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 .
Election/Restrictions
In response to election/restriction requirements mailed on 01/02/2026, applicants elect group I (claims 1-6) without traverse.
Allowable Subject Matter
1.Claims 5-6 and 24-25 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2.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) 1-4 and 20-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KOPPENS et al. (WO 2021259829) in view of Schuijers et al. (WO 2014091375).
Regarding claims 1 and 20, KOPPENS discloses a method of rendering an audio source (Page.8 lines 8-9: KOPPENS discusses rendering sound from a first audio source), the method comprising: receiving an input audio signal corresponding to the audio source (Page.12 lines 36-37, Page.13 lines 1-2 and Page.14 lines 3-5: KOPPENS discusses receive the audio scene data from any suitable source); receiving a reverberation parameter indicating a target energy ratio with respect to a reverberant sound component of audio for the audio source (Page.6 lines 5-7 and Page.8 lines 24-37: KOPPENS discusses how signal to total signal ratio is indicative of an energy of reverberation sound relative to an energy of total emitted sound in the environment wherein the energy of reverberation sound is determined by room response contributions occurring at least a certain delay after emission of the corresponding sound at an audio source); obtaining a directivity pattern of the audio source (Page.6 lines 30-33 and Page.13 lines 5-8: KOPPENS discusses integrating a directivity pattern of the sound source represented by the first audio signal); deriving a relative gain for the audio source based on the obtained directivity pattern, wherein the relative gain is relative to an omnidirectional audio source (Page.11 lines 25-29 and Page.20 lines 25-30: KOPPENS discusses how the audio source depending on relative gain for the audio source in the specific direction to the user; and how an omnidirectional directivity is considered);
KOPPENS discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “generating an adjusted audio signal using the received input audio signal, the reverberation parameter, and the derived relative gain”
Schuijers however discloses generating an adjusted audio signal using the received input audio signal, the reverberation parameter, and the derived relative gain (Page.5 lines 26-34, Page.10 lines 17-24 and Page.21 lines 17-21: Schuijers discusses generating a set of output audio signals for a set of audio transducers by processing the set of input audio signals; wherein the audio processor arranged to modify reverberation for the set of input audio signals when generating the set of output audio signals, the modification being dependent on the environment reverberation and the reference reverberation; and how the system adjusting the gain/level of the audio signals based on the reference reverberation and the environment reverberation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of KOPPENS, and modify a system to generate an adjusted audio signal using the received input audio signal, the reverberation parameter, and the derived relative gain, as taught by Schuijers, thus facilitate adaptability to different rendering configuration and improve user experience, and/or performance, as discussed by Schuijers.
Considering claims 2 and 21, KOPPENS discloses the method of claims 1 and 20, wherein the target energy ratio is between a direct sound component of the audio for the audio source and the reverberant sound component of the audio for the audio source or between a total energy emitted by the audio source and an energy corresponding to the reverberant sound component of the audio for the audio source (Page.3 lines 8-11, Page.7 lines 14-16 and Page.13 lines 10-14: KOPPENS discusses how the energy of the reverberant (i.e. an energy corresponding to the reverberant sound) in relation to that of the anechoic portion largely determines the perceived distance of the sound source; and how reverberation signal to total signal relationship is indicative of an energy of diffuse reverberation sound relative to an energy of total emitted sound in the environment).
Considering claims 3 and 22, KOPPENS discloses the method of claims 1 and 20, wherein the audio source is a non-omni directional audio source and/or a non-point source (Page.11 lines 28-29: non-omnidirectional sources).
Considering claims 4 and 23, KOPPENS discloses the method of claims 1 and 20, wherein the directivity pattern indicates an amplitude or a magnitude of sound radiated by the audio source in each of a plurality of directions around the audio source (Page.5 lines 22-24 and Page.13 lines 1-8: signal level indication for the audio source wherein the signal level indication may be indicative of a level/ energy/ amplitude of the sound source represented by the audio signal; and how directivity data for an audio signal may for example describe a gain pattern for the audio source in different directions from the position of the audio source).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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YOSEF K. LAEKEMARIAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2651
/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691