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 .
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 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Silver (US 2022/0400338).
Regarding claim 1, Silver discloses a speaker system (speaker system of Figs. 1-8) comprising: a fixed frame (fixed frame 106, Figs. 1-8); a voice coil (voice coil 114, Figs. 1-8); a first moving mass comprising a diaphragm, the first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid primary suspension and coupled to the voice coil (moving mass 102+110 with a diaphragm coupled to fixed frame 106 via non-rigid primary suspension 116+126 and coupled to voice coil 114, Figs. 1-8); and a second moving mass, comprising a motor assembly, coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid secondary suspension (second moving mass 104 comprising motor assembly 120 coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid secondary suspension 202 or 308B, Figs. 2A, 3), wherein the motor assembly is configured to move the voice coil in response to an audio drive signal applied through the motor assembly (motor assembly is configured to move the voice coil in response to an audio signal, [0032]).
Regarding claim 2, Silver discloses wherein the primary suspension comprises a surround coupled to the diaphragm (primary suspension 116+126 comprises a surround 116 coupled to the diaphragm 102+110, Figs. 1-8).
Claim(s) 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Litovsky et al. (US 2018/0270568) herein Litovsky.
Regarding claim 1, Litovsky discloses a speaker system (speaker system of Figs. 1-8) comprising: a fixed frame (fixed frame 110/510/610/710/810, Figs. 1C, 2, 3, 4, 5C, 5E, 6C, 6E, 7C, 7E, 8); a voice coil (voice coil 640/738, Figs. 6C, 7C); a first moving mass comprising a diaphragm, the first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid primary suspension and coupled to the voice coil (diaphragm 638/736 is a first moving mass coupled to fixed frame 610/710 via non-rigid primary suspension 646/744 and coupled to voice coil 640/738, Figs. 6C, 7C); and a second moving mass, comprising a motor assembly, coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid secondary suspension (basket 644/742 is a second moving mass comprising a motor assembly (magnet/iron 642/740) coupled to the fixed frame 610/710 via a non-rigid secondary suspension 620/722, Figs. 6C, 7C), wherein the motor assembly is configured to move the voice coil in response to an audio drive signal applied through the motor assembly (motor assembly is configured to move the voice coil in response to an audio signal, [0055], [0083], [0095], [0106], [0119]).
Regarding claim 13, Litovsky discloses wherein the motor assembly comprises a motor hole at a center of the motor assembly (motor assembly comprises a motor hole at a center of the motor assembly for fitting the bobbin, Figs. 4, 5C, 5E, 6C, 6E).
Regarding claim 15, Litovsky discloses wherein the motor assembly comprises a passive radiator below the motor assembly (passive radiator 814 below the motor assembly 838, Fig. 8).
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 10, 11, 14, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sahyoun (US 9,294,841).
Regarding claim 1, Sahyoun discloses a speaker system (speaker system of Figs. 1-17) comprising: a fixed frame (fixed frame 30/80, Figs. 2C, 7, 8, 13); a voice coil (voice coil 38/72, Figs. 2C, 7, 8, 13); a first moving mass comprising a diaphragm, the first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid primary suspension and coupled to the voice coil (diaphragm 40/76 is a first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame 30/80 via a non-rigid primary suspension 44+48 and coupled to voice coil 38/72, Figs. 2C, 7, 8, 13); and a second moving mass, comprising a motor assembly, coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid secondary suspension (motor assembly 36 is a second moving mass, coupled to the fixed frame 30 via a non-rigid secondary suspension 39, Fig. 2C), wherein the motor assembly is configured to move the voice coil in response to an audio drive signal applied through the motor assembly (drive signal causes the voice coil to move via the motor assembly which causes the diaphragm to move, col. 11 lines 16-27).
Regarding claim 2, Sahyoun discloses wherein the primary suspension comprises a surround coupled to the diaphragm (primary suspension 44+48 comprises surround 44 coupled to the diaphragm, Fig. 2C).
Regarding claim 7, Sahyoun discloses further comprising a front waveguide and a rear waveguide (in the earcup and in-ear embodiments there are a front waveguide and rear waveguide on both sides of the speaker, Figs. 7, 8, 13).
Regarding claim 10, Sahyoun discloses wherein the fixed frame comprises a housing of a wearable device (speaker can be incorporated in wearable device (ear cups for headset or in-ear device), Figs. 2C, 7-8, 13, col. 4 lines 38-45, col. 4 line 66-col. 5 line 3).
Regarding claim 11, Sahyoun discloses further comprising: a first acoustic volume formed between a top of the diaphragm and the housing and a second acoustic volume formed below the motor assembly (first acoustic volume formed between a top of the diaphragm 40/76 and the housing and a second acoustic volume formed below the motor assembly 36, Figs. 2C, 7-8, 13); wherein first magnetic forces on the voice coil cause movement of the diaphragm, causing first acoustic forces above the diaphragm on the housing and corresponding magnetic forces on the motor assembly, causing second acoustic forces below the motor and on the housing, wherein the second acoustic forces are opposite the first acoustic forces which at least partially cancels the first acoustic forces (drive signal causes a first magnetic force on the voice coil which causes the diaphragm to move causing a first acoustic force above the diaphragm, and corresponding forces on the motor assembly would cause secondary acoustic forces which would be out of phase due to pushing in an opposite direction and at least partially cancel out the first acoustic force due to being out of phase, col. 11 lines 16-27).
Regarding claim 14, Sahyoun discloses wherein the motor assembly comprises an opening on the housing below the motor assembly (opening 64 below the motor assembly 82, Figs. 7, 8).
Regarding claim 16, Sahyoun discloses a method of operating a wearable device comprising a fixed frame and a speaker system (wearable device (ear cups for headset or in-ear device) with fixed frame 30/80, Figs. 2C, 7-8, 13), the method comprising: applying an audio drive signal to the speaker system (audio drive signal applied to a speaker system, col. 3 lines 19-25, col. 11 lines 16-27), wherein the speaker system comprises A) a voice coil (voice coil 38/72, Figs. 2C, 7, 8, 13), B) a first moving mass comprising a diaphragm, the first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid primary suspension and coupled to the voice coil (diaphragm 40/76 is a first moving mass coupled to the fixed frame 30/80 via a non-rigid primary suspension 44+48 and coupled to voice coil 38/72, Figs. 2C, 7, 8, 13), and C) a second moving mass comprising a motor assembly coupled to the fixed frame via a non-rigid secondary suspension (motor assembly 36 is a second moving mass, coupled to the fixed frame 30 via a non-rigid secondary suspension 39, Fig. 2C), wherein the audio drive signal causes the voice coil to move, causing the diaphragm to move (drive signal causes the voice coil to move which causes the diaphragm to move, col. 11 lines 16-27), and wherein a first force, on the second moving mass caused by applying the audio drive signal, is canceled by a second force on the moving motor assembly from the non-rigid secondary suspension (non-rigid secondary suspension provides a second force to cancel the first force on the second moving mass caused by the drive signal (shock absorption), col. 6 line 54- col. 7 line 12).
Regarding claim 17, Sahyoun discloses wherein the primary suspension comprises a surround coupled to the diaphragm (primary suspension 44+48 comprises surround 44 coupled to the diaphragm, Fig. 2C).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8, 9, 12, and 18-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5728. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6 PM.
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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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/SEAN H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691