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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub No 2012/0237069 A1 to Harman in view of US Patent Pub No 2005/0147265 A1 to Smits et al. (“Smits”).
As to claim 1, Harman discloses an electrostatic speaker driver comprising: a frame; a non-planar speaker diaphragm assembly fixed to the frame (see figures 1-2, 7-8 and 13-17; pg. 4, ¶ 0076; pg. 7, ¶ 0091; pg. 9, ¶ 0108), the speaker diaphragm assembly comprising a diaphragm, a non-planar first stator located ahead of the diaphragm, and a non-planar second stator located behind the diaphragm, wherein the first stator has apertures therethrough for passing sound to an exterior of the first stator, and a proximal end fixed to the frame, the diaphragm has a proximal end fixed to the frame proximate the proximal end of the first stator, and the second stator has apertures therethrough for passing sound to an exterior of the second stator, and a proximal end fixed to the frame proximate the proximal end of the diaphragm (stator panels 2 and 10, membrane 6, see figures 1-2, 7-8 and 13-16; pg. 4, ¶ 0077 - ¶ 0078; pg. 7, ¶ 0093; pg. 9, ¶ 0108), and the first stator has a distal end fixed to the frame, the diaphragm has a distal end fixed to the frame proximate the distal end of the first stator, and the second stator has a distal end fixed to the frame proximate the distal end of the diaphragm (see figures 1-2, 7-8 and 13-16; pg. 9, ¶ 0108).
Harman further discloses an electrical system including a source of electrical signals corresponding to sound signals connected to the speaker (see figure 9; pg. 7, ¶ 0094), but does not expressly disclose the electrical system including source of positive charge connected to one of the first stator and the second stator, a source of negative charge connected to the other one of the first stator and the second stator, and a source of electrical signals corresponding to sound signals connected to the diaphragm.
Smits discloses a similar electrostatic speaker, and further discloses the electrical system wherein the front and back stators have positive and negative electrical charges applied therein, and a voltage audio signal from an audio source is further applied to the diaphragm (see figures 1B and 4-6; pg. 2, ¶ 0025; pg. 3, ¶ 0029).
Harman and Smits are analogous art because they are both drawn to electrostatic speakers.
It would have been an obvious choice before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the electrical system as taught by Smits in the speaker as taught by Harman. The motivation being as a matter of design, and further as the inverted input configuration can allow the use of a simpler and less expensive audio amplifier and provide a safer and more efficient electrostatic speaker with a greater frequency response (Smits pg. 1, ¶ 0011 - ¶ 0012; pg. 2 ¶ 0015).
As to claim 2, Harman in view of Smits further discloses further comprising at least one spar separating the diaphragm from the first stator and at least one spar separating the diaphragm from the second stator (Harman spacer elements 4 and 8, see figures 2 and 7-8; pg. 4, ¶ 0079; Smits figure 6; pg. 3, ¶ 0034).
As to claim 3, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein each one of the first stator and the second stator is curved and the first stator, the diaphragm, and the second stator have a common central axis, and the first stator and the second stator are parallel to one another (Harman figures 2, 7-8 and 13-17; pg. 3, ¶ 0042).
As to claim 4, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein the first stator, the diaphragm, and the second stator each extend at least one hundred eighty degrees around the common central axis (Harman figures 13-14; pg. 8, ¶ 0103).
As to claim 5, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein the first stator, the diaphragm, and the second stator each extend three hundred sixty degrees around the common central axis (Harman figures 7-8 and 15; pg. 9, ¶ 0109).
As to claim 6, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein: the frame includes a central member having a cylindrical outer surface coaxial with the common central axis; the first stator and the second stator are frustoconical; and the distal ends of the first stator, of the diaphragm, and of the second stator are coupled to the central member (Harman figure 7; pg. 1, ¶ 0032).
As to claim 7, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein the frame includes a peripheral wall proximate the proximal ends of the first stator, of the diaphragm, and of the second stator, and the proximal ends of the first stator, of the diaphragm, and of the second stator are coupled to the peripheral wall (Harman mounting frame portions at diaphragm ends, see figures 7-8).
As to claim 8, Harman in view of Smits further discloses further comprising an enclosure including walls covering the speaker diaphragm assembly, the enclosure including at least one opening for passing sound from the stators to an exterior of the enclosure (Harman figure 6; pg. 7, ¶ 0090; pg. 9, ¶ 0108).
As to claim 9, Harman in view of Smits further discloses wherein the speaker diaphragm assembly is part of a speaker, and the speaker includes at least a second speaker diaphragm assembly contained within the enclosure, supported by the frame, and having sound characteristics different from sound characteristics of the first speaker diaphragm assembly (Harman figures 6-8 and 14-16; pg. 7, ¶ 0090, ¶ 0093; pg. 9, ¶ 0108 - ¶ 0111).
Conclusion
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2652
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2652