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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/04/2024 did not list any references therein. Therefore, no references were being reviewed by the examiner. However, the examiner annotated the IDS forms for applicant’s reference. It is asked that if the applicant has the prior art that applicant wishes to submit for the examiner to consider. Applicant is asked to provide it in response to this office action.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1 and 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pucci et al (US 2023/0041832; hereinafter simply referred to as Pucci).
Regarding claim 1, Pucci discloses
A sound amplifier system {Fig. 1}, comprising:
an amplifier {Fig. 1, amplifier 20}; the amplifier having at least one signal input receiver which can receive a signal from an instrument and electronically transmit that signal to the amplifier, the amplifier having two or more channels which can transmit separate electronic output signals (para 0035};
two or more speakers {speakers 30a, 30b and/or speakers 30c-30f}; the two or more speakers comprising at least two different speaker types {para 0042; Bose Surround Speakers for speaker 30a, and Bose Smart Soundbar for speaker 30b}, the two or more speakers being connected to the amplifier such that the speakers can receive electronic output signals from the amplifier, wherein one or more of a speaker type 1 receives an output signal no.1, and one or more of a speaker type 2 receives an output signal no.2, the speakers emitting the sound transmitted to them by their respective output signals {para 0038};
one or more power supplies; the power supply electrically connected to the sound amplifier system to provide electrical power {para 0041; power source}.
Regarding claim 3, Pucci further discloses
there are two separate speaker types, the first type of speaker or speakers being speaker type 1, the second type of speaker or speakers being speaker type 2 {para 0042; Bose Surround Speakers for speaker 30a, and Bose Smart Soundbar for speaker 30b}.
Regarding claim 4, Pucci further discloses wherein:
there are two speakers, a first speaker being speaker type 1, a second speaker being speaker type 2 {para 0042; Bose Surround Speakers for speaker 30a, and Bose Smart Soundbar for speaker 30b}.
Regarding claim 5, Pucci further discloses
wherein: there are four speakers, a first set of two speakers being speaker type 1 speakers, a second set of two speakers being speaker type 2 {para 0042; Bose Surround Speakers for speaker 30a, and Bose Smart Soundbar for speaker 30b, wherein each of these types of Bose speakers inherently include 2 speakers such as left and right channels}.
Regarding claim 6, Pucci further discloses
one or more additional speaker cabinets, the one or more speaker cabinets having one or more speakers {Fig. 1, speakers 30c and 30d}, the one or more speakers being electronically daisy chained with the speakers housed in the speaker cabinet such that they emit the sound transmitted to them by the output signals {para 0044; daisy chain connected}.
Regarding claim 7, Pucci further discloses
a switch {para 0014}, the switch being connected to the amplifier such that the switch may be used to select the channel or channels transmitted by the amplifier to the speakers {para 0005, abstract}.
Regarding claim 8, Pucci further discloses wherein: the switch is a manual switch {para 0015}.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2, 11-16 and 19 are is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pucci et al (US 2023/0041832) in view of Miyoshi et at (US 2023/0209266; hereinafter simply referred to as Miyoshi).
Regarding claim 2, the claimed language is similar to claim 1 except that claim 2 further recites that the amplifier and speakers are a combo and are housed in the same enclosure. Pucci {in para 0009} further discloses that the transducers (speakers) are external to the amplifier housing thus suggesting that in some embodiments, the speakers could be housed within the amplifier enclosure, but fails to clearly state such.
However, Miyoshi teaches guitar amplifier {Fig. 1A, 1B} having speakers inside the amplifier {para 0019, 0020}.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teaching of Miyoshi’s into the sound amplifier system of Pucci’s because this would provide a single compact sound amplifier system that is portable to be used with musical instrument such as a guitar.
Regarding claims 11-16, Pucci further discloses these claimed limitations similar to claims 3-8 and therefore rejected similarly.
Regarding claim 19, this claim is similar to claim 2 and therefore rejected similarly.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pucci et al (US 2023/0041832) in view of Alur et at (US 2022/0116726).
Regarding claims 9 and 10, Pucci fails to teach that the switch is a programmable switch (claim 9) or the switch is a remote controlled switch (claim 10). However, Alur teaches the programmable switch that could be used to direct sound to various speakers in the speaker array {Alur: para 0035, 0073 and Fig. 4; and that the arrangement could be contemplated via various and wireless arrangements creating the remote control by the wireless arrangement}. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the programmable switch or the remote controlled switch as taught by Alur into the system of Pucci’s because this would allow the system to automatically direct sound to different set of speakers depending on the audio source being received and/or remotely controlling the switch for the convenience of the wireless arrangement.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pucci et al (US 2023/0041832) in view of Miyoshi et at (US 2023/0209266) as applied to claims 2 and 11-16 above, and further in view of Alur et at (US 2022/0116726).
Regarding claims 17-18, the combination of Pucci and Miyoshi fails to teach that the switch is a programmable switch (claim 9) or the switch is a remote controlled switch (claim 10). However, Alur teaches the programmable switch that could be used to direct sound to various speakers in the speaker array {Alur: para 0035, 0073 and Fig. 4; and that the arrangement could be contemplated via various and wireless arrangements creating the remote control by the wireless arrangement}. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the programmable switch or the remote controlled switch as taught by Alur into the combined system of Pucci’s because this would allow the system to automatically direct sound to different set of speakers depending on the audio source being received and/or remotely controlling the switch for the convenience of the wireless arrangement.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cooner (US 2007/0054696) para 0027 teaches a wireless terminal for audio amplifier and speakers among other things where that the switch could be implemented in the remote mode.
Brown, Sr. (US 5023915) discloses amplifier systems for musical instruments that include switches for controlling the output to one of the three output channels.
Blum et al (WO 2005055658 discloses a sound amplifier having switches for controlling the sound output.
Inagaki (US 2004/0184619) discloses sound control system having the selecting switch where different sound source can be played back via different set of speakers.
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/HAI PHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2654