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 .
Examiner’s Comments
The previous non-final rejection has been vacated and a new non-final rejection has been filed based on new prior art.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Izarra (US 11039265 B1).
As per claim 1, Izarra discloses a pass-through method for wireless earphones worn by a wearer,
Where the wireless earphones comprise a first earphone worn by the wearer and a second earphone worn by the wearer (fig. 1),
wherein the method is applied to an earphone in wireless earphones, and the earphone is provided with a main microphone (24a,b) and a feedforward microphone (para. 28: In additional implementations, sensor system 36 can include additional sensors for detecting conditions at the audio device 10, for example: a position tracking system; and a microphone (e.g., including one or more microphones)), and
wherein the method comprises:
acquiring a first main sound signal picked up by the main microphone and a first feedforward sound signal picked up by the feedforward microphone (fig. 1, block 30);
receiving a second main sound signal and a second feedforward sound signal sent by the other earphone (fig. 1 block 30),
the second main sound signal being picked up by a main microphone disposed on the other earphone (24b, ), and
the second feedforward sound signal being picked up by a feedforward microphone disposed on the other earphone (per sensor system 36 as implemented on the other earphone 12b) (para. 28: In additional implementations, sensor system 36 can include additional sensors for detecting conditions at the audio device 10, for example: a position tracking system; and a microphone (e.g., including one or more microphones));
obtaining, according to the first main sound signal, the first feedforward sound signal, the second main sound signal and the second feedforward sound signal, orientation information of a sound source relative to a wearer of the earphones (detect orientation per para 28 where user orientation is relative to all other sources being produced) (in addition the signals of fig. 1 are used to implement the region based representation of audio sources, per fig. 5); and
controlling, according to the orientation information, speakers of the wireless earphones to play a sound having a corresponding sound effect (figs 4 and 5 disclose a depiction of audio playback in distinct spatially delineated locations (or, zones), based on the signals received per fig. 1).
As per claim 2, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 1, wherein obtaining, according to the first main sound signal, the first feedforward sound signal, the second main sound signal and the second feedforward sound signal, orientation information of a sound source relative to a wearer of the earphones, comprises:
extracting a first useful sound signal, a second useful sound signal, a third useful sound signal and a fourth useful sound signal corresponding to the sound source from the first main sound signal, the first feedforward sound signal, the second main sound signal and the second feedforward sound signal, respectively; and comparing the first useful sound signal, the second useful sound signal, the third useful sound signal and the fourth useful sound signal and determining the orientation information of the sound source relative to the wearer of the earphones according to comparison results (the microphone signals received per fig. 1 are received by the digital processor as first second third fourth useful signals that are determined then compared in order to present the audio sources per the zone/orientation based playback shown in figs. 4,5)
As per claim 3, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 2,
wherein comparing the first useful sound signal, the second useful sound signal, the third useful sound signal and the fourth useful sound signal, and determining the orientation information of the sound source relative to the wearer of the earphones according to comparison results, comprises:
when both the first useful sound signal and the second useful sound signal are greater than the third useful sound signal and the fourth useful sound signal,
determining that the sound source is on an earphone side if a first difference of the first useful sound signal and the second useful sound signal is less than a first preset value, or that the sound source is located between the earphone side and front side of the wearer if the first difference is greater than a second preset value or the first useful sound signal is greater than the second useful sound signal; and
that the sound source is located between the earphone side and rear side of the wearer if the first difference is greater than the second preset value and the second useful sound signal is greater than the first useful sound signal; and
when both the first useful sound signal and the second useful sound signal are smaller than the third useful sound signal and the fourth useful sound signal, determining that the sound source is on the other earphone side if a second difference of the third useful sound signal and the fourth useful sound signal is less than a first preset value, that the sound source is located between the other earphone side and the front side of the wearer if the second difference is greater than the second preset value and the third useful sound signal is greater than the fourth useful sound signal, and that, the sound source is located between the other earphone side and the rear side of the wearer if the second difference is greater than the second preset value and the third useful sound signal is smaller than the fourth useful sound signal.
Para 54 discloses the comparison of signals, via the cited beamforming, where the detected source direction via beamforming is by definition based on comparison/differences between given microphone signals in order to track the acoustic source, noting in the context of the zones delineated per figs 4 and 5, when implemented via the beamforming, determine the sound source locations, both for the acoustic audio sources as tracked, and the final audio sources as output to the user.) (noting that beamforming comprises taking differences where the relative amplitudes then directly indicate the relative positioning of an identified source via the beam).
As per claim 4, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 3, wherein controlling, according to the orientation information, speakers of the wireless earphones to play a sound having a corresponding sound effect, comprises:
determining a target sound effect signal according to the orientation information and pre-established correspondence between the orientation information and a sound effect signal (para 54: In additional cases, the AR audio engine 240 adjusts the second audio location based on a detected direction of the ambient acoustic signal relative to the look direction of user 410.); and
controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal (via the adjusted second audio location).
As per claim 5, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 3, wherein controlling, according to the orientation information, speakers of the wireless earphones to play a sound having a corresponding sound effect, comprises:
analyzing the orientation information by using a spatial sound effect algorithm to obtain a corresponding target sound effect signal; and controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal (para 54:In additional cases, the AR audio engine 240 adjusts the second audio location based on a detected direction of the ambient acoustic signal relative to the look direction of user 410. In these cases, the AR audio engine 240 is configured to detect the source direction of the ambient acoustic signal relative to the user's look direction (e.g., using conventional beamforming and associated DSP approaches),).
As per claim 6, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 1, wherein when the sound source is on the earphone side, the process of controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal comprises:
controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal, and
making the sound of the speaker on the earphone side louder than the sound of the speaker on the other earphone side (the sounds are represented per zone where the designated zone location for the source will be louder when processed per the above claim rejections); and
wherein when the sound source is on the other earphone side, the process of controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal comprises:
controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal and making the sound of the speaker on the earphone side quieter than the sound of the speaker on the other earphone side (based on the zone based rendering cited above the signal is louder in the zone where it is rendered and softer in the other zones).
As per claim 7, the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 4, further comprises, before controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal:
obtaining an environmental noise signal according to the first main sound signal, the first feedforward sound signal, the second main sound signal and the second feedforward sound signal (per the processing cited above, any of the signals picked up by the feedforward microphones as part of the sensor 36);
and mixing the target sound effect signal and the environmental noise signal according to preset weights to obtain a mixed sound signal (per the beamforming cited above); and
wherein the process of controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the target sound effect signal comprises:
controlling the speakers of the wireless earphones to play the sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the mixed sound signal (per the zone based sound rendering cited above).
As per claim 8, a pass-through apparatus for wireless earphones, wherein the apparatus is applied to an earphone in wireless earphones, and the earphone is provided with a main microphone and a feedforward microphone, and wherein the apparatus comprises:
an acquisition module configured to acquire a first main sound signal picked up by the main microphone and a first feedforward sound signal picked up by the feedforward microphone;
a receiving module configured to receive a second main sound signal and a second feedforward sound signal sent by the other earphone, the second main sound signal being picked up by a main microphone disposed on the other earphone, and the second feedforward sound signal being picked up by a feedforward microphone disposed on the other earphone;
an analysis module configured to obtain orientation information of a sound source relative to a wearer of the earphones according to the first main sound signal, the first feedforward sound signal, the second main sound signal and the second feedforward sound signal; and
a playing module configured to control speakers of the wireless earphones to play a sound having a corresponding sound effect according to the orientation information. (per the claim 1 rejection).
As per claim 9, a pass-through system for wireless earphones, wherein the system is applied to each earphone of wireless earphones, and the system comprises a main microphone, a feedforward microphone, a memory, and a processor disposed on the earphone, wherein: the memory is configured to store computer program; and the processor is configured to implement steps of the pass-through method for wireless earphones of claim 1 when executing the computer program (the system of the claim 1 rejection requires respective processors memory and software in each hear device in order to be implemented).
As per claim 10, wireless earphones, comprising a left earphone and a right earphone, and the pass-through system for wireless earphones of claim 9 disposed on each of the left earphone and the right earphone (per para 10).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN whose telephone number is 571-272-7498, and whose email address is alexander.krzystan@uspto.gov
The examiner can usually be reached on m-f 7:30-4:00 est.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone or email are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carolyn Edwards can be reached on (571) 270-7136.
The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300 for regular communications and 571-273-8300 for After Final communications.
/ALEXANDER KRZYSTAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2653
Examiner Alexander Krzystan
July 23, 2026
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