Patent ID: 7383106

Claim:
An active noise control system for aircraft, comprising: a headset for use by a pilot of the aircraft; a plurality of exterior aircraft sensor pairs for mounting on an exterior of the aircraft at predetermined locations, each sensor pair comprising a first sensor for facing inwardly towards the aircraft to sense aircraft noise and a second sensor for facing outwardly away from the aircraft to sense outside environmental noise other than aircraft noise, the aircraft noise at each of said first sensors comprising a first sound waveform in a first phase; a plurality of actuators operatively connected to respective sensor pairs and communicating with said headset, each of said actuators generating a second sound waveform in a second phase; a controller commanding said plurality of actuators and dictating the second phase of said second sound waveform, such that the first and second sound waveforms interact out of phase in a manner sufficient to control the aircraft noise generated by the aircraft, whereby the controlled aircraft noise enables auditory detection of the outside environmental noise sensed by the second sensors of said plurality of sensor pairs thereby enhancing pilot sensory awareness.