Hybrid active noise control

A method for reducing noise in a listening environment, the method comprising:

• dividing the listening environment into a plurality of zones, wherein each zone is associated with a different active noise cancellation (ANC) system, and a boundary between a first zone included in the plurality of zones and a second zone included in the plurality of zones comprises open space;
• assigning a plurality of acoustic sensors and a plurality of speakers to the ANC system associated with each zone included in the plurality of zones;
• and
• for each zone included in the plurality of zones:
• acquiring acoustic data via the plurality of acoustic sensors;
• processing the acoustic data, via a processor, to generate noise cancellation signals;
• and
• outputting the noise cancellation signals via the plurality of speakers,
• wherein a first ANC system is configured to reduce noise in the first zone of the listening environment independently of a second ANC system configured to reduce noise in the second zone of the listening environment, and each of the first zone and the second zone includes a plurality of different acoustic modes within the listening environment, wherein each acoustic mode exceeds a threshold loudness within a predetermined frequency range.

A vehicle, comprising:

• a passenger compartment comprising a plurality of zones, wherein a boundary between a first zone included in the plurality of zones and a second zone included in the plurality of zones comprises open space;
• a plurality of active noise cancellation (ANC) systems, each ANC system associated with a different zone of the passenger compartment, and each ANC system comprising:
• a plurality of acoustic sensors configured to acquire acoustic data;
• a plurality of speakers configured to output noise cancellation signals;
• and
• a processor coupled to the plurality of acoustic sensors and the plurality of speakers and configured to:
• receive the acoustic data via the plurality of acoustic sensors;
• process the acoustic data to generate the noise cancellation signals;
• and
• transmit the noise cancellation signals to the plurality of speakers,
• wherein a first ANC system is configured to reduce noise in the first zone of the passenger compartment independently of a second ANC system configured to reduce noise in the second zone of the passenger compartment, and each of the first zone and the second zone includes a plurality of different acoustic modes within the listening environment, wherein each acoustic mode exceeds a threshold loudness within a predetermined frequency range.