Spatial compressor for beamforming speakers

A computer system, comprising:

• a loudspeaker array;
• one or more inputs to receive one or more input audio signals representing one or more channels of sound content;
• a processor;
• a memory to store instructions, which when executed by the processor causes the computer system to:
• receive the one or more input audio signals;
• apply a first beam pattern to the input audio signals to generate a first set of beam-formed audio signals;
• determine a second beam pattern that is less directional than the first beam pattern;
• determine that driving of the loudspeaker array using the first set of beam-formed audio signals will cause one or more transducers of the loudspeaker array to operate beyond an operational threshold level, and in response apply the second beam pattern to the input audio signals to generate a second set of beam-formed audio signals;
• and
• drive the loudspeaker array using the second set of beam-formed audio signals.

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, the instructions when executed by a processor in a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a set of operations comprising:

• receiving one or more input audio signals representing one or more channels of sound content;
• applying a first beam pattern to the input audio signals to generate a first set of beam-formed audio signals;
• determining a second beam pattern that is less directional than the first beam pattern;
• determining that driving of the loudspeaker array using the first set of beam-formed audio signals will cause one or more transducers of the loudspeaker array to operate beyond an operational threshold level, and in response applying the second beam pattern to the input audio signals to generate a second set of beam-formed audio signals;
• and
• driving the loudspeaker array using the second set of beam-formed audio signals.