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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 7-10, filed 5/19/2026, with respect to claims 1-18, 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 7-9, and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 5352849 A, October 4, 1994), hereinafter Kobayashi, in view of Liu et al. (US 20190341013 A1, November 7, 2019), hereinafter Liu, and further in view of Jinbo (JP H0787600 A, March 31, 1995).
Regarding claim 1, Kobayashi teaches an electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract: "A musical tone synthesizing apparatus") comprising: at least one processor (Kobayashi col. 3, lines 33-35:" a string-parameter forming portion which is configured as shown in FIG. 2 by a microprocessor 31") configured to generate, in response to an excitation signal corresponding to a specified pitch; a first string signal to be output (Kobayashi abstract: "In addition, an excitation signal, corresponding to the excitation vibration, is applied to at least one of the loop circuits. Preferably, the non-electronic musical instrument is a piano, so that the sound generating element is a string and the activating element is a hammer which strikes the string. Further, number of the loop circuits is set corresponding to the number of strings to be provided with respect to each key of the piano.").
Kobayashi does not explicitly disclose a first string signal to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch and a second closed- loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch; and a second string signal to be output from another of the right channel or the left channel based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch, wherein: the first string signal does not contain the output from the third closed- loop circuit; and the second string signal does not contain the output from the first closed- loop circuit.
However, Liu teaches or suggests a first string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.") and a second closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input."); and a second string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from another of the right channel or the left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.").
Furthermore, Jinbo teaches or suggests that the first string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the third closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308."); and the second string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the first closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the electronic musical instrument of Kobayashi by adding the left and right channels of Liu and the panning of Jinbo to more accurately simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 2, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Turuo) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Kobayashi further teaches that the excitation signal circulates through the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Kobayashi col. 8, lines 6-12: "Then, the excitation signal will be circulated through each of the loop circuits 510, 520. In addition, the signal circulating through the loop circuit 510 is introduced into the loop circuit 520 via the multiplier M2, while the signal circulating through the loop circuit 520 is introduced into the loop circuit 510 via the multiplier M1." This also applies to Kobayashi's three-loop embodiment.) with different delay times (Kobayashi col. 4, lines 34-42: "Thus, under consideration of such de-tune effect to be normally occurred in the piano, the delay information T1-T4 is set such that the total delay times of the loop circuits 510, 520 will roughly correspond to the same pitch but they are slightly different from each other. Each pair of the filters 511, 516 and 521, 526 is designed to simulate the acoustic loss to be occurred with respect to each string.").
Regarding claim 7, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Kobayashi further teaches that the excitation signal varies according to a specified velocity (Kobayashi col. 3, lines 24-29: "Herein, when a key depression is made in the keyboard 1, the key information generating portion 2 outputs keycode information KC representing the depressed key, a key-on signal KON representing the key-on event and initial-touch information IT representing the key-depression intensity.").
Regarding claim 8, Kobayashi teaches a method, performed by a computer (Kobayashi abstract: "A musical tone synthesizing apparatus"), of generating a first string signal and a second string signal (Kobayashi col. 8, lines 14-19: "The outputs of the loop circuits 510, 520 are respectively passed through the multipliers M11, M12 and then added together in the adder A5, so that the musical tone signal is formed. Then, the filter 6 imparts the resonance effect to the musical tone signal, so that the speaker 7 sounds the corresponding musical tone."), the method comprising: generating, in response to an excitation signal corresponding to a specified pitch; a first string signal to be output (Kobayashi abstract: "In addition, an excitation signal, corresponding to the excitation vibration, is applied to at least one of the loop circuits. Preferably, the non-electronic musical instrument is a piano, so that the sound generating element is a string and the activating element is a hammer which strikes the string. Further, number of the loop circuits is set corresponding to the number of strings to be provided with respect to each key of the piano.")
Kobayashi does not explicitly disclose a first string signal to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch and a second closed- loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch; and a second string signal to be output from another of the right channel or the left channel based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch, wherein: the first string signal does not contain the output from the third closed-loop circuit; and the second string signal does not contain the output from the first closed-loop circuit.
However, Liu teaches a first string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.") and a second closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input."); and a second string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.").
Furthermore, Jinbo teaches or suggests that the first string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the third closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308."); and the second string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the first closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Kobayashi by adding the left and right channels of Liu and the panning of Jinbo to more accurately simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 9, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 8 as discussed above.
Kobayashi further teaches that the excitation signal circulates through the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Kobayashi col. 8, lines 6-12: "Then, the excitation signal will be circulated through each of the loop circuits 510, 520. In addition, the signal circulating through the loop circuit 510 is introduced into the loop circuit 520 via the multiplier M2, while the signal circulating through the loop circuit 520 is introduced into the loop circuit 510 via the multiplier M1." This also applies to Kobayashi's three-loop embodiment.) with different delay times (Kobayashi col. 4, lines 34-42: "Thus, under consideration of such de-tune effect to be normally occurred in the piano, the delay information T1-T4 is set such that the total delay times of the loop circuits 510, 520 will roughly correspond to the same pitch but they are slightly different from each other. Each pair of the filters 511, 516 and 521, 526 is designed to simulate the acoustic loss to be occurred with respect to each string.").
Regarding claim 13, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 8 as discussed above.
Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) does not explicitly disclose that the first string signal is generated based on the first accumulated signal and a first stroke sound signal and the second string signal is generated based on the second accumulated signal and a second stroke sound signal.
However, Takeuchi teaches or suggests that the first string signal is generated based on the first accumulated signal and a first stroke sound signal (Takeuchi col. 7, lines 2-11: "The multiplier 5a receives the foregoing transient sound signal STRN, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.1. In addition, the multiplier 5b receives the foregoing direct sound signal SDRY, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.2. Herein, both of the coefficients .gamma.1, .gamma.2 are supplied from the musical tone control circuit 1. Then, both of multiplication results of the multipliers 5a, 5b are added together by the adder 5c, which addition result is outputted as the musical tone signal.") and the second string signal is generated based on the second accumulated signal and a second stroke sound signal (Takeuchi col. 7, lines 2-11: "The multiplier 5a receives the foregoing transient sound signal STRN, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.1. In addition, the multiplier 5b receives the foregoing direct sound signal SDRY, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.2. Herein, both of the coefficients .gamma.1, .gamma.2 are supplied from the musical tone control circuit 1. Then, both of multiplication results of the multipliers 5a, 5b are added together by the adder 5c, which addition result is outputted as the musical tone signal.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the electronic musical instrument of Kobayashi (as modified by Jinbo and Liu) by adding the stroke signal of Takeuchi to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 14, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 8 as discussed above.
Kobayashi further teaches that the excitation signal varies according to a specified velocity (Kobayashi col. 3, lines 24-29: "Herein, when a key depression is made in the keyboard 1, the key information generating portion 2 outputs keycode information KC representing the depressed key, a key-on signal KON representing the key-on event and initial-touch information IT representing the key-depression intensity.").
Regarding claim 15, Kobayashi teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by at least one processor (Kobayashi col. 3, lines 44-47: "the microprocessor 31 reads desirable information corresponding to the keycode information KC from the parameter memory 32"), cause the processor to perform functions comprising: generating, in response to an excitation signal corresponding to a specified pitch; a first string signal to be output (Kobayashi abstract: "In addition, an excitation signal, corresponding to the excitation vibration, is applied to at least one of the loop circuits. Preferably, the non-electronic musical instrument is a piano, so that the sound generating element is a string and the activating element is a hammer which strikes the string. Further, number of the loop circuits is set corresponding to the number of strings to be provided with respect to each key of the piano.").
Kobayashi does not explicitly disclose a first string signal to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch and a second closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch; and a second string signal to be output from another of the right channel or the left channel based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit corresponding to the specified pitch, wherein: the first string signal does not contain the output from the third closed-loop circuit; and the second string signal does not contain the output from the first closed-loop circuit.
However, Liu teaches or suggests a first string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from one of a right channel or a left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a first accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of a first closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.") and a second closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶0106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input."); and a second string signal (Liu ¶0001: "generating a resonance signal simulating resonance of a string based on an input excitation signal") to be output from another of the right channel or the left channel (Liu ¶0066: "The adders 51L, 51R are sound signal outputters and include the function of respectively adding the resonance signals generated by the output adders 50L, 50R to the sound signals supplied from the tone generating circuit 18 and outputting the added sound signals to the DAC 21. The adder 51L handles the sound signal of the L channel, and the adder 51R handles the sound signal of the R channel.") based on a second accumulated signal comprised of accumulated outputs of the second closed-loop circuit and a third closed-loop circuit (Liu ¶0065: "The output adder 50L includes the function of adding all of resonance signals L1a to L88a and L1b to L88b of the L channel that are output respectively by the resonance signal generators 30 to one another and generating a resonance signal of the L channel as the output of the resonance signal generating device 20. The output adder 50R includes the function of similarly adding resonance signals R1a to R88a and R1b to R88b to one another and generating a resonance signal of the R channel.") corresponding to the specified pitch (Liu ¶0090: "Vibration of the portions of the string 70 at the bridge 72 and the bearing 73 is stopped since the portions are pressed against the bridge 72 and bearing 73. Thus, three parts of the string 70 vibrate dividedly." Liu ¶106: "In the case where a bridge is divided into a plurality of parts, when simulation is carried out to simulate how the bridges do not vibrate uniformly, the simulation propagators 40 respectively corresponding to the parts may be provided, sound signals that are input from the resonance signal generators 30 corresponding to the strings strung on the respective parts may be added to one another, and the result of addition may be returned to all of the resonance signal generators 30 from which the sound signals are input.").
Furthermore, Jinbo teaches or suggests that the first string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the third closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308."); and the second string signal (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") does not contain the output from the first closed-loop circuit (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of Kobayashi by adding the left and right channels of Liu and the panning of Jinbo to more accurately simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 16, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Jinbo further teaches or suggests that the second closed-loop circuit is used to generate a string sound (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") at a center position that is shared by the right channel and the left channel (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
Regarding claim 17, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 8 as discussed above.
Jinbo further teaches or suggests that the second closed-loop circuit is used to generate a string sound (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") at a center position that is shared by the right channel and the left channel (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
Regarding claim 18, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising the features of claim 15 as discussed above.
Jinbo further teaches or suggests that the second closed-loop circuit is used to generate a string sound (Jinbo ¶0002: "panning (distributing) multiple sound images generated by… strings, to the left and right in front of the listener") at a center position that is shared by the right channel and the left channel (Jinbo ¶0039: "As described above, the localization position of the sound image is determined for each instrument. The musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the LEFT side are accumulated in LEFT cumulative reg307, and the musical sound signals DCO0 to DCO31 of instruments whose sound image position is set on the RIGHT side are accumulated in RIGHT cumulative reg308. Furthermore, the musical sound signals of instruments whose sound image position is set to the center of LEFT and RIGHT are accumulated equally in LEFT cumulative reg307 and RIGHT cumulative reg308.").
Claims 3-4, 6, 10-11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Kobayashi in view of Liu, and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi et al. (US 5256830 A, October 26, 1993), hereinafter Takeuchi.
Regarding claim 3, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) does not explicitly disclose that the first and second accumulated signals are generated by accumulating signals tapped out with different tap delay times set in the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit.
However, Takeuchi teaches or suggests that the first and second accumulated signals are generated by accumulating signals tapped out (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 11-16: "Each of the adders 81, 82 adds four delay outputs supplied from four closed-loop circuits 71 to 74 together. Then, addition results of the adders 81, 82 are outputted via the all- pass filters 91, 92 respectively as the left channel output 'L' and right channel output 'R'.") with different tap delay times set in the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 3-11: "The signal circulating through the closed-loop circuit 71 is picked up at two output terminals each having the different delay time as two delay outputs, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 via multipliers 172a, 172b respectively. Similar to the above-mentioned closed-loop circuit 71, each of the other closed-loop circuits 72 to 74 output a pair of two delay outputs each having the different delay phase, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 respectively.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the electronic musical instrument of Kobayashi (as modified by Liu and Jinbo) by adding the different tap delay times of Takeuchi to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 4, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 3 as discussed above.
Takeuchi further teaches or suggests that the tapped outputs are provided to vary a phase of signals output from the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 7-13: "Similar to the above-mentioned closed-loop circuit 71, each of the other closed-loop circuits 72 to 74 output a pair of two delay outputs each having the different delay phase, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 respectively. Each of the adders 81, 82 adds four delay outputs supplied from four closed-loop circuits 71 to 74 together.").
Regarding claim 6, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
However, Takeuchi teaches or suggests that the first string signal is generated based on the first accumulated signal and a first stroke sound signal (Takeuchi col. 7, lines 2-11: "The multiplier 5a receives the foregoing transient sound signal STRN, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.1. In addition, the multiplier 5b receives the foregoing direct sound signal SDRY, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.2. Herein, both of the coefficients .gamma.1, .gamma.2 are supplied from the musical tone control circuit 1. Then, both of multiplication results of the multipliers 5a, 5b are added together by the adder 5c, which addition result is outputted as the musical tone signal.") and the second string signal is generated based on the second accumulated signal and a second stroke sound signal (Takeuchi col. 7, lines 2-11: "The multiplier 5a receives the foregoing transient sound signal STRN, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.1. In addition, the multiplier 5b receives the foregoing direct sound signal SDRY, which is to be multiplied by a coefficient .gamma.2. Herein, both of the coefficients .gamma.1, .gamma.2 are supplied from the musical tone control circuit 1. Then, both of multiplication results of the multipliers 5a, 5b are added together by the adder 5c, which addition result is outputted as the musical tone signal.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the electronic musical instrument of Kobayashi (as modified by Liu and Jinbo) by adding the stroke signal of Takeuchi to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 10, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 8 as discussed above.
Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo) does not explicitly disclose that the first and second accumulated signals are generated by accumulating signals tapped out with different tap delay times set in the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit.
However, Takeuchi teaches or suggests that the first and second accumulated signals are generated by accumulating signals tapped out (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 11-16: "Each of the adders 81, 82 adds four delay outputs supplied from four closed-loop circuits 71 to 74 together. Then, addition results of the adders 81, 82 are outputted via the all- pass filters 91, 92 respectively as the left channel output 'L' and right channel output 'R'.") with different tap delay times set in the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 3-11: "The signal circulating through the closed-loop circuit 71 is picked up at two output terminals each having the different delay time as two delay outputs, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 via multipliers 172a, 172b respectively. Similar to the above-mentioned closed-loop circuit 71, each of the other closed-loop circuits 72 to 74 output a pair of two delay outputs each having the different delay phase, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 respectively.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Kobayashi (as modified by Liu and Jinbo) by adding the different tap delay times of Takeuchi to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 11, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 10 as discussed above.
Takeuchi further teaches or suggests that the tapped outputs are provided to vary a phase of signals output from the first closed-loop circuit, the second closed-loop circuit and the third closed-loop circuit (Takeuchi col. 9, lines 7-13: "Similar to the above-mentioned closed-loop circuit 71, each of the other closed-loop circuits 72 to 74 output a pair of two delay outputs each having the different delay phase, which are then supplied to the adders 81, 82 respectively. Each of the adders 81, 82 adds four delay outputs supplied from four closed-loop circuits 71 to 74 together.").
Claims 5 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Kobayashi in view of Liu, and further in view of Jinbo, Takeuchi, and Smith (US 4984276 A, January 8, 1991), hereinafter Smith.
Regarding claim 5, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi) teaches an electronic musical instrument comprising the features of claim 3 as discussed above.
Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi) does not explicitly disclose that the tap delay times are calculated by an equation including an index.
However, Smith suggests that the tap delay times (Smith col. 2, lines 40-43: "Some basic building blocks of presently known digital reverberators include… tapped delay lines") are calculated by an equation (col. 20, lines 56-63: "The lossless waveguide 38 includes a lossless delay 45 and a lossless delay 46. The delay 45 delays by a delay, N. With the signal input to the delay on line 43 equal to R.sub.i.sup.- (t), the delayed output signal on line 47 is equal to R.sub.i.sup.- (t-N). Similarly the delay 46 delays the input signal P.sub.i.sup.- (t) by N to form the delayed signal on line 44 equal by definition to P.sub.i.sup.- (t-N), which is equal to the R.sub.i.sup.+ (t) signal.") including an index (Smith col. 23, lines 29-31: "When the waveguide unit 87 of FIG. 22 is a digital reverberator, the waveguide of FIG. 19 is typical with the parameters of TABLE 1.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the electronic musical instrument of Kobayashi (as modified by Liu, Jinbo, and Takeuchi) by adding the delay equation and index of Smith to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
Regarding claim 12, Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Jinbo and Takeuchi) teaches a method comprising the features of claim 10 as discussed above.
Kobayashi (in view of Liu and further in view of Takeuchi) does not explicitly disclose that the tap delay times are calculated by an equation including an index.
However, Smith suggests that the tap delay times (Smith col. 2, lines 40-43: "Some basic building blocks of presently known digital reverberators include… tapped delay lines") are calculated by an equation (col. 20, lines 56-63: "The lossless waveguide 38 includes a lossless delay 45 and a lossless delay 46. The delay 45 delays by a delay, N. With the signal input to the delay on line 43 equal to R.sub.i.sup.- (t), the delayed output signal on line 47 is equal to R.sub.i.sup.- (t-N). Similarly the delay 46 delays the input signal P.sub.i.sup.- (t) by N to form the delayed signal on line 44 equal by definition to P.sub.i.sup.- (t-N), which is equal to the R.sub.i.sup.+ (t) signal.") including an index (col. 23, lines 29-31: "When the waveguide unit 87 of FIG. 22 is a digital reverberator, the waveguide of FIG. 19 is typical with the parameters of TABLE 1.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method of Kobayashi (as modified by Liu, Jinbo, and Takeuchi) by adding the delay equation and index of Smith to simulate a physical phenomenon of a non-electronic musical instrument (Kobayashi abstract).
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.
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/PHILIP G SCOLES/
Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DEDEI K HAMMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
Prosecution Insights