurality of crosspoints based on the trunk setup message, the first crosspoint associated with the first port and the second port;
apply a trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the remote keypanel;
transmit, with an audio gain based on the trunk gain value, an audio stream received from the first keypanel to the second intercom device via the second port;
receive, from the second intercom device, a gain adjustment value associated with the first keypanel and the remote keypanel; and
apply an adjusted trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the gain adjustment value.

2. The intercom device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to apply the trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the trunk setup message.

3. The intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory;
wherein the electronic processor is coupled to the memory and configured to retrieve the trunk gain value from the memory based on the first keypanel and the remote keypanel.

4. The intercom device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to transmit the audio stream with an audio gain based on the adjusted trunk gain value.

5. The intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory;
wherein the electronic processor is coupled to the memory and configured to store, in the memory, the adjusted trunk gain value, an identifier associated with the first keypanel, and an identifier associated with the remote keypanel.

6. The intercom device of claim 5 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
responsive to activating the first crosspoint, begin a trunk timer; and
when the trunk timer expires without receiving an audio input from the first keypanel:
deactivate the first crosspoint;
receive, from the first keypanel, a second call request identifying the remote keypanel;
transmit, to the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk request based on the second call request;
receive, from the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk setup message;
activate the first crosspoint based on the second trunk setup message;
retrieve the adjusted trunk gain value from the memory based on the first keypanel and the remote keypanel; and
apply the adjusted trunk gain value to the first crosspoint.

7. The intercom device of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of audio ports includes a third port coupled to a second keypanel; and
the electronic processor is further configured to
receive, from the second keypanel, a second call request identifying the remote keypanel coupled to the second intercom device;
transmit, to the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk request based on the second call request;
receive, from the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk setup message;
activate a second crosspoint of the plurality of crosspoints based on the second trunk setup message, the second crosspoint associated with the second port and the third port; and
apply a second trunk gain value to the second crosspoint based on the second keypanel and the remote keypanel.

8. The intercom device of claim 7 , further comprising:
a memory;
wherein the electronic processor is coupled to the memory and configured to retrieve the second trunk gain value from the memory based on the second keypanel and the remote keypanel.

9. The intercom device of claim 7 , wherein the electronic processor is further configured to:
receive, from the second intercom, a second gain adjustment value associated with the first keypanel and the remote keypanel;
apply a second adjusted trunk gain value to the second crosspoint based on the second gain adjustment value; and
transmit to the second intercom device via the second port an audio stream received from the first keypanel mixed with a second audio stream received from the second keypanel;
wherein the audio stream has an audio gain based on the adjusted trunk gain value and the second audio stream has a second audio gain based on the second adjusted trunk gain value.

10. The intercom device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory;
wherein the plurality of audio ports includes a third port coupled to a second keypanel and a fourth port coupled to a second trunk line providing a second two-way audio connection between the intercom device and the second intercom device; and
the electronic processor is coupled to the memory and further configured to
receive, from the second keypanel, a second call request identifying the remote keypanel coupled to the second intercom device;
transmit, to the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk request based on the second call request;
receive, from the trunk controller via the communication interface, a second trunk setup message;
activate a second crosspoint of the plurality of crosspoints based on the second trunk setup message, the second crosspoint associated with the third port and the fourth port; retrieve a second trunk gain value from the memory based on the second keypanel and the remote keypanel; and
apply the second trunk gain value to the second crosspoint.

11. A method for operating an intercom system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a first keypanel coupled to a first intercom device, a call request identifying a remote keypanel coupled to a second intercom device;
transmitting, to a trunk controller, a trunk request based on the call request;
receiving, from the trunk controller, a trunk setup message;
activating a first crosspoint of a plurality of crosspoints based on the trunk setup message, the first crosspoint coupled to a first port coupled to a first keypanel and a second port coupled to a trunk line providing a two-way audio connection between the first intercom device and the second intercom device;
applying a trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the remote keypanel;
transmitting, with an audio gain based on the trunk gain value, an audio stream received from the first keypanel to the second intercom device via the second port;
receiving, from the second intercom, a gain adjustment value associated with the first keypanel and the remote keypanel; and
applying an adjusted trunk gain value to the first crosspoint based on the gain adjustment value.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein applying the trunk gain value to the first crosspoint includes applying the trunk gain value based on the trunk setup message.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
retrieving the trunk gain value from a memory based on the first keypanel and the remote keypanel.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
transmitting the audio stream w

Assignees

• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Puttick James

Classifications

• H04M9/02 Primary

  involving a common line for all parties · CPC title

• H04M9/005 Primary

  with subscriber controlled access to an exchange line · CPC title

• H04M11/02

  with bell or annunciator systems · CPC title

• H04M9/001

  Two-way communication systems between a limited number of parties · CPC title

• H04R27/04

  Electric megaphones · CPC title