Patent ID: 8538492

Claim:
A method for localized noise cancellation, the method comprising: receiving an audio signal associated with a telephone conversation over a telephone from an environment in close proximity to a primary area, wherein the telephone is located in the environment in close proximity to the primary area, one or more users are located within the primary area, the audio signal being received by a microphone network affixedly positioned about a periphery of the primary area, the microphone network comprising a plurality of microphones fixedly installed in a stationary structure defining the periphery of the primary area, the stationary structure further defining a boundary between the primary area and the environment in close proximity to the primary area, wherein the telephone is separate from the stationary structure; processing, with a noise cancelling device in communication with the telephone, the microphone network, and one or more speakers fixedly installed in the stationary structure defining the periphery of the primary area and defining the boundary between the primary area and the environment in close proximity to the primary area, the audio signal to generate an inverse signal of the audio signal, wherein the noise cancelling device becomes activated and generates the inverse of the audio signal associated with the telephone conversation, in response to the telephone making or receiving a call; and broadcasting, with one or more of the one or more speakers, the inverse signal within the primary area to destructively interfere with the audio signal associated with the telephone conversation, the inverse signal being configured to reduce or eliminate the audio signal discernible to the one or more users within the primary area; and automatically activating the noise cancellation device to perform the broadcasting based on user preferences that include a time of day and caller information associated with the telephone conversation.