System and method for active sound compensation

Active sound compensation (acoustic hardware).

Systems and methods for active acoustic compensation in proximate theaters are disclosed herein. Such a system can include a first theater including a first content presentation system and a second theater including a second content presentation system. The system can include a processor in communicating connection with the first content presentation system and the second content presentation system. The processor can be controlled to: direct presentation of first content in the first theater via the first content presentation system; direct presentation of second content in the second theater via the second content presentation system; identify an impending first acoustic event in the first theater; and control the second content presentation system to generate a second acoustic event to mitigate the detectability of the first acoustic event in the second theater.

BACKGROUND(1) The present disclosure relates generally to the sound management in connection with content presentation. Sound forms a significant part of the enjoyment of content consumption. This is especially the case as relating to restricting or eliminating the perceptibility of sounds that do not originate from the content being consumed. In the case of theaters such as movie theaters, this can include attempts at soundproofing of the theater.(2) Soundproofing of a theater can be accomplished via a number of different techniques. These techniques can include, for example: building the theater as a room within a room to better acoustically isolate the theater; the inclusion of sound baffles along the walls and/or ceiling of the theater to reflect sound away from the walls and/or ceiling; and/or construction of the theater with specialized materials including, for example, soundproof drywall, soundproof insulation, and/or acoustic panels.(3) While these common soundproofing techniques can effectively dampen sound, they also present several drawbacks. Many of these techniques are bulky and take up significant amount of space. Further, these techniques may force certain appearances of the theater which may limit the creative ability of a theater designer to create a desired consumer experience. Further, these techniques are not always effective, especially for loud sounds. In light of these shortcomings in current soundproofing techniques for theaters, new systems and method