DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being fully met by McMillan et al (WO 2010/006276 A2).
Regarding Claim 1,11, McMillan discloses a string instrument comprising:
an instrument body (inherent);
a plurality of strings arranged on the instrument body (Fig. 16); and
a sound processing component arranged in the instrument body, wherein the sound processing component comprises:
an acquisition module (pickup, Fig. 16) configured to acquire vibration information of the plurality of strings and output analog signals based on the acquired vibration information (para. 0016);
a first amplification 107 and filter 109 module coupled to the acquisition module, the first amplification 107 and filter 109 module being configured to amplify the analog signals, filter the analog signals, and output the filtered analog signals (para. 0020);
a first conversion module 106 coupled to the first amplification and filter module, the first conversion module 106 being configured to convert the filtered analog signals output by the first amplification and filter module 107/109 into digital signals;
a processing module 108 coupled to the first conversion module 106, the processing module 108 being configured to identify playing information of the digital signals, wherein the processing module is further configured to convert the digital signals to musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) data based on the playing information of the digital signals (para. 0046), and convert the MIDI data to audio data based on a predetermined audio source library (WaveTable Driver, Fig. 15), and the processing module processes the audio data to add audio effects (Fig. 15);
a second conversion module 120,122 coupled to the processing module 108, the second conversion module 120,122 being configured to convert the audio data with the audio effects into analog audio signals; and
a second amplification and filter module 116, 118 coupled to the second conversion module 120,122, the second amplification and filter module 116, 118 being configured to amplify the analog audio signals, filter the analog audio signals, and transmit the filtered analog audio signals to a loudspeaker (stereo outputs to a loudspeaker are inherent in the electronic musical instrument art).
Regarding Claims 2,12, McMillan discloses the acquisition module comprises a plurality of pickups (para. 0017, Fig. 16), the first amplification and filter module 107/109 comprises a plurality of amplification and filter units respectively corresponding to the plurality of pickups (Fig. 1), the first conversion module 106 comprises a plurality of analog-digital conversion channels respectively corresponding to the plurality of pickups (Fig. 1), and the processing module 108 is configured to perform a time-sharing multiplexing control of the plurality of analog-digital conversion channels, to control the first conversion module converting the analog signals of the plurality of pickups into the digital signals (para. 0021, Fig. 1).
Regarding Claims 3,13, McMillan discloses the sound processing component further comprises a data storage and a wireless communication module, and the predetermined audio source library is stored in the data storage or accessible via the wireless communication module (a Mac OS X computer inherently is known to have data storage, wireless communication, and an audio source library, Core Audio, see paras. 0020-0022).
Regarding Claims 4,14, McMillan discloses the processing module 108 is further configured to control the wireless communication module to transmit the MIDI data and information of audio sources corresponding to the MIDI data to a remote server (paras. 0059-0060).
Regarding Claims 5,15 McMillan discloses a programmable amplification module, the programmable amplification module is coupled to the first conversion module 16 and the processing module 108, the processing module is further configured to set amplification parameters of the programmable amplification module (Fig. 9), the programmable amplification module is configured to amplify the analog signals output by the first amplification and filter module (Fig. 9, para. 0049), and the first conversion module is configured to convert the analog signals amplified by the programmable amplification module into the digital signal (para. 0049).
Regarding Claims 6,16 McMillan discloses a touch screen configured to receive instructions of setting up the audio effects, and the processing module is further configured to process the audio data according to the instructions (“touch surface data,” para. 0024).
Regarding Claims 7,17, McMillan discloses a Mac OS X device for the processing module (paras. 0021, 0022) which is known to inherently comprise a digital signal processor (DSP) and an advanced reduced instruction set computer machine (ARM).
Regarding Claims 8,18, McMillan discloses a Mac OS X device for the processing module (paras. 0021, 0022) which is known to inherently comprise a digital signal processor (DSP) and an advanced reduced instruction set computer machine (ARM), the DSP is configured to identify the playing information of the digital signals and convert the digital signals to the MIDI data based on the playing information of the digital signals (para. 0025), the ARM is coupled to the DSP, the ARM is configured to convert the MIDI data to the audio data based on the predetermined audio source library (Wave Table), and the DSP is further configured to process the audio data to add the audio effects (Figs. 10-13).
Regarding Claims 9,19, McMillan discloses the sound processing component comprises an audio output interface 116,118 configured for connecting to the loudspeaker.
Regarding Claims 10,20, McMillan discloses the sound processing component 108 further comprises a universal serial bus (USB) interface 110, the USB interface 110 is coupled to the processing module 108, the processing module is further configured to control the USB interface to transmit the MIDI data and information of audio sources corresponding to the MIDI data to an external electronic device that is coupled with the USB interface (Fig. 1, paras. 0020-0023).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited show related teachings in the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY DONELS whose telephone number is (571)272-2061. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dedei Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-7938. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JEFFREY . DONELS
Examiner
Art Unit 2837
/JEFFREY DONELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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