Digital multi-room, multi-source entertainment and communications network

Abstract

A peer-to-peer network of devices connected together with data being streamed over a digital network. Network devices include one or more data communication units that are locatable in two or more zones. Data communication units may be room stations and door stations connected to hub modules at an entertainment hub and local units connected to the entertainment hub. The entertainment hub may be connected to the Internet, either directly or, indirectly through one of the connected data communications units. Room stations include a sending unit, a receiving unit and an intercom unit (provide intercom, paging and station monitoring) and are located in different zones, each controlling local reception of data from the data stream and each may place data into the data stream. Room stations operate independently of each other such that a person at a first room station may select to receive audio data from another unit while a second person at a second room station is receiving data from yet another unit, each individually setting sound volume and tone controls independent of the other. Audio sources may include a radio tuner, a compact disc player, a mini-disc player, a microphone, a cassette player and a compressed audio data source and, any unit may select audio data from any audio source independent of other units. Room stations may include an interactive display and keypad with commonly used commands in a command menu. A time display may be included and stations may be time programmable. Some units may selectively disable issuance of commands from other network devices.