DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/22/2026 has been entered.
Withdraw Allowability
The indicated allowability of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7-22 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Katayama. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 8-10, 13-16, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Purnhagen et al. (hereafter Purnhagen; US 20170229132 A1) in view of Nagisetty et al. (published as US 20200357417 A1; hereafter Nagisetty) and Katayama (US 20170265017 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Purnhagen discloses (Fig. 2) an apparatus comprising:
at least one processor ([0158]); and
at least one non-transitory memory ([0161]) storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive at least two audio signals (by 201), wherein the at least two audio signals comprise a plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals (the signals received by 201 are intended to be reproduced by loudspeakers as shown in Fig. 1);
determine a ratio between energy of at least one defined low frequency effect signal (LFE, labelled as “F” in the drawings, [0061]) of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals and energy of a frequency band of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals (the ratio is determined based on frequency bands as divided by 202) including the at least one defined low frequency effect signal (q5 or F/M in Fig. 7, wherein M includes F), wherein the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals comprise at least one frequency band higher than the selected frequency band (202 generates signals in different frequency bands, for example, signal A in band 1, signal B in band 1 …., signal A in band 2, signal B in band 2…; wherein band 2 is a frequency range higher than band 1, the ratio is between F and M in band 1 in Fig. 7);
determine at least one lower frequency effect information (q5 in one or more frequency bands, or multiplying F/M by δ2) in one or more frequency bands of the at least two audio signals (201 and/or 202 provides processed version of the at least two audio signals for 203, 203 determines the interchannel relationship among processed version of the at least two audio signals, such as those in Fig. 1, including F, [0009]; q5 in Fig. 7) based, at least partially, on the determined ratio (q5 or F/M);
obtain at least two spatial metadata parameters based on the at least two audio signals, wherein the at least two spatial metadata parameters comprises at least one direction parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (e.g., q2 or q4 in Fig. 7), and at least one of:
at least one distance parameter associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (time difference is directly caused by difference distance to reach left ear and right ear; [0160]),
at least one diffuseness parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (ICC or coherence parameter; [0110], [0160], or
at least one direct-to-total energy ratio associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (q3 in Fig. 7);
wherein the at least one direction parameter comprises an indication of at least one of an azimuth or an elevation (e.g., 0o (north) is directly in front, absolute left (west) is 270o and absolute right (east) is 90o; if q2 is 0, q2 indicates azimuth not toward right (east), q1 is close to 1, q1 indicates azimuth toward left (west));
determine at least one transport audio signal (208) based on the at least two audio signals; and
control (by 209) a transmission and/or storage of the at least one transport audio signal (208), the at least two spatial metadata parameters (q1, q3), and the at least one lower frequency effect information (in 207) such that a rendering (Fig. 3) based on the at least one transport audio signal, the at least two spatial metadata parameters, and the at least one lower frequency effect information (encoded in bitstream received by 301) is configured to enable:
a determination of at least one low frequency effect signal (output of 305-307) based on at least part of the at least one transport audio signal (“serial bitstream” at the output of MUX in Fig. 2 and the same “serial bitstream” at the input of DEMUX in Fig. 3.
Purnhagen fails to show that a ratio is determined based on a selected frequency range of the plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals. In the same field of endeavor, Nagisetty teaches that the amount of side information calculation can be reduced if the ratio between channels is based on selected spectrum bands ([0192]). Referring back to Purnhagen, LFE includes spectrum bands lower than spectrum bands of other channels and other channels include spectrum bands higher than the those in LFE (LFE includes significant energy in lower bands only). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen in view of Nagisetty by determining the ratio between LFE and a selected frequency range of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker signals in order to save computation cost.
Purnhagen also fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one low frequency effect signal with a level based on the least one lower frequency effect information. Purnhagen teaches several embodiments for generating different set of balance parameters in Figs. 4-7. However, only Fig. 8, using parameters r1-r5, illustrates how to upmix each loudspeaker signals with its level based on the balance parameter. One skilled in the art would have expected, similar to Fig. 8, that the balance parameter q5 in Fig. 7 could determine the LFE (F in Purnhagen), without undue experimentation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of embodiment as shown in Fig. 8 in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal based on the transport signal and the parameter q5.
Purnhagen fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one signal, other than the at least one low frequency effect signal, based on a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information. The claimed at least one signal reads on A or B in Fig. 7 of Purnhagen. As illustrated in Fig. 7, parameters for speaker channels A (front left) and speaker channel B (front right) are functioned of L and R which are the two base channel signals. The bitstream (input to 301 in Fig. 3) is a serial data with multiplexed data (by 209 in Fig. 2) including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5). To determine A based on the bitstream (the claimed transport signal) and the balance parameter q1, the bitstream (including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5)) has to be modified to extract L and q1. Katayama is cited to show a decoder circuit (31) that would demultiplex the bitstream and decode the demultiplexed data into LFE and two base channels. The base channels read on claimed a version of at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one component embedded in the transport audio signal. Referring back to Purnhagen, L after demultiplexer reads on the claimed a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information (L the demultiplexed of the transport signal without q5). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of Katayama by including demultiplexer that separating the multiplexed components including M, 2 base signals and balance parameters in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal and at least one signal other than the at least one low frequency effect signal.
Regarding claim 2, Purnhagen teaches that the apparatus that the determination of the at least one low frequency effect signal is not based on the at least two spatial metadata parameters (Fig. 8 shows that, at the decoder, F is not determined based on ICCs, ICCs are defined in [0059], [0004], or any two of r1-r4). Fig. 8 shows, at the decoder, at least one signal (any of A-E) other than the at least one low frequency effect signal (F) is determined.
Regarding claim 4, Purnhagen teaches that the apparatus determines the at least one transport audio signal based on determining at least one of:
a downmix of the at least two audio signals (208 in Fig. 2, output of 700 Fig. 7);
a selection of the at least two audio signals;
an audio processing of the at least two audio signals (by 205); or
an ambisonic audio processing of the at least two audio signals.
Regarding claim 8, Purnhagen teaches that the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to determine the at least one lower frequency effect information based on the at least one transport audio signal (the transport signal is being decoded; [0123], the downmix channels as the reference channels).
Regarding claim 9, Purnhagen teaches that the lower frequency effect information further comprises one of:
at least one total energy (the denominator of q5 in Fig. 7); or
at least one low frequency effect channel energy value to total energy ratio (q5 in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 10, Purnhagen discloses an apparatus (Fig. 3) comprising:
at least one processor ([0158]); and
at least one non-transitory memory (claim 13, [0161]) including instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive (by 301) at least one transport audio signal, at least two spatial metadata parameters, and at least one lower frequency effect information (all encoded in the bitstream), wherein the at least one lower frequency effect information comprises a ratio between energy of at least one defined low frequency effect signal (LFE, labelled as “F” in the drawings, [0061]) of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals and energy of a frequency ban of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals (the ratio is determined based on frequency as divided by 202) including the at least one defined low frequency effect signal (q5 or F/M in Fig. 7), wherein the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals comprise at least one frequency band higher than the selected frequency band (202 generates signals in different frequency bands, for example, signal A in band 1, signal B in band 1 …., signal A in band 2, signal B in band 2…; wherein band 2 is a frequency range higher than band 1, the ratio is between F and M in band 1 in Fig. 7);
generate at least two audio signals based on the at least one transport audio signal and the at least two spatial metadata parameters (upmixing as shown in Fig. 3), wherein the at least two spatial metadata parameters comprises at least one direction parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (e.g., q1 in Fig. 7), and at least one of:
at least one direct-to-total energy ratio associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (q3 in Fig. 7); determine at least one transport audio signal (208 or bitstream) based on the at least two audio signals,
wherein the at least one direction parameter comprises an indication of at least one of an azimuth or an elevation (e.g., 0o (north) is directly in front, absolute left (west) is 270o and absolute right (east) is 90o; if q2 is 0, q2 indicates azimuth not toward right (east), q1 is close to 1, q1 indicates azimuth toward left (west)); and
render: (by 305) at least one low frequency effect signal (one of the output from 305-307) based on the at least one transport audio signal and the at least one lower frequency effect information (encoded in the bitstream received by 301).
Purnhagen fails to show that a ratio is determined based on a selected frequency range of the plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals. In the same field of endeavor, Nagisetty teaches that the amount of side information calculation can be reduced if the ratio between channels is based on selected spectrum bands ([0192]). Referring back to Purnhagen, LFE includes spectrum bands lower than spectrum bands of other channels and other channels include spectrum bands higher than the those in LFE (LFE includes significant energy in lower bands only). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen in view of Nagisetty by determining the ratio between LFE and a selected frequency range of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker signals in order to save computation cost.
Purnhagen also fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one low frequency effect signal with a level based on the least one lower frequency effect information. Purnhagen teaches several embodiments for generating different set of balance parameters in Figs. 4-7. However, only Fig. 8, using parameters r1-r5, illustrates how to upmix each loudspeaker signals with its level based on the balance parameter. One skilled in the art would have expected, similar to Fig. 8, that the balance parameter q5 in Fig. 7 could determine the LFE (F in Purnhagen), without undue experimentation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of embodiment as shown in Fig. 8 in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal based on the transport signal and the parameter q5.
Purnhagen fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one signal, other than the at least one low frequency effect signal, based on a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information. The claimed at least one signal reads on A or B in Fig. 7 of Purnhagen. As illustrated in Fig. 7, parameters for speaker channels A (front left) and speaker channel B (front right) are functioned of L and R, which are the two base channel signals. The bitstream (input to 301 in Fig. 3) is a serial data with multiplexed data (by 209 in Fig. 2) including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5). To determine A based on the bitstream (the claimed transport signal) and the balance parameter q1, the bitstream (including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5)) has to be modified to extract L and q1. Katayama is cited to show a decoder circuit (31) that would demultiplex the bitstream and decode the demultiplexed data into LFE and two base channels. The base channels read on claimed a version of at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one component embedded in the transport audio signal. Referring back to Purnhagen, L after demultiplexer reads on the claimed a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information (L the demultiplexed of the transport signal without q5). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of Katayama by including demultiplexer that separating the multiplexed components including M, 2 base signals and balance parameters in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal and at least one signal other than the at least one low frequency effect signal.
Regarding claim 13, Purnhagen discloses that the at least one low frequency effect signal is not rendered based on the at least two spatial metadata parameters (Fig. 8 shows that F is not determined based on ICCs, ICCs are defined in [0059], [0004]).
Regarding claim 14, Purnhagen shows that the at least one lower frequency effect information further comprises at least one of:
at least one total energy (the denominator of q5 in Fig. 7); or
at least one low frequency effect channel energy value to total energy ratio (q5 in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 15, Purnhagen discloses a method comprising:
receiving at least two audio signals (by 201 in Fig. 2);
determining a ratio between energy of at least one defined low frequency effect signal (LFE, labelled as “F” in the drawings, [0061]) of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals and energy of a frequency band of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals (the ratio is determined based on frequency as divided by 202) including the at least one defined low frequency effect signal channel (q5 or F/M in Fig. 7, wherein M includes F), wherein the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals comprise at least one frequency band higher than the selected frequency band (202 generates signals in different frequency bands, for example, signal A in band 1, signal B in band 1 …., signal A in band 2, signal B in band 2…; wherein band 2 is a frequency range higher than band 1, the ratio is between F and M in band 1 in Fig. 7);
determining at least one lower frequency effect information (q5, or δ2F/M) in one or more frequency bands of a processed version of the at least two audio signals (201 and/or 202 provides processed version to 203, 203 determines the interchannel relationship among all inputs, such as those in Fig. 1, including F, [0009]; [0072], [0059]) based, at least partially, on the determined ratio (q5 or F/M);
obtaining at least two spatial metadata parameters based on the at least two audio signals (any two of ICCs, r1-r4, Fig. 4, [0059]), wherein the at least two spatial metadata parameters comprises at least one direction parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (e.g., q1 in Fig. 7);
at least one distance parameter associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (time difference is directly caused by difference distance to reach left ear and right ear; [0160]),
at least one diffuseness parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (ICC or coherence parameter; [0110], [0160], or
at least one direct-to-total energy ratio associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (q3 in Fig. 7);
wherein the at least one direction parameter comprises an indication of at least one of an azimuth or an elevation (e.g., 0o (north) is directly in front, absolute left (west) is 270o and absolute right (east) is 90o; if q2 is 0, q2 indicates azimuth not toward right (east), while q1 is close to 1, q1 indicates azimuth toward left (west));
determining at least one transport audio signal (208 or bitstream) based on the at least two audio signals; and
controlling (by 209) a transmission and/or storage of the at least one transport audio signal, the at least two spatial metadata parameter, and the at least one lower frequency effect information such that a rendering (Fig. 3) based on the at least one transport audio signal, the at least two spatial metadata parameters, and the at least one lower frequency effect information is configured to enable determination of at least one low frequency effect signal (one of the outputs from 305-307).
Purnhagen fails to show that a ratio is determined based on a selected frequency range of the plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals. In the same field of endeavor, Nagisetty teaches that the amount of side information calculation can be reduced if the ratio between channels is based on selected spectrum bands ([0192]). Referring back to Purnhagen, LFE includes spectrum bands lower than spectrum bands of other channels and other channels include spectrum bands higher than the those in LFE (LFE includes significant energy in lower bands only). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen in view of Nagisetty by determining the ratio between LFE and a selected frequency range of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker signals in order to save computation cost.
Purnhagen also fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one low frequency effect signal with a level based on the least one lower frequency effect information. Purnhagen teaches several embodiments for generating different set of balance parameters in Figs. 4-7. However, only Fig. 8, using parameters r1-r5, illustrates how to upmix each loudspeaker signals with its level based on the balance parameter. One skilled in the art would have expected, similar to Fig. 8, that the balance parameter q5 in Fig. 7 could determine the LFE (F in Purnhagen), without undue experimentation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of embodiment as shown in Fig. 8 in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal based on the transport signal and the parameter q5.
Purnhagen fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one signal, other than the at least one low frequency effect signal, based on a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information. The claimed at least one signal reads on A or B in Fig. 7 of Purnhagen. As illustrated in Fig. 7, parameters for speaker channels A (front left) and speaker channel B (front right) are functioned of L and R, which are the two base channel signals. The bitstream (input to 301 in Fig. 3) is a serial data with multiplexed data (by 209 in Fig. 2) including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5). To determine A based on the bitstream (the claimed transport signal) and the balance parameter q1, the bitstream (including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5)) has to be modified to extract L and q1. Katayama is cited to show a decoder circuit (31) that would demultiplex the bitstream and decode the demultiplexed data into LFE and two base channels. The base channels read on claimed a version of at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one component embedded in the transport audio signal. Referring back to Purnhagen, L after demultiplexer reads on the claimed a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information (L the demultiplexed of the transport signal without q5). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of Katayama by including demultiplexer that separating the multiplexed components including M, 2 base signals and balance parameters in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal and at least one signal other than the at least one low frequency effect signal.
Regarding claim 16, Purnhagen discloses a method comprising:
receiving (by 301) at least one transport audio signal, at least two spatial metadata parameters, and at least one lower frequency effect information (encoded in bitstream), wherein the at least one lower frequency effect information comprises a ratio between energy of at least one defined low frequency effect signal (LFE, labelled as “F” in the drawings, [0061]) of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals and energy of a frequency band of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals (the ratio is determined based on frequency as divided by 202) including the at least one defined low frequency effect signal (q5 or F/M in Fig. 7, wherein M includes F), wherein the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker audio signals comprise at least one frequency band higher than the selected frequency band (202 generates signals in different frequency bands, for example, signal A in band 1, signal B in band 1 …., signal A in band 2, signal B in band 2…; wherein band 2 is a frequency range higher than band 1, the ratio is between F and M in band 1 in Fig. 7);
generating at least two audio signals based on the at least one transport audio signal and the at least two spatial metadata parameters (Fig. 3), wherein the at least two spatial metadata parameters comprises at least one direction parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (e.g., q1 in Fig. 7), and at least one of:
at least one distance parameter associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (time difference is directly caused by difference distance to reach left ear and right ear; [0160]),
at least one diffuseness parameter associated with at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (ICC or coherence parameter; [0110], [0160], or
at least one direct-to-total energy ratio associated with the at least one frequency band of the at least two audio signals (q3 in Fig. 7);
wherein the at least one direction parameter comprises an indication of at least one of an azimuth or an elevation (e.g., 0o (north) is directly in front, absolute left (west) is 270o and absolute right (east) is 90o; if q2 is 0, q2 indicates azimuth not toward right (east), while q1 is close to 1, q1 indicates azimuth toward left (west)); and
rendering (by 305): at least one low frequency effect signal (one of the outputs from 305-307) based on the at least one transport audio signal and the at least one lower frequency effect information (encoded in bitstream).
Purnhagen fails to show that a ratio is determined based on a selected frequency range of the plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals. In the same field of endeavor, Nagisetty teaches that the amount of side information calculation can be reduced if the ratio between channels is based on selected spectrum bands ([0192]). Referring back to Purnhagen, LFE includes spectrum bands lower than spectrum bands of other channels and other channels include spectrum bands higher than the those in LFE (LFE includes significant energy in lower bands only). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen in view of Nagisetty by determining the ratio between LFE and a selected frequency range of the plurality of multichannel loudspeaker signals in order to save computation cost.
Purnhagen also fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one low frequency effect signal with a level based on the least one lower frequency effect information. Purnhagen teaches several embodiments for generating different set of balance parameters in Figs. 4-7. However, only Fig. 8, using parameters r1-r5, illustrates how to upmix each loudspeaker signals with its level based on the balance parameter. One skilled in the art would have expected, similar to Fig. 8, that the balance parameter q5 in Fig. 7 could determine the LFE (F in Purnhagen), without undue experimentation. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of embodiment as shown in Fig. 8 in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal based on the transport signal and the parameter q5.
Purnhagen fails to explicitly show a determination of at least one signal, other than the at least one low frequency effect signal, based on a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information. The claimed at least one signal reads on A or B in Fig. 7 of Purnhagen. As illustrated in Fig. 7, parameters for speaker channels A (front left) and speaker channel B (front right) are functioned of L and R which are the two base channel signals. The bitstream (input to 301 in Fig. 3) is a serial data with multiplexed data (by 209 in Fig. 2) including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5). To determine A based on the bitstream (the claimed transport signal) and the balance parameter q1, the bitstream (including M, two base channels and balance parameters (q1-q5)) has to be modified to extract L and q1. Katayama is cited to show a decoder circuit (31) that would demultiplex the bitstream and decode the demultiplexed data into LFE and two base channels. The base channels read on claimed a version of at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one component embedded in the transport audio signal. Referring back to Purnhagen, L after demultiplexer reads on the claimed a version of the at least one transport audio signal that is modified based, at least partially, on the at least one lower frequency effect information (L the demultiplexed of the transport signal without q5). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen and Nagisetty in view of Katayama by including demultiplexer that separating the multiplexed components including M, 2 base signals and balance parameters in order to determine at least one low frequency effect signal and at least one signal other than the at least one low frequency effect signal.
Regarding claim 21, Purnhagen shows that the at least one direction parameter (e.g., q2) is separate from a channel direction (q2 represents left direction, separate from right direction), and wherein the at least one direct-to-total energy ratio (q3) is configured to indicate an amount of directional energy (C, center channel is directly in front of the origin), other than non-directional energy (F, low frequency signal is considered as non-directional), associated with the at least one frequency band.
Regarding claim 22, Purnhagen teaches that the at least tone lower frequency effect information is determined in one or more frequency bands of a processed version of the at least two audio signals (processed by 201 and/or 202). However, Purnhagen fails to explicitly states a time-frequency transformed version of the at least two audio signals. Following the teaching in Purnhagen regarding the decoder (Fig. 3) as a whole, one skilled in the art would have expected that the analysis filterbank 202 performs the time-frequency transformation at the encoder side (Fig. 2). At the decoder side (Fig. 3), Purnhagen clearly states that the encoded audio bitstream is decoded to obtain a decoded frequency domain representation of the M channels before QMF synthesis filterbank 306 ([0022], [0159]). The synthesis filterbank 306 converts the signals in frequency domain to time domain. Thus, based on the evidence as presented for the decoder side, one skilled in the art would have expected that the analysis filterbank 202 at the encoder side should be the reverse of the synthesis filterbank 306. Furthermore, determining the ratios are performed (by 203, 206) after the original channels (at the inputs of ADCs 201) are being time-frequency transformed by filterbank (202s). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen by utilizing analysis filterbank for converting the analog signals in time domain to frequency domain in order to provide serial bitstream containing a downmixed signal in frequency domain to be transported to a decoder.
Claims 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Purnhagen, Nagisetty and Katayama as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Goodwin et al. (published as US 20160227337 A1; hereafter Goodwin).
Regarding claim 5, Purnhagen fails to show ambisonic audio signals or microphone array audio signals. Purnhagen teaches a general audio source for providing a plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals without specifying how to record originals of the plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals. One skilled in the art would have expected any well known method could be used without generating any unexpected result. Goodwin is cited to show a microphone array is being placed in an environment for recording audio signals ([0003], [0005], abstract, [0043], e.g.). The recorded signals are encoded in a format to be decoded by loudspeakers ([004], [0007], [0056]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the combination of Purnhagen, Nagisetty and Katayama by encoding a plurality multichannel loudspeaker audio signals from well known recording signals, such as those taught in Goodwin, because it is considered as a matter of design preference to use specific microphones setup for recording purpose.
Regarding claim 7, Purnhagen teaches that the at least one lower frequency effect information is determined based on a directionality of a sound field represented with the at least two audio signals (the denominator in q5 includes energy of channels A-E, the directionality of sound field depending on the relative energy among channels A-E, for example, if only channel A has energy, while channels B-E have zero energy, the directionality of the sound field is at channel A).
Claims 11, 12 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Purnhagen, Nagisetty and Katayama as applied to claims 10 and 16 above, and further in view of Breebaart et al. (hereafter Breebaart; US 20200227052 A1).
Regarding claims 11, 12 and 17-20, Purnhagen teaches that the reconstruction (upmixing) at the decoder would derive the multi-channel audio, including LFE signal, using the derived and transmitted metadata (e.g., Fig. 8), but fails to explicitly show a filterbank or a filtered part of the at least one transport signal. However, Purnhagen teaches that the signals discussed are subband signals in a filterbank, or a part of the whole frequency range for the corresponding channel ([0059]). One skilled in the art would have expected that this teaching means that a filter bank is provided beforehand to convert an audio signal to signals in multiple frequency bands. Breebaart is cited here to show an explicit example. Fig. 4 shows an encoder and a corresponding decoder. The audio content is being converted to frequency bands (42) before the audio content is being analyzed and derived metadata (from 46). The converted audio content is being converted back as a transport audio signal and then being encoded with metadata to be transmitted to the decoder. The received bitstream is being separated into the metadata (WY) and the transport audio signal (Z) which is converted to frequency bands using filter banks (54). The upmixing is done based on the audio content in frequency with the metadata in the corresponding frequency band. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Purnhagen, Nagisetty and Katayama by utilizing filter banks, such as the one as taught in Breebaart, in order to perform the signal analysis and upmixing with metadata in the corresponding frequency band.
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/PING LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695
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