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, 3, 6, 8, 11, and 14-15 are amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Withdrawn Claims 5 and 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
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 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.
Claims 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cook (US #2021/0028796) in view of Piper et al. (US #2013/0089026).
Regarding Claim 1, Cook (title, abstract, Figs. 1-7) discloses a wireless hub (Fig. 1: 100; ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) comprising
one or more processors (Cook ¶0016 discloses one or more processors) and
memory (Cook ¶0016 discloses memory) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (Cook ¶0016 discloses the instructions or modules may be written in a source code programming language that is subsequently compiled for execution, or may be written in a scripting language such as, e.g., HTML, XML, JavaScript, Python, and the like. The computer-readable medium can comprise any components for storing information in readable format by one or more computing devices), cause the wireless hub (Cook ¶0023 discloses as shown in Fig. 1, a master transceiver 100 can be a wireless device or a primary/first wireless device. A master transceiver 100, can be configured to receive and transmit data from an array of wireless devices 100, 102, 106, 108, 110. In this example, the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected from devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 in the system. In one example, the master transceiver 100 can be configured to broadcast the collected data from devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) to:
wirelessly receive, from at least one input device of a plurality of input devices, one or more audio signals (Cook ¶0004 discloses the master transceiver can be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wireless devices over Bluetooth and the master transceiver can be configured to combine the plurality of signals and the master signal into a combined signal. ¶0025 discloses it is contemplated that the transceiver device 108 can include a microphone for capturing or transmitting audio. ¶0026 discloses the listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 [i.e., generating processed signals] in the system);
generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals (Cook ¶0026 discloses the listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 in the system. ¶0059 discloses multiple microphones can be synchronized using a system PLL and/or sample rate conversion processes to align the audio samples so there is no skew between them. In this case there may be no need for timestamps as all microphones can be self-synchronizing. However, when a backup diversity is required such as when using a different radio, e.g. Wi-Fi, it can become important that timestamps are utilized. In one example, timestamps can be used by receiving devices to align the different streams received, for example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi [and other] feeds so that they can be aligned as shown in Fig. 6); and
wirelessly transmit the one or more processed audio signals to one or more user computing devices or one or more output devices (Cook ¶0025 discloses at least one of the devices 106, 108 [Fig. 1] can receive transmissions of the performance from the master transceiver 100 when desired. It is also contemplated that more or less devices can be positioned off stage to accomplish the desired mix, broadcast, transmission, retransmission, recording, etc. ¶0026 discloses audience members can be provided with listening and/or display devices 110 to receive a broadcast of the performance. The listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 in the system),
wherein the wireless hub (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) is configured to wirelessly receive signals via a plurality of wireless input connections having different communication protocols (Cook ¶0019 discloses a radio dongle could be a transceiver such as a DECT radio, UHF/VHF band radio, etc. In one example, a USB based DECT transceiver/receiver can collect audio streams from the DECT transceiver/receiver and aggregates and relays the audio data via a USB/Lightening port to a smart phone or other mobile devices. ¶0021 discloses it is contemplated that the devices, which can be wireless, can form various network nodes and can be interconnected to each other and to other devices by way of private intranets, corporate networks, LANs, wireless networks, personal networks [PAN], and other networks can also be used. For example, the above connections can be made via the internet, WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi [e.g., compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/and the like wireless communication standards], infrared, NFC, protocols, etc., or any other known method of wireless transmission), and
to wirelessly transmit signals via a plurality of wireless output connections having different communication protocols (Cook ¶0021 discloses it is contemplated that the devices, which can be wireless, can form various network nodes and can be interconnected to each other and to other devices by way of private intranets, corporate networks, LANs, wireless networks, personal networks [PAN], and other networks can also be used. For example, the above connections can be made via the internet, WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi [e.g., compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/and the like wireless communication standards], infrared, NFC, protocols, etc., or any other known method of wireless transmission. ¶0023 discloses the transmission protocols between the devices and the master transceiver 100 can include WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi, infrared, NFC, protocols, and other protocols. ¶0027 discloses the first plurality of wireless devices 102 through their respective plurality of microphones are configured to convert sound waves from a first plurality of performers or sources into a first plurality of signals. And the first plurality of wireless devices 102 can be configured to transmit the first plurality of signals over a first wireless protocol to the master transceiver 100. The master transceiver 100 can be configured to combine a plurality of signals from the first plurality of wireless devices 102 and a master signal from a performer associated with the master transceiver 100 [which acts as a hub] into a combined signal of all of the sources on stage 104. The master transceiver 100 can be configured to broadcast the combined signal over the first wireless protocol and a second wireless protocol from all of the sources on stage 104 simultaneously with the transmission over the first wireless protocol. And in this example, the first protocol can be a Bluetooth transmission protocol, and the second protocol can be a Wi-Fi protocol).
Cook may not explicitly disclose generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals.
However, Piper (title, abstract, Figs. 1-13) teaches generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals (Piper ¶0044 discloses multiple live audio signals are converted by the jacks [acting as hubs; ¶0051: processing module 108 is the “central hub” inside jack device 100 and routes converted signals [i.e., generating processed signals] to the network logic module 112. ¶0184: the wireless jack devices 1106a-1106d can be connected to instruments, microphones, MIDI devices and the like, Fig. 11] and transmitted wirelessly to a host device that may operate to record the signals synchronized in time. The audio signals are then organized within a software application which can be executing on the host device for the purpose of recording the signals while, simultaneously applying effects processing to the signals and re-sending the effected signals back wirelessly to the performers for real-time monitoring and listening of the actual performance being played via a variety of devices including speakers, a wireless headphone mixer and wireless headphones. Further, the software application or another component can operate to allow the recorded signals to be edited later with additional effects processing, whether on the host device or another device, and listened to by means of speakers, a wireless headphone mixer device and wireless headphones at later times, or exported [e.g., as a digital file] for use within other software applications and devices [such as a personal computer], or immediately distributed via the Internet or other media).
Cook and Piper are analogous art as they pertain to wireless audio transmission. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify wireless system (as taught by Cook) to receive processed signals from the host recording device either wirelessly, or by means of a connecting cable to the host recording device's standard output jack located on the host recording device (as taught by Piper, ¶0022) to overcome complex and expensive setup of audio/video equipment (Piper, ¶0002).
Claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 2, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1. But Cook may not explicitly disclose wherein applying processing to the one or more audio signals comprises performing one or more of gain adjustment, equalization processing, noise suppression, signal detection, environmental detection, localization, separation, de-reverberation, use case detection, audio enhancement, automatic stem generation, AI/ML signal processing, digital signal processing, identification, instrument detection, denoising, speech enhancement, instrument enhancement, dynamic processing, compression, gating, routing determination, level determination, level adjusting, mixing, or auto-mixing.
However, Piper (title, abstract, Figs. 1-13) teaches performing one or more of gain adjustment, equalization processing, noise suppression, signal detection, environmental detection, localization, separation, de-reverberation, use case detection, audio enhancement, automatic stem generation, AI/ML signal processing, digital signal processing, identification, instrument detection, denoising, speech enhancement, instrument enhancement, dynamic processing, compression, gating, routing determination, level determination, level adjusting, mixing, or auto-mixing (Piper ¶0057 discloses an audio preamp module 124 is provided that gain-optimizes incoming analog audio signals. ¶0104 discloses headphone mixing device 700 can comprise a processing module 706 for implementing commands [such as power, reset, volume, pan (for left to right), equalization and mute] directed by users of headphone mixing device 700 from the UI 728; and a signal splitting logic module [e.g., an internal chipset] 708 for receiving a digital signal and splitting such signal into multiple wireless signals. ¶0110 discloses headphone mixing device 700 can provide an external UI 728 and various controls and features. The controls and features can include a power button 712, a set of mixing knobs 718-724 to determine parameters of the outputted mix [typical parameters include volume, panning left to right, equalization and mute]).
Cook and Piper are analogous art as they pertain to wireless audio transmission. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify wireless system (as taught by Cook) to receive processed signals from the host recording device either wirelessly, or by means of a connecting cable to the host recording device's standard output jack located on the host recording device (as taught by Piper, ¶0022) to overcome complex and expensive setup of audio/video equipment (Piper, ¶0002).
Regarding Claim 3, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the wireless hub (Cook Fig. 1: 100) is further configured to wirelessly receive a data stream from the at least one input device of the plurality of input devices (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities).
Regarding Claim 4, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) of claim 3,
wherein the data stream comprises one or more of audio signals (Cook ¶0025 discloses the transceiver device 108 can include a microphone for capturing or transmitting audio), video signals (Cook ¶0025 discloses the transceiver device 108 can include a camera with a specialized zoom lens for capturing or transmitting video and/or still imagery and is located off stage for recording a performance. In this example, the transceiver device 108 can be configured to be integrated with or to plug into smartphones, tablets, laptops or other computing devices. Similarly, device 106 can be located off stage and can have similar features and functionality as device 108. Device 106 can include a camera and/or microphone for capturing or transmitting a live performance), metadata, positional data (Cook ¶0052 discloses multiple slave drone camera, microphone, transmitter, receiver, and/or transceiver [arrays] can be deployed as components within a larger system that allows positional audio/video capture dynamically adjustment. Adaptable microphone and camera positions can be advantageous to enable reconfiguration for different "scenes" or changing conditions on-the-ground such as in a war zone or other mobile journalist contexts), orientation data, data associated with NFC devices (Cook ¶0023 discloses the transmission protocols between the devices and the master transceiver 100 can include WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi, infrared, NFC, protocols, and other protocols), or clock synchronization data (Cook ¶0020 discloses the system can use synchronization, for video and/or audio recording applications including multi-track audio and/or video. Yet, if a network, e.g., 5G or WiFi, is connected for uplink then the master transceiver can synchronize its clock to the network clock using a precision time protocol, such as TimeSync® 802.lAS or future standard network synchronization method. ¶0030 discloses the second plurality of wireless devices 106, 108 can transmit the signal of images or video feeds of the performers on stage 104 over a third transfer protocol directly to network 112. For example, one of the wireless devices 106, 108 can send combined video and/or audio packets to network 112. Or one of the wireless devices 106, 108 can send a respective video and/or audio feed from a single vantage point. It is contemplated that the system can also utilize video synchronization across multiple devices, such as cameras, microphones, etc. as part of the transfer protocol. ¶0034 discloses it is contemplated that any one or more of the wireless devices 100, 102, 106, 108, 110 can be provided with the necessary hardware and software for audio and/or video recording and multi-track synchronization).
Regarding Claim 5, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) of claim 3.
Cook may not explicitly disclose wherein the data stream comprises processed audio signals processed by the at least one input device of the plurality of input devices.
However, Piper (title, abstract, Figs. 1-13) teaches wherein the data stream comprises processed audio signals processed by the at least one input device of the plurality of input devices (Piper ¶0057 discloses an audio preamp module 124 is provided that gain-optimizes incoming analog audio signals. ¶0104 discloses headphone mixing device 700 can comprise a processing module 706 for implementing commands [such as power, reset, volume, pan (for left to right), equalization and mute] directed by users of headphone mixing device 700 from the UI 728; and a signal splitting logic module [e.g., an internal chipset] 708 for receiving a digital signal and splitting such signal into multiple wireless signals. ¶0110 discloses headphone mixing device 700 can provide an external UI 728 and various controls and features. The controls and features can include a power button 712, a set of mixing knobs 718-724 to determine parameters of the outputted mix [typical parameters include volume, panning left to right, equalization and mute]).
Cook and Piper are analogous art as they pertain to wireless audio transmission. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify wireless system (as taught by Cook) to receive processed signals from the host recording device either wirelessly, or by means of a connecting cable to the host recording device's standard output jack located on the host recording device (as taught by Piper, ¶0022) to overcome complex and expensive setup of audio/video equipment (Piper, ¶0002).
Regarding Claim 6, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 2,
wherein mixing or auto-mixing comprises combining the one or more processed audio signals with pre-processed or mixed audio signals received from the at least one input device of the plurality of nput devices (Cook ¶0025 discloses the transceiver device 108 can include a camera with a specialized zoom lens for capturing or transmitting video and/or still imagery, and can include a microphone for capturing or transmitting audio. It is also contemplated that more or less devices can be positioned off stage to accomplish the desired mix, broadcast, transmission, retransmission, recording, etc. ¶0026 discloses the listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 in the system. ¶0032 discloses it is also contemplated that any one of devices 100, 102, 106, 108, and 110 can include a connection or an uplink for delivering the performance to a network 112 over a wireless transfer protocol. For example, the master transceiver 100 can transmit a combined mix of feeds from the sources associated with the master transceiver 100, the first plurality of devices 102, and the second plurality of devices 106, 108 to the network 112 over the third transfer protocol directly to network 112).
Regarding Claim 7, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 3,
wherein mixing or auto-mixing is applied based on instructions received from the one or more user computing devices (Cook ¶0018 discloses functionality of the software may refer to operations or decisions made automatically based on rules coded into the control logic, made manually by a user providing input into the system, and/or a combination of automatic processing based on user input [e.g., queries, data updates, or the like]. ¶0032 discloses it is also contemplated that any one of devices 100, 102, 106, 108, and 110 can include a connection or an uplink for delivering the performance to a network 112 over a wireless transfer protocol. For example, the master transceiver 100 can transmit a combined mix of feeds from the sources associated with the master transceiver 100, the first plurality of devices 102, and the second plurality of devices 106, 108 to the network 112 over the third transfer protocol directly to network 112).
Regarding Claim 8, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein a duration between a departure of the one or more audio signals from the at least one input device of the plurality of input devices and an arrival of the one or more processed audio signals at the one or more output devices is less than one of 5ms, 10ms, 15ms, or 20ms (Cook Fig. 5: timestamp audio and or video/create packet 536; Fig. 6: timestamp 658, 662. ¶0040 discloses it is also contemplated that the performance be transmitted in real time [i.e., obviously less than 5ms, 10ms, 15ms, or 2oms] during the performance. ¶0052 discloses these receivers can be configured to take video and aggregate disparate on-the-ground audio/video feeds and finally provide a real-time bridge/uplink to a 5G or other satellite-based network).
Regarding Claim 9, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the plurality of wireless input connections comprises three (3) or more wireless input connections (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 [Fig. 1] can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities).
Regarding Claim 10, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the plurality of wireless output connections comprises three (3) or more wireless output connections (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 [Fig. 1] can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected form devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities).
Regarding Claim 11, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless hub to:
wirelessly receive, from at least one of the plurality of input devices or the one or more output devices, a request to establish a connection (Cook Fig. 7: 784 send WiFi connection request to link partner); and
based on receiving the request, send an indication of acceptance of the connection to the at least one input device of the plurality of input devices (Cook Fig. 7: 786 establish WiFi connection).
Regarding Claim 12, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the different communication protocols comprise Bluetooth protocol, an Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 WIFI protocol, a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) cellular protocol, a local area network (LAN) protocol, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands, a very high frequency (VHF) band, an ultra high frequency (UHF) band, DECT, or RF bands (Cook ¶0019 discloses a radio dongle could be a transceiver such as a DECT radio, UHF/VHF band radio, etc. In one example, a USB based DECT transceiver/receiver can collect audio streams from the DECT transceiver/receiver and aggregates and relays the audio data via a USB/Lightening port to a smart phone or other mobile devices. ¶0021 discloses it is contemplated that the devices, which can be wireless, can form various network nodes and can be interconnected to each other and to other devices by way of private intranets, corporate networks, LANs, wireless networks, personal networks [PAN], and other networks can also be used. For example, the above connections can be made via the internet, WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi [e.g., compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/and the like wireless communication standards], infrared, NFC, protocols, etc., or any other known method of wireless transmission. ¶0023 discloses the transmission protocols between the devices and the master transceiver 100 can include WiMAX, LTE, Bluetooth, GSM, 3G, 4G, 5G, Zigbee, 60 GHz, Bluetooth Broadcast, Wi-Fi, infrared, NFC, protocols, and other protocols).
Regarding Claim 13, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein applying the processing comprises at least determining a correct routing and a level for received audio signals based on one or more of their respective input device, an input source, or an intended destination output device (Cook Fig. 7: 774 read incoming Bluetooth signal strength metric [RSSI]; 790 read WiFi signal strength metric [RSSI]; ¶0055).
Regarding Claim 14, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1. But Cook may not explicitly disclose wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless hub to: determine or receive, from at least one of the one or more user computing devices, one or more configuration parameters, wherein applying the processing is based on the one or more configuration parameters.
However, Piper (title, abstract, Figs. 1-13) teaches determine or receive, from at least one of the one or more user computing devices, one or more configuration parameters (Piper ¶0075 discloses LED indicator lights may be activated as a method of providing a user interface to a user reflecting the status of various parameters associated with jack device 100, such as power, network connection status, and connection status to a host device),
wherein applying the processing is based on the one or more configuration parameters (Piper ¶0110 discloses the controls and features can include a power button 712, a set of mixing knobs 718-724 to determine parameters of the outputted mix [parameters include volume, panning left to right, equalization and mute]. ¶0111 discloses once plugged in, the devices are able to create or join a wireless network connecting the wireless jack devices, the network including a host device and software application that provide varied functionality from recording the audio signals transmitted over the wireless network by the wireless jack devices into one or more tracks, to providing a user interface for various parameters of the system, to offering ways to apply effects processing to the audio signals for each stream of audio from individual wireless jack devices and sending that processed audio signal data back to a performer so she can listen to her performance in real-time as it is being recorded. ¶0121 discloses the wireless audio driver interface monitors these parameters and ensures the audio signal quality is acceptable.).
Cook and Piper are analogous art as they pertain to wireless audio transmission. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify wireless system (as taught by Cook) to receive processed signals from the host recording device either wirelessly, or by means of a connecting cable to the host recording device's standard output jack located on the host recording device (as taught by Piper, ¶0022) to overcome complex and expensive setup of audio/video equipment (Piper, ¶0002).
Regarding Claim 15, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1. But Cook may not explicitly disclose wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless hub to: determine or receive, from at least one of the one or more user computing devices, a mapping between the plurality of input devices and the one or more output devices.
However, Piper (title, abstract, Figs. 1-13) teaches determine or receive, from at least one of the one or more user computing devices, a mapping between the plurality of input devices and the one or more output devices (Piper ¶0115 discloses upon powering up and connecting one or more wireless jack devices, the wireless audio driver interface offers varied capabilities. The wireless audio driver interface begins executing on a host device and discovers the wireless jack devices. For example, the wireless audio driver interface may use a networking protocol such as Bonjour from Apple [known as mDNS in non-Apple implementations] to identify the wireless jack devices. The wireless audio driver interface establishes a list of network services that it consumes [such as wireless streaming audio] and polls for jack devices advertising those services. By maintaining control over the network service identifier and the network port used to advertise the service, only appropriately credentialed network jack devices may be discovered. For each wireless jack device discovered, the wireless audio driver interface exchanges bi-directional control data to verify parameters of the wireless jack device. Examples of control data sent from the jack devices to the wireless audio driver include jack device type, name, sample rate, time slot assignment and number of channels present in the streamed audio signal. Thereby mapping between the plurality of input devices and the one or more output devices).
Cook and Piper are analogous art as they pertain to wireless audio transmission. Therefore it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify wireless system (as taught by Cook) to receive processed signals from the host recording device either wirelessly, or by means of a connecting cable to the host recording device's standard output jack located on the host recording device (as taught by Piper, ¶0022) to overcome complex and expensive setup of audio/video equipment (Piper, ¶0002).
Regarding Claim 16, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the plurality of input devices comprises one or more of a wireless video capture device, a wireless audio capture device (Cook Fig. 1: 106, 108; ¶0023, ¶0025), a computing device (Cook ¶0024 discloses the master transceiver 100 can be wireless and include a microphone and one or more hardware components, e.g. antenna, computing device, etc. and software components for providing the exemplary functionality), a wireless microphone (Cook Fig. 1: 100; ¶0024), a wearable pack associated with a microphone (Cook Fig. 1: 102), a wireless headset integrated with a microphone (Cook Fig. 1: 110), or a transceiver associated with a musical instrument (Cook ¶0004 discloses the master transceiver can be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wireless devices over Bluetooth and the master transceiver can be configured to combine the plurality of signals and the master signal into a combined signal).
Regarding Claim 17, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the one or more output devices comprise one or more of a computing device (Cook ¶0026 discloses the display and or speaker can be connected to, integrated with or a part of a smartphone, tablet, laptop or other computing device), an audio output device, a speaker (Cook ¶0026 discloses the devices 110 can include a wireless speaker for outputting the audio of the performance), a wearable pack associated with a microphone (Cook Fig. 1: 102), a wireless headset (Cook Fig. 1: 110), a user computing device (Cook ¶0026 discloses the display and or speaker can be connected to, integrated with or a part of a smartphone, tablet, laptop or other computing device), an XLR output connector (Cook ¶0018 discloses any of the wireless devices can be hard wired [i.e., can be using an XLR connection], a dongle (Cook ¶0019 discloses a USB “dongle”, a radio dongle), or a transceiver associated with a musical instrument (Cook ¶0004 discloses the master transceiver can be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wireless devices over Bluetooth and the master transceiver can be configured to combine the plurality of signals and the master signal into a combined signal).
Regarding Claim 18, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the wireless hub is configured to be wirelessly powered (Cook ¶0023 discloses the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be wirelessly powered, Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 19, Cook in view of Piper discloses the wireless hub of claim 1,
wherein the wireless hub is configured to generate and transmit control signals to one or more of the plurality of input devices, the one or more user computing devices, or the one or more output devices (Cook ¶0018 discloses control logic for instructing the wireless device to perform certain aspects, and other application software providing secondary, support, and/or other functionality which may or may not be used in conjunction with one or more aspects described herein. Functionality of the software can refer to operations or decisions made automatically based on rules coded into the control logic, made manually by a user providing input into the system, and/or a combination of automatic processing based on user input [e.g., queries, data updates, or the like]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument that Piper states that "[p]rocessing module 108 is the central hub and routing 'patchbay' between network logic module 112, bus module 116 and the audio logic 110." Piper, [as disclosed in ¶ [0051]. Piper's processing module 108 in the jack devices routes signals between modules – it does not "generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals" as recited in claims 1 and 20. Therefore, neither Cook nor Piper discloses a wireless hub configured to "generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals" as recited in claims 1 and 20, and required by any claims depending therefrom. The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
For caus[ing] the wireless hub (Cook ¶0023 discloses as shown in Fig. 1, a master transceiver 100 can be a wireless device or a primary/first wireless device. A master transceiver 100, can be configured to receive and transmit data from an array of wireless devices 100, 102, 106, 108, 110. In this example, the master transceiver 100 can act as a hub and can be used for collecting data streams from all devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 and can route the data collected from devices 102, 106, 108, and 110 in the system. In one example, the master transceiver 100 can be configured to broadcast the collected data from devices 102, 106, 108, and 110. Yet it is contemplated that any of the devices 102, 106, 108, 110 can act as a master transceiver hub and can include data collection and broadcasting capabilities) to:
wirelessly receive, from at least one input device of a plurality of input devices, one or more audio signals (Cook ¶0004 discloses the master transceiver can be configured to receive the plurality of signals from the plurality of wireless devices over Bluetooth and the master transceiver can be configured to combine the plurality of signals and the master signal into a combined signal. ¶0025 discloses it is contemplated that the transceiver device 108 can include a microphone for capturing or transmitting audio. ¶0026 discloses the listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 [i.e., generating processed signals] in the system);
generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals (Cook ¶0026 discloses the listening devices 110 can be configured to receive a transmission from the master transceiver 108, which can be a particular mix of audio from each of the devices 100, 102, 106, 108 in the system. ¶0059 discloses multiple microphones can be synchronized using a system PLL and/or sample rate conversion processes to align the audio samples so there is no skew between them, Fig. 6).
Piper teaches generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals (Piper ¶0044 discloses multiple live audio signals are converted by the jacks [acting as hubs; ¶0051: processing module 108 is the “central hub” inside jack device 100 and routes converted signals [i.e., generate processed audio signals] to the network logic module 112. ¶0184: the wireless jack devices 1106a-1106d can be connected to instruments, microphones, MIDI devices and the like, Fig. 11] and transmitted wirelessly to a host device that may operate to record the signals synchronized in time. The audio signals are then organized within a software application which can be executing on the host device for the purpose of recording the signals while, simultaneously applying effects processing to the signals and re-sending the effected signals back wirelessly to the performers for real-time monitoring and listening of the actual performance being played via a variety of devices including speakers, a wireless headphone mixer and wireless headphones. Further, the software application or another component can operate to allow the recorded signals to be edited later with additional effects processing, whether on the host device or another device, and listened to by means of speakers, a wireless headphone mixer device and wireless headphones at later times, or exported [e.g., as a digital file] for use within other software applications and devices [such as a personal computer], or immediately distributed via the Internet or other media).
Therefore, the Applicant’s argument that “neither Cook nor Piper discloses a wireless hub configured to "generate one or more processed audio signals by applying processing to the one or more audio signals" as recited in claims 1 and 20, and required by any claims depending therefrom”, is not persuasive as disclosed by Cook and Piper.
Conclusion
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/YOGESHKUMAR PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691