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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/20/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/20/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On pages 8-10, Applicant argues that,
“Ejima describes an apparatus and a method of correcting time difference of a video signal and an audio signal, that is, deviation in Lip-sync.
However, Ejima does not describe or suggest, at least, a method for synchronizing a plurality of multimedia components rendered on at least three multimedia rendering devices, each of said plurality of multimedia components being selected among audio and video components of a digital multimedia processed by a media player and being rendered on a multimedia rendering device of the at least three multimedia rendering devices receiving the multimedia component from the media player through a respective path, the method comprising, by the media player: obtaining, for each multimedia rendering device, a delay data representative of a propagation delay of the multimedia component from reception of the multimedia component to physical rendering of the multimedia component by the multimedia rendering device of the at least three multimedia rendering devices, determining buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the delay data of a plurality of delay data corresponding to the at least three multimedia rendering devices, and providing, for each multimedia component, the buffering delay to a corresponding buffer implemented along a path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data.
The Action asserts that paragraphs 0138-0152 and Figures 16A-21C of Ejima corresponds to the claimed determining and providing of the buffering delay. In particular, the Action asserts that LCD 143, speaker 153 and speaker 253 correspond to the claimed at least three multimedia rendering devices.
However, the description in Ejima relates to providing buffering when delay exists between audio and video outputs. This reference does not contemplate delay between different multimedia rendering devices and specifically does not contemplate delay between at least three multimedia rendering devices and providing, for each multimedia component, a single buffering delay to the corresponding buffer implemented along a path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data.
Thus, while the claimed invention is able to determine the buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the delay data of a plurality of delay data corresponding to the at least three multimedia rendering devices, the cited Ejima reference does not need to worry about a maximum value and a minimum value in three or more values since each device determines its own delay independently.
For instance, as is clearly evidenced in Figure 17A, the delay for LCD 143 is 80, the delay for speaker 153 is 20 and the delay for speaker 253 is 10. Thus, this reference does not teach or suggest the claimed features.”
(original emphases)
In response, Examiner respectfully disagrees and submits that, at least in Fig. 17A of Ejima’s reference, the maximum delay is 80, which is along the path of the video component to the LCD 143, the minimum delay is 10, which is along the path of the audio component to the speaker 253. Ejima then teaches a buffering delay of 70 representative of a difference between the maximum value of 80 and the minimum value of 10 above to implement synchronization of the video component and the audio component on all three rendering devices. Specifically, the path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data is clearly the path from the source to speaker 253. On this path, a buffer 251 is implemented. This buffer is provided the value of 70 described above, as a buffering delay representative of a difference between the maximum value of 80 and the minimum value of 10, for both (1) the video component rendered on LCD 143 to achieve synchronization with the video playback on the LCD 143 and (2) the audio components rendered on speaker 153 and speaker 253 to achieve synchronization of audio components rendered on all audio rendering devices.
As such, Ejima clearly teaches the step of “determining buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the delay data of a plurality of delay data corresponding to the at least three multimedia rendering devices; and “providing, for each multimedia component, the buffering delay to a corresponding buffer implemented along a path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data.”
Applicant’s arguments are therefore not persuasive.
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)(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.
Claims 1-10 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ejima et al. (US 2009/0073316 A1 – hereinafter Ejima).
Regarding claim 1, Ejima discloses a method for synchronizing a plurality of multimedia components rendered on at least three multimedia rendering devices (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C; [0130] – synchronizing at least video and audio components on at least three multimedia rendering devices, i.e. a video rendering device comprising LCD 143 and processing unit 142 and an audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152, speaker 253 and processing unit 252), each of said multimedia components being selected among audio and video components of a digital multimedia processed by a media player ([0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – said multimedia component being video components and audio components of digital multimedia processed by a source, which is a media player as further described at least in [0068]), and being rendered on a multimedia rendering device of the at least three multimedia rendering devices receiving the multimedia component from the media player through a respective path ([0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – each of the multimedia component being rendered on a rendering device, e.g. a video component rendered on video rendering device comprising LCD 143 and processing unit 142, audio components being rendered on audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152), the method comprising, by the media player: obtaining, for each multimedia rendering device, a delay data representative of a propagation delay of the multimedia component from reception of the multimedia component to physical rendering of the multimedia component by the multimedia rendering device of the at least three multimedia rendering devices ([0137]; [0156] – obtaining for each rendering device a total latency comprising delay data representative of a propagation delay of the multimedia component from the reception of the multimedia component to the physical rendering of the multimedia component by the multimedia rendering device as further described at least in [0072]-[0073]); determining buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among the delay data of a plurality of delay data corresponding to the at least three multimedia rendering devices ([0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – the source device which is the media player sets ‘extra delay’ as the difference between a maximum value, i.e. total latency of the video path, and a minimum value, i.e. total latency of the audio path of the audio rendering device comprising speaker 253 and processing unit 252 as shown in Figs. 17A-17C, among the delay data of the three delay data – also see “Response to Arguments” above); and providing, for each multimedia component, the buffering delay to a corresponding buffer implemented along a path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C; [0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – providing buffering delay to at least one buffer implemented at the source, or at both the source and the audio rendering device comprising the speaker 253 and processing unit 252 as shown in Figs. 17A-17C along the corresponding audio path for both video and audio components to achieve synchronization of audio and video rendering on all devices – also see “Response to Arguments” above).
Regarding claim 2, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein at least one multimedia processing device is implemented along the path between the multimedia rendering device and the media player (Figs. 16B-16C – at least a processing device 110 is implemented along the path between the source and rendering devices), said delay data obtained by the media player representing the propagation delay between the reception of the multimedia component by the multimedia processing device to the physical rendering of the multimedia component by the multimedia rendering device (Fig. 16B; [0132] – ‘delay data’ obtained by the media player as a total latency comprising delay data representative of a propagation delay of the multimedia component from the reception of the multimedia component by repeater 110 to the physical rendering of the multimedia component by the multimedia rendering device as further described at least in [0072]-[0073], i.e. 10ms + 10 ms = 20 ms).
Regarding claim 3, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the delay data obtained by the media player is a sum of delay of the multimedia rendering device and delay of the at least one multimedia processing device (Fig. 16B; [0132] – sum of the delay of the audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152, which is 10ms and the delay of the repeater 110, which is 10 ms, thus 10ms + 10ms= 20 ms to provide the ‘extra delay’ of 80ms - 20ms = 60ms at described in [0132]).
Regarding claim 4, Ejima also disclose the method according to claim 2, wherein said obtaining the delay data comprises: receiving, from at least one multimedia processing device, delay of the multimedia rendering device and delay of the at least one multimedia processing device ([0130] – receiving the delay data from the repeater the delay of the repeater and the delay of the audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152 through an EDID line as shown in Fig. 2); and summing the delay of the multimedia rendering device and the delay of the at least one multimedia processing device delivering the delay data ([0132] – summing the delays to get audio signal total latency of 20 ms).
Regarding claim 5, Ejima also disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein said obtaining the delay data comprises receiving the delay data sent by the multimedia rendering device ([0118] – the source device acquires the video signal latency from the video rendering device and the audio signal latency from the sink device, i.e. from audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152 shown in Fig. 15B).
Regarding claim 6, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein said obtaining the delay data comprises receiving the delay data sent by a multimedia processing device ([0130] – receiving the delay data from the repeater the delay of the repeater and the delay of the audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152 through an EDID line as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein said obtaining the delay data comprises receiving the delay data sent by the multimedia processing device the most upstream along the path between the multimedia rendering device and the media player ([0130] – receiving the delay data from the repeater, which is the most upstream along the path, the delay of the repeater and the delay of the audio rendering device comprising a speaker 153 and processing unit 152 through an EDID line as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one buffer is implemented in the media player (Fig. 15B; [0118] – a buffer implemented in the source device to delay the audio signal by 70 ms).
Regarding claim 9, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one buffer is implemented in a multimedia processing device along the path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data (Fig. 16C – a buffer implemented at the repeater 110 along the path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data, which is the path to audio rendering device), said providing the at least one buffering delay further comprising sending the at least one buffering delay to the multimedia processing device along the path of the multimedia component corresponding to the minimum value (Fig. 16C; [0135] – providing the buffering delay to the repeater).
Regarding claim 10, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one buffer is implemented in the multimedia rendering device receiving the multimedia component through the path corresponding to the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data (Fig. 16C; [0135] – a buffer is implemented in the rendering device, i.e. speaker 113, ), said providing the at least one buffering delay further comprising sending the at least one buffering delay to the multimedia rendering device receiving the multimedia component through the path corresponding to the minimum value (Fig. 16C; [0135] – providing the buffering delay to the audio rendering device comprising a speaker 113 and processing unit 112, which is the multimedia rendering device receiving the multimedia component through the path corresponding to the minimum value).
Regarding claim 12, Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein said determining and said providing are executed iteratively, the minimum value among the delay data of the plurality of delay data used for a given iteration being canceled from the plurality of delay data for delivering an updated plurality of delay data used for the next iteration of said determining and said providing (Figs. 16B-16C – said determining and providing are executed iteratively to provide an updated delay to the next device in the path).
Regarding claim 13, Ejima also discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program code instructions for implementing a method according to claim 1 ([0069] – a program product executed by a system controller to realize the functions and processes as described).
Claim 14 is rejected for the same reason as discussed in claim 1 above in view of Ejima also disclosing the media player comprising an electronic device configured to perform the recited method (Fig. 3; [0069]-[0070]).
Regarding claim 15, Ejima also discloses a multimedia rendering device (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C – a video display device of the sink device 140 and amplifier 150) comprising input circuitry configured to receive a multimedia component (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C; [0072] – an input, e.g. HDMI interface unit, receiving video component for display) and output circuitry configured to render the multimedia component (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C; [0072] – an LCD to display decoded video signal and speakers to output audio), said multimedia rendering device having a propagation delay representative of a maximum propagation delay of the multimedia component from reception of the multimedia component to the rendering of the multimedia component (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C; [0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – display part of the sink device has a maximum propagation delay of the multimedia component from the reception of the multimedia component to the rendering of the multimedia component, i.e. 80 ms caused by the video signal processing unit 142), said multimedia rendering device including a memory to store the propagation delay ([0072]; [0096]; Fig. 4 – a ROM to store the propagation delay Lv) and a processor or a dedicated computing machine configured to transmit the propagation delay to a multimedia component source connectable to the input circuitry in order to participate to a synchronization of a plurality of multimedia components rendered on at least three multimedia rendering devices (Fig. 4; [0072]; [0096] – controller 39 reads the Lv from the memory and transmits the Lv to a source device connectable to the input as shown in Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C to participate to a synchronization of a video and audio multimedia components rendered on an LCD and two speakers), the propagating delay being provided to each of the at least three multimedia rendering device (Fig. 12; [0098] – the delay is provided to the downstream devices).
Regarding claim 16, Ejima also discloses media player according to claim 14, wherein said processor or dedicated computing machine is further configured to obtain the delay data by being configured to: receive delay of the multimedia rendering device and delay of at least one multimedia processing device ([0106] – receiving delay of the multimedia rendering device, e.g. 80ms and delay of at least one multimedia processing device, e.g. 20ms of repeater), and sum the delay of the multimedia rendering device and the delay of the at least one multimedia processing device as the delay data ([0106] – summing to 100 ms).
Regarding claim 17, Ejima also discloses the media player according to claim 14, wherein said processor or dedicated computing machine is further configured to obtain the delay data by being configured to receive the delay data sent by the multimedia rendering device ([0106]; [0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – receiving the delay data sent by the multimedia rendering device through EDID).
Regarding claim 18, Ejima also discloses the multimedia rendering device according to claim 15, wherein the propagation delay transmitted to the multimedia component source is summed with delay of at least one multimedia processing device ([0106] – the propagation delay transmitted to the multimedia component source is delay of the multimedia rendering device, e.g. 80ms summed with delay of at least one multimedia processing device, e.g. 20ms of repeater).
Regarding claim 19, Ejima also discloses the multimedia rendering device according to claim 15, wherein said synchronization of a plurality of multimedia components further includes determining at least one buffering delay representative of a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value among delay data of a plurality of delay data including the propagation delay ([0138]-[0143]; [0145]-[0152] – the source device which is the media player sets ‘extra delay’ as the difference between a maximum value, i.e. total latency of the video path, and a minimum value, i.e. total latency of the audio path of the audio rendering device comprising speaker 253 and processing unit 252 as shown in Figs. 17A-17C, among the delay data of the three delay data).
Regarding claim 20, Ejima also discloses the multimedia rendering device according to claim 15, wherein said multimedia rendering device is one of the at least three multimedia rendering devices (Figs. 16A-16C, 17A-17C, 18A-18C, 20A-20C; 21A-21C).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ejima as applied to claims 1-10 and 12-20 above, and further in view of Weissman et al. (US 2021/0112362 A1 – hereinafter Weissman).
Regarding claim 11, see the teachings of Ejima as discussed in claim 1 above, in which Ejima also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein, for at least one audio rendering device, the method further comprises, performed by the media player is configured to: obtaining an additional delay data (Figs. 16B-16C – obtaining additional delay data along a path); and adding the additional delay data to the delay data representative of a propagation delay of an audio component from reception of the audio component to physical rendering of the audio component by the audio rendering device delivering an updated delay data (Figs. 16C-16B – adding delay data to acquire an audio signal total latency), said at least one buffering delay being determined as representative of a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value among the delay data of a plurality of delay data comprising the updated delay data in place of the delay data representative of the propagation delay of the audio component from the reception of the audio component to the physical rendering of the audio component by the audio rendering device ([0131]-[0132] – the source device determines an ‘extra delay’ as the difference between a maximum value, i.e. total latency of the video path, and a minimum value, i.e. total latency of the audio path).
However, Ejima does not disclose the as additional delay data representative of a sound propagation delay from the audio rendering device up to a user experiencing a multimedia.
Weissman discloses additional delay data representative of a sound propagation delay from an audio rendering device up to a user experiencing multimedia ([0074] –sound propagation delay).
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to incorporate the teachings of Weissman into the method taught by Ejima to acquire a more accurate audio signal latency, thus providing better synchronization of playback among the video and the audio rendering devices.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG Q DANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1116. The examiner can normally be reached IFT.
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/HUNG Q DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
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