Multi-channel audio system, multi-channel audio device, program, and multi-channel audio playback method

A multi-channel audio device for reproducing and outputting a multi-channel audio signal with use of a plurality of speakers, the multi-channel audio device comprising:

• audio reproduction means for reproducing, from the multi-channel audio signal, audio reproduction signals of a plurality of channels;
• audio output means for outputting, for each of the plurality of channels separately, the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels reproduced by the audio reproduction means, in a manner that outputs the audio reproduction signal of one channel from one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to the one channel;
• collected sound signal receiving means for receiving, from a wireless terminal placed at a listening point of the multi-channel audio device, collected sound signals of ambient sounds at the listening point;
• noise component identifying means for identifying, as noise components, differences between the collected sound signals received by the collected sound signal receiving means and the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels that are output by the audio output means from the plurality of speakers;
• noise canceling signal generating means for generating noise canceling signals opposite in phase from the noise components identified by the noise component identifying means;
• and
• noise canceling signal output means for outputting the noise canceling signals generated by the noise canceling signal generating means from one of the plurality of speakers.

A program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium executable by a computer, the program causing the computer to function as a multi-channel audio device for reproducing and outputting a multi-channel audio signal with use of a plurality of speakers, the multi-channel audio device including:

• audio reproduction means for reproducing, from the multi-channel audio signal, audio reproduction signals of a plurality of channels;
• audio output means for outputting, for each of the plurality of channels separately, the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels reproduced by the audio reproduction means, in a manner that outputs the audio reproduction signal of one channel from one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to the one channel;
• collected sound signal receiving means for receiving, from a wireless terminal placed at a listening point of the multi-channel audio device, collected sound signals of ambient sounds at the listening point;
• noise component identifying means for identifying, as noise components, differences between the collected sound signals received by the collected sound signal receiving means and the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels that are output by the audio output means from the plurality of speakers;
• noise canceling signal generating means for generating noise canceling signals opposite in phase from the noise components identified by the noise component identifying means;
• and
• noise canceling signal output means for outputting the noise canceling signals generated by the noise canceling signal generating means from one of the plurality of speakers.

A multi-channel audio reproduction method using a multi-channel audio device and a wireless terminal, the multi-channel audio device being configured to reproduce and output a multi-channel audio signal with use of a plurality of speakers, the wireless terminal being placed at a listening point of the multi-channel audio device,

• the multi-channel audio reproduction method comprising:
• collecting, by the wireless terminal, ambient sounds at the listening point, and transmitting collected sound signals of the ambient sounds to the multi-channel audio device;
• reproducing, by the multi-channel audio device, from the multi-channel audio signal, audio reproduction signals of a plurality of channels, and outputting, for each of the plurality of channels separately, the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels in a manner that outputs the audio reproduction signal of one channel from one of the plurality of speakers that corresponds to the one channel;
• and
• identifying, by the multi-channel audio device, as noise components, differences between the collected sound signals received from the wireless terminal and the audio reproduction signals of the plurality of channels that are output from the plurality of speakers, generating noise canceling signals opposite in phase from the noise components, and outputting the noise canceling signals from one of the plurality of speakers.