DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The Office Action is responsive to amendments filed for application 18/310,777 filed on 11/19/2025. Please note claims 1-3, 7-11, 14-16, and 19-20 remain in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 9, and 16 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.
Claims 1-3, 7-11, 14-16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tang et al (hereinafter Tang), US-PG-PUB 2021/0058704 in view of Liu, US-PG-PUB No. 2022/0248160, with further evidence provided by Manet et al (hereinafter Manet), US-PG-PUB No. 2012/0303933.
Regarding claim 1, Tang discloses an electronic device (A mobile terminal (e.g. mobile phone).....¶[0025], lines 1-4), comprising:
a display configured to be bent or unfolded (A foldable screen (display).....¶[0052], lines 1-3) and provide content (The screens provide video content.....¶[0053], lines 3-5);
a plurality of audio output modules, comprising circuity (The terminal includes two or more physical speakers.....¶[0023], lines 4-5), configured to output an audio signal (Speakers output sound (audio signals).....¶[0034], lines 6-8);
a main processor, comprising processing circuitry (Shown in Fig. 10, processor (1010) hardware (comprising circuitry).....¶[0099], lines 1-8); and
an audio output unit, comprising circuitry (The audio output unit comprises a speaker (comprising circuitry).....¶[0116], lines 8-10), configured to receive and process an audio signal (The audio output unit receives audio data from memory.....¶[0116], lines 1-4) from the main processor (Shown in Fig. 10, the main processor acts as an interface between the memory and the audio output unit) and to route the audio signal to the audio output modules (Audio data is converted and output (routed) by the audio output unit.....¶[0116], lines 1-4) based on audio signal routing set by the main processor (The mobile terminal (including audio routing setting and functionality) is controlled by the main processor, further detailed below.....¶[0125], lines 1-2);
wherein the main processor is configured (The processor is configured to execute a program implementing the speaker and display control methods.....¶[0128], lines 1-8), to:
set the audio signal routing to route the audio signal to the plurality of audio output modules (A stereo audio signal may be output (routed) through the first and second speakers (audio output modules), requiring the audio signal routing to be set for said plurality.....¶[0046], lines 1-3) based on a request for outputting an audio signal from a program executed by the electronic device (An application program of the device performs a sound play function (request to output an audio signal).....¶[0124], lines 4-7);
determine one or more first audio output modules from among the plurality of audio output modules for outputting the audio signal (The audio mode, which controls on (outputting the audio signal) and off (not outputting the audio signal) modes is determined based on a use state of the terminal.....¶[0034], lines 13-15, ¶[0032], lines 1-4), based on a flex state of the display (The use state is based on the folding state (flex state) of the display.....¶[0036], lines 1-4);
activate a first audio output module to output the audio signal (In a third-type mode a first speaker (first audio output module) is in a play mode (activated).....¶[0048], lines 1-4) and deactivate second audio output modules other than first audio output module (In the same third-type mode, the second speaker (second audio output module) is in an off mode (deactivated).....¶[0048]); and
based on a changing of the flex state of the display (The audio mode changes based on the folding state (flex state) of the display.....¶[0041], lines 1-11) from a first state to a second state (States include an unfolded first-type state and folded third-type state, either of which may be an initial or final (first or second) state during a transition.....¶[0042], lines 1-10) while the audio signal is output (During an audio mode switch a speaker may have an audio signal that is being output fade from strong to weak.....¶[0033], lines 2-7), determine a second number of audio output modules corresponding to the second flex state (During a state change the number of audio output modules being used is updated (determined) based on the final (second state), to one module if the final state is folded, or two modules if the final state is unfolded.....¶[0041], lines 7-11, ¶[0048], lines 1-4, ¶[0046], lines 1-3);
based on the second number of audio output modules being greater than a first number of audio output modules corresponding to the first flex state (If the flex state changes from a folded (first) state to an unfolded (second) state the corresponding number of audio output modules changes from one to two.....¶[0042], lines 1-10, ¶[0048], lines 1-4, ¶[0046], lines 1-3), activate at least one second audio output module (If the audio mode changes from third-type to first-type, the second speaker is set in a play mode (activated).....¶[0046], lines 1-3), without resetting the audio signal routing (The shift between audio-mode types is done through control of the speakers, rather than control of the audio signal routing. Additionally, state transitions may be performed smoothly, requiring the audio signal not be interrupted by a routing reset.....¶[0075], lines 12-15, ¶[0033], lines 4-7); and
based on the second number of audio output modules being less than the first number of audio output modules (If the flex state changes from an unfolded (first) state to an folded (second) state the corresponding number of audio output modules changes from two to one.....¶[0042], lines 1-10, ¶[0048], lines 1-4, ¶[0046], lines 1-3), deactivate at least one first audio output module (Moving from an unfolded first-type (first state) audio mode to the third-type disables (deactivates) a previously enabled second speaker.....¶[0048], lines 1-4, ¶[0046], lines 1-3), without resetting the audio signal routing (The shift between audio-mode types is done through control of the speakers, rather than control of the audio signal routing. Additionally, state transitions may be performed smoothly, requiring the audio signal not be interrupted by a routing reset.....¶[0075], lines 12-15, ¶[0033], lines 4-7).
Tang fails to explicitly disclose an auxiliary processor, separate from the main processor, and instead discloses an audio output unit. Although this audio output unit is capable of receiving and processing audio data (¶[0116], lines 1-3), and although the processor of Tang may include multiple processing units (¶[0125], lines 8-10), it is not explicitly disclosed that the audio output unit is comprised of such an auxiliary processor.
Liu teaches a foldable mobile terminal wherein an auxiliary processor (An application processor.....¶[0052], lines 1-3), comprising processing circuitry (The processor may be integrated into one of a plurality of processors comprising hardware (and therefore circuitry).....¶[0052], lines 7-9, ¶[0054], lines 1-2), is configured to receive and process an audio signal from a main processor (If the application processor is an independent processor in a plurality of processors, then the remaining processing circuitry may be considered a main processor) and to route the audio signal to the audio output modules (The application processor processes audio information to output a sound signal by using an audio device (output module).....¶[0069], lines 11-12) based on audio signal routing set (An updating module (503) updates (sets) a sound configuration parameter group (routing) from the devices enabled in a first state to the devices enabled in a second state.....¶[0213], lines 1-3, ¶[0041], lines 3-10) by the main processor (The updating function may be performed by one or more processors, comprising a main processor.....¶[0222], line 14 – ¶[0223], line 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Tang with Liu, to provide the benefits of processing distributed amongst multiple processors, such as optimized power efficiency and speed (The method of implementing multiple processors in a mobile device is known as a heterogenous multicore approach, known for its improved power efficiency by assigning high-power applications to specialized high-power processors, and low-power applications to specialized low-power processors…..Manet, ¶[0011]). Such a modification would make obvious wherein the audio output unit of Tang is provided to an auxiliary processor, comprising processing circuitry, separate from the main processor and configured to receive and process an audio signal from the main processor and to route the audio signal to the audio output modules based on audio signal routing set by the main processor.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tang and Liu, as explained above, discloses the electronic device of claim 1.
Tang additionally discloses wherein the display is configured to provide content as the display is folded around a folding axis (The screen may be in a display state (providing content) when it’s folded as shown in Fig. 5.....¶[0037], lines 1-7).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Tang and Liu, as explained above, discloses the electronic device of claim 1.
Tang additionally discloses wherein the display is configured to provide content as one end thereof is unfolded (The screen may be in a display state (providing content) when it’s unfolded as shown in Fig. 2.....¶[0037], lines 1-7).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tang and Liu, as explained above, discloses the electronic device of claim 1.
Tang additionally discloses wherein the first flex state is a state in which the display is unfolded, and the second flex state is a state in which a portion of the display is bent (As explained in the rejection of claim 1, the transition from first to second state may be a transition from an unfolded to folded state).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Tang and Liu, as explained above, discloses the electronic device of claim 1.
Tang additionally discloses wherein the second flex state is a state in which the display is unfolded, and the first flex state is a state in which a portion of the display is bent (As explained in the rejection of claim 1, the transition from first to second state may be a transition from a folded to unfolded state).
Claim 9 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 1, as the methods recited therein are encompassed by the functions of the apparatus of claim 1.
Claim 10 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 2.
Claim 11 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 3.
Claim 14 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 7.
Claim 15 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 16 recites the same function as recited in claim 1 and as taught in the rejection of claim 1 by the combination of Tang and Liu as disclosed above.
Regarding the additional limitations of claim 16, Tang additionally teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which (A software program may be stored on non-volatile computer-readable memory.....¶[0124], lines 1-13), when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising (The processor of the electronic device is configured to execute a program implementing the speaker and display control methods.....¶[0128], lines 1-8).
Claim 19 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 7.
Claim 20 is rejected under the same grounds as claim 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Le Nerriec et al, US-PG-PUB No. 2016/0212534 teaches a system wherein a digital signal processor provides audio output to a multitude of loudspeakers based on instructions from a processor (Fig. 5, ¶[0070]).
Brockmole et al, US PG-PUB No. 2016/0203811 teaches a system in which loudspeakers transitions enable and disable audio output seamlessly.
Zheng et al, US-PG-PUB No. 2018/0278735 teaches a mobile terminal wherein an audio signal is routed to two speakers, and during a detected state change, the speaker being powered changes with an overlap period to prevent interruption.
Kim et al, US Patent No. 6751446 teaches a flip phone wherein a second speaker is enabled downstream of a codec based on a flex state of the device.
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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/SEAN M RINEHART/Examiner, Art Unit 2694
/Daniel R Sellers/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
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