Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/634,993

LOUDSPEAKER APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Apr 14, 2024
Examiner
MCKINNEY, ANGELICA M
Art Unit
2694
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Shenzhen Shokz Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 3m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allow Rate
424 granted / 498 resolved
+23.1% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
13 currently pending
Career history
511
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.2%
-38.8% vs TC avg
§103
48.8%
+8.8% vs TC avg
§102
28.9%
-11.1% vs TC avg
§112
16.5%
-23.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 498 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 To facilitate processing of the internet communication authorization or withdrawal of authorization, the Office strongly encourages use of Form PTO/SB/439, available at www.uspto.gov/PatentForms. The form may be filed via the USPTO patent electronic filing system using the document description Internet Communications Authorized to facilitate processing. If applicant authorizes Internet communications, USPTO employees may respond to email and initiate communications with applicants via email. Drawings The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: a support connection member 100 in Para. [0157], Line 7. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Specification Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details. The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: “The present disclosure discloses a loudspeaker apparatus.” The following amendment is suggested: ABSTRACT a battery accommodated in the support connection member. The control circuit or the battery may drive the earphone core to vibrate to generate sound. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Claim Objections Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 9 recites “a human head” and it should be “the user’s head”. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-20 are 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 1 is recites the limitation "the control circuit" in Line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 2-20 are rejected due to their dependence to claim 1. This application is in condition for allowance except for the 112(b) rejection stated above. Conclusion 11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Zhang et al. CN 205336486, A Bone Conduction Wireless Headset, Fig. 3 shows a bone conduction wireless earphone, comprising: a rear suspension 1 is bent into arc; the back hanging connecting piece comprises a PCB board connector 101 and battery connector 102; An ear-hanging component comprises left ear assembly 2 and right ear assembly 3. Li et al. CN 107454492, A Bone Conduction Earphone, Fig. 2 shows a bone conduction earphone comprises ear-hanging subassembly 11 includes a first housing 111. the second shell 112 and the first shell 111 and the second shell 112 of the connection member 113, the connection member 113 comprises first elastic metal wire whose two ends are respectively connected with the first shell 111 and the second shell 112 of elastic metal wire 1131 and covers the first elastic 1132 on the coating layer 1131. The bone conduction earphone further comprises a bone conduction speaker, a battery and a control circuit element, such as a bone conduction speaker for outputting sound to the user through vibration by way of bone conduction. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGELICA M MCKINNEY whose telephone number is (571)270-3321. The examiner can normally be reached 7AM-3PM EST M-F. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fan Tsang can be reached at (571)272-7574. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANGELICA M MCKINNEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 14, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 05, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
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2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12581237
TECHNIQUES FOR USING ELASTIC SHEETS TO IMPROVE LISTENING EXPERIENCES ASSOCIATED WITH HEADPHONES
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+13.9%)
2y 3m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 498 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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