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 .
Claims 1-15 have been examined.
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) 1-3, 5, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SONG et al. (US 2017/0303076).
- In reference to claim 1
SONG et al. teaches a method for transmitting audio data by a source device (e.g. device 300; Fig. 14, par. 0371) in a short-range wireless communication system, the method comprising:
forming a connection with a sink device (e.g. establishing a connection with device 200; Fig. 14, par. 0371-0375);
based on the formed connection, performing a setup procedure for transmitting the audio data with the sink device (e.g. performing setup procedure steps 1420, 1430, 1440, 1450 for transmitting audio stream with device 200; Fig. 14, par. 0376-0397); and
transmitting the audio data to the sink device based on the setup procedure (e.g. transmitting audio stream to device 200 based on setup procedure steps 1420, 1430, 1440, 1450; Fig. 14, par. 0398-0399), wherein the performing the setup procedure further includes transmitting, to the sink device, timing information (e.g. connection interval; par. 0393) on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information (e.g. codec parameters; par. 0382-0389) for transmission of the audio data, and
the audio data is transmitted without transmission of periodic advertisement messages for transmission of the timing information and the metadata information (e.g. audio data is transmitted without transmission of periodic advertisement messages for transmission of the timing information and the metadata information; Fig. 14, par. 0398-0399).
- In reference to claim 2
SONG et al. further teaches the metadata information includes information for setting codec (e.g. codec parameters; par. 0382-0389) used to output the audio data by the sink device.
- In reference to claim 3
SONG et al. further teaches the metadata information further includes information on a number of channels (e.g. number of channels; par. 0385-0386, 0393) for transmission of the audio data.
- In reference to claim 5
SONG et al. further teaches the timing information further includes channel setup information (e.g. channel setup information; par. 0385-0386, 0393) for transmission of the audio data.
- In reference to claim 15
SONG et al. teaches et al. teaches a source device (e.g. device 300; Fig. 14, par. 0371) that transmits audio data in a short-range wireless communication system comprising: a transmitter (e.g. transmission unit; par. 0080) configured to transmit a wireless signal; a receiver (e.g. receiver unit; par. 0080) configured to receive a wireless signal; at least one processor (e.g. processor; par. 0084-0086); and at least one computer memory (e.g. memory; par. 0087, 0089) operably connected to the at least one processor, and storing instructions for performing operations when being executed by the at least one processor, wherein the operations includes:
forming a connection with a sink device (e.g. establishing a connection with device 200; Fig. 14, par. 0371-0375);
based on the formed connection, performing a setup procedure for transmitting the audio data with the sink device (e.g. performing setup procedure steps 1420, 1430, 1440, 1450 for transmitting audio stream with device 200; Fig. 14, par. 0376-0397); and
transmitting the audio data to the sink device based on the setup procedure (e.g. transmitting audio stream to device 200 based on setup procedure steps 1420, 1430, 1440, 1450; Fig. 14, par. 0398-0399), wherein the performing the setup procedure further includes transmitting, to the sink device, timing information (e.g. connection interval; par. 0393) on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information (e.g. codec parameters; par. 0382-0389) for transmission of the audio data, and
the audio data is transmitted without transmission of periodic advertisement messages for transmission of the timing information and the metadata information (e.g. audio data is transmitted without transmission of periodic advertisement messages for transmission of the timing information and the metadata information; Fig. 14, par. 0398-0399).
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.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONG et al. (US 2017/0303076) in view of Huang et al. (US 2019/0364075).
- In reference to claim 4
SONG et al. teaches a system and method that covers substantially all limitations of the parent claim.
SONG et al. does not teach the metadata information further includes information on video data related to the audio data.
Huang et al. teaches the metadata information (e.g. timestamp of video; par. 0095) further includes information on video data related to audio data (e.g. video data related to audio data; par. 0041).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the metadata information of Song et al. to include information on video data related to the audio data as suggested by Huang et al. because it would allow the source device to transmit audio and video data to a sink device that may be synchronized when played for a user.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONG et al. (US 2017/0303076) in view of Kyou et al. (US 10432771)
- In reference to claim 8
SONG et al. teaches a system and method that covers substantially all limitations of the parent claim.
SONG et al. does not teach the transmitting timing information on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information for transmission of the audio data, is performed based on a control point characteristic defined in the source device and the sink device.
Kyou et al. teaches the transmitting information, is performed based on a control point characteristic (col. 7 line 30 – 56) defined in the source device (e.g. first Bluetooth device 100; col. 4 line 12-27) and the sink device (e.g. second Bluetooth device 200; col. 4 line 12-27).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the transmitting timing information on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information for transmission of the audio data of Song et al. to be performed based on a control point characteristic defined in the source device and the sink device as suggested by Kyou et al. because it would allow the source device and sink device to utilize a defined characteristic in Bluetooth low energy to exchange timing of the audio data and metadata information to allow the transmission of audio data between the devices.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONG et al. (US 2017/0303076) in view of KWON et al. (US 2017/0279808).
- In reference to claim 9
SONG et al. teaches a system and method that covers substantially all limitations of the parent claim.
SONG et al. does not teach a separate characteristic for transmitting timing information on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information for transmission of the audio data is defined in the source device and the sink device.
KWON et al. teaches a separate characteristic (e.g. Fig. 8, par. 0285-0301) for transmitting information is defined in a source device (e.g. server device; par. 0057-0059) and a sink device (e.g. client device; par. 0057-0059).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the transmitting timing information on transmission timing of the audio data and metadata information for transmission of the audio data of Song et al. to be performed using a separate characteristic defined in the source device and the sink device as suggested by KWON et al. because it would allow a unique characteristic to be defined and utilized to facilitate the transmission of the audio data and metadata information between the devices.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONG et al. (US 2017/0303076) in view of Park et al. (US 2019/0141786) in view of Li et al. (US 2019/0327661).
- In reference to claim 10
SONG et al. teaches a system and method that covers substantially all limitations of the parent claim. Song et al. further teaches setup of the sink device based on timing information (e.g. connection interval; par. 0393) and metadata information (e.g. codec parameters; par. 0382-0389).
SONG et al. does not teach receiving, from the sink device, a notification message.
Park et al. teaches receiving, from a sink device, a notification message indicating information. (par. 0152)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Song et al. to include receiving, from the sink device, a notification message indicating information as suggested by Park et al. because it would allow the sink device to send information to the source device in a Bluetooth LE notification message.
The combination of SONG et al. and Park et al. does not teach the notification message indicating that setup has been complete.
Li et al. teaches a message indicating that setup has been complete (par. 0092).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of SONG et al. and PARK et al. to include the notification message to indicate that the setup of the sink device based on timing information metadata information has been complete as suggested by Li et al. because it would allow the source device to be notified that setup was successful so that audio data may be then transferred to the sink device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 11-14 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure are:
US 2024/0396849 pertains to a master device transmits and receives data in a short-range wireless communication system comprises the steps of: establishing a connected isochronous channel stream (CIS) channel or a broadcast isochronous channel stream (BIS) channel with at least one first slave device; establishing a CIS channel with at least one second slave device; and transmitting and receiving data to and from the at least one first slave device and the at least one second slave device on the basis of at least one time interval that is periodically allocated, wherein each of the at least one time interval includes at least one sub time interval, and wherein the at least one sub-time interval includes: (i) a first time interval within which a master device is to transmit data to the at least one first slave device and/or the at least one second slave device; and (ii) a second time interval within which the master device is to receive data which is generated on the basis of a user input from the at least one first slave device and/or the at least one second slave device.
US 2008/0268922 pertains to an information processing apparatus including: a storing unit configured to store a coded audio data corresponding to one of a plurality of codec types, an acquiring unit configured to acquire first information which indicate codec types supported by an external device, a receiving unit configured to receive second information, which designates a codec type to be used for decoding received coded audio data, from the external device, a determining unit configured to determine whether the designated codec types is acceptable to transmit the coded audio data stored in the storing unit by comparing codec type corresponding to the coded audio data and the codec type designated by the external device, and a requesting unit configured to request the external device to switch the designated codec type to another codec type which is one of the codec types detected based on the second information.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN S ROBERTS whose telephone number is (571)272-3095. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 9am to 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached at (571) 272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BRIAN S. ROBERTS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2466
/BRIAN S ROBERTS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466