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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/10/2025 is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn.
In response to the final office action filed on 08/11/2025, a request for continued examination has been filed. Applicant has amended claims 1, 6, 11, 21 and 26. Claims 1-8, 10-18, 20-28 and 30-33 are pending in the application.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 10-16, 20-26 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCarty et al (US Pub No. 2017/0094433, hereinafter McCarty) in view of Hadas Ofir et al (Packet Loss Concealment for Audio Streaming, 2006 IEEE 24th Convention, hereinafter Ofir).
Regarding claim 1, McCarty teaches a system (Fig 6, destination receiver module 108) comprising: one or more processors (Fig 6, 8bit processor 218); and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices storing computing instructions configured to run on the one or more processors (¶ [0038], addressable storage medium configured to execute on one or more processors) and cause the one or more processors to perform: receiving, from an A/V source (¶ [0039], input signals can include audio and video) and over a powerline connection (Fig 6, powerline module 507), audio source data at a speaker (Fig 6, input signal received at destination receiver module 108); applying, on the speaker, a digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data to create post processed audio data (Fig 6, DSP module 516); encoding, on the speaker, the post processed audio data (¶ [0088], DSP module 516 creates post processed audio signal based on received audio signal and control signal); and outputting the post processed audio data, as encoded, via the speaker (¶ [0089], DSP module 516 outputs manipulated signal to amplifier module 520 for output).
McCarty does not explicitly teach applying one or more dropout mitigation methods to the audio source data.
Ofir teaches one or more dropout mitigation methods (See Ofir section V, receiver based packet concealment using interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the system taught by McCarty. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Regarding claim 2, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the audio source data comprises a packet (¶ [0078], transmission data packet) comprising:(1) a physical layer communication protocol (¶ [0079], data packet is modulated with physical layer carriers or subcarriers) portion followed by (2) a standardized communication protocol header portion (¶ [0078], frame control header) followed by (3) a transport layer protocol portion (¶ [0078], transport layer protocol is required for end-to-end communication); and (4) a standardized communication protocol message portion (¶ [0078], payload).
Regarding claim 3, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 1, wherein encoding the post processed audio data comprises: adjusting a balance between frequency components of the at least two different channels of audio data (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 4, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 3, wherein adjusting the balance comprises: applying one or more of an equalization effect and a filtering element (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 5, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 3, wherein: the speaker comprises a plurality of speakers (Fig 6, outputs 524 and 526); and transmitting the post processed audio data, as encoded, comprises: transmitting a first channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a first speaker of the plurality of speakers; and transmitting a second channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a second speaker of the plurality of speakers that is different than the first speaker of the plurality of speakers (Fig 6, amplifier module 520 splits signal into 2 channels for playback through outputs 524 and 526).
Regarding claim 6, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 1, wherein: the computing instructions are further configured to run on the one or more processors and cause the one or more processors to perform: receiving an alternating current signal from a power cable; and generating a time based signal using the alternating current signal; and applying the digital signal processing algorithm comprises: applying the digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data and the time based signal to create the post processed audio data (¶ [0048], receiver module 108 can manipulate the received audio signal by coding a time or phase delay in the control signal to maintain desired phase relationships).
Regarding claim 10, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 1.
McCarty does not explicitly a packet interpolation method.
Ofir teaches a packet interpolation method (See Ofir section V, interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the system taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Regarding claim 11, McCarty teaches a method implemented via execution of computing instructions configured to run at one or more processors and configured to be stored at non-transitory computer-readable media (¶ [0038], addressable storage medium configured to execute on one or more processors), the method comprising: receiving, from an A/V source (¶ [0039], input signals can include audio and video) and over a powerline connection (Fig 6, powerline module 507), audio source data at a speaker (Fig 6, input signal received at destination receiver module 108); applying, on the speaker, a digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data to create post processed audio data (Fig 6, DSP module 516); encoding, on the speaker, the post processed audio data (¶ [0088], DSP module 516 creates post processed audio signal based on received audio signal and control signal); and outputting the post processed audio data, as encoded, via the speaker (¶ [0089], DSP module 516 outputs manipulated signal to amplifier module 520 for output).
McCarty does not explicitly teach applying one or more dropout mitigation methods to the audio source data.
Ofir teaches one or more dropout mitigation methods (See Ofir section V, receiver based packet concealment using interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the method taught by McCarty. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Regarding claim 12, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the audio source data comprises a packet (¶ [0078], transmission data packet) comprising:(1) a physical layer communication protocol (¶ [0079], data packet is modulated with physical layer carriers or subcarriers) portion followed by (2) a standardized communication protocol header portion (¶ [0078], frame control header) followed by (3) a transport layer protocol portion (¶ [0078], transport layer protocol is required for end-to-end communication); and (4) a standardized communication protocol message portion (¶ [0078], payload).
Regarding claim 13, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 11, wherein encoding the post processed audio data comprises: adjusting a balance between frequency components of the at least two different channels of audio data (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 14, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 13, wherein adjusting the balance comprises: applying one or more of an equalization effect and a filtering element (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 15, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 13, wherein: the speaker comprises a plurality of speakers (Fig 6, outputs 524 and 526); and transmitting the post processed audio data, as encoded, comprises: transmitting a first channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a first speaker of the plurality of speakers; and transmitting a second channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a second speaker of the plurality of speakers that is different than the first speaker of the plurality of speakers (Fig 6, amplifier module 520 splits signal into 2 channels for playback through outputs 524 and 526).
Regarding claim 16, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 11, wherein: the method further comprises: receiving an alternating current signal from a power cable; and generating a time based signal using the alternating current signal; and applying the digital signal processing algorithm comprises: applying the digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data and the time based signal to create the post processed audio data (¶ [0048], receiver module 108 can manipulate the received audio signal by coding a time or phase delay in the control signal to maintain desired phase relationships).
Regarding claim 20, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 11.
McCarty does not explicitly a packet interpolation method.
Ofir teaches a packet interpolation method (See Ofir section V, interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the method taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Regarding claim 21, McCarty teaches an article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, are configured to cause the processor to perform (¶ [0038], addressable storage medium configured to execute on one or more processors): receiving, from an A/V source (¶ [0039], input signals can include audio and video) and over a powerline connection (Fig 6, powerline module 507), audio source data at a speaker (Fig 6, input signal received at destination receiver module 108); applying, on the speaker, a digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data to create post processed audio data (Fig 6, DSP module 516); encoding, on the speaker, the post processed audio data (¶ [0088], DSP module 516 creates post processed audio signal based on received audio signal and control signal); and outputting the post processed audio data, as encoded, via the speaker (¶ [0089], DSP module 516 outputs manipulated signal to amplifier module 520 for output).
McCarty does not explicitly teach applying one or more dropout mitigation methods to the audio source data.
Ofir teaches one or more dropout mitigation methods (See Ofir section V, receiver based packet concealment using interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the article of manufacture taught by McCarty. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Regarding claim 22, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the audio source data comprises a packet (¶ [0078], transmission data packet) comprising:(1) a physical layer communication protocol (¶ [0079], data packet is modulated with physical layer carriers or subcarriers) portion followed by (2) a standardized communication protocol header portion (¶ [0078], frame control header) followed by (3) a transport layer protocol portion (¶ [0078], transport layer protocol is required for end-to-end communication); and (4) a standardized communication protocol message portion (¶ [0078], payload).
Regarding claim 23, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein encoding the post processed audio data comprises: adjusting a balance between frequency components of the at least two different channels of audio data (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 24, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein adjusting the balance comprises: applying one or more of an equalization effect and a filtering element (¶ [0057], loudspeakers can dynamically adjust the equalizer and signal balance).
Regarding claim 25, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 23, wherein: the speaker comprises a plurality of speakers (Fig 6, outputs 524 and 526); and transmitting the post processed audio data, as encoded, comprises: transmitting a first channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a first speaker of the plurality of speakers; and transmitting a second channel of audio data of the at least two different channels of audio data to a second speaker of the plurality of speakers that is different than the first speaker of the plurality of speakers (Fig 6, amplifier module 520 splits signal into 2 channels for playback through outputs 524 and 526).
Regarding claim 26, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein: the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to perform: receiving an alternating current signal from a power cable; and generating a time based signal using the alternating current signal; and applying the digital signal processing algorithm comprises: applying the digital signal processing algorithm to the audio source data and the time based signal to create the post processed audio data (¶ [0048], receiver module 108 can manipulate the received audio signal by coding a time or phase delay in the control signal to maintain desired phase relationships).
Regarding claim 30, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 21.
McCarty does not explicitly a packet interpolation method.
Ofir teaches a packet interpolation method (See Ofir section V, interpolation).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the packet loss concealment taught by Ofir with the article of manufacture taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Receiver based packet loss concealment is well known in the art and widely used to prevent data loss in audio systems. By incorporating packet loss concealment within an audio system delay can be reduced, audio quality can be improved, and intelligibility can be enhanced providing clearer audio and a better user experience.
Claim(s) 7-8, 17-18 and 27-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCarty et al (US Pub No. 2017/0094433, hereinafter McCarty) in view of Hadas Ofir et al (Packet Loss Concealment for Audio Streaming, 2006 IEEE 24th Convention, hereinafter Ofir) as applied to claims above, and further in view of Marinescu et al (US Pub No. 20030050989, hereinafter Marinescu).
Regarding claim 7, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 6, generating the time based signal using the alternating current signal.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach a phase locked loop circuit.
Marinescu teaches generating a time based signal using a phase locked loop circuit (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], clock reconstitution unit 16 comprising a phase lock loop (PLL)).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the phase locked loop circuit taught by Marinescu with the system taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Phase locked loop circuits are well known in the art as stated by Marinescu ¶ [0052]. Phase lock loop circuits provide several benefits including clock recovery, jitter reduction and signal synchronization.
Regarding claim 8, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 6.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach wherein the time based signal comprises a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate.
Marinescu teaches a based signal comprising a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], jitter digital filter 34).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the jitter digital filter taught by Marinescu with the system taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Doing so ensures timing signals are accurate and reliable.
Regarding claim 17, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 16, generating the time based signal using the alternating current signal.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach a phase locked loop circuit.
Marinescu teaches generating a time based signal using a phase locked loop circuit (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], clock reconstitution unit 16 comprising a phase lock loop (PLL)).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the phase locked loop circuit taught by Marinescu with the method taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Phase locked loop circuits are well known in the art as stated by Marinescu ¶ [0052]. Phase lock loop circuits provide several benefits including clock recovery, jitter reduction and signal synchronization.
Regarding claim 18, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 16.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach wherein the time based signal comprises a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate.
Marinescu teaches a based signal comprising a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], jitter digital filter 34).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the jitter digital filter taught by Marinescu with the method taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Doing so ensures timing signals are accurate and reliable.
Regarding claim 27, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 26, generating the time based signal using the alternating current signal.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach a phase locked loop circuit.
Marinescu teaches generating a time based signal using a phase locked loop circuit (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], clock reconstitution unit 16 comprising a phase lock loop (PLL)).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the phase locked loop circuit taught by Marinescu with the article of manufacture taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Phase locked loop circuits are well known in the art as stated by Marinescu ¶ [0052]. Phase lock loop circuits provide several benefits including clock recovery, jitter reduction and signal synchronization.
Regarding claim 28, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 26.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach wherein the time based signal comprises a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate.
Marinescu teaches a based signal comprising a jitter-free reference frequency at a predetermined sample rate (See Marinescu ¶ [0052], jitter digital filter 34).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the jitter digital filter taught by Marinescu with the article of manufacture taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. Doing so ensures timing signals are accurate and reliable.
Claim(s) 31-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCarty et al (US Pub No. 2017/0094433, hereinafter McCarty) in view of Hadas Ofir et al (Packet Loss Concealment for Audio Streaming, 2006 IEEE 24th Convention, hereinafter Ofir) as applied to claims above, and further in view of Yahata et al (US Pub No. 20210012812, hereinafter Yahata).
Regarding claim 31, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the system of claim 1.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
Yahata teaches storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the first-in first-out buffer taught by Yahata with the system taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. First-in first-out buffers are well known in the art and provide several advantages including simplicity and order allowing data to be processed in the same sequence that it is received.
Regarding claim 32, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the method of claim 11.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
Yahata teaches storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the first-in first-out buffer taught by Yahata with the method taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. First-in first-out buffers are well known in the art and provide several advantages including simplicity and order allowing data to be processed in the same sequence that it is received.
Regarding claim 33, McCarty in view of Ofir teaches the article of manufacture of claim 21.
McCarty in view of Ofir does not explicitly teach storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
Yahata teaches storing the audio source data in a first in first out buffer.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the first-in first-out buffer taught by Yahata with the article of manufacture taught by McCarty in view of Ofir. First-in first-out buffers are well known in the art and provide several advantages including simplicity and order allowing data to be processed in the same sequence that it is received.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8, 10-18, 20-28 and 30-33 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/T.M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2694
/FAN S TSANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2694