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
1. The amendment filed August 25, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-6, 8-10, 17-25, and 27-42 are pending in the application. Claims 7 and 26 are cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
3. Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10, 17-19, 34, 37, and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0159402 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi") in view of Boehm et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0373473 A1, hereinafter "Boehm").
Regarding Claim 1, Magariyachi teaches an apparatus for audio signal transformation (apparatus for audio signal transformation 11, Fig. 21, Para. [0423]; see also Abstract), comprising:
a determination unit configured for determining, using spherical harmonics information (order determination unit 201 for limiting the order of the rotation matrix R′(g.sub.t), Fig. 21, Para. [0425]; i.e. uses spherical harmonics information; see also Paras. [0431] - [0437])),
a transformation rule for transforming an audio input signal (order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]; see also Paras. [0431] - [0437]); and
a transformation unit (transformation unit comprising rotation operation unit 24 and synthesis unit 27, Fig. 21, Para. [0423]) configured for transforming, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain, to acquire a transformed audio signal being represented in the first domain (rotation operation unit rotates a head-related transfer function of a spherical harmonic domain by the operation in which the rotation matrix is limited by the order, and synthesis unit generates a headphone drive signal by synthesizing the head-related transfer function after rotation obtained by the operation with a sound signal in the spherical harmonic domain, Para. [0016]),
wherein the spherical harmonics information comprises information on a plurality of spherical harmonics and/or comprises information being represented in the spherical harmonics domain (rotation operation unit rotates a head-related transfer function of a spherical harmonic domain by the operation in which the rotation matrix is limited by the order, and synthesis unit generates a headphone drive signal by synthesizing the head-related transfer function after rotation obtained by the operation with a sound signal in the spherical harmonic domain, Para. [0016]),
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the transformation rule such that the transformation rule is configured to implement a spatial rotation of the audio input signal within the first domain, (order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]), and
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal, by conducting the spatial rotation of the audio input signal to acquire the transformed audio signal (rotation operation unit rotates a head-related transfer function of a spherical harmonic domain by the operation in which the rotation matrix is limited by the order, and synthesis unit generates a headphone drive signal by synthesizing the head-related transfer function after rotation obtained by the operation with a sound signal in the spherical harmonic domain, Para. [0016]).
Magariyachi fails to explicitly teach a transformation rule for transforming an audio input signal within a first domain, being different from a spherical harmonics domain;
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain to acquire the transformed audio signal being represented in the first domain.
However, Boehm teaches a transformation rule for transforming an audio input signal within a first domain, being different from a spherical harmonics domain (rendering of channel based content is given by 1=c.sub.b.sup.TD.sup.TDc.sub.b, (equation 4), where vector c.sub.b contains the panning weights used within content creation and Matrix D the generalized rendering matrix (also called decoding matrix) [transformation rule], Paras. [0038] and [0039]; i.e. channel based transformation different from the spherical harmonics domain);
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain to acquire the transformed audio signal being represented in the first domain (rendering of channel based content is given by 1=c.sub.b.sup.TD.sup.TDc.sub.b, (equation 4), where vector c.sub.b contains the panning weights used within content creation and Matrix D the generalized rendering matrix (also called decoding matrix) [transformation rule], Paras. [0038] and [0039]; i.e. transformation is done within the same domain (channel based transformation)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio signal transformation apparatus (as taught by Magariyachi) to include the transformation rule to transform audio within the same domain different from the spherical harmonics domain (as taught by Boehm). Doing so maintains loudness consistency for the audio signal.
Regarding Claim 2, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the audio input signal and the transformed audio signal are represented in the first domain, being a spatial domain, which is different from the spherical harmonics domain (Boehm, rendering of channel based content is given by 1=c.sub.b.sup.TD.sup.TDc.sub.b, (equation 4), where vector c.sub.b contains the panning weights used within content creation and Matrix D the generalized rendering matrix (also called decoding matrix) [transformation rule], Paras. [0038] and [0039]; i.e. channel based transformation operates within the spatial domain and it is different from the spherical harmonics domain).
Regarding Claim 3, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the first domain is an equivalent spatial domain (Boehm, rendering of channel based content is given by 1=c.sub.b.sup.TD.sup.TDc.sub.b, (equation 4), where vector c.sub.b contains the panning weights used within content creation and Matrix D the generalized rendering matrix (also called decoding matrix) [transformation rule], Paras. [0038] and [0039]; i.e. channel based transformation is defined in the equivalent spatial domain).
Regarding Claim 4, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the transformation rule comprises transformation information, wherein the transformation information comprises one or more transformation matrices and/or a plurality of transformation vectors and/or a plurality of coefficients for transforming the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain to acquire the transformed audio signal, being represented in the first domain (Magariyachi, the rotation operation unit 24 performs a rotation operation on the basis of the rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) supplied from the rotation matrix operation unit 23 and the row vector H′(g.sub.t-1.sup.−1, ω) retained in the rotation coefficient retention unit 25, Para. [0258]),
wherein the transformation information depends on the plurality of spherical harmonics (Magariyachi, the rotation operation unit 24 performs a rotation operation on the basis of the rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) supplied from the rotation matrix operation unit 23 and the row vector H′(g.sub.t-1.sup.−1, ω) retained in the rotation coefficient retention unit 25, Para. [0258]).
Regarding Claim 5, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the transformation information depends on transformation information for transforming audio content in the spherical harmonics domain (Magariyachi, rotation operation unit rotates a head-related transfer function of a spherical harmonic domain by the operation in which the rotation matrix is limited by the order, and synthesis unit generates a headphone drive signal by synthesizing the head-related transfer function after rotation obtained by the operation with a sound signal in the spherical harmonic domain, Para. [0016]).
Regarding Claim 6, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the transformation information for transforming audio content in the spherical harmonics domain comprises one or more transformation matrices and/or a plurality of transformation vectors and/or a plurality of coefficients for transforming the audio content in the spherical harmonics domain (Magariyachi, the rotation operation unit 24 performs a rotation operation on the basis of the rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) supplied from the rotation matrix operation unit 23 and the row vector H′(g.sub.t-1.sup.−1, ω) retained in the rotation coefficient retention unit 25, Para. [0258]).
Regarding Claim 8, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the transformation rule by determining a rotation matrix or a plurality of rotation vectors or a plurality of coefficients of the rotation matrix within the spherical harmonics domain, and by converting the rotation matrix of the plurality of rotation vectors or the plurality of coefficients of the rotation matrix from the spherical harmonics domain into the first domain (Magariyachi, rotation operation unit rotates a head-related transfer function of a spherical harmonic domain by the operation in which the rotation matrix is limited by the order, and synthesis unit generates a headphone drive signal by synthesizing the head-related transfer function after rotation obtained by the operation with a sound signal in the spherical harmonic domain, Para. [0016]).
Regarding Claim 9, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the transformation rule by determining a rotation matrix or a plurality of rotation vectors or a plurality of coefficients of the rotation matrix directly within the first domain without converting rotation information from the spherical harmonics domain into the first domain (Boehm, rendering of channel based content is given by 1=c.sub.b.sup.TD.sup.TDc.sub.b, (equation 4), where vector c.sub.b contains the panning weights used within content creation and Matrix D the generalized rendering matrix (also called decoding matrix) [transformation rule], Paras. [0038] and [0039]).
Regarding Claim 10, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the determination unit is configured to transform the plurality of spatial directions to acquire a plurality of transformed directions of the first domain (Magariyachi, order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]), and
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the transformation rule such that the transformation rule depends on information on the plurality of spherical harmonics for the plurality of transformed directions (Magariyachi, order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]).
Regarding Claim 17, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a transformation input (Magariyachi, order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]),
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine the transformation rule for transforming an audio input signal within the first domain depending on the transformation input (Magariyachi, order determination unit 201 determines the order k to limit the rotation operation on the basis of the supplied specification information and the head rotation information supplied from the head rotation sensor unit 21, and supplies a determination result thereof to the rotation matrix operation unit 23, Para. [0426]).
Regarding Claim 18, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the transformation rule comprises a first transformation matrix (Magariyachi, rotation g.sub.t-1 of the head of the listener at time (t−1), Para. [0218]),
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine a further transformation rule comprising a further transformation matrix (Magariyachi, rotation g.sub.t of the head of the listener at time t, Para. [0218]), and
wherein the determination unit is configured to determine an interpolated transformation matrix by interpolating between the first transformation matrix and the further transformation matrix (Magariyachi, rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) that is a synthesis of the rotation matrix R′(u(Δα.sub.t)), the rotation matrix R′(a(Δβ.sub.t)), and the rotation matrix R′(u(Δγ.sub.t)) is a rotation matrix that performs rotation by an angle (difference Δg.sub.t) of a difference between the rotation g.sub.t of the head of the listener at time t and the rotation g.sub.t-1 of the head of the listener at time (t−1), Para. [0218]).
Regarding Claim 19, Magariyachi in view of Boehm teach wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a binauralization processing to the transformed audio signal, being represented in the first domain, to acquire a binaural output (Magariyachi, a binaural reproduction signal reflecting the rotation of the head of the listener using the rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1), Para. [0118]).
Regarding Claim 34, it is similarly rejected as Claim 1. The decoder can be found in Magariyachi (Fig. 1, Para. [0066]).
Regarding Claim 37, it is similarly rejected as Claim 1. The method can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Abstract).
Regarding Claim 40, it is similarly rejected as Claim 1. The non-transitory digital storage medium can be found in Magariyachi (Fig. 31, Para. [0548]).
4. Claim(s) 23, 25, 27, 29, 33, 36, 39, and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0052990 A1, hereinafter "Boehm'990") in view of Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0069118 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi'118").
Regarding Claim 23, Boehm'990 teaches an apparatus for audio signal transformation (device for applying DRC gain factors to a HOA signal, Fig. 8, Para. [0050], see also Abstract), comprising:
a first conversion unit (a processor or one or more processing elements of device for applying DRC gain factors to a HOA signal, Para. [0050])configured for converting an audio input signal from a first domain into an equivalent spatial domain (transforming HOA signal into the spatial domain [equivalent spatial domain], Para. [0050]),
wherein the first domain is different from the equivalent spatial domain (HOA domain is different from the equivalent spatial domain, Para. [0050]);
a transformation unit (a processor or one or more processing elements of device for applying DRC gain factors to a HOA signal, Para. [0050]) configured for transforming the audio input signal, being represented in the equivalent spatial domain, depending on a transformation rule within the equivalent spatial domain to acquire a transformed audio signal, being represented in the equivalent spatial domain (HOA signal is converted into the equivalent spatial domain using iDSHT with a transform matrix obtained from spherical positions of virtual loudspeakers and quadrature gains q, and then transformed in the equivalent spatial domain by multiplying with the gain factors to obtain a dynamic range compressed transformed HOA signal, Para. [0050]),
and a second conversion unit (a processor or one or more processing elements of device for applying DRC gain factors to a HOA signal, Para. [0050]) for converting the transformed audio signal from the equivalent spatial domain into the first domain (the transformed equivalent spatial domain audio signal is converted back into the HOA domain, Para. [0050]).
Boehm'990 fails to explicitly teach wherein the transformation rule is configured to implement a spatial rotation of the audio input signal, and
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal by conducting the spatial rotation of the audio input signal.
However, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the transformation rule is configured to implement a spatial rotation of the audio input signal (signal rotation unit 131 uses the selected rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1) to rotate [spatial rotation] the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(ω) supplied from the outside by g.sub.j that is the amount of rotation of the head of the listener and supplies the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(g.sub.j, ω) obtained as a result of the rotation to the head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Para. [0188]), and
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal by conducting the spatial rotation of the audio input signal (head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio signal transformation apparatus (as taught by Boehm'990) to include the transformation rule to transform audio by implementing spatial rotation (as taught by Magariyachi'118). Doing so sound can be efficiently reproduced (Magariyachi'118 Para. [0027]).
Regarding Claim 25, Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118 teach wherein the transformation rule comprises transformation information, wherein the transformation information comprises one or more transformation matrices and/or a plurality of transformation vectors and/or a plurality of coefficients for transforming the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain to acquire the transformed audio signal (Magariyachi'118, head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
Regarding Claim 27, Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the transformation rule is configured to implement a spatial rotation of the audio input signal (Magariyachi'118, signal rotation unit 131 uses the selected rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1) to rotate [spatial rotation] the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(ω) supplied from the outside by g.sub.j that is the amount of rotation of the head of the listener and supplies the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(g.sub.j, ω) obtained as a result of the rotation to the head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Para. [0188]), and
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal by conducting the spatial rotation of the audio input signal (Magariyachi'118, head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
Regarding Claim 29, Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118 teach wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a transformation input (Magariyachi'118, signal rotation unit 131 uses the selected rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1) to rotate [spatial rotation] the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(ω) supplied from the outside by g.sub.j that is the amount of rotation of the head of the listener and supplies the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(g.sub.j, ω) obtained as a result of the rotation to the head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Para. [0188]),
wherein the transformation unit is configured for transforming an audio input signal depending on the transformation input (Magariyachi'118, head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
Regarding Claim 33, Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118 teach wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a binauralization processing to the transformed audio signal, being represented in the first domain, to acquire a binaural output (Magariyachi'118, a binaural reproduction signal reflecting the rotation of the head of the listener by using the rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1), Para. [0170]).
Regarding Claim 36, it is similarly rejected as Claim 23. The decoder can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Fig. 1, Para. [0078]).
Regarding Claim 39, it is similarly rejected as Claim 23. The method can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Abstract).
5. Claim(s) 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0069118 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi'118") in view of Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0159402 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi").
Regarding Claim 30, Magariyachi'118 fails to explicitly teach wherein the transformation unit is configured to determine an interpolated transformation matrix by interpolating between the first transformation matrix and the further transformation matrix.
Magariyachi teaches wherein the transformation unit is configured to determine an interpolated transformation matrix by interpolating between the first transformation matrix and the further transformation matrix (rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) that is a synthesis of the rotation matrix R′(u(Δα.sub.t)), the rotation matrix R′(a(Δβ.sub.t)), and the rotation matrix R′(u(Δγ.sub.t)) is a rotation matrix that performs rotation by an angle (difference Δg.sub.t) of a difference between the rotation g.sub.t of the head of the listener at time t and the rotation g.sub.t-1 of the head of the listener at time (t−1), Para. [0218]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio signal transformation apparatus (as taught by Magariyachi'118) to include the interpolated transformation matrix (as taught by Magariyachi). Doing so ensures a continuous transition, eliminating audible clicks or noise.
6. Claim(s) 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0052990 A1, hereinafter "Boehm'990") in view of Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0069118 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi'118"), and further in view of in view of Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0159402 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi").
Regarding Claim 31, Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118 fail to explicitly teach wherein the transformation unit is configured to determine an interpolated transformation matrix by interpolating between the first transformation matrix and the further transformation matrix.
However, Magariyachi teaches wherein the transformation unit is configured to determine an interpolated transformation matrix by interpolating between the first transformation matrix and the further transformation matrix (rotation matrix R′(Δg.sub.t) that is a synthesis of the rotation matrix R′(u(Δα.sub.t)), the rotation matrix R′(a(Δβ.sub.t)), and the rotation matrix R′(u(Δγ.sub.t)) is a rotation matrix that performs rotation by an angle (difference Δg.sub.t) of a difference between the rotation g.sub.t of the head of the listener at time t and the rotation g.sub.t-1 of the head of the listener at time (t−1), Para. [0218]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio signal transformation apparatus (as taught by Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118) to include the interpolated transformation matrix (as taught by Magariyachi). Doing so ensures a continuous transition, eliminating audible clicks or noise.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. Claim(s) 20-22, 24, 28, 32, 35, 38, and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Magariyachi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0069118 A1, hereinafter "Magariyachi'118").
Regarding Claim 20, Magariyachi'118 teaches an apparatus for audio signal transformation (apparatus for audio signal transformation 121, Fig. 12 Para. [0185]; see also Abstract), comprising:
a first conversion unit configured for converting an audio input signal from a first domain into a spherical harmonics domain (spherical harmonic function conversion is performed to compose an input signal that is a sound signal and the head-related transfer function in a spherical harmonic domain without decoding the input signal into a speaker array signal. The spherical harmonic function conversion for a function f(θ, ϕ) on the spherical coordinates is given in formula 1, Paras. [0065] - [0067]; i.e a first conversion unit will be needed),
wherein the first domain is different from the spherical harmonics domain (spherical harmonic function conversion is performed to compose an input signal that is a sound signal and the head-related transfer function in a spherical harmonic domain without decoding the input signal into a speaker array signal, Para. [0065]; i.e. the first domain is different from the spherical harmonic domain);
a transformation unit (a head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]) configured for transforming the audio input signal, being represented in the spherical harmonics domain, depending on a transformation rule within the spherical harmonics domain to acquire a transformed audio signal, and being represented in the spherical harmonics domain (head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]),
wherein the transformation rule is configured to implement a spatial rotation of the audio input signal (signal rotation unit 131 uses the selected rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1) to rotate [spatial rotation] the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(ω) supplied from the outside by g.sub.j that is the amount of rotation of the head of the listener and supplies the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(g.sub.j, ω) obtained as a result of the rotation to the head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Para. [0188]), and
wherein the transformation unit is configured to transform, using the transformation rule, the audio input signal by conducting the spatial rotation of the audio input signal (head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]); and
a second conversion unit for converting the transformed audio signal from the spherical harmonics domain into the first domain (the time-frequency inverse conversion unit 94 performs time-frequency inverse conversion of the drive signals in the time-frequency domain supplied from the head-related transfer function composition unit 93 for each of the left and right headphones to obtain a drive signal P.sub.l(g.sub.j, t) of the left headphone in the time domain and a drive signal P.sub.r(g.sub.j, t) of the right headphone in the time domain and outputs the drive signals to a later stage, Para. [0149]).
Regarding Claim 21, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the first domain is a spatial domain, which is different from the spherical harmonics domain (spherical harmonic function conversion is performed to compose an input signal that is a sound signal and the head-related transfer function in a spherical harmonic domain without decoding the input signal into a speaker array signal. The spherical harmonic function conversion for a function f(θ, ϕ) [spatial domain] on the spherical coordinates is given in formula 1, Paras. [0065] - [0067]).
Regarding Claim 22, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the first domain is an equivalent spatial domain, which is different from the spherical harmonics domain (spherical harmonic function conversion is performed to compose an input signal that is a sound signal and the head-related transfer function in a spherical harmonic domain without decoding the input signal into a speaker array signal. The spherical harmonic function conversion for a function f(θ, ϕ) [equivalent spatial domain] on the spherical coordinates is given in formula 1, Paras. [0065] - [0067]).
Regarding Claim 24, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the transformation rule comprises transformation information, wherein the transformation information comprises one or more transformation matrices and/or a plurality of transformation vectors and/or a plurality of coefficients for transforming the audio input signal, being represented in the first domain to acquire the transformed audio signal (head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
Regarding Claim 28, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the apparatus is configured to receive a transformation input (signal rotation unit 131 uses the selected rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1) to rotate [spatial rotation] the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(ω) supplied from the outside by g.sub.j that is the amount of rotation of the head of the listener and supplies the input signal D′.sub.n.sup.m(g.sub.j, ω) obtained as a result of the rotation to the head-related transfer function composition unit 132, Para. [0188]),
wherein the transformation unit is configured for transforming an audio input signal depending on the transformation input (head-related transfer function composition unit 132 composes an input signal in a spherical harmonic domain, a head-related transfer function in the spherical harmonic domain, and the third rotation matrix to generate a headphone drive signal, Fig. 12, Paras. [0017] and [0192]).
Regarding Claim 24, Magariyachi'118 teaches wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a binauralization processing to the transformed audio signal, being represented in the first domain, to acquire a binaural output (a binaural reproduction signal reflecting the rotation of the head of the listener by using the rotation matrix R′(g.sub.j.sup.−1), Para. [0170]).
Regarding Claim 35, it is similarly rejected as Claim 20. The decoder can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Fig. 1, Para. [0078]).
Regarding Claim 38, it is similarly rejected as Claim 20. The method can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Abstract).
Regarding Claim 41, it is similarly rejected as Claim 20. The non-transitory digital storage medium can be found in Magariyachi'118 (Fig. 35, Para. [0372]).
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 11-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
10. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 20, 23, and 34-41 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejections does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10, 17-19, 34, 37, and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi in view of Boehm.
The rejections of Claim(s) 1-6, 8-10, 17-19, 34, 37, and 40 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi in view of Boehm are maintained.
Claim(s) 23, 25, 27, 29, 33, 36, 39, and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm'990" in view of Magariyachi'118".
The rejections of Claim(s) 23, 25, 27, 29, 33, 36, 39, and 42 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm'990" in view of Magariyachi'118" are maintained.
Claim(s) 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi'118" in view of Magariyachi.
The rejection of Claim(s) 30 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Magariyachi'118" in view of Magariyachi is maintained.
Claim(s) 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118", and further in view of Magariyachi.
The rejection of Claim(s) 30 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boehm'990 in view of Magariyachi'118", and further in view of Magariyachi is maintained.
Claim(s) 20-22, 24, 28, 32, 35, 38, and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Magariyachi'118".
The rejections of Claim(s) 20-22, 24, 28, 32, 35, 38, and 41 under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Magariyachi'118" are maintained.
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHIMEZIE E BEKEE whose telephone number is (571)272-0202. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7.30-5.
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/CHIMEZIE EZERIWE BEKEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2691
/DUC NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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