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 Request for Continued Examination
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/12/2026 has been entered.
The response filed on 4/16/2026 has been entered and made of record. Claims 1-19 are amended. Claims 1-20 are pending.
The previous rejections of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 102 and 35 USC 103 are maintained, but have been updated as necessitated by the amendments.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Drawings
The drawings filed 6/14/2023 were accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 3-5, 10, 12-14, and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Scott (US20150256575A1; filed 3/5/2014).
With regards to claim 1, Scott discloses A first playback device comprising: one or more processors (Scott, paragraph 14: “a user device (e.g., a smart phone);” paragraph 58: “Device 1000 may include bus 1010, processor 1010, memory 1020, input component 1030, output component 1040, and communication interface 1060”);
an audio output interface operably connected to the one or more processors and configured to output audio (Scott, paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker”);
one or more communication interfaces operably connected to the one or more processors and configured to facilitate communication over at least one network (Scott, paragraph 61: “Communication interface 1060 may include a wireless communication device, such as an infrared (“IR”) receiver, a Bluetooth® radio, a Wi-Fi radio, a cellular radio, or the like.”);
a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory operably connected to the one or more processors (Scott, paragraph 58: “Device 1000 may include bus 1010, processor 1010, memory 1020”); and
program instructions stored on the tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein the program instructions are executable by the one or more processors (Scott, paragraph 59: “Memory 1020 may include any type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processor 1010”) such that the first playback device is configured to:
receive an audio stream via a first wireless network (Scott, Fig. 5: 520 Receive content stream from a cellular network; paragraph 42: “The content stream may include a content stream transmitted from CDSs 250 to user device 205. The content stream may include, for example, a video or audio stream”);
play back, via the audio output interface, audio content based on the audio stream (Scott, paragraph 16: “As illustrated, a content stream, such as a video stream, may be provided to a user device (user device_1) through the RAN of the cellular wireless network;” paragraph 18: “user device_1 is viewing the content stream;” paragraph 42: “The content stream may include, for example, a video or audio stream”);
while receiving the audio stream via the first wireless network, transmit an indication of availability of the audio stream (Scott, Fig. 5: 530 Transmit indication of the received content to other user devices in the ad hoc network; paragraph 16: “User device_1 may inform the other user devices that content is being streamed to the user device and is available for viewing at the other user devices.”);
detect a request, from a second playback device, to play back the audio stream (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device;” Fig. 5: 540 Receive request for content from other user devices);
establish a second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “an ad hoc network based on a short range wireless standard, e.g. Bluetooth or WiFi, in which the user devices directly communicate with one another”);
after detecting the request, transmit authentication information for the second wireless network to the second playback device (Scott, paragraph 17: “before providing the content to user device_2, user device_1 may authenticate user device_2, such as by verifying that user device_2 is eligible to receive the content. Alternatively or additionally, in some implementations, authenticating user device_2 may include determining that user device_2 also obtains telecommunications services from the telecommunications provider associated with user device_1”);
after transmitting the authentication information, detect that the second playback device has joined the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “Through the ad hoc network, the various user devices may discover and communicate with one another.” Paragraph 19: “the creation of the ad hoc network and/or the forwarding of the content may be initiated based on common membership in social networks associated with the user device and the other user devices;” The creation and/or enabling of the forwarding of content in this implementation is caused by the authentications of both the first and second device); and
transmit the audio stream to the second playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device;” Fig. 5: 550 Transmit requested content over the ad hoc network).
With regards to claim 3, which depends on claim 1, Scott discloses cause synchronous playback of the audio content based on the audio stream on both the first playback device and the second playback device (Scott, paragraph 52: “As was previously mentioned, in some implementations, content shared over ad hoc network 260 may be “live” streaming content that is not buffered, or not significantly buffered by the receiving device. In this situation, the transmitting user device and the receiving user device may simultaneously view the same content.”).
With regards to claim 4, which depends on claim 1, Scott discloses the first playback device is configured to: detect a first response to the indication of availability of the audio stream (Scott, paragraph 44: “Process 500 may include receiving a request for content from other user devices 205 in ad hoc network 260 (block 540)”);
establish the second wireless network such that the first playback device is operating as a network access point (Scott, fig. 1: User device_1 is shown as distributing the content stream to the other devices in the ad hoc network, which makes it the network access point);
operably connect to the second playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, fig. 1: User device_1 is shown as being connected to the other devices in the ad hoc network);
detect a second response to the indication of availability of the audio stream (Scott, Fig. 1: User Device_1 is shown being connected to multiple other user devices; paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device”);
operably connect to a third playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device”); and
transmit the audio stream to the third playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device”).
With regards to claim 5, which depends on claim 4, Scott discloses the first playback device is configured to cause synchronous playback of the audio content based on the audio stream on both the first playback device and the third playback device (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device;” paragraph 52: “As was previously mentioned, in some implementations, content shared over ad hoc network 260 may be “live” streaming content that is not buffered, or not significantly buffered by the receiving device. In this situation, the transmitting user device and the receiving user device may simultaneously view the same content.”).
With regards to claim 10, which depends on claim 1, Scott discloses wherein the second wireless network comprises an 802.11 network (Scott, paragraph 14: “ad hoc network via a short range local wireless connections (e.g., Bluetooth® or WiFi connections);” WiFi connections are 802.11 networks).
With regards to claim 12, which depends on claim 1, Scott discloses wherein the second wireless network comprises one or more of a WIFI network, a BLUETOOTH network, a Z-Wave network, or a ZIGBEE network (Scott, paragraph 14: “ad hoc network via a short range local wireless connections (e.g., Bluetooth® or WiFi connections)”).
Claim 13 recites substantially similar limitations to claim 1 and is thus rejected along the same rationale.
Claim 14 recites substantially similar limitations to claim 4 and is thus rejected along the same rationale.
With regards to claim 16, which depends on claim 13, Scott discloses detecting, at a physical interface of the first playback device comprising at least one push-button (Scott, paragraph 60: “Input component 1030 may include a mechanism that permits an operator to input information to device 1000, such as a keyboard, a keypad, a button, a switch, etc.”) and at least one visual indicator (Scott, paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker, one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), etc”), at least one user input (Scott, paragraph 60: “a mechanism that permits an operator to input information to device 1000”).
With regards to claim 17, Scott discloses A media playback system comprising: a first playback device comprising (Scott, Fig. 10: Device 1000):
one or more first processors (Scott, Fig. 10: processor 1020);
a first audio output interface operably connected to the one or more first processors and configured to output first audio (Scott, Fig. 10: Output component is connected to the processor; paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker”);
one or more first communication interfaces operably connected to the one or more first processors (Scott, Fig. 10: Communication interface 1060) and configured to facilitate communication over at least one network (Scott, paragraph 61: “Communication interface 1060 may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables device 1000 to communicate with other devices and/or systems”);
a first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory operably connected to the one or more first processors (Scott, Fig. 10: Memory 1030); and
first program instructions stored on the first tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein the first program instructions are executable by the one or more first processors such that the first playback device is configured to: receive an audio stream from an external device via a first wireless network (Scott, paragraph 42: “The content stream may include a content stream transmitted from CDSs 250 to user device 205. The content stream may include, for example, a video or audio stream”);
play back, via the first audio output interface, audio content based on the audio stream (Scott, paragraph 18: “user device_1 is viewing the content stream;” paragraph 42: “The content stream may include, for example, a video or audio stream”);
while receiving the audio stream via the first wireless network, transmit an indication of availability of the audio stream (Scott, Fig. 5: 530 Transmit indication of the received content to other user devices in the ad hoc network; paragraph 16: “User device_1 may inform the other user devices that content is being streamed to the user device and is available for viewing at the other user devices.”);
detect a request, from a second playback device, to play back the audio stream (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device;” Fig. 5: 540 Receive request for content from other user devices);
establish a second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “an ad hoc network based on a short range wireless standard, e.g. Bluetooth or WiFi, in which the user devices directly communicate with one another”);
after detecting the request, transmit authentication information for the second wireless network to the second playback device (Scott, paragraph 17: “before providing the content to user device_2, user device_1 may authenticate user device_2, such as by verifying that user device_2 is eligible to receive the content. Alternatively or additionally, in some implementations, authenticating user device_2 may include determining that user device_2 also obtains telecommunications services from the telecommunications provider associated with user device_1”);
after transmitting the authentication information, detect that the second playback device has joined the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “Through the ad hoc network, the various user devices may discover and communicate with one another.”); and
transmit the audio stream to the second playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, paragraph 16: “In response to one of the other user devices (i.e., user device_2, user device_3, or user device_4) indicating a desire to view the content, user device_1 may begin to stream the content, over the ad hoc network, and to the destination user device;” Fig. 5: 550 Transmit requested content over the ad hoc network; and
the second playback device (Scott, Fig. 1: User devices 2-4 are the same type of device as User Device 1, so Fig. 10 also represents those devices) comprising: one or more second processors (Scott, Fig. 10: processor 1020);
a second audio output interface operably connected to the one or more second processors and configured to output second audio (Scott, Fig. 10: Output component is connected to the processor; paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker”);
one or more second communication interfaces operably connected to the one or more second processors and configured to facilitate communication (Scott, paragraph 61: “Communication interface 1060 may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables device 1000 to communicate with other devices and/or systems”);
a second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory operably connected to the one or more second processors (Scott, Fig. 10: Memory 1030); and
second program instructions stored on the second tangible, non-transitory computer-readable memory, wherein the second program instructions are executable by the one or more second processors such that the second playback device is configured to: detect the indication of availability of the audio stream from the first playback device (Scott, Fig. 6: 620 Receive indication of content that is available through the ad hoc network; see paragraph 48 for more details),
transmit a response to the indication of availability of the audio stream to the first playback device (Scott, Fig. 6: 640 Transmit request to receive content to the sharing user device; see paragraph 51 for more details),
join the second wireless network (Scott, Fig. 6: 610 Discover other user devices as part of an ad hoc network; the claim does not suggest nor require an order in which these steps take place), and receive the audio stream from the first playback device via the second wireless network (Scott, Fig. 6: 640 Receive and present requested content; also see paragraph 51).
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Chang (US20020168938A1; filed 5/10/2001).
With regards to claim 2, which depends on claim 1, Scott does not disclose the first playback device is configured to establish the second wireless network after receipt of the request from the second playback device to play back the audio stream.
However, Chang teaches the first playback device is configured to establish the second wireless network after receipt of the request from the second playback device to play back the audio stream (Chang, paragraph 10: “sending a first message from the first apparatus to a public channel; scanning the public channel and receiving the first message to the second apparatus; responding to the first apparatus by sending a second message from the second apparatus to direct the first apparatus to a private channel;” the establishment of the second network is interpreted as the use of the private channel for communication between the two devices).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Chang such that the network between the first and second playback devices is established after the second devices requests the audio stream transmission. This would have enabled local listeners to discover each other to share the audio streams (Chang, paragraph 8: “Two or more listeners in local proximity allowed by short-range wireless transmission can participate and listen to the same song at the same time. Moreover, the present invention allows listeners in the transmission range to discover each other through profile matching”).
Claim(s) 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Gatta et al (US20060221915A1; filed 3/31/2005) and Morganstern et al (US20190179602A1; filed 2/15/2019).
With regards to claim 6, which depends on claim 1, Scott discloses a physical interface integrated into a housing of the first playback device (Scott, Fig. 10: Device and its basic components are shown) and operably connected to the one or more processors (Scott, Fig. 10, Processor 1020), wherein the physical interface is configured to detect user input, the physical interface comprising at least one push-button (Scott, paragraph 60: “Input component 1030 may include a mechanism that permits an operator to input information to device 1000, such as a keyboard, a keypad, a button, a switch, etc.”) and at least one visual indicator (Scott, paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker, one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), etc”), and
wherein the program instructions further comprise instructions that are executable by the one or more processors such that the first playback device is configured to: … establish… the second wireless network such that the first playback device is operating as a network access point (Scott, fig. 1: User device_1 is shown as distributing the content stream to the other devices in the ad hoc network, which makes it the network access point); and
update the indication of availability of the audio stream to indicate that the first playback device is operating as the network access point (Scott, paragraph 48: “the user may be notified, such as via a visual or audible notification, that content is available for streaming over ad hoc network 260;” paragraph 49: “The user may select the message (e.g., via a touch interface) to obtain additional information relating to the content. An example of additional information is illustrated in window 730. In this example, window 730 includes a title of the content (“Football Highlights, Week 1”), identification of the user device that is sharing the content (“from device: BillS”);” Fig. 7: the interface indicates which device is sharing the content).
However, Scott does not disclose detect a first user input at the physical interface, wherein the first user input comprises a first push and hold input to the at least one push-button;
establish, in response to the first user input, the second wireless network.
Gatta et al teaches establish, in response to the first user input, the second wireless network (Gatta et al, paragraph 47: “a method for setting up an ad hoc network on a computing device is shown in FIG. 5, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.” Paragraphs 48-50 describe a user creating a network, either manually or automatically, using a user interface; paragraph 53: “FIGS. 8-11 are examples of graphical user interfaces through which users can create an ad hoc network with an option of sharing an internet connection, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention”)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Gatta et al such that a user can manually establish the second wireless network. This would have enabled users to quickly and easily set up a network (Gatta et al, paragraph 5: “The ability to quickly and easily set up an ad hoc wireless network is desirable in a number of scenarios.”).
Morganstern et al teaches detect a first user input at the physical interface, wherein the first user input comprises a first push and hold input to the at least one push-button (Morganstern et al, paragraph 72: “For instance a push and release input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to start, resume, or pause playback of media, whereas a push and hold input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to form a zone with another playback device”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott, Gatta et al, and Morganstern et al such that the input includes a push and hold input. This would have enabled the invention to assign multiple functions to a single button (Morganstern et al, paragraph 72: “For instance a push and release input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to start, resume, or pause playback of media, whereas a push and hold input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to form a zone with another playback device. The first push-button 512 receiving input may cause the first playback device to perform other functions as well”).
With regards to claim 7, which depends on claim 6, Scott discloses the first playback device is configured to update an output of the at least one visual indicator (Scott, paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker, one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), etc”).
However, Scott does not disclose provide an indication that the first playback device is operating as the network access point.
Gatta et al teaches provide an indication that the first playback device is operating as the network access point (Gatta et al, Figs. 9-11: Each of these figures include an interface that shows the successful creation/existence of a network).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Gatta et al such that the interface of a device indicates when it is operating as the network access point. This would have enabled the interface to provide the information to the user (Gatta et al, paragraph 53: “Once the network is created, the user is given acknowledgement through an interface such as the one shown in FIG. 9”).
With regards to claim 8, which depends on claim 6, Scott does not disclose detect a second user input at the physical interface, wherein the second user input comprises a second push and hold input to the at least one push-button;
turn off, in response to the second user input, the second wireless network; and
update the indication of availability of the audio stream to indicate that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point.
Morganstern et al teaches detect a second user input at the physical interface, wherein the second user input comprises a second push and hold input to the at least one push-button (Morganstern et al, paragraph 72: “For instance a push and release input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to start, resume, or pause playback of media, whereas a push and hold input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to form a zone with another playback device”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott, Gatta et al, and Morganstern et al such that the input includes a push and hold input. This would have enabled the invention to assign multiple functions to a single button (Morganstern et al, paragraph 72: “For instance a push and release input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to start, resume, or pause playback of media, whereas a push and hold input to the first push-button 512 may cause the first playback device to form a zone with another playback device. The first push-button 512 receiving input may cause the first playback device to perform other functions as well”).
Gatta et al teaches turn off, in response to the second user input, the second wireless network (Gatta et al, paragraph 43: “Alternatively, the ad hoc network can be configured to allow only manual termination, so that a user must affirmatively choose to leave the network”);
and update the indication of availability of the audio stream to indicate that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point (Gatta et al, Figs. 9: Each of these figures include an interface that shows the existence of a network; paragraph 43: “The ad hoc network created by computing device 202 in FIG. 1 can be terminated in any number of ways, as preferably configured by its user through the GUI 210;” Fig. 12: other devices can see what networks are available, and the terminated network will not be displayed).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott, Gatta et al, and Morganstern et al such that the interface of a device indicates when it is operating as the network access point. This would have enabled the interface to provide the information to the user (Gatta et al, paragraph 53: “Once the network is created, the user is given acknowledgement through an interface such as the one shown in FIG. 9”).
With regards to claim 9, which depends on claim 8, Scott discloses the first playback device is configured to update an output of the at least one visual indicator (Scott, paragraph 60: “Output component 1040 may include a mechanism that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker, one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), etc”).
However, Scott does not disclose provide an indication that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point.
Gatta et al teaches provide an indication that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point (Gatta et al, Figs. 9: Each of these figures include an interface that shows the existence of a network; paragraph 43: “The ad hoc network created by computing device 202 in FIG. 1 can be terminated in any number of ways, as preferably configured by its user through the GUI 210”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott, Gatta et al, and Morganstern et al such that the interface of a device indicates when it is operating as the network access point. This would have enabled the interface to provide the information to the user (Gatta et al, paragraph 53: “Once the network is created, the user is given acknowledgement through an interface such as the one shown in FIG. 9”).
Claim(s) 11 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Nyman et al (US20030037033A1; filed 8/20/2001).
With regards to claim 11, which depends on claim 10, Scott does not disclose wherein the 802.11 network comprises one or more of a 2.4 GHz wireless network and a 5.0 GHz wireless network.
However, Nyman et al teaches wherein the 802.11 network comprises one or more of a 2.4 GHz wireless network and a 5.0 GHz wireless network (Nyman et al, paragraph 13: “The IEEE 802.11(a) Standard is designed for either the 2.4 GHz ISM band or the 5 GHz U-NII band… IEEE 802.11ad hoc networks support distributed activities”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Nyman et al such that the WiFi network used either the 2.4 GHz or 5.0 GHz frequency band. This would have enabled the invention to use the 802.11 wireless LAN standard for its speed and range (Nyman et al, paragraph 13: “deliver up to 54 Mbps data rates… mobile stations communicate directly with one another, without support from a fixed access point… IEEE 802.11ad hoc networks support distributed activities similar those of the Bluetooth piconets, except that they have ten times the communications range”).
With regards to claim 18, which depends on claim 17, Scott discloses wherein the indication of availability of the audio stream… at which the first playback device played back the audio content (Scott, Fig. 5: 530 Transmit indication of the received content to other user devices in the ad hoc network; paragraph 16: “User device_1 may inform the other user devices that content is being streamed to the user device and is available for viewing at the other user devices.”).
However, Scott does not disclose a time stamp specifying a time.
Nyman et al teaches a time stamp specifying a time (Nyman et al, paragraph 24: “The operand portion of the ADD DEVICE message also includes a time stamp value”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Nyman et al such that the transmissions between the devices include time stamps. This would have enabled the system to resolve naming conflicts (Nyman et al, paragraph 24: “a time stamp value, which is used to resolve naming conflicts, by exercising a preference for either the older or newer names, depending on the respective values of the time stamps”).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Gatta et al.
With regards to claim 15, which depends on claim 13, Scott discloses transmitting the indication of availability of the audio stream and an indication that the first playback device is operating as a network access point (Scott, Fig. 5: 530 Transmit indication of the received content to other user devices in the ad hoc network; paragraph 16: “User device_1 may inform the other user devices that content is being streamed to the user device and is available for viewing at the other user devices.”).
However, Scott does not disclose wherein the method further comprises: detecting, by the first playback device, when the second playback device leaves the second wireless network;
after an elapsed period of time, turning off functionality associated with the network access point at the first playback device; and
indicating that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point.
Gatta et al teaches wherein the method further comprises: detecting, by the first playback device, when the second playback device leaves the second wireless network (Gatta et al, paragraph 13: “Automatic terminations can be triggered by any number of user-specified or default criteria, such as, for example, leaving the physical proximity of the ad hoc network, expiration of a fixed amount of time, or logging out of the computer by the user”);
after an elapsed period of time, turning off functionality associated with the network access point at the first playback device (Gatta et al, paragraph 52: “the termination criteria can take any of a number of forms, including, for example: a time-to-live to set a fixed lifetime for the network; if signal quality drops below some threshold value for some duration of time; if no other devices are visible on the ad hoc network”); and
indicating that the first playback device is no longer operating as the network access point (Gatta et al, Figs. 9: Each of these figures include an interface that shows the existence of a network; paragraph 43: “The ad hoc network created by computing device 202 in FIG. 1 can be terminated in any number of ways, as preferably configured by its user through the GUI 210;” paragraph 52: “If the termination criteria is met, then the device disconnects from the ad hoc network at step 712 and restores its network settings to their previous state at step 714”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Gatta et al such that the interface of a device indicates when it is operating as the network access point, and that the network is terminated after a period of time. This would have enabled the interface to provide the information to the user (Gatta et al, paragraph 53: “Once the network is created, the user is given acknowledgement through an interface such as the one shown in FIG. 9”), and the network could be terminated automatically instead of manually (Gatta et al, paragraph 13: “Automatic terminations can be triggered by any number of user-specified or default criteria, such as, for example… expiration of a fixed amount of time”).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Lin (US20170093510A1; filed 12/7/2016).
With regards to claim 19, which depends on claim 17, Scott discloses wherein the first wireless network comprises a… network established between the first playback device and the external device.
However, Scott does not disclose BLUETOOTH network [with an external device for a media stream]. (Note: Scott does teach Bluetooth connections, and the stream from an external source, however does not explicitly state that the connection to the external source could be Bluetooth.)
Lin teaches BLUETOOTH network (Lin, Fig. 1: 3 playing devices are shown in a network (the second network), while the rightmost playing device is connected with an external audio source via Bluetooth; Also see descriptions in abstract, paragraphs 5-7, 19, 21, and Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Lin such that the audio stream could come from a Bluetooth connection. This would have enabled the external device to connect with and stream music to any of the networked devices (Lin, paragraph 19: “The audio source device can establish Bluetooth connection with any playing device of the playing group such that multiple playing devices of the playing group can play audio synchronously based on the Bluetooth connection established”).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scott in view of Kim et al (US20210037582A1; filed 7/1/2020).
With regards to claim 20, which depends on claim 17, Scott discloses transmit the indication of availability of the audio stream (Scott, Fig. 5: 530 Transmit indication of the received content to other user devices in the ad hoc network; paragraph 16: “User device_1 may inform the other user devices that content is being streamed to the user device and is available for viewing at the other user devices.”).
However, Scott does not disclose transmit the indication… as a BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY message.
Kim et al teaches transmit the indication… as a BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY message (Kim et al, paragraph 10: “a method for a communication connection based on low energy in an electronic device is provided;” paragraph 127: “The first audio electronic device 1202 may perform a second BLE communication connection with the second audio electronic device 1203”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Scott and Kim et al such that the network could have transmitted messages using Bluetooth low energy. This would have enabled the devices to continuously scan for the indication signal without wasting energy (Kim et al, paragraph 125: “According to an embodiment, the first audio electronic device 1202 may continuously perform the BLE scan until the second audio electronic device 1203 is powered on and searched.”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/12/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Scott fails to disclose the independent claims as amended. Applicant further argues that Scott discloses using a single ad hoc network for both establishing a connection and for content distribution, while the claims require operations (such as the authorization step) to occur before the second device joins the network. Examiner disagrees, and argues that Scott discloses an authentication step (Scott, paragraph 17, and see amended rejection to claim 1 above) which occurs before the providing of content is performed. Examiner interprets the connections between the first and second devices before and after this authentications as essentially two separate networks, since the connections are for different purposes (discovery and authentication, and providing content). Thus the argument is not persuasive.
Conclusion
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/B.C.A/Examiner, Art Unit 2178
/STEPHEN S HONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2178
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