Active Noise Control Microphone Array

A noise cancellation apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of reference input sensors arranged around a perimeter of a spatial zone, wherein the plurality of reference input sensors generate a plurality of reference input signals in response to one or more noise sound waves generated by one or more noise sources;
• a localizing microphone array comprising a plurality of localizing microphones;
• a selection mechanism coupled to a the localizing microphone array and to the plurality of reference input sensors, wherein the selection mechanism is configured to provide select a reference control signal based on sound localization information from the localizing microphone array, and wherein the selection mechanism is further configured to select the reference control signal from the plurality of reference input signals based on a first criteria, wherein the first criteria is selected from the group consisting of sound pressure level, amplitude, frequency, periodicity, and direction;
• a control element in communication with the selection mechanism;
• an error input sensor proximate to the spatial zone within the perimeter, wherein the input sensor is in communication with the control element;
• and
• an output control transducer in communication with the control element, wherein the control element is configured to execute an adaptive noise control algorithm in response to the reference control signal received from the selection mechanism and the error signal received from the error input sensor, and wherein the adaptive noise control algorithm generates an output control signal for the output control transducer to generate a control sound wave configured to destructively interfere with the noise sound waves when the noise sound waves enter the spatial zone.