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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is responsive to applicant’s remarks received on July 28, 2026. Claims 1,4-10 and 13-18 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed July 28, 2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive in part.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the objections to the claims have been considered and are persuasive to the extent that amendments overcome the previously identified informalities.
Accordingly, the previous objections to claims 1, 4, 6, 10, and 13-17 are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the objections and the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 (a), 112 (b) and 112 (d) are persuasive in view of the amendments and upon further consideration of the Specification. Accordingly, the previous rejections of claims 1, 8-10, and 17 under 35 U.S.C. 112 (a), the previous rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 (b) to the extent based on the previously recited conditional language and the identified first- and second-effect-processing terminology, and the rejection of claims 14-16 under 35 U.S.C. 112 (d) are withdrawn.
The amendments clarify that the second effect processing generates a reverb component and attenuates or removes the direct sound component and that first signal processor reduces the reverb component under the recited communication/output condition. Claims 14-16 further limit, respectively, the communication to communication through a network, the second sound emitter to a plurality of speakers, and the electronic musical instrument to a keyboard.
Applicant’s arguments, see “See Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment” filed 7/28/2026, concerning the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C.103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous rejection of claims 1-28 under 35 U.S.C.103 over US’560 in view of US’366 has been withdrawn. Applicant amended independent claims 1 and 10 to further define the first and second effect processing as discussed above.
However, upon further consideration of the amended claims, new grounds of rejection under 35 U.S.C.103 are made based on the newly applied prior art as set forth above.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 17 is objected to because of a grammatical error. Change “changes the amount of the first effect processing” to “changing the amount of the first effect processing”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1,6,7,10,15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US20120247309 (Matsuda), hereinafter US’309, in view of JP2017181650 (Ikuya), hereinafter JP’650 and US9264834 (Soulodre), hereinafter US’834.
Regarding claim 1, US’309 discloses ‘A sound processing system comprising:
an electronic musical instrument (US’309, ¶¶[0009]-[0010]: a “piano with an electronic tone generator” including a touch sensor, soundboard vibrator, normal sound generator and sound-effect generator) comprising:
an audio signal generator that generates an audio signal according to a user performance on the electronic musical instrument, the audio signal including a direct sound component (US’309, ¶[0020]: ”The normal sound generator 201 generates the musical sound signal of the normal sound in response to the key depression operation detected by the touch sensor 105);
a first signal processor that performs first effect processing on the audio signal to generate a first processed audio signal, the first effect processing including adding a reverb component (US’309, ¶[0020]: ”The electronic tone generator 101 has a normal sound generator 201 and a sound effect generator 207. The sound effect generator 207 has a reverberation generator 202 and a resonance generator 203”; “The reverberation generator 202 inputs the musical sound signal of the normal sound therein, and generates the musical sound signal of the reverberation…”);
a first sound emitter that emits a first performance sound component based on at least one of the first processed audio signal or a second processed audio signal (US’309, ¶¶[0016]-[0018]: electronic tone generator 101 outputs its generated musical-sound signal to vibrator 103;”The vibrator 103 gives vibration to the soundboard 112 based on the musical sound signal. The soundboard 112 generates the normal sound by the vibration”);
and a first audio signal output that outputs the audio signal (US’309, ¶[0015]: ”When the headphone 102 is inserted into a headphone terminal of the piano, the electronic tone generator 101 outputs the generated musical sound signal to the headphone 102”);
‘wherein when the audio signal is output …’(US’309, ¶[0009]: output reverberation/resonance “in accordance with whether an external output is performed or not”),
‘the first signal processor (US’309,¶[0016]:electronic tone generator can generate normal sound as well as reverberation/resonance, but for local reproduction “is only required to output only the musical sound signal of the normal sound to the vibrator 103” and “is not required to output the musical sound signals of the reverberation and the resonance to the vibrator 103”) …. so that the first performance sound component emitted by the first sound emitter includes the direct sound component as a main component of the first performance sound component (US’309, ¶¶[0016]-[0018]:” The vibrator 103 gives vibration to the soundboard 112 based on the musical sound signal. The soundboard 112 generates the normal sound … the electronic tone generator 101 is only required to output only the musical sound signal of the normal sound to the vibrator 103”; the musical sound signal of the normal sound is supplied to vibrator 103, which vibrates soundboard 112, and the soundboard generates the normal sound; outputting only the normal musical-sound signal vibrator 103 without electronically generated reverberation/resonance).
US’309 does not expressly disclose ‘and a sound processing apparatus, which is communicable with the electronic musical instrument;
a first audio signal receiver that receives the audio signal output from the first audio signal output, while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus;
a second signal processor that performs second effect processing on the received audio signal to generate the second processed audio signal including a reverb component as a main component,
wherein the second effect processing: generates the reverb component by convolving, with the received audio signal, an impulse response previously obtained in a predetermined acoustic space;
and attenuates or removes the direct sound component from the received audio signal;
‘and a second sound emitter that emits a second performance sound component based on the second processed audio signal,
‘…to the sound processing apparatus while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus’
‘ …reduces the reverb component of the first effect processing…’.
[and]
and the second performance sound component emitted by the second sound emitter includes the reverb component as a main component of the second performance sound component.
However, JP’650 discloses ‘and a sound processing apparatus, which is communicable with the electronic musical instrument (JP’650, Fig. 1, ¶¶[0023]-[0024]: The surround amplifier 60 includes a reverb DSP10 for reproducing the reverb signal Srev output from the built-in DSP70; ¶[0026]: the electronic musical instrument 100 such that only the reverb signal Srev can be extracted from the LINE OUT terminal of the electronic musical instrument 100, connecting the LINE OUT terminal to a LINE IN terminal), comprising:
a first audio signal receiver that receives the audio signal output from the first audio signal output, while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus (JP’650, ¶[0026]: the electronic musical instrument 100, connecting the LINE OUT terminal to a LINE IN terminal of an external general-purpose surround amplifier; ¶[0028]: outputting the musical sound outputted by the sound source circuit 8 to the outside as it is, applying a reverb different from that of the musical instrument by the DSP70 of the surround amplifier 60, and outputting it as a surround sound);
a second signal processor that performs second effect processing on the received audio signal to generate the second processed audio signal including a reverb component as a main component (JP’650, ¶[0028]: When the output of the sound source circuit 8 is outputted to a DSP70 and reverb different from that of a musical instrument is applied, the reverb sound for surround with high accuracy including the initial reflected sound is outputted),
and a second sound emitter that emits a second performance sound component based on the second processed audio signal (JP’650, [Overview], ¶[0024]: A surround amplifier 60 comprises a reverberation DSP 70 which surround-reproduces the reverberation signal Srev that the built-in DSP 10 outputs, and respective reverberation signals delayed according to a virtual distance are reproduced by different speakers 50 (50a, 50b, ...): [0048]: And a multi-channel amplifier including a plurality of D/A converters and amplifiers may be adopted as the DSP70. Each of the speakers is connected to a corresponding speaker terminal of the surround amplifier 60).
‘…to the sound processing apparatus while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus (JP’650, ¶[0026]: “a surround system can be realized by configuring the electronic musical instrument 100 such that only the reverb signal Srev can be extracted from the LINE OUT terminal of the electronic musical instrument 100, connecting the LINE OUT terminal to a LINE IN terminal of an external general-purpose surround amplifier”):
‘…reduces the reverb component of the first effect processing…’ (JP’650, ¶[0025]: external reverb DSP 70 permits reverb depth control independent of the built-in DSP 10; reverb depth of external DSP 70 stronger than the reverb depth of built-in DSP, thereby enhancing the musical sound and reverberation and improving realism),
[and]
‘and the second performance sound component emitted by the second sound emitter includes the reverb component (JP’650, [Overview]:” A reverberation signal line Lrev is separately provided which extracts only a reverberation signal Srev generated by a DSP 10 built in an electronic musical instrument, and the reverberation signal Srev is independently surround-reproduced by a surround speaker differently from a musical sound signal of the electronic musical instrument; ¶[0017]:” the reverb signal is amplified by an external surround amplifier or the like and reproduced by a dedicated speaker in which the musical sound is not reproduced”).
US’834 discloses ‘wherein the second effect processing: generates the reverb component by convolving, with the received audio signal, an impulse response previously obtained in a predetermined acoustic space (US’834, col. 26, lines 65-67:” The Artificial Reverberator 914 may be configured to perform a convolution based process wherein the input audio signal is convolved by one or more impulse responses”; col. 27, lines 1-5:”impulse responses may represent the target acoustical space that is being modeled” and convolution can be performed in the time or frequency);
and attenuates or removes the direct sound component from the received audio signal (US’834, col. 4, lines 2-4:”The impulse response of an acoustic space may provide a complete description of the reverberant system” giving a concert hall as an example. It explains that an impulsive sound recorded by a microphone provides the impulse response between the source and microphone; col. 9, lines 17-19:”The block-based estimate derived by the Impulse Response Estimator 24 can be stored in the memory 7 (FIG. 1), and retrieved for later use”);
[and]
‘…as a main component of the second performance sound component (US’834, col. 9, lines 33-42:decomposes the input into an original dry signal and reverberant components and permits the two to be independently adjusted; extracting the reverberant signal, the “unwanted dry signal component is only attenuated to the point where it is masked by the reverberant signal”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the electronic musical instrument of US’309 with the external surround sound processing of JP’650, including independently controlling the internal and external reverb, in order to separately reproduce musical sound and reverberation and thereby improve the realism and clarity of the reproduced performance. JP’650 expressly teaches that stronger external reverb relative to the built-in reverb enhances the musical sound and reverberation and improves realism.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the external reverb processing of the combined system using the acoustic-space impulse-response processing of US’834, including convolution and attenuation of unwanted dry-signal content, to reproduce the reverberant characteristics of a desired acoustic space while providing a predominantly reverberant external signal.
Regarding claim 6, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) further discloses ‘wherein the second sound emitter includes a plurality of speakers that emit the second performance sound component (JP’650, ¶[0024]:”surround amplifier 60 includes a reverb DSP10 for reproducing the reverb signal Srev output from the built-in DSP70 in a surround manner, and reproduces the respective reverb signals delayed according to the imaginary distances by different speakers 50 (50a, 50b,.)”).
Regarding claim 7, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 further discloses ‘wherein the electronic musical instrument is a keyboard instrument (US’309, ¶[0015]:touch sensor 105 detects a key depression operation of key 104 of the keyboard and electronic tone generator 101 generates a musical sound signal in response to the detected key depression operation).
Regarding claim 10, US’309 discloses ‘A sound processing method for a sound processing system (US’309, ¶[0010]: controlling generation/output of musical sound signals including normal sound, reverberation, and resonance according to the operation of the piano) comprising an electronic musical instrument (US’309, FIG. 1, ¶[0014]: “a piano with an electronic tone generator”), including a first sound emitter (US’309, ¶[0016]:” the electronic tone generator 101 outputs the generated musical sound signal to the vibrator 103. The vibrator 103 gives vibration to the soundboard 112 based on the musical sound signal. The soundboard 112 generates the normal sound”), the method comprising:
US’309 does not expressly disclose ‘and a sound processing apparatus, including a second sound emitter, communicable with the electronic musical instrument.
However, JP’650 discloses ‘and a sound processing apparatus, including a second sound emitter (JP’650, ¶[0024]:”surround amplifier 60 includes a reverb DSP10 for reproducing the reverb signal Srev output from the built-in DSP70 in a surround manner, and reproduces the respective reverb signals delayed according to the imaginary distances by different speakers 50 (50a, 50b,.)”), communicable with the electronic musical instrument (JP’650, Fig. 1, ¶¶[0023]-[0024]: The surround amplifier 60 includes a reverb DSP10 for reproducing the reverb signal Srev output from the built-in DSP70; ¶[0026]: the electronic musical instrument 100 such that only the reverb signal Srev can be extracted from the LINE OUT terminal of the electronic musical instrument 100, connecting the LINE OUT terminal to a LINE IN terminal).
The remaining method limitations of claim 10 correspond to the respective limitations of claim 1 and are disclosed by US’309 in view of JP’650 and US’834 for the reasons set forth above with respect to claim 1. The rationale for combining the references is likewise set forth above with respect to claim 1.
with the electronic musical instrument: generating an audio signal according to a user performance on the electronic musical instrument, the audio signal including a direct sound component;
performing first effect processing on the audio signal to generate a first processed audio signal, the first effect processing including adding a reverb component;
emitting, via the first sound emitter, a first performance sound component based on at least one of the first processed audio signal or a second processed audio signal;
and outputting the audio signal;
and with the sound processing apparatus: receiving the audio signal output from the electronic musical instrument while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus;
performing second effect processing on the received audio signal to generate the second processed audio signal including a reverb component as a main component, the second effect processing including:
generating the reverb component by convolving, with the received audio signal, an impulse response previously obtained in a predetermined acoustic space:
and attenuating or removing the direct sound component from the received audio signal;
and emitting, via the second sound emitter, a second performance sound component based on the second processed audio signal,
wherein, when the first audio signal is output to the sound processing apparatus while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus:
the first effect processing performed by the electronic musical instrument reduces the reverb component of the first effect processing so that the first performance sound component emitted by the first sound emitter includes a direct sound component as a main component of the first performance sound component:
and the second performance sound component emitted by the second sound emitter includes the reverb component as a main component of the second performance sound component.
Regarding claim 15, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
wherein the second sound emitter includes a plurality of speakers that emit the second performance sound component. (Claim 15 corresponds to claim 6)
Regarding claim 16, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
wherein the electronic musical instrument is a keyboard instrument. (Claim 16 corresponds to claim 7)
Claims 4,5,8,13,14 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’309, in view of JP’650 and US’834, and in further view of US10147408 (Ishibashi), hereinafter US’408.
Regarding claim 4, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein: the sound processing apparatus further comprises a second audio signal output that outputs the second processed audio signal; the electronic musical instrument further comprises a second audio signal receiver that receives the second processed audio signal, while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus; and the first performance sound component emitted by the first sound emitter is based on the second processed audio signal.
However, US’408 discloses ‘wherein: the sound processing apparatus further comprises a second audio signal output that outputs the second processed audio signal (US’408, col. 3, lines 30-33: the electronic instrument’s “first output section is connected to an external input section of external equipment, and the second input section is connected to an external output section of the external equipment”; col. 3, lines 50-57:” the processed tone data thus recorded in the external equipment can be returned to and reproduced in the musical equipment …”);
the electronic musical instrument further comprises a second audio signal receiver that receives the second processed audio signal (US’408, col. 5, lines 25-30:”The second input section 102 comprises, for example, an external input section that is connected to an output section of external equipment, such as a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as "PC") 120, and receives or inputs performance information from the PC 120”), while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus (US’408, col. 5, lines 40-44:”PC 120 can perform the various music production functions by the DAW software through communication (transmission and reception) of performance information and various data with the electronic musical instrument 100; col. 5, lines 36-43:” a MIDI interface for communicating (transmitting and receiving) signals of the MIDI standard; and an audio interface for inputting and outputting audio signals from and to external equipment. The electronic musical instrument 100, which is connected to the PC 120 via the interface 9, can communicate (transmit and receive) various information, including MIDI signals, audio signals and various control signals, with the PC 120);
and the first performance sound component emitted by the first sound emitter is based on the second processed audio signal (US’408, col. 6, lines 17-21:”performance information is input from the PC 120 to the second input section 102, and the arpeggio performance information thus input to the second input section 102 is supplied to the tone generator section 104”; col. 11, lines 21-25:” performance information input from the PC 120 via the interface unit 9 (second output section 102), so that the tone generator circuit 7 generates tone signals based on the supplied arpeggio performance information and then output via the sound system 10”).
It would have obvious to one of ordinary skill in the prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the combined system with the bidirectional audio communication of US’408 such that the externally processed audio is returned to the electronic musical instrument for local reproduction, thereby permitting the processed performance sound to be monitored and audibly reproduced by the electronic musical instrument.
Regarding claim 5, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the electronic musical instrument and the sound processing apparatus are communicable through a network.
However, US’408 discloses ‘wherein the electronic musical instrument and the sound processing apparatus are communicable through a network (US’408, col. 9, lines 34-43:electronic musical instrument can “communicate (transmit and receive)” MIDI signals, audio signals, and control signals with PC 120 through interface unit 9, which includes an Ethernet interface; making “appropriate connections settings” depending on the scene of use).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the communication of the combined system through the Ethernet interface of US’408 to communicate (transmit and receive) audio signals and control signals between the electronic musical instrument and the external equipment and thereby provide appropriate connection settings depending on the scene of use.
Regarding claim 8, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 further discloses ..‘and changes the amount of the first effect processing (US’309, ¶[0010]: the electronic tone generator generates normal sound and an effect including reverberation and/or resonance, and controls whether the effect is output depending upon whether the external output is detected; ¶[0008]:when reverb/resonance is not required, it is desirable to “automatically turn off the reverberation and the resonance”)
US’309 does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the first signal processor detects communication with the sound processing apparatus ….upon detecting the communication.
However, US’408 discloses ‘wherein the first signal processor detects communication with the sound processing apparatus (US’408, col. 12, lines 32-36:electronic musical instrument 100 automatically controls its setting “in response to connection/disconnection (non-connection) of the PC 120 to/from the electronic musical instrument 100”; col. 12, lines 41-43:the process is started “in response to the CPU 1 detecting connection or disconnection of the PC 120 to or from the interface unit 9”; col. 12, lines 44-52:when the PC is connected CPU 1 turn control switch 130 OFF; when disconnected, CPU 1 turns it ON)’
‘…upon detecting the communication (US’408, col. 12, lines 44-47:detects connection/disconnection and “Once the PC 120 is connected to the electronic musical instrument 100 (YES determination at step Sl0), the CPU 1 turns off the local control switch 130”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify US’309 to detect connection with the external equipment as taught by US’408 and change the effect processing in response thereto, so that the connection settings and processing of the electronic musical instrument are automatically changed depending on the current scene of use, thereby eliminating the need for the user to manually change the settings when the external equipment is connected or disconnected.
Regarding claim 13, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
the method further comprising: outputting, with the sound processing apparatus, the second processed audio signal; (Claim 13 corresponds to claim 4)
and receiving, with the electronic musical instrument, the second processed audio signal while the electronic musical instrument is communicating with the sound processing apparatus, wherein the first performance sound component emitted by the first sound emitter is based on the second processed audio signal. (Claim 13 corresponds to claim 4)
Regarding claim 14, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
wherein the electronic musical instrument and the sound processing apparatus are communicable through a network. (Claim 14 corresponds to claim 5)
Regarding claim 17, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
the method further comprising detecting, with the electronic musical instrument, communication with the sound processing apparatus and changes the amount of the first effect processing upon detecting the communication. (Claim 17 corresponds to claim 8)
Claims 9 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US’309, in view of JP’650 and US’834, and in further view of US20200312288 (Sato), hereinafter US’288.
Regarding claim 9, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing system according to claim 1, as discussed above.
US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) further discloses ‘… of the second effect processing of the sound processing apparatus (JP’650, [Overview]:external DSP 70 performing the second/reverb processing).
US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) does not expressly disclose ‘wherein the electronic musical instrument further comprises a physical controller that changes a parameter.
US’288 discloses ‘wherein the electronic musical instrument further comprises a physical controller that changes a parameter (US’288, ¶[0049]: electronic keyboard instrument 100 having an “effect parameter controller panel 105”;”For each of the six parameters, the user can change the value based on the position of a corresponding one of the control sliders C1, C2, . . . , and C6”; ¶[0111]:the CPU detects a slider change and instructs the corresponding effect module “to change the value of the corresponding parameter to the value of the slider controller”, thereby changing the sound effect addition state).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the electronic musical instrument of the combined system with the physical effect-parameter controller taught by US’288 to change a parameter of the second effect processing, thereby permitting the user to change the effect parameter during his or her musical performance and reducing the burden on the user associated with setting effect parameters.
Regarding claim 18, US’309 (in view of JP’650 & US’834) ‘The sound processing method according to claim 10, as discussed above.
wherein: the electronic musical instrument further comprises a physical controller, and the method further comprises changing, with the electronic musical instrument, parameter of the second effect processing of the sound processing apparatus via the physical controller. (Claim 18 corresponds to claim 9)
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE K GILLESPIE whose telephone number is (571)482-4187. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei K Hammond can be reached at (571)270-3819. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLE K GILLESPIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DEDEI K HAMMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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