Sound reproduction for a multiplicity of listeners

A sound reproduction method comprising:

• generating from a customized audio signal, an acoustically isolated sound field at a position dependent on a sound field position control signal;
• providing a listening position signal representing a position of a listener and a listener identification signal representing an identity of the listener;
• processing the listening position signal, the listener identification signal, and an audio signal;
• controlling, via the sound field position control signal, the position of the sound field dependent on the listening position signal so that the position of the sound field is at the position of the listener;
• processing the audio signal according to an audio setting dependent on the identity of the listener to provide the customized audio signal;
• disposing a microphone arrangement at the position of the listener;
• generating a sound beam sweeping an area including the position of the listener;
• picking up the sound beam when sweeping the position of the listener to provide a corresponding microphone signal;
• evaluating the microphone signal and a corresponding beam position to provide the listening position signal
• providing with the microphone signal, a microphone identification signal corresponding to the identity of a specific listener;
• identifying the specific listener from the microphone identification signal;
• and
• generating the corresponding listener identification signal.

A sound reproduction system comprising:

• a loudspeaker arrangement configured to generate an acoustically isolated sound field at a position based on a sound field position control signal from a customized audio signal;
• a listener evaluation block configured to provide a listening position signal indicative of a position of a listener and a listener identification signal indicative of an identity of the listener;
• an audio control block configured to:
• receive the listening position signal, the listener identification signal, and an audio signal;
• control the position of the sound field based on the listening position signal so that the position of the sound field is at the position of the listener based on the sound field position control signal;
• and
• process the audio signal according to an audio setting based on the identity of the listener to provide the customized audio signal;
• and
• a microphone arrangement disposed at the position of the listener, wherein:
• the loudspeaker arrangement is further configured to generate a sound beam sweeping an area including the position of the listener;
• the listener evaluation block is wirelessly connected or connected by wire to the microphone arrangement;
• the microphone arrangement is configured to pick up the sound beam when sweeping the position of the listener and to provide a corresponding microphone signal;
• the listener evaluation block is further configured to evaluate the microphone signal and a corresponding beam position to provide the listening position signal, wherein:
• the microphone arrangement is further configured to provide a microphone identification signal corresponding to the identity of a specific listener;
• and
• the listener evaluation block is further configured to identify the specific listener from the microphone identification signal and to generate the corresponding listener identification signal.