Systems and methods for detection status of intercom termination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12236158-B2
Application number	US-202318490532-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2023
Priority date	Jun 28, 2023
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting detect termination status in an audio communication system, wherein termination status indicates whether exactly one termination circuit is part of the audio communication system, are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: accept an input voltage, by a voltage-controlled current source that includes and drives a resistive load; generate an AC voltage used as an input voltage for the current source; connect a first set of one or more filters to the output of the current source that generate a first analog output signal; connect a second set of one or more filters to the resistive load that generate a second analog output signal; determine a ratio of the first and second analog output signals and use it to determine the termination status.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system configured to detect termination status in an audio communication system having a first audio channel, wherein the termination status indicates whether exactly one termination circuit is part of the first audio channel of the audio communication system, the system comprising:
a Current Source that drives a resistive load having a first connection and a second connection, wherein the Current Source has an input configured to accept an input voltage, wherein the Current Source is configured to create a voltage differential between the first and second connections of the resistive load, wherein the second connection of the resistive load is connected to the first audio channel of the audio communication system, wherein the Current Source has an output connected to the first connection of the resistive load, and wherein the Current Source is a voltage-controlled Current Source;
an alternating current (AC) voltage generator configured to generate an AC voltage, wherein the input voltage for the Current Source is based on the AC voltage;
a first set of one or more filters having a first input, wherein the first input is connected to the first connection of the resistive load, and wherein the first set of one or more filters is configured to generate a first output signal;
a second set of one or more filters having a second input, wherein the second input is connected to the second connection of the resistive load, and wherein the second set of one or more filters is configured to generate a second output signal; and
first circuitry configured to determine a ratio of the first output signal and the second output signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first output signal and the second output signal are analog signals.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the ratio is determined of a first magnitude of the first output signal and a second magnitude of the second output signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising second circuitry configured to determine the termination status by one or more comparisons using the ratio.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second circuitry is further configured to distinguish between zero, one, or more than one termination circuit being part of the first audio channel of the audio communication system, based on the one or more comparisons.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second circuitry is further configured to indicate the termination status.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the AC voltage generator is a microcontroller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second circuitry is integrated in the microcontroller.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the AC voltage forms a sine wave having a frequency between 10 and 40 Hz.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the audio communication system is a wired multi-channel intercom system, and wherein the current source is a Howland Current Source.

11. A method of detecting termination status in an audio communication system having a first audio channel, wherein the termination status indicates whether exactly one termination circuit is part of the first audio channel of the audio communication system, the method comprising:
generating, by an alternating current (AC) voltage generator, an AC voltage, wherein the AC voltage is used to create an input voltage for a Current Source, wherein the Current Source is a voltage-controlled Current Source;
accepting the input voltage, by the Current Source that drives a resistive load having a first connection and a second connection, and creating, by the Current Source, a voltage differential between the first and second connections of the resistive load, wherein the second connection of the resistive load is connected to the first audio channel of the audio communication system, and wherein the Current Source has an output connected to the first connection of the resistive load;
connecting a first input of a first set of one or more filters to the first connection of the resistive load;
generating, by the first set of one or more filters, a first output signal;
connecting a second input of a second set of one or more filters to the second connection of the resistive load;
generating, by the second set of one or more filters, a second output signal; and
determining a ratio of the first output signal and the second output signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first output signal and the second output signal are analog signals.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the ratio is determined of a first magnitude of the first output signal and a second magnitude of the second output signal.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining the termination status by one or more comparisons using the ratio.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining the termination status is performed by circuitry that distinguishes between zero, one, or more than one termination circuit being part of the first audio channel of the audio communication system, based on the one or more comparisons.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
indicating the termination status.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the alternating current (AC) voltage generator is a microcontroller.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the microcontroller determines the termination status.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the AC voltage forms a sine wave having a frequency between 10 and 40 Hz.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the audio communication system is a wired multi-channel intercom system, and wherein the current source is a Howland Current Source.

Assignees

• Hm Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Lerner Victor
• Butten Charles

Classifications

• H03G1/0017

  the device being at least one of the amplifying solid-state elements · CPC title

• G06F3/162 Primary

  Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs · CPC title