Virtual sound source construction based on radiation direction control using multiple parametric array loudspeakers

Area of Science:

• Acoustics
• Signal Processing
• Loudspeaker Technology

Background:

• Advancements in video technology have increased interest in 3D sound-field reproduction.
• Previous virtual sound source (VSS) methods using parametric array loudspeakers (PALs) offered sharp directivity but required physical array rearrangement to alter VSS position.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel VSS construction method enabling dynamic control of VSS position and radiation direction.
• To overcome the limitation of fixed VSS presentation in prior PAL array techniques.

Main Methods:

• Developed a method utilizing pan and tilt units on PAL units for electrical control of acoustic beam focusing.
• Implemented signal weighting for each PAL unit to simulate real sound source radiation direction.
• Integrated electronic control for dynamic adjustment of VSS characteristics.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated the ability to reconstruct VSS positions and radiation directions without physical PAL array rearrangement.
• Validated the proposed method's effectiveness through both objective acoustic measurements and subjective listening tests.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers flexible and dynamic control over virtual sound sources using PAL arrays.
• This advancement facilitates more adaptable and immersive 3D sound-field reproduction systems.