Patent ID: 7308106

Claim:
A method for customizing a transfer function H for providing active noise reduction tailored to a user of a sound reduction device: determining an ambient noise field “N” over a spectral segment; selecting a design metric “M” indicative of a noise reduction objective for the sound reduction device; determining a measure of the passive performance “P” of the sound reduction device; determining a measure of the acoustic dynamic response “G” of a user of the sound reduction device to a control signal; and customizing a transfer function “H” for the user based on “N”, “P” and “G” by minimizing a cost function of the form J=E[e T e], wherein e = [ NMP 1 + GH ] ⁢ n represents the shaped signal whose average power J is equivalent to the chosen metric M for the user's plant G in the noise field N and passive control P, wherein “H” is tailored for the user of the controller processor; receiving the customized transfer function “H” at the controller processor; and implementing the customized transfer function “H” in a feedback control loop to achieve the noise reduction objective for the user.