Adaptive Audio Limited

Adaptive Control Limited

Ian McGregor Stothers

Philip Arthur Nelson

Stephen J Elliott

A stereophonic sound reproduction system is aimed at synthesizing at a multiplicity of points (L) in the listening space. An auditory effect obtaining at corresponding points (K) in the recording space, to compensate for crosstalk (C.sub.21, C.sub.12) between the loudspeakers, the acoustic response of the listening space, and imperfections in the frequency response of the speaker channels. Each speaker channel incorporates a digital filter (H) with the characteristics of which are adjusted in response to measurements of the reproduced field. The digital filters are provided by an inverse filter matrix (H) of which the matrix elements (H.sub.ij) are determined by a least squares technique, applied so as to minimize the sum of the squared errors resulting from the difference between the actual system impulse response and a desired impulse response. A full bandwidth signal is transmitted by a bypass route for combination with the output signal (9) from the filter, the bypass route including a delay means (F).

Sound Reproduction systems

To reduce noise inside a motor car passenger compartment, two loudspeakers 37.sub.1, 37.sub.2 are driven by signals derived from a reference signal x(n) by adaptive filtering carried out by a programmed microprocessor and memory unit 36 which adapts the filtering in dependence on error signals e.sub.l (n) from four microphones 42.sub.1, 42.sub.2, 42.sub.3 and 42.sub.4 distributed in the passenger compartment. Reference filtering coefficients are initially determined by analysis of finite impulse responses when white noise is acoustically coupled from the loudspeakers 37 to the microphones 42, a white noise generator 48 being coupled to the unit 36. The reference signal x(n) is restricted to one or more selected harmonics or subharmonics of the fundamental noise frequency by a filter 34 which tracks the selected frequency. The selected frequency may be obtained from a coil 31 in the ignition circuit of the vehicle.

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Eastleigh, United Kingdom

Ian McGregor Stothers