Abstract: This disclosures describes an audio home network system 20. The system 20 includes the following: a home network backbone 200; a plurality of network speakers 100 operating in a multi speaker session; and an audio source device 300 that provides digital audio to the network speakers wherein the digital audio is in a compressed format. The network speakers 100 further include a microphone that may be used for receiving and or gathering control information from said network speakers surroundings. And, the network speakers 100 send control information to other devices on the home network backbone 200. In addition, the network speakers 100 operate in either a master mode or a slave mode where a first network speaker operates in the master mode and a second or subsequent network speaker operates in the slave mode. The audio home network system 20 optimizes the audio for the network speakers 100 current location.

Abstract: The present invention is a network speaker 100 for an audio network distribution system 20. The present invention includes a network interface 110 that couples the network controller 120 to the audio network distribution system 20. The present invention additionally includes an audio format converter 121, a digital to analog converter (DAC) 122, a pre-amplifier 123, an amplifier 125, and may also include an analog to digital converter (ADC) 128. Additionally, the present invention includes speaker sensors 124 and a speaker/microphone driver 126.