Final Rejection
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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 and 3-7 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicants arguments to claim 1, applicant states “WATANABE does not disclose, or suggest, at least the configuration of Applicant's independent claim 1, in which "the sound generation unit and the sound detection unit are disposed concentrically centered on the camera unit."”, examiner respectfully disagrees. Watanabe teaches and illustrates in figs.2-5 a speaker 20 (the sound generation unit), microphone array 11 (the sound detection unit) and camera 28 (the camera unit) and both the speaker 20 and microphone array 11 are disposed concentrically centered on camera 28. Furthermore, applicant refers to fig.4B to show the camera being detached from the body however in fig.4A the camera 28 is shown attached to the body and therefore reads on the limitation in question. No where in Watanabe does it teach and/or suggest that it is required for the invention to function to remove/detach the camera 28. Thus, Watanabe does properly teach the sound generation unit (20) and the sound detection unit (11) are disposed concentrically centered on the camera unit (28) (See Figs.2-5 of Watanabe).
Further regarding applicants arguments to claim 1, applicant states “WATANABE further fails to disclose or suggest at least "a sound detection unit including a plurality of microphones that detect a reflective sound of a sound generated by the sound generation unit," as recited in Applicant's independent claim 1.” examiner respectfully disagrees. It is very common in the art that one of ordinary skill would understand that the purpose of a microphone used in a sound, audio, ultrasonic and ultrasound device, system or method would be able to detect/receive a reflected or echoed signal. This is a commonly understood method of art and is widely used in applications of this nature.
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.
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) 1, 3-4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (JP 2016054455 A, all citations provided from machine translation attached) in view of Shin (US 20100110283 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe teaches an acoustic active sensor device comprising: a camera unit (28); an acoustic actuator (20) having a sound generation unit that generates a sound. (Abstract, Page.3, lines 4-22, 28-38, Figs.1, 3-5)
Watanabe also teaches a sound detection unit including a plurality of microphones (11, 14) that detect a reflective sound of a sound generated by the sound generation unit. (Page.2, lines 27-42, Page.5, lines 1-6, Page.15, lines 22-32, Figs.2A-2D, 3-5)
Watanabe also teaches the sound generation unit (20) and the sound detection unit (11) are disposed concentrically centered on the camera unit (28). (Figs.2-5)
Watanabe does not explicitly teach wherein the sound generation unit and the sound detection unit are disposed on an outer peripheral side centered on the camera unit.
Shin teaches wherein the sound generation unit (130) and the sound detection unit (14) are disposed on an outer peripheral side centered on the camera unit (120). (Paragraphs 6, 37, 23, Figs.3, 5)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have modified Watanabe to incorporate wherein the sound generation unit and the sound detection unit are disposed on an outer peripheral side centered on the camera unit as taught by Shin in order to emit the sound generated by the diaphragm outward and prevent introduction of foreign materials into the speaker housing.
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe does not explicitly teach wherein the sound generation unit includes a circular vibration plate centered on the camera unit.
Shin teaches wherein the sound generation unit includes a circular vibration plate (132) centered on the camera unit. (Paragraph 37, Figs.3, 5)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have modified Watanabe to incorporate wherein the sound generation unit includes a circular vibration plate centered on the camera unit in order to emit the sound generated by the diaphragm outward.
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe teaches wherein the sound detection unit includes a first microphone array disposed outside relative to the sound generation unit. (Page.2, lines 27-42, Claim 1, Figs.2-5)
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe does not explicitly teach wherein the acoustic actuator further includes a magnetic circuit that generates a magnetic flux for vibrating the sound generation unit, a hole portion is formed in a center part of the magnetic circuit in plan view, and the camera unit is disposed in the hole portion.
Shin teaches wherein the acoustic actuator further includes a magnetic circuit that generates a magnetic flux for vibrating the sound generation unit, a hole portion is formed in a center part of the magnetic circuit in plan view, and the camera unit is disposed in the hole portion. (Paragraphs 28, 36-37, Claims 6, 8, Figs.3-5)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have modified Watanabe to incorporate wherein the acoustic actuator further includes a magnetic circuit that generates a magnetic flux for vibrating the sound generation unit, a hole portion is formed in a center part of the magnetic circuit in plan view, and the camera unit is disposed in the hole portion in order to generate sound in engagement with a coil portion.
Regarding claim 7, Watanabe teaches wherein regarding a front traveling direction of a sound generated by the sound generation unit, a front end part of the camera unit protrudes forward relative to the front end part of the sound generation unit. (Figs.1, 3-5)
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe in view of Shin and Matsumoto (JP 2015118386 A, all citations provided from machine translation attached).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe does not explicitly teach wherein the sound detection unit includes a second microphone array disposed inside relative to the sound generation unit.
Matsumoto teaches wherein the sound detection unit includes a second microphone array disposed inside relative to the sound generation unit. (Pages.4-5, Fig.2A)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have modified Watanabe to incorporate wherein the sound detection unit includes a second microphone array disposed inside relative to the sound generation unit in order to emphasize (amplify) the sound (volume level) in the specific direction from the position, sound data in which directivity in the specific direction is formed is generated.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDALLAH ABULABAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4755. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:00am-3:00pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at 571-272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDALLAH ABULABAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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