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A sound masking system for shaping the ambient noise level in a physical environment. The sound masking system comprises a networked and distributed system having a number of master units coupled together and to a control unit. One or more of the master units may include satellite sound masking unit

A sound masking system for shaping the ambient noise level in a physical environment. The sound masking system comprises a networked and distributed system having a number of master units coupled together and to a control unit. One or more of the master units may include satellite sound masking units which function to reproduce the sound masking signal generated by the master sound masking unit. Each of the master units is addressable over the network by the control unit enabling the control unit to program the contour, spectral band, and gain characteristics of the sound masking output signal. The system may also include a remote control unit which provides the capability to tune and adjust each master sound masking unit in situ without requiring physical access through the ceiling installation.

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1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a sound masking command control network in said physical environment;a plurality of sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking

1. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a sound masking command control network in said physical environment;a plurality of sound masking units including a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for receiving control signals over said sound masking command control network including a masking volume command and a masking frequency command, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking component, said sound masking component being responsive to said control signals for generating a sound masking output signal;a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume command and said masking frequency command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking command control network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. 2. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sound masking unit includes an address component for recognizing control signals intended for the sound masking unit associated with said address component. 3. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said control unit includes an address generator for assigning addresses associated with the address component for each of said sound masking units. 4. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said address generator comprises a component for generating a logical address for each of said sound masking units. 5. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sound masking units are connected in series in said sound masking command control network. 6. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said plurality of sound masking units includes a first interface and a second interface, said first interface interfacing with an upstream side of said sound masking command control network, and said second interface interfacing with a downstream side of said sound masking command control network. 7. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 1, further including a remote unit, and said control unit having a remote communication interface for receiving adjustment signals from said remote unit, and said control unit including a component for converting said adjustment signals into control signals for controlling said sound masking output signal. 8. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said remote unit includes a component for receiving sound measurements and generating said adjustment signals based on said received sound measurements. 9. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a control communication network configured for controlling a plurality of sound masking units in said physical environment;at least some of said sound masking units including a controller and a communication interface for coupling to said control communication network for receiving control signals over said control communication network, and said controller being responsive to said control signals for generating a sound masking signal and said control signals including a masking volume setting command and a masking frequency setting command;a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking control setting command and said masking frequency setting command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for sending said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. 10. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said sound masking unit includes a communication interface for transmitting one or more signals to said control unit over said control communication network. 11. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said sound masking unit includes an address component for recognizing control signals intended for the sound masking unit associated with said address component. 12. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a sound masking control communication network in said physical environment; a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a controller having a component for generating a sound masking output signal and a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for receiving and transmitting control information over said sound masking control communication network, and said control information including address information identifying one or more of said sound masking units, and said controller being responsive to said control information addressed to said associated sound masking unit for controlling said sound masking output signal; and a control unit configured to generate said control information including said address information, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for transmitting said control information to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units, wherein said control information includes a sound masking volume command and a sound masking frequency command. 13. A method for selectively controlling a plurality of sound masking units, said method comprising the steps of: configuring said plurality of sound masking units in a sound masking control communication network so as to have an interface for receiving a plurality of control commands over said sound masking control communication network to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units;generating said plurality of control commands; monitoring said sound masking control communication network and said plurality of control commands and receiving one of said plurality of control commands addressed to one of said sound masking units;interpreting said received control command; andgenerating a sound masking signal having one or more characteristics based on said interpreted control command,wherein said interpreted command comprises a sound masking volume setting command and a sound masking frequency setting command. 14. The method as claimed in claim 12, further including the step of configuring a plurality of said sound masking units into one or more zones, and controlling said sound masking units for said corresponding sound masking zones to generate sound masking signal outputs independently of said other sound masking zones. 15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein said step of controlling comprises transmitting said sound masking volume and said sound masking frequency setting commands to said plurality of sound masking units associated with each of said sound masking zones using address information. 16. A networkable sound masking device comprising: a communication interface for interfacing to a sound masking device control network for transmitting control signals to selectively control operation of said networkable sound masking device;a controller for receiving said control signals from said interface, said control signals being intended for the networkable sound masking device and said control signals comprising a masking volume command and a masking frequency command;a sound masking component for generating a sound masking output signal, said sound masking component being responsive to said controller, and said sound masking output signal being responsive to said masking volume command and said masking frequency command;an output stage for outputting said sound masking signal. 17. The networkable sound masking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said interface includes an address component for recognizing said control signals intended for the networkable sound masking device. 18. The networkable sound masking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said output stage comprises an amplifier and said controller including a component for controlling said output stage in response to said masking volume setting signal. 19. The networkable sound masking device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said sound masking component comprises a random noise generator having an output coupled to an equalizer stage, and said controller including a component for controlling said equalizer stage in response to said masking frequency setting signal. 20. The networkable sound masking device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said output stage comprises an amplifier and said controller including a component for controlling said output stage in response to said masking volume setting signal. 21. A sound masking system for controlling the ambient noise in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a communication network configured for controlling sound masking in said physical environment;a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking generator and a communication interface for coupling to said communication network configured for controlling sound masking and configured for receiving control signals over said communication network including a masking volume setting signal and a masking frequency setting signal, and said sound masking generator being responsive to said masking volume setting signal and said sound masking frequency setting signal for generating a sound masking output signal;a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume setting signal and said masking frequency setting signal, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units;a plurality of zones, and one or more of said sound masking units being associated with one or more of said zones. 22. A sound masking system for masking sound in a physical environment, said sound masking system comprising: a sound masking control communication network for said physical environment;a plurality of sound masking units, at least some of said sound masking units including a sound masking generator and a communication interface for coupling to said sound masking control communication network for receiving a plurality of control signals over said sound masking control communication network including a masking volume control command and a masking frequency control command, and said sound masking generator being responsive to said masking volume control command and said sound masking frequency control command for generating a sound masking output signal, said sound masking output signal having a volume derived from said masking volume control command and a frequency characteristic derived from said sound masking frequency control command;a control unit configured to generate said control signals including said masking volume control command and said masking frequency control command, and said control unit having a communication interface for coupling to said communication network for transmitting said control signals to selectively control operation of said plurality of sound masking units. 23. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said sound masking unit includes an address component for recognizing control signals intended for the sound masking unit associated with said address component. 24. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said plurality of sound masking units are associated with a plurality of sound masking zones, each of said sound masking units being associated with one of said plurality of sound masking zones, and said sound masking units providing sound masking for said associated sound masking zone independently of said other sound masking zones. 25. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 24, wherein said sound masking units associated with each of said sound masking zones provide a sound masking output tailored for said associated sound masking zone and said sound masking output being based on said masking volume and said masking frequency control commands. 26. The sound masking system as claimed in claim 22, further comprising a plurality of zones, and one or more of said sound masking units being associated with one or more of said zones.