IP Library Granted Patent US 11,438,461
Granted Patent B2
US 11,438,461 · App. 17/071,688 · Granted Sep 6, 2022

Volume control over shared trunk lines in intercom systems

Inventor: James Puttick (Scarborough, CA)
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
H04M9/005H04M9/001H04M9/02H04M11/02H04R27/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,438,461
App. No.
17/071,688
Granted
Sep 6, 2022
Kind
B2
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.

Claims (96)

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 with an audio gain based on the adjusted trunk gain value.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

storing in a memory the adjusted trunk gain value, an identifier associated with the first keypanel, and an identifier associated with the remote keypanel.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

responsive to activating the first crosspoint, beginning a trunk timer; and

when the trunk timer expires without receiving an audio input from the first keypanel:

deactivating the first crosspoint;

receiving, from the first keypanel, a second call request identifying the remote keypanel;

transmitting to the trunk controller a second trunk request based on the second call request;

receiving, from the trunk controller, a second trunk setup message;

activating the first crosspoint based on the second trunk setup message;

retrieving the adjusted trunk gain value from the memory based on the first keypanel and the remote keypanel; and

applying the adjusted trunk gain value to the first crosspoint.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, from a second keypanel coupled to a third port, a second call request identifying the remote keypanel coupled to the second intercom device;

transmitting, to the trunk controller, a second trunk request based on the second call request;

receiving, from the trunk controller, a second trunk setup message;

activating 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

applying a second trunk gain value to the second crosspoint based on the second keypanel and the remote keypanel.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

retrieving the second trunk gain value from the memory based on the second keypanel and the remote keypanel.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

receiving, from the second intercom, a second gain adjustment value associated with the first keypanel and the remote keypanel;

applying a second adjusted trunk gain value to the second crosspoint based on the second gain adjustment value; and

transmitting 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.

Assignments (4)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2026
From: ELECTRO-VOICE DYNACORD LLC
To: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 075643/0407 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RECORDED AT REEL 73363, FRAME 0729 Recorded May 4, 2026
From: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
To: ELECTRO-VOICE DYNACORD LLC (F/K/A BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, LLC, F/K/A BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 075499/0896 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, LLC (FKA BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.)
To: GLAS TRUST CORPORATION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 073363/0729 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2020
From: PUTTICK, JAMES
To: BOSCH SECURITY SYSTEMS, INC.; ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 054070/0268 →
Continuity (1)
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