GB2387993A

GB2387993A - Modified public address system to assist portable electronic devices

Info

Publication number: GB2387993A
Application number: GB0205887A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Ian Truman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-03-12
Filing date: 2002-03-12
Publication date: 2003-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-12
Also published as: GB2387993B; GB0205887D0

Abstract

A modified public address system, as found in an airport, in which loudspeaker cabling 8 is used to convey signals to portable electronic devices 7, possibly pagers, one-way communicators or two-way communicators. The system may include transceivers 4 and 5 which may have microphones, speakers keyboards. Transceivers 6 may be connected to the cabling 8 and transmit signals wirelessly to the portable devices 7. The transceivers may be installed near the normal PA system loudspeakers.

Description

MODIFIED PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS

TO ASSIST OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES

This invention relates to an modified public address system and includes additional electronic components intended to render such systems, their cabling and conduits, capable of assisting the operation of other electronic items such as passenger paging devices, two way radio devices or other electronic devices such as electronic ID cards and boarding passes. Public address systems at airports and other embarkation points are well known but suffer from the disadvantage that the loudspeaker cabling is only used to activate loudspeakers when, by way of this invention, it can also be used as the satellite to signal other electronic devices.

An object of this invention is to provide relatively simple means of modification to public address systems and their loudspeaker-cabling, and/or its ducting and conduits, at airports and other complexes, so as to render such loudspeaker-cabling, ducting and conduits able to assist the command of additional electronic or mechanical equipment. For one example to command or assist the operation of very many portable miniature personal passenger-paging devices and/or other types of devices, without affecting the normal use of public address systems at, for one example, airports.

Accordingly this invention converts and modifies a normal public address system (please refer to Fig 1 of accompanying drawings) and provides: signal transmitter/receiver keyboard with or without microphone and speaker 4, a signal transmitter/receiver with or without microphone and speaker 5, many receiver/transmitters 6, very many portable miniature receivers or receiver/transmitters 7, arranged and tuned so as to modify existing or new public address systems enabling them to command or assist the operation of other communicative or electronic tasks, for one example the activation of items 7 for use as a simple 'passenger pager alerting device' or other items or devices, separate or working together, via items 1 or 2, or 3 or,4 or 5 or 6 or by some or all of these items working simultaneously, items 7 being likened to many portable miniature passenger-paging devices to use at airports, shipping ports, stations, stadiums, shopping malls or at any place where public address systems are installed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to Fig 1 of the accompanying drawing in which: Fig 1 shows an microphone 1, connected to an amplifier 2, connected to loudspeakers 3 to which is connected via the speaker cabling 8 a digital signal transmitter-receiver keyboard with microphone and speaker 4 and/or a digital signal transmitter-receiver with microphone and speaker 5 and many digital receiver-transmitters 6 plus very many miniature portable receivertransmitters with or without microphones and speakers 7 which are capable of being activated by items 6 after items 6 have been activated by item S and or item 4 individually or by one or by both items 5 and 4 simultaneously such activation causing all of or some of items 1 to 7 to operate and function as useful devices via the loudspeaker cabling and or loudspeaker cable-ducting and conduits of public address systems.

The connectivity of components 4, 5, 6, and 7 of which some or all represent the fundamental components of this invention, are now explained: Referring to the drawing in Fig 1 items 4 and 5 can be mounted on a desk or be portable using wireless technology, can be connected with cables or wave-linked-connected to items 6, directly or indirectly into the loudspeaker cabling of public address systems and/or be connected direct to items 1,2,3 or 6 by wave-connection.

Referring to the drawing of Fig 1, one or many of item 6 are wired directly into the speaker cabling, or connected by wireless technology, of an airport public address system, mounted on, next to or close to, some of, or all of, the loudspeakers points throughout the complexes where loudspeakers are installed, for example at airports.

Referring to the drawing of Fig 1 item 6 is transmitted to, by direct connection and/or by waved-connection to the loudspeaker cabling 8, or by over means for example acoustic transmission, which cabling also connects item 2 to items 3. Items 5 or 4, or both 5 and 4 together, being used to send signals through the loudspeaker cabling 8 or acoustically through the loudspeakers 3 to the items 6 after items 4 or 5 or both have been operated by airline staff. Portable items 7, for one example passengerpagers, are then sent waved-signals from items 6 enabling miniature items 7 to carry out suitable programmed tasks.

Referring to the drawing Fig 1 items 7 can be designed and programmed to be useable in reverse to transmit signals to items 6, sending such signals along loudspeaker cabling 8 back to items 5 and 4 which can receive and translate, decode or use such signals to suitable advantages thus affording two-way or one-way communication between items 7 and items 5 and 4 should future use desire.

The advantages of this invention are: it improves services, it creates one or more useful devices, the initial setting-up and installation costs are relatively minimal compared to the setting-up costs of other types of mobile portable communication networks, moreover because portable items 7 are each never more than about 20 metres from an airports loudspeakers position, close to which many items 6 are installed, the wave-strength emitting between items 6 and 7 is of consequence extremely low, which is most important at, for example, airports.

A typical example use for the described invention are clip-on miniature passenger-paging devices, similar in size to thick credit cards, simply programmed to audibly alert missing passengers who have checked-in baggage loaded onto a waiting aircraft, that those passengers must board their aircraft immediately. Such paging device giving off simple loud tones, text massages, flashes or other forms of alerting, so that one or more other waiting travellers and/or airport officials can also hear or see such device has activated, and for example wake up a passenger sleeping under the stairs in a departure lounge so that his/her waiting aircraft will not be delayed or their baggage thrown off. Such small miniature paging devices being handed to a passenger at the same time he or she is handed their boarding pass after checking in their baggage. The paging devices are handed over to an aircrew member as each passenger boards their aircraft. The handed-in paging devices are kept on the plane until it lands at its destination and they are then taken to baggage check-in at that new airport where they are handed to other passengers for use by the same aircraft for its return or next journey. In this way the same paging devices per aircraft are used many times over.

Missing passengers often cause individual aircraft to be so delayed that they lose their take-off slot which causes knock on problems both at the take-off airport and at the destination airport. The cost to the airlines, air

4/ traffic control centres, passengers their relatives employers and businesses amounts to thousands of pounds each time an aircraft is delayed. Distress and frustration to staff and passengers occurs. The plane arrives late at its destination causing disruption at the destination airport, extra load on air traffic control, missed secondary transport needed by those passengers who's aircraft are late on arrival and more expense to the airline company. The very simple paging device mentioned in the descriptions of this

invention can be made from simple existing technology relating to micro chipped birthday cards and talking clocks and radio controlled toys. Such a simple passenger-paging device could help to eliminate delayed flights caused by missing passengers.

Other example uses are possible, such as electronic security tags for luggage and/or for identification of passengers and because this invention utilises existing public address systems as the satellite for other communicative and security devices the cost of installation at all major airports for example would be relatively minimal. Because by nature of the invention the short distance waved signals are of very low strength they would not cause dysfunction to airport or aircraft equipment. It is possible that this invention may be the simplest and possibly the only way in which a safe passenger-paging system or advanced security ID systems could be installed at airports. The basic technology for the components of this invention exist in such items as wireless HiFi headphones, talking birthday cards, household intercoms which use the ring-main circuits to convey signals, radio controlled toys, digital coders and decoders, car central locking activators exist via which a sent signal results in the action of unlocking car doors in much the same manner as such signal passed through PA System cabling could for example be used to signal and operate missing passenger alerting pagers and other devices.

Claims

5. Claims

1. An modified airport public address system in which the loudspeaker cabling 8 is directly or indirectly utilised to carry digital signals or any other signals required to cause the operation of other devices such as passenger-pagers, one way communication devices, two-way communication devices or any other useful devices.

2. An modified airport public address system as claimed in Claim 1 where connected to the loudspeaker cabling 8 either by other cables or by a wave-signal or any other means are a signal receiver/transmitter with microphone and speaker, and receiver/transmitter with microphone and speaker and no keyboard.

3. A modified public address system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 where the fixed transceiver units are mounted in close proximity to the loudspeakers of the public address system without need of direct connection to the loudspeaker cabling where the fixed transceivers are acoustically activated by the loudspeakers.

4. A modified public address system as claimed in any preceding claim where the modified public address system is located at airports.

3. An modified airport public address system as in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein many fixed receiver/transmitters are connected by cables directly into the loudspeaker cabling of airport public address systems at various positions on or close to some or all of the loudspeakers of such public address systems.

4. An modified airport public address system as in Claim 1, Claim 2 and Claim 3 wherein very many portable receivers or receiver/transmitters 7 connect to the cabling 8 of public address systems via waved-signal to, or to and from, such device via the fixed receiver/transmitters 6 described in Claim 3.

S. An modified airport public address system which utilises the loudspeaker cabling 8 of such public address systems to transmit signals to and from the devices mentioned in Claim 1, Claim 2, Claim 3 and Claim 4.

6. An modified public address system as in Claims 1 to 5 which uses the loudspeaker cabling 8 of any public address system.

7. An modified public address system substantially herein described in Claims 1 -6 and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows Amendments to "Claims" 1. A modified public address system in which the loudspeaker cabling is utilised to carry signals to fixed transceiver units, which relay the signals to portable receiver units where the signals are processed and actuate the receiver units.

2. A modified public address system as claimed in 1 where the fixed transceiver units are directly connected to the loudspeaker cabling.