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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5,7,9,11,18,20,22,24,2,15,30,3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As per claim 2,15,30 it is not clear how to read a value comprising multiple values.
As per claim 3, it is not clear how to read (the alternative lacks antecedent basis)
a first ratio,
or
a parameter value determined based on the first ratio; and
As per claim 5,7,9,11,18,20,22,24, it is not clear how to read the language analogous to that cited in the claim 3 rejection above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Miyasaka et al (US 20160225377 A1).
As per claim 1, Miyasaka discloses a bit allocation method for an audio object, comprising:
separately pre-rendering a plurality of audio objects (fig. 1, objects signals output from 100) to be pre-rendered in a to-be-encoded audio frame (the frame is the portion of the incoming objects input to 100 that is processed over a given period of time by 100 then 101/102 then 103 then 104, to obtain a plurality of pre-rendered audio objects;
obtaining respective a plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (para. 65, perceptual importance information for each audio object),
each pre-rendered audio object of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects having a respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values (the function in para. 65 is characterized as respective per the objects per: “indicates that the audio decoding device may discard an audio object included in the audio objects that has a low perceptual importance when a computational resource necessary for decoding is insufficient”, and also per para 59),
wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of a current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects indicates a perceptual importance degree of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (per the indication and characterization in para. 65 cited above, where the respective perceptual importance is a degree of importance relative to that of other objects);
obtaining a bit allocation parameter value of a current audio object to be pre-rendered in the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered based on the perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (after the first set of objects or frame of objects is processed by stage 100 a subsequent frame or object is the current audio object, where each object has respective obtained bit allocation parameter values per para. 51: determine a number of encoding bits allocated to each of the channel-based audio signal and the object-based audio signal according to the extracted perceptual importance information); and
determining (per the function in para 110), based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered (the number of bits allocated to each individual audio object) and a total quantity of to-be-allocated bits corresponding to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (the cited ‘total’), a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (the cited ‘obtained y’).
As per claim 2, the method according to claim 1, wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values comprises at least one of the following:
an energy importance parameter value, (not mapped)
a perceptual intensity importance parameter value,(not mapped) or
a spectral flatness parameter value, (para. 88, the sound pressure level)
wherein an energy importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of the energy of the current pre-rendered audio object to a sum of respective energy of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects; a perceptual intensity importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on an auditory curve of a human ear and energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in a plurality of frequency bands of the current pre- rendered audio object to a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in respective plurality of frequency bands of the plurality of pre- rendered audio objects; (alternatives above not mapped) and
a spectral flatness parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object indicates spectral flatness of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects ( (para. 88 the spectral level/sound pressure level indicates the flatness of the amplitude over time).
As per claim 3, the method according to claim 1, wherein the current pre-rendered audio object is an audio object obtained by pre-rendering the current audio object to be pre- rendered (per the cited objects in the claim 1 rejection), and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises
a first ratio (the equation in para 109),
or
a parameter value determined based on a-the first ratio; and
wherein the first ratio is a ratio of the perceptual importance parameter value (‘b’ in para 109 ) of the current pre-rendered audio object to a sum of the respective plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (B is the number of objects, located in the bottom of the ratio in 109).
As per claim 4, the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprising:
obtaining respective a plurality of content importance parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, each audio object of the plurality of audio objects to be pre- rendered having a respective content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values (parameter b for each object per para 109),
wherein a content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values of the current audio object to be pre-rendered indicates an importance degree of a sound type represented by content of the current audio object to be pre- rendered in sound types represented by content of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (the determination of the position of each object per para. 92 are the sound types associated with the degree/perceptual importance); and
wherein the obtaining the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered in the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered based on the respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects comprises:
obtaining the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on a respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (parameter ‘b’ respectively per para 109) and a respective content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (spectral flatness parameter value per the claim 2 and 3 rejections).
As per claim 5, the method according to claim 4, wherein the current pre-rendered audio object is an audio object obtained by pre-rendering the current audio object to be pre- rendered, and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises a second ratio, or a parameter value determined based on the second ratio; and
wherein the second ratio is a ratio of a first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of respective a plurality of first values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, and the first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered is a product of the respective content importance parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the respective perceptual importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object, or
the first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered is a parameter value determined based on a product of the respective content importance parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the respective perceptual importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object (analogous to the processing per the claim 2-4 rejections but as applied to a current object which is another object or a sequential frame of the same object upon which all; the processing of fig. 1 is applied).
As per claim 6, the method according to claim 4, wherein the sound type comprises at least one of the following: voice, music, sound effect, ambient sound, or noise (para 104, the bass sound effect and the voice frequencies).
As per claim 7, the method according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to- be-allocated bits is equal to a third ratio, or is equal to a parameter value determined based on the third ratio; and
wherein the third ratio is a ratio of the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of respective a plurality of bit allocation parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered.
(the analogous process per the claim 2 and 3 rejections but as applied to a current object which is another object or a sequential frame of the same object upon which all; the processing of fig. 1 is applied).
As per claim 8, the method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and a total quantity of to-be-allocated bits corresponding to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises:
determining a priority level of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and a correspondence between a plurality of bit allocation parameter values and a plurality of priority levels (the degree per the claim 4 rejection is a priority level among a plurality of priority level including the classifications in 104 and the higher and lower perceptual importance/levels per para 104); and
determining, based on the priority level of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits, the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (multiplied by a value per para 110 based on the perceptual importance).
As per claim 9, The method according to claim 8, wherein a ratio of the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to- be-allocated bits is equal to a fourth ratio, or is equal to a parameter value determined based on athe fourth ratio; and wherein the fourth ratio is a ratio of the priority level of the current audio object to be pre- rendered to a sum of respective the plurality of priority levels of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (analogous to the ratio based processing cited above , but as applied on another object or a sequential frame of processing of the current audio object).
As per claim 10, the method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits corresponding to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises:
obtaining an initial quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (the number of pits per para 109;
adjusting the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on the initial quantity of bits (solving the equations of para 109 and 110); and
determining, based on the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits and an adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered, the target quantity of bits allocated to the current pre-rendered audio object (determining Y per para 110).
As per claim 11, The method according to claim 10, wherein the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises
a fifth ratio or a parameter value determined based on a-thefifth ratio; and
wherein the fifth ratio is a ratio of a second value of a plurality of second values of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of respective the plurality of second values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (the ratio for another object or a seuqntial frame of the same object as per para 109), and
the second value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered is a product of the initial quantity of bits and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered (as per the processing on para 110, number of bits times the value),
or
the second value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered is a parameter value determined based on a product of the initial quantity of bits and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered (not mapped).
As per claim 12, The method according to claim 11, wherein the ratio of the target quantity of bits used by the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits
is equal to the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered,
or
is equal to a parameter value determined based on the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered
(the functions in para 109 and 110 meet either limitation of the claim).
As per claim 13, the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprising:
sending a plurality of proportion information of target quantities of bits respectively allocated to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, wherein the plurality of proportion information is used to reconstruct the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (the values based on the degree/ranking values is proportion information of target quantities of bits used in reconstructing the audio object per the processing in fig. 1).
As per claim 14, the claim 1 rejections discloses a bit allocation apparatus for an audio object, comprising:
a pre-rendering module, configured to separately pre-render a plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered in a to-be-encoded audio frame, to obtain a plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (the means of separately prerendering per claim 1 rejection);
an obtaining module, configured to: obtain a plurality of respective perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects, each pre-rendered audio object of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects having a respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values, wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of a current pre- rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects indicates a perceptual importance degree of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (means of obtaining per claim 1 rejection a plurality of perceptual importance parameter values…); and
obtain a bit allocation parameter value of a current audio object to be pre-rendered in the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered based on the arespective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre- rendered audio objects (means of obtaining a bit allocation parameter value… per claim 1 rejection); and
a determining module, configured to determine, based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and a total quantity of to-be-allocated bits corresponding to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (means of determining per claim 1 rejection).
As per claim 15, The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values comprises at least one of the following: an energy importance parameter value, a perceptual intensity importance parameter value, or a spectral flatness parameter value, wherein an energy importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of the energy of the current pre-rendered audio object to a sum of respective energy of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects; a perceptual intensity importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on an auditory curve of a human ear and energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in a plurality of frequency bands of the current pre- rendered audio object to a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in respective plurality of frequency bands of the plurality of pre- rendered audio objects; and a spectral flatness parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object indicates spectral flatness of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects. (per the claim 2 rejection).
As per claim 16, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the current pre-rendered audio object is an audio object obtained by pre-rendering the current audio object to be pre-rendered, and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises a first ratio, or a parameter value determined based on a-the_first ratio; and wherein the first ratio is a ratio of the perceptual importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object to a sum of the plurality of respective perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects. (per the claim 3 rejection).
As per claim 17, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the obtaining module is further configured to obtain a plurality of respective content importance parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, each audio object of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered having a respective content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values, wherein a content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values of the current audio object to be pre-rendered indicates an importance degree of a sound type represented by content of the current audio object to be pre-rendered in sound types represented by content of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (per claim 4 rejection); and
in an aspect of obtaining the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered in the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered based on the respective perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality ofpre-rendered audio objects, (per claim 4 rejection)
wherein the obtaining module is specifically further configured to:
obtain the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on the a respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects and the a respective content importance parameter value of the plurality of content importance parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (per claim 4 rejection).
As per claim 18, The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the current pre- rendered audio object is an audio object obtained by pre-rendering the current audio object to be pre-rendered, and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises a second ratio, or a parameter value determined based on a-thesecond ratio; and wherein the second ratio is a ratio of a first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of a plurality of respective first values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, and the first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered is a product of the respective content importance parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the respective perceptual importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object, or the first value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered is a parameter value determined based on a product of the respective content importance parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the respective perceptual importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object (per the claim 5 rejection).
As per claim 19, The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the sound type comprises at least one of the following: voice, music, sound effect, ambient sound, or noise. (per claim 6 rejection).
As per claim 20, the apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein a ratio of the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to- be-allocated bits is equal to a third ratio, or is equal to a parameter value determined based on-athe third ratio; and wherein the third ratio is a ratio of the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of a plurality of respective bit allocation parameter values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered. (per claim 7 rejection).
As per claim 21, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determining module is specifically further configured to: determine a priority level of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and a correspondence between a plurality of bit allocation parameter values and a plurality of priority levels; and determine, based on the priority level of the current audio object to be pre-rendered and the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits, the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (per the claim 8 rejection).
As per claim 22, the apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a ratio of the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to- be-allocated bits is equal to a fourth ratio, or is equal to a parameter value determined based on the fourth ratio; and wherein the fourth ratio is a ratio of the priority level of the current audio object to be pre- rendered to a sum of respective a plurality of priority levels of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered (per claim 9 rejection).
As per claim 23, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determining module is specifically further configured to: obtain an initial quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered; adjust the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered based on the initial quantity of bits; and determine, based on the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits and an adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered, the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (per claim 10 rejection).
As per claim 24, the apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered comprises a fifth ratio or a parameter value determined based on the fifth ratio; and wherein the fifth ratio is a ratio of a second value of a plurality of second values of the current audio object to be pre-rendered to a sum of respective the plurality of second values of the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, and the second value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered is a product of the initial quantity of bits and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered, or the second value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered is a parameter value determined based on a product of the initial quantity of bits and the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered (per claim 11 rejection).
As per claim 25, the apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the ratio of the target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered to the total quantity of to-be-allocated bits is equal to the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered, or is equal to a parameter value determined based on the adjusted bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre-rendered (per the claim 12 rejection).
As per claim 26, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a sending module, configured to send a plurality of proportion information of target quantities of bits respectively allocated to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, wherein the plurality of proportion information is used to reconstruct the plurality of audio objects to be pre- rendered (per claim 13 rejection).
As per claim 27, the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the apparatus is an encoder, or the apparatus is an encoding device comprising an the encoder (per fig. 1).
As per claim 28, The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the encoder is a stereo encoder or a multi-channel encoder (per fig. 1 per the multiple channels and objects).
As per claim 29, a bit allocation apparatus for an audio object, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to invoke the computer program,(the method of the claim 1 rejection requires a processor, software and memory to implement the cited functions) to perform:
separately pre-rendering a plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered in a to-be-encoded audio frame, to obtain a plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (per claim 1 rejection);
obtaining a plurality of respective perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects, each pre-rendered audio object of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects having a respective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values, wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of a current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects indicates a perceptual importance degree of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects;
obtaining a bit allocation parameter value of a current audio object to be pre-rendered in the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered based on the arespective perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values of the plurality of pre- rendered audio objects; and
determining, based on the bit allocation parameter value of the current audio object to be pre- rendered and a total quantity of to-be-allocated bits corresponding to the plurality of audio objects to be pre-rendered, a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object to be pre-rendered (per the claim 1 rejection).
As per claim 30, the bit allocation apparatus for an audio object according to claim 29, wherein a perceptual importance parameter value of the plurality of perceptual importance parameter values comprises at least one of the following: an energy importance parameter value, a perceptual intensity importance parameter value, or a spectral flatness parameter value, wherein an energy importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of the energy of the current pre-rendered audio object to a sum of respective energy of the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects; a perceptual intensity importance parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object is obtained through calculation based on an auditory curve of a human ear and energy of the current pre-rendered audio object, and indicates a ratio of a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in a plurality of frequency bands of the current pre- rendered audio object to a sum of energy of a preset quantity of frequency bands that have maximum energy and that are in respective plurality of frequency bands of the plurality of pre- rendered audio objects; and a spectral flatness parameter value of the current pre-rendered audio object indicates spectral flatness of the current pre-rendered audio object in the plurality of pre-rendered audio objects (per claim 2 rejection).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As per applicant’s argument about ‘read’, the examiner is unsure what applicant is referring to, ‘read’ as used by the examiner in the rejection is meant to mean ‘as read by the examiner when examining the submitted claim language’. Applicant is invited to contact the examiner by phone in order to clarify any confusion. The examiner maintains the 112 rejection to claim 2 as previously stated.
As per applicant’s argument that Miyasaka does not disclose a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object, the examiner notes para 110 states “ the individual values calculated as above are allocated to the individual audio objects”.
As per applicant’s argument that Miyasaka does not disclose determining a target quantity of bits allocated to the current audio object, the examiner disagrees and notes the total quantity of bits is used in/based on making said determining step per para 107 per the previously cited total.
As per applicant’s argument that the sound pressure level is not indicative of a measure of flatness in the spectral characteristic of the sound signal, the examiner disagrees and notes a higher spl has a higher amplitude which creates less spectral flatness at the frequency band thresholds of the signals/objects upon which the spl is based based on the definition of amplitude.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN whose telephone number is 571-272-7498, and whose email address is alexander.krzystan@uspto.gov
The examiner can usually be reached on m-f 7:30-4:00 est.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone or email are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fan Tsang can be reached on (571) 272-7547.
The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300 for regular communications and 571-273-8300 for After Final communications.
/ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2653
Examiner Alexander Krzystan
September 8, 2025
Prosecution Insights