Patent ID: 7684578

Claim:
A wave field synthesis apparatus for driving an array of loudspeakers with drive signals, the loudspeakers being arranged at different defined positions, a drive signal for a loudspeaker being based on an audio signal associated with a virtual source having a virtual position with reference to the loudspeaker array and the defined position of the loudspeaker, comprising: a determinator for determining relevant loudspeakers of the loudspeaker array on the basis of the position of the virtual source, a predefined listener position, and the defined positions of the loudspeakers, such that artifacts due to loudspeaker signals moving opposite to a direction from the virtual source to the predefined listener position are reduced; a calculator for calculating the drive signal components for the relevant loudspeakers and the virtual source; and a provider for providing the drive signal components for the relevant loudspeakers for the virtual source to the relevant loudspeakers, wherein no drive signals for the virtual source are provided to loudspeakers of the loudspeaker array not belonging to the relevant loudspeakers, wherein the determinator is configured for calculating a first receiver line for a first virtual source and a second receiver line for a second virtual source, the second virtual source being different from the first virtual source, wherein a receiver line defines positions of optimum wave field reconstruction for a virtual source, wherein the determinator is formed to detect, for each virtual source, whether the virtual position of the virtual source is outside or inside an audience room defined by the loudspeaker array, wherein, in the case of the virtual position of a virtual source being outside the audience room, only loudspeakers being positioned between the virtual position of the virtual source and the receiver line for the virtual source are determined as relevant loudspeakers for the virtual source, and wherein, in the case of the virtual position of a virtual source being inside the audience room, only loudspeakers being positioned on a side of a reference line of the virtual source being different from the side of the reference line, on which the receiver line for the virtual source is located, the reference line being parallel to the receiver line and passing through the virtual position of the virtual source, are determined as relevant.