Abstract: A ceiling system includes a ceiling support structure supporting a plurality of ceiling panels, each ceiling panel including a core layer having a top surface facing a first interior space above the ceiling panels, a bottom surface facing a second interior space below the ceiling panels, and a plurality of peripheral edges extending between the top and bottom surfaces. A top frame layer extends from the top surface and a thermal layer is on the top frame layer opposite the top surface. The thermal layer has a first surface facing away from the top frame layer and a second surface facing toward the top frame layer. The top frame layer supports the second surface in a spaced-apart manner from the top surface to form one or more air gaps between the top surface and the second surface. The first and second surfaces have a thermal emissivity of 0.5 or less.

Abstract: A ceiling system includes a ceiling support structure supporting a plurality of ceiling panels, each ceiling panel including a core layer having a top surface facing a first interior space above the ceiling panels, a bottom surface facing a second interior space below the ceiling panels, and a plurality of peripheral edges extending between the top and bottom surfaces. A top frame layer extends from the top surface and a thermal layer is on the top frame layer opposite the top surface. The thermal layer has a first surface facing away from the top frame layer and a second surface facing toward the top frame layer. The top frame layer supports the second surface in a spaced-apart manner from the top surface to form one or more air gaps between the top surface and the second surface. The first and second surfaces have a thermal emissivity of 0.5 or less.

Abstract: A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies.

Abstract: A fire protective flat panel radiator assembly for installation in a suspended ceiling grid is provided. The assembly includes a flat panel radiator having a frame that supports a sonic diaphragm, which is driven by a transducer to reproduce an audio program. A back box is mounted to the radiator and the back box covers and encloses the diaphragm and other fire susceptible components of the radiator. The back box is provided with a cut-out portion that is covered with an air pervious panel, which is resistant to fire hazards but that allows air flow in and out of the back box. In one embodiment, the radiator has a bridge and the back box is formed by a pair of shells mounted on each side of the bridge to enclose and protect the diaphragm. The result is a fire protected flat panel radiator assembly that meets the fire performance requirements for air handling plenums while retaining the sonic fidelity of a flat panel sound radiator without a fire protective back box.

Abstract: A fire protective flat panel radiator assembly for installation in a suspended ceiling grid is provided. The assembly includes a flat panel radiator having a frame that supports a sonic diaphragm, which is driven by a transducer to reproduce an audio program. A back box is mounted to the radiator and the back box covers and encloses the diaphragm and other fire susceptible components of the radiator. The back box is provided with a cut-out portion that is covered with an air pervious panel, which is resistant to fire hazards but that allows air flow in and out of the back box. In one embodiment, the radiator has a bridge and the back box is formed by a pair of shells mounted on each side of the bridge to enclose and protect the diaphragm. The result is a fire protected flat panel radiator assembly that meets the fire performance requirements for air handling plenums while retaining the sonic fidelity of a flat panel sound radiator without a fire protective back box.

Abstract: A compact sound processing system and method for use with a plurality of sound radiators. A microcontroller accepts a plurality of user-selected speaker equalization and space equalization settings and receives a paging control signal from a telephone interface. An analog mixer combines music signal inputs and a paging signal. A digital signal processor generates and filters masking noise, and processes the masking noise and combined music and paging signals based on user-selectable settings for distribution to the sound radiators. An audio amplifier modulates and amplifies the output signal from the digital signal processor, and delivers the output signal to the sound radiators via a transformer in defined zones. The sound radiators can be flat panel sound radiators or conventional type speakers. A masking filter used with the masking noise generator can be programmed to shape the virtual random noise generated by decreasing the noise at a constant rate over the frequency range of human speech.

Abstract: A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies.

Abstract: A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies.

Abstract: A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies.

Abstract: A unique, fully integrated, fully programmable, and highly flexible sound distribution system and methodology for providing masking sound, background music, and paging capabilities in up to eight zones of a building or space is provided. The methodology embodied in the system includes internal masking sounds that are uniquely pre-filtered to provide efficient and effective masking of distracting sounds within selectable zones of the space with a minimum masking sound dB sound level and with a pleasant sounding and non-annoying masking sound. The system also incorporates the capacity to be controlled from a remote or local telephone to adjust the volume level in any zone serviced by the system by issuing appropriate DTMF codes from the telephone's keypad. Unique bi-tone diagnostic functions are provided for assuring that the entire system is correctly wired and installed and for troubleshooting operational anomalies.

Abstract: An architectural sound enhancement system is provided for installation in a space having a suspended ceiling to provide integrated masking, background, and paging functions. The system includes an array of flat panel speaker units, a central paging transmitter, and a wireless remote control unit. The speaker units are adapted to be installed in a selected location within a suspended ceiling grid and can be moved to a new location as needed and desired. Each speaker unit is self-contained and includes, in one embodiment, an electronics module housing a system controller with radio frequency detection capability, a sound generator having a library of stored sounds, an audio effects processor including an equalizer, a sound enhancer, an audio pre-amplifier, an audio power amplifier, and a flat panel speaker.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sound masking system including an airflow unit housing at least one speaker generating a masking sound field. The airflow unit is often an air diffuser set into a conventional suspended ceiling comprised of ceiling tiles. The air diffuser provides an acoustic hole in the ceiling plane whereby sound can travel into the room unencumbered by the plane of ceiling tiles. The speaker is housed within the air diffuser and is directed into the room to be treated. The speaker is capable of producing sound waves in a frequency that masks the human voice.

Abstract: A flat panel sound radiator system for installation in a suspended ceiling is disclosed. The system is capable of concealing a modular sound radiator so that it appears substantially the same as surrounding ceiling panels. In this way the monolithic appearance of the ceiling is not interrupted. The assembly comprises a frame and a radiating panel resting within the frame and an acoustic facing covering the panel that is substantially indistinguishable from surrounding ceiling panels. Additionally disclosed is a ceiling system including a grid, a plurality of ceiling panels and an acoustical radiator having an acoustical visually matched exposed layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a flat panel sound radiator into a tegular ceiling. The tegular ceiling has openings defined by main beams and crossbeams. The main beams are secured through hanger wires to a hard ceiling. The main beams and the crossbeams have flanges with the crossbeams resting on the flanges of the main beams. The mounting apparatus has a tegular frame with reveal edges formed by multiple horizontal and vertical plates. A flat panel radiator is mounted inside a tegular frame with the lower edge of the tegular frame below the flanges of the main beams. The radiator panel can be fabricated from a honeycomb core. A combination of containment elements and isolation elements are used to isolate the radiator panel from the tegular frame both mechanically and acoustically. An acoustic scrim is attached to the bottom of the tegular frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for mounting a flat panel radiator into a ceiling grid. The ceiling grid system includes openings defined by main beams and crossbeams. The main beams are secured through hanger wires to a hard ceiling. The main beams and the crossbeams have flanges with the crossbeams resting on the flanges of the main beams. The mounting apparatus has a frame including a top plate, a side plate, and a bottom plate, containment elements and isolation elements attached to the frame, and an acoustically transparent scrim attached to the bottom of the frame. The flat panel radiator is mounted between containment elements and isolation elements. The radiator panel can be fabricated from a honeycomb core. The containment elements may be made from a stiff to resilient material, whereas the isolation element will always be resilient to vibration isolate the radiator panel from the ceiling grid system both mechanically and acoustically. The flat panel sound radiator assembly can also be installed in wall partitions.