Feedforward active noise global control using a linearly constrained beamforming approach

Global control of noise in a three-dimensional space is generally difficult, given a limited number of discrete sensors. This paper presents a feedforward multichannel active noise control (ANC) approach to overcome this difficulty. In light of the model-matching principle, an under-determined multichannel inverse filtering (UMIF) system is formulated. Infinite number of solutions exist to yield zero residual noise at the error microphone positions. By incorporating the UMIF system as a design constraint, a multichannel feedforward controller is formulated using the linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) approach in which a cost function is introduced to minimize the residual noise energy at a large number of preselected fictitious control points. To implement the ANC system in reverberant environments, a novel sensor interpolation technique based on plane wave decomposition is developed to find the frequency responses between secondary loudspeakers and the fictitious control points. Only a limited number of room frequency response measurements are required in the use of these techniques. Simulations and experiments are undertaken using a uniform linear loudspeaker array to validate the proposed ANC system. The results have demonstrated that the proposed approach yielded substantial noise reduction in a widened and connected control area.