The synthesis of sound figures
In this paper we discuss a novel technique to control the spatial distribution of sound level within a synthesized sound field. The problem is formulated by separating the sound field into regions with high acoustic level, so-called bright regions, and zones with low acoustic level (zones of quiet) by time independent virtual boundaries. This way, the propagating sound field obtains a static spatial shape, which we call sound figure. This problem is treated with a generic approach for creating sound figures. We give an analytic solution to the problem and highlight, how our findings can be applied using established sound field synthesis techniques. We furthermore show the limitations of our approach, provide simulation results to prove the concept and discuss some application areas.
sound figures sound field synthesis multichannel sound reproduction quiet zones