11Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . See 35 U.S.C. § 100 (note).
Unity of Invention
The Examiner issued a restriction requirement (04 November 2025) requiring Applicant to select one of species I, II and III for prosecution on the merits. Because this Application was filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371, restriction practice here follows the unity of invention standard applicable to PCT applications.
Applicant elected species I (FIG. 5) for prosecution. Applicant traversed the requirement, commenting that there are significant overlapping limitations among the species. This comment is unpersuasive. It is not the overlap in the species that determines if there is unity of invention; it is the differences between them. Specifically, each species is commonly drawn to a type of loudspeaker. But each species differs in how sound is routed from first and second front volumes and first and second rear volumes. Further, the § 102 rejection of claim 1 shows that the common features of the species do not make a contribution to the art. Accordingly, the restriction requirement will be maintained.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16–20, corresponding to species I, are elected for an action on the merits. Claims 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 15 are withdrawn.
Art Rejections
Anticipation
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 and 18–20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2004/0071303 (published 15 April 2004) (“Furuya”).
Claim 1 is drawn to “an electronic device.” The following table and Figure 1, below, illustrate the correspondence between the claimed device and the Furuya reference.
Claim 1
The Furuya Reference
“1. An electronic device having a dual-diaphragm speaker, comprising:
The Furuya reference similarly describes a compound sound generator, or speaker, that includes two diaphragms as claimed. Furuya at Abs., ¶¶ 1, 2, 27–35, FIG.1.
“a ring-shaped housing;
Furuya’s speaker includes a housing formed by frame 31, which is generally annular, or ring-shaped. Id. at ¶¶ 8, 32, FIGs.1, 2.
“a magnetic circuit system, disposed in the ring-shaped housing and dividing space in the ring-shaped housing into a first cavity and a second cavity in a direction of a principal axis of the ring-shaped housing,
The speaker includes a magnetic circuit formed by yoke 32, magnet 33, magnet 38, top plate 34 and top plate 39. Id. at ¶ 29, FIG.1. As seen, the magnetic circuit divides the internal space defined by frame 31 into a first and second cavity. Id. at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, below.
“wherein the magnetic circuit system comprises a first magnetic gap and a second magnetic gap disposed at a spacing around the principal axis;
The magnetic circuit defines first and second magnetic gaps to receive first and second voice coils 35, 40. Furuya at ¶ 30, FIG.1. See also Figure 1, below.
“a first diaphragm, disposed at a first end of the ring-shaped housing, to form a first front cavity with the first cavity, and configured to form a first rear cavity with a first component on a side surface of the first diaphragm away from the magnetic circuit system
“a first voice coil, disposed in the first front cavity, wherein one end of the first voice coil is connected to the first diaphragm, and the other end of the first voice coil extends into the first magnetic gap;
“a second diaphragm, disposed at a second end of the ring-shaped housing, to form a second rear cavity with the second cavity, and configured to form a second front cavity with a second component on a side surface of the second diaphragm away from the magnetic circuit system…
“a second voice coil, disposed in the second rear cavity, wherein one end of the second voice coil is connected to the second diaphragm, and the other end of the second voice coil extends into the second magnetic gap…
Furuya includes a first diaphragm 41 and a second diaphragm 40 that each divides a respective cavity into a front and rear cavity as claimed. Id. at ¶ 30, FIG.1; See also Figure 1, below. First and second voice coils 40, 35 are connected to first and second diaphragms 41, 36 and suspended in the magnetic gaps formed in the magnetic circuit. Id. See also Figure 1, below.
“…wherein the second rear cavity is not in communication with the first front cavity; and
Furuya’s speaker is designed so that the second rear cavity 43a does not communicate with the first front cavity 43b to prevent sound produced by diaphragm 36 from influencing sound produced by diaphragm 41. Furuya at ¶¶ 12, 13, 37, FIG.1 (not depicting any channels between volumes 43a and 43b).
“wherein the first front cavity communicates with the second front cavity) [sic] through at least one first channel, and a first channel is located in at least one of the magnetic circuit system1 and the ring-shaped housing2; and
First front cavity 43b communicates with the front of diaphragm 36 through a first channel formed by opening 31e and passage 53. Id. at ¶ 33, FIG.1. See also Figure 1, below. Second channel 53 is formed in a U-shaped baffle 52 of frame 31. Furuya at ¶ 33, FIGs.1, 2.
“the second rear cavity is closed, or the second rear cavity communicates with the first rear cavity or the atmosphere through at least one second channel.”
Second rear cavity 43a communicates through a second channel with the atmosphere of case 50 via second channel 31d. Id. at ¶ 32, FIG.1. See also Figure 1, below.
Table 1
PNG
media_image1.png
521
1503
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Figure 1: Marked-up version of Furuya at FIG.1 (marked-up to show correspondence to the claimed invention).
For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 2 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein an outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to an inner wall of the ring-shaped housing, an outer peripheral edge of the second diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the magnetic circuit system, and the first channel comprises a first opening groove disposed on the inner wall of the ring-shaped housing and/or on the outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system; and
“the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to an entire end surface of the first end of the ring-shaped housing, and the first opening groove extends from the first front cavity to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing; or
“the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the magnetic circuit system,
“a first notch communicating with the first front cavity is disposed on the magnetic circuit system,
“the first channel further comprises the first notch, and
“the first opening groove extends from the first notch to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing.”
Similarly, Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. Furuya at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. First diaphragm 41 is sealed against the entire end surface of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 4 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein a first ring-shaped boss is disposed on an inner wall of the first end of the ring-shaped housing,
“the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the first ring-shaped boss,
“the magnetic circuit system is connected to a side surface of the first ring-shaped boss away from the first diaphragm,
“an outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to an inner wall of the ring-shaped housing,
“an outer peripheral edge of the second diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the magnetic circuit system,
“a first notch communicating with the first front cavity is disposed on at least one of the first ring-shaped boss and the magnetic circuit system,
“the first channel comprises the first notch and a first opening groove disposed on the inner wall of the ring-shaped housing and/or on the outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system, and
“the first opening groove extends from the first notch to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing.”
Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first ring-shaped boss 31b and a second ring-shaped boss 31a with each respective diaphragm 41 and 36 being sealed against its corresponding boss. Furuya at ¶ 32, FIG.1. The magnetic circuit is disposed below the boss. See id. at FIG.1. Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. See id. at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage, or first opening groove, 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 6 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein a second ring-shaped boss is disposed on an inner wall of the second end of the ring-shaped housing, the second diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the second ring-shaped boss,
“the magnetic circuit system is connected to a side surface of the second ring-shaped boss away from the second diaphragm, and
“the first channel comprises a first opening groove disposed on an inner wall of the ring-shaped housing and/or on an outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system; and
“the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to an entire end surface of the first end of the ring-shaped housing, and
“the first opening groove extends from the first front cavity to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing and penetrates the second ring-shaped boss; or
“the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the magnetic circuit system, a first notch communicating with the first front cavity is disposed on the magnetic circuit system, the first channel further comprises the first notch, and the first opening groove extends from the first notch to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing.”
Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first ring-shaped boss 31b and a second ring-shaped boss 31a with each respective diaphragm 41 and 36 being sealed against its corresponding boss. Furuya at ¶ 32, FIG.1. The magnetic circuit is disposed below the boss. See id. at FIG.1. Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. See id. at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage, or first opening groove, 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 8 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein a first ring-shaped boss is disposed on an inner wall of the first end of the ring-shaped housing,
“a second ring-shaped boss is disposed on an inner wall of the second end of the ring-shaped housing,
“the magnetic circuit system is connected between the first ring-shaped boss and the second ring-shaped boss,
“an outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to an inner wall of the ring-shaped housing,
“an outer peripheral edge of the first diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the first ring-shaped boss, and
“an outer peripheral edge of the second diaphragm is in a sealed connection to the second ring-shaped boss; and
“a first notch communicating with the first front cavity is disposed on at least one of the first ring-shaped boss and the magnetic circuit system,
“the first channel comprises the first notch and a first opening groove disposed on the inner wall of the ring-shaped housing and/or on the outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system, and
“the first opening groove extends from the first notch to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing and penetrates the second ring-shaped boss.”
Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first ring-shaped boss 31b and a second ring-shaped boss 31a with each respective diaphragm 41 and 36 being sealed against its corresponding boss. Furuya at ¶ 32, FIG.1. The magnetic circuit is disposed below the boss. See id. at FIG.1. Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. See id. at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage, or first opening groove, 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 10 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein an outer peripheral wall of the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to an inner peripheral wall of the ring-shaped housing,
“the first channel comprises a first through hole disposed on the magnetic circuit system or the ring-shaped housing, and
“one end of the first through hole is connected to the first front cavity, and the other end of the first through hole extends to an end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing.”
Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first ring-shaped boss 31b and a second ring-shaped boss 31a with each respective diaphragm 41 and 36 being sealed against its corresponding boss. Furuya at ¶ 32, FIG.1. The magnetic circuit is disposed below the boss. See id. at FIG.1. Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. See id. at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage, or first opening groove, 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 12 depends on claim 10, and further requires the following:
“wherein the first ring-shaped boss is disposed on the inner wall of the first end of the ring-shaped housing, and
“the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to the first ring-shaped boss on the side surface of the first ring-shaped boss away from the first diaphragm; and/or
“the second ring-shaped boss is disposed on the inner wall of the second end of the ring-shaped housing, and the magnetic circuit system is in a sealed connection to the second ring-shaped boss on the side surface of the second ring-shaped boss away from the second diaphragm.”
Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first ring-shaped boss 31b and a second ring-shaped boss 31a with each respective diaphragm 41 and 36 being sealed against its corresponding boss. Furuya at ¶ 32, FIG.1. The magnetic circuit is disposed below the boss. See id. at FIG.1. Furuya’s magnetic circuit includes a yoke 32 and magnet 33 whose outer periphery are sealed tight against an inner wall of frame 31. See id. at FIG.1. Second diaphragm 36 is sealed against frame 31 and, by extension, the magnetic circuit. Id. Furuya’s first channel is defined by opening, or notch, 31e and passage, or first opening groove, 53 that are disposed on an inner wall of frame 31. See id. And Furuya’s first channel extends from first front cavity 43b to the second end 50c. See id. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 16 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein the ring-shaped housing comprises a first housing and a second housing disposed in the direction of the principal axis; and
“a first ring-shaped step s [sic, is] disposed on an end surface of an end of the first housing away from the second housing, a first ring-shaped mounting part is disposed on the outer peripheral edge of the first diaphragm (3), and the first ring-shaped mounting part is disposed at the first ring-shaped step, to implement a sealed connection between the outer peripheral edge of the first diaphragm and the end surface of the first end of the ring-shaped housing; and/or
“a second ring-shaped step is disposed on an end surface of an end of the second housing away from the first housing, a second ring-shaped mounting part is disposed on the outer peripheral edge of the second diaphragm, and the second ring-shaped mounting part is disposed at the second ring-shaped step, to implement a sealed connection between the outer peripheral edge of the second diaphragm and the end surface of the second end of the ring-shaped housing.”
Similarly, Furuya’s frame 31 includes a first housing part for diaphragm 41 and a second housing part for diaphragm 36. Furuya at FIG.1. The first housing part includes a ring-shaped step and mounting part formed by projection 31b to create a sealed connection with diaphragm 41. Id. at ¶ 32, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 18 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein the first component is a first structure of an electronic device on which the dual-diaphragm speaker is mounted, and the second component is a sound output pipe of the electronic device.”
Similarly, the Furuya reference describes mounting its speaker on a first component, like case 50, which includes a second component in the form of sound openings, or pipes, 50a. Furuya at ¶¶ 34, 35, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 19 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“further comprising: a first cover body in a sealed connection to the first diaphragm as the first component, to form the first rear cavity; and
“a second cover body in a sealed connection to the second diaphragm as the second component, to form the second front cavity, and the second front cavity is configured to communicate with a sound output pipe of an electronic device.”
Furuya similarly includes protectors 42 and 37 corresponding to the claimed first and second cover bodies since they are sealed against diaphragms 41 and 36 to create volumes and to communicate with sound outlets 50a. Furuya at ¶ 30, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 20 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein the first component is the first structure of the electronic device on which the dual-diaphragm speaker is mounted, an
“the dual-diaphragm speaker further comprises:
“a second cover body in a sealed connection to the second diaphragm as the second component, to form the second front cavity, and the second front cavity is configured to communicate with a sound output pipe of the electronic device.”
Similarly, the Furuya reference describes mounting its speaker on a first component, like case 50, which includes a second component in the form of sound openings, or pipes, 50a. Furuya at ¶¶ 34, 35, FIG.1. Furuya similarly includes protectors 42 and 37 corresponding to the claimed first and second cover bodies since they are sealed against diaphragms 41 and 36 to create volumes and to communicate with sound outlets 50a. Furuya at ¶ 30, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Obviousness
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.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Furuya.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Furuya and JP 3145100 U (published 25 September 2008) (“Ki”)3.
Claim 13 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein more than two first channels are disposed in the dual-diaphragm speaker, and the more than two first channels are disposed at a spacing in a circumferential direction of the ring-shaped housing.”
Furuya includes passage 53 to vent the rear of diaphragm 41, lowering its stiffness and improving sound output. Furuya at ¶ 12. The addition of more than two such passages around the periphery of frame 31 would have not resulted in any new and unexpected result. Rather, the addition of two passages would have predictably further reduced the stiffness of air behind diaphragm 41. MPEP § 2144.04(VI)(B). For the foregoing reasons, the Furuya reference makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 17 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein when the first voice coil and the second voice coil are connected to an alternating current, vibration directions of the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm are the same.”
Furuya does not describe connecting both voice coils 35 and 40 to the same alternating current. Rather, the Furuya reference describes using its speaker in mutually exclusive modes, such as a telephone receiver and a ringer. However, the Ki reference teaches and suggests using a dual-diaphragm speaker that is similar in structure to Furuya’s speaker to provide sound reinforcement across multiple frequency bands. The two voice coils and diaphragms are driven with inverted magnetic fields causing them to vibrate in the same direction so that the acoustic wave produced by the front of the high-frequency speaker is in-phase with the acoustic wave produced by the rear of the low-frequency speaker. Ki at Abstract, p.7, ¶ 4, p. 8, ¶ 1, FIGs.3, 5. This would have reasonably suggested employing Furuya’s speaker in a similar setting. For example, Furuya’s magnets would have opposite polarities so that diaphragm 36 and diaphragm 41 would both move up or down in phase, such that the waves produced by diaphragm 41 would be in-phase with the waves produced by diaphragm 36 when the waves generated by diaphragm 41 are emitted from passage 53. For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Furuya and the Ki references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Summary
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13 and 16–20 are rejected under at least one of 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 as being unpatentable over the cited prior art. 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 C.F.R. § 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WALTER F BRINEY III whose telephone number is (571)272-7513. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-4:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carolyn Edwards can be reached at 571-270-7136. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Walter F Briney III/
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
Walter F Briney IIIPrimary ExaminerArt Unit 2692
2/13/2026
1 This limitation corresponds to an unelected species.
2 This limitation corresponds to the elected species.
3 Citations to the text of this reference are made in connection with the machine translation provided by Applicant in the IDS filed 25 June 2025.