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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-23 are presented for examination.
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 12 and 22-23 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.
Referring to claim 12, the term “substantially” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Referring to claims 22-23, claim 22 recites the limitation “pass-through audio signal”. It is unclear whether it is the same signal as earlier in the claim. Examiner interprets as the pass-through audio signal. Claim 23 depends from claim 22, therefore, it is rejected for the same reason.
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) 1-5, 9-10, 12-13, 17-20, and 22-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murata et al. US Publication No. 20150264469 (from IDS) in view of Po et al. US Publication No. 20150071453.
Referring to claim 1, Murata et al. teaches a method, comprising:
obtaining, by a device (Fig. 3: headphone 1) and based on an operational state of the device, a first mixing value from a plurality of mixing values that correspond to a plurality of respective operational states of the device (para 0063: “The NC signal generation part 41 executes the noise canceling processing (function) with respect to the input microphone signal using a filter coefficient stored in the coefficient memory 42.”; para 0064: “The coefficient memory 42 stores a plurality of types of filter coefficients corresponding to surrounding environments and supplies a prescribed filter coefficient to the NC signal generation part 41 as occasion demands. For example, the coefficient memory 42 has a filter coefficient (TRAIN) most suitable for a case in which the user rides on a train, a filter coefficient (JET) most suitable for a case in which the user gets on an airplane, and a filter coefficient (OFFICE) most suitable for a case in which the user is in an office, or the like.”; para 0165: “the signal processing unit 14 calculates the optimum ratios between the respective functions based on surrounding situations, user's operation states, or the like and controls the respective gains based on the calculation results”), wherein each of the mixing values is a function of an ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”); and
dynamically adjusting a mix of a pass-through audio signal and a noise cancellation signal in a mixed output signal, based on a mixing value obtained, from the first mixing value (para 0068: “The adder 46 adds (combines) together the noise canceling signal supplied from the variable amplifier 43 and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal supplied from the variable amplifier 45 and outputs a signal resulting from the addition to the DAC 15 (FIG. 3). The combining ratio between the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal equals the gain ratio between the gain A of the variable amplifier 43 and the gain B of the variable amplifier 45.”), using a current ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”).
However, Murata et al. does not teach curves being a function of the ambient sound level, but Po et al. teaches obtaining, by a device, a first curve; dynamically adjusting a strength of a noise cancellation signal in an output signal, based on a value obtained, from the first curve, using a current ambient sound level (Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; para 0032: “an SPL meter and decision logic 14 is provided here that not only estimates the background noise SPL but also uses it to provide an update to the weighting factor (e.g., alpha) that is used (by the adaptive controller 15) in computing updates to the filter coefficients of the W filter”; para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength”; para 0039: “the weighting is gradually decreased as the estimated ambient SPL drops into a medium region, and then maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced)” – Examiner notes that when a curve, as in Po et al., is obtained for each surrounding situation, user's operation state, or the like, as in Murata et al., the a plurality of mixing curves will exist such that the first mixing curve will be a first mixing curve from a plurality of mixing curves that correspond to a plurality of respective operational states of the device). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to adjust the strength of the noise cancellation signal based on ambient sound level, as taught in Po et al., in the method of Murata, because in quieter environments, “ANC may not add significant value”, and can thus be lowered or turned off, which “will help preserve battery life.”
Referring to claim 2, Murata et al. teaches the pass-through audio signal comprises representations of one or more sounds in a physical environment of the device (para 0006: “The surrounding sound signal acquisition unit is configured to collect a surrounding sound to generate a surrounding sound signal… The cooped-up feeling elimination signal generation part is configured to generate a cooped-up feeling elimination signal from the surrounding sound signal.”), and wherein the noise cancellation signal is configured to cancel the one or more sounds (para 0006: “The NC signal generation part is configured to generate a noise canceling signal from the surrounding sound signal.”).
Referring to claim 3, Murata et al. teaches dynamically adjusting an output of a speaker of the device based on the mixed output signal (para 0091: “the speaker 3 outputs the sound corresponding to the audio signal in which the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal are added together at a prescribed ratio (combining ratio)”).
Referring to claim 4, Po et al. teaches the first mixing curve defines a first ambient sound level below which only the pass-through audio signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0039: “maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced). The adaptive controller can then be turned off at that point.” – Examiner notes that if the adaptive controller turns off the anti-noise signal, only the cooped-up feeling elimination signal of Murata would be output) and a second ambient sound level above which only the noise cancellation signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength” – Examiner notes that an anti-noise signal operating at full strength is akin to the noise cancellation signal of Murata operating at 100% ratio). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 5, Po et al. teaches the first mixing curve further defines a variable amount of mixing of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal for ambient sound levels between the first ambient sound level and the second ambient sound level (Fig. 7: shows a variable amount of strength being applied to the anti-noise filter between Low_SPL and High_SPL). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 9, Murata et al. teaches while dynamically adjusting the mix of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal in the mixed output signal, based on the mixing value obtained, from the first mixing value, using the current ambient sound level, detecting a change in the operational state of the device; obtaining, based on a detected change in the operational state, a second mixing value from the plurality of mixing values; and dynamically adjusting the mix of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal in the mixed output signal, based on a different mixing value obtained, from the second mixing value, using the current ambient sound level (para 0178: “in a case in which the respective gains of the variable amplifier 43, the variable amplifier 45', and the variable amplifier 92 are desirably corrected due to a change in a user's operation state or the like, the control part 113 may gradually update the current gains to the corrected gains rather than immediately updating the same”) and Po et al. teaches obtaining, a second curve; and dynamically adjusting the noise cancellation signal in the output signal, based on a different value obtained, from the second curve, using the current ambient sound level (Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; para 0032: “an SPL meter and decision logic 14 is provided here that not only estimates the background noise SPL but also uses it to provide an update to the weighting factor (e.g., alpha) that is used (by the adaptive controller 15) in computing updates to the filter coefficients of the W filter”). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 10, Murata et al. teaches the operational state of the device comprises one or more of: an operational mode of the device, an environmental condition in a physical environment of the device, or a motion state of a user of the device (para 0165: “the signal processing unit 14 calculates the optimum ratios between the respective functions based on surrounding situations, user's operation states, or the like).
Referring to claim 12, Murata et al. teaches dynamically adjusting the mix of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal in the mixed output signal, based on the mixing value obtained, from the first mixing value (para 0165: “the signal processing unit 14 calculates the optimum ratios between the respective functions based on surrounding situations, user's operation states, or the like and controls the respective gains based on the calculation results”), using the current ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”) and Po et al. teaches dynamically adjusting the strength of the noise cancellation signal in the output signal, based on the mixing value obtained, from the first curve, using the current ambient sound level comprises: obtaining, at a first time, a first measure of the current ambient sound level; generating, at substantially the first time, the output signal by obtaining the mixing value from the first curve based on the first measure of the current ambient sound level; obtaining, at a second time, a second measure of the current ambient sound level; and generating, at substantially the second time, the output signal by obtaining a different mixing value from the first curve based on the second measure of the current ambient sound level (para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength”; para 0039: “the weighting is gradually decreased as the estimated ambient SPL drops into a medium region, and then maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced)”). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 13, Murata et al. teaches the mixing value is configured to control an eardrum sound pressure level (Fig. 1: speaker 3 of headphones 1; para 0091: “the speaker 3 outputs the sound corresponding to the audio signal in which the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal are added together at a prescribed ratio (combining ratio)” – Examiner notes that when the mix of the two signal is controlled, the eardrum sound pressure level in the headphones will be controlled).
Referring to claim 17, Murata et al. teaches a processor (Fig. 3: signal processing unit 14 of headphone 1), configured to:
obtain, based on an operational state of the device, a first mixing value from a plurality of mixing values that correspond to a plurality of respective operational states of the device (para 0063: “The NC signal generation part 41 executes the noise canceling processing (function) with respect to the input microphone signal using a filter coefficient stored in the coefficient memory 42.”; para 0064: “The coefficient memory 42 stores a plurality of types of filter coefficients corresponding to surrounding environments and supplies a prescribed filter coefficient to the NC signal generation part 41 as occasion demands. For example, the coefficient memory 42 has a filter coefficient (TRAIN) most suitable for a case in which the user rides on a train, a filter coefficient (JET) most suitable for a case in which the user gets on an airplane, and a filter coefficient (OFFICE) most suitable for a case in which the user is in an office, or the like.”; para 0165: “the signal processing unit 14 calculates the optimum ratios between the respective functions based on surrounding situations, user's operation states, or the like and controls the respective gains based on the calculation results”), wherein each of the mixing values is a function of an ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”); and
dynamically adjust a mix of a pass-through audio signal and a noise cancellation signal in a mixed output signal, based on a mixing value obtained, from the first mixing value (para 0068: “The adder 46 adds (combines) together the noise canceling signal supplied from the variable amplifier 43 and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal supplied from the variable amplifier 45 and outputs a signal resulting from the addition to the DAC 15 (FIG. 3). The combining ratio between the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal equals the gain ratio between the gain A of the variable amplifier 43 and the gain B of the variable amplifier 45.”), using a current ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”).
However, Murata et al. does not teach curves being a function of the ambient sound level, but Po et al. teaches obtain a first curve; dynamically adjust a strength of a noise cancellation signal in an output signal, based on a value obtained, from the first curve, using a current ambient sound level (Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; para 0032: “an SPL meter and decision logic 14 is provided here that not only estimates the background noise SPL but also uses it to provide an update to the weighting factor (e.g., alpha) that is used (by the adaptive controller 15) in computing updates to the filter coefficients of the W filter”; para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength”; para 0039: “the weighting is gradually decreased as the estimated ambient SPL drops into a medium region, and then maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced)” – Examiner notes that when a curve, as in Po et al., is obtained for each surrounding situation, user's operation state, or the like, as in Murata et al., the a plurality of mixing curves will exist such that the first mixing curve will be a first mixing curve from a plurality of mixing curves that correspond to a plurality of respective operational states of the device). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to adjust the strength of the noise cancellation signal based on ambient sound level, as taught in Po et al., in the processor of Murata, because in quieter environments, “ANC may not add significant value”, and can thus be lowered or turned off, which “will help preserve battery life.”
Referring to claim 18, Murata et al. teaches the pass-through audio signal comprises representations of one or more sounds in a physical environment of the device (para 0006: “The surrounding sound signal acquisition unit is configured to collect a surrounding sound to generate a surrounding sound signal… The cooped-up feeling elimination signal generation part is configured to generate a cooped-up feeling elimination signal from the surrounding sound signal.”), and wherein the noise cancellation signal is configured to cancel the one or more sounds (para 0006: “The NC signal generation part is configured to generate a noise canceling signal from the surrounding sound signal.”).
Referring to claim 19, Po et al. teaches the first mixing curve defines a first ambient sound level below which only the pass-through audio signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0039: “maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced). The adaptive controller can then be turned off at that point.” – Examiner notes that if the adaptive controller turns off the anti-noise signal, only the cooped-up feeling elimination signal of Murata would be output) and a second ambient sound level above which only the noise cancellation signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength” – Examiner notes that an anti-noise signal operating at full strength is akin to the noise cancellation signal of Murata operating at 100% ratio). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 20, Po et al. teaches the first mixing curve further defines a variable amount of mixing of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal for ambient sound levels between the first ambient sound level and the second ambient sound level (Fig. 7: shows a variable amount of strength being applied to the anti-noise filter between Low_SPL and High_SPL). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
Referring to claim 22, Murata et al. teaches a device (Fig. 3: headphone 1), comprising:
memory (Fig. 4: coefficient memory 42); and
processing circuitry (Fig. 3: signal processing unit 14) configured to:
obtain a mixing value (para 0063: “The NC signal generation part 41 executes the noise canceling processing (function) with respect to the input microphone signal using a filter coefficient stored in the coefficient memory 42.”; para 0064: “The coefficient memory 42 stores a plurality of types of filter coefficients corresponding to surrounding environments and supplies a prescribed filter coefficient to the NC signal generation part 41 as occasion demands.); and
dynamically adjust a mix of a pass-through audio signal and a noise cancellation signal in a mixed output signal, based on a mixing value obtained, from the mixing curve (para 0068: “The adder 46 adds (combines) together the noise canceling signal supplied from the variable amplifier 43 and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal supplied from the variable amplifier 45 and outputs a signal resulting from the addition to the DAC 15 (FIG. 3). The combining ratio between the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal equals the gain ratio between the gain A of the variable amplifier 43 and the gain B of the variable amplifier 45.”), using a current ambient sound level (paras 0260-261: “a surrounding sound level detector configured to detect a level of the surrounding sound signal; and a ratio determination unit configured to determine the prescribed ratio according to the detected level”).
However, Murata et al. does not teach curves being a function of the ambient sound level, but Po et al. teaches obtain a curve; dynamically adjust a strength of a noise cancellation signal in an output signal, based on a value obtained, from the curve, using a current ambient sound level (Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; para 0032: “an SPL meter and decision logic 14 is provided here that not only estimates the background noise SPL but also uses it to provide an update to the weighting factor (e.g., alpha) that is used (by the adaptive controller 15) in computing updates to the filter coefficients of the W filter”; para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength”; para 0039: “the weighting is gradually decreased as the estimated ambient SPL drops into a medium region, and then maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced)”).
wherein the mixing curve defines a first ambient sound level below which only pass-through audio signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0039: “maintains a small (or the smallest) weighting when the estimated background noise SPL is low (which results in essentially no anti-noise being produced). The adaptive controller can then be turned off at that point.” – Examiner notes that if the adaptive controller turns off the anti-noise signal, only the cooped-up feeling elimination signal of Murata would be output),
a second ambient sound level above which only the noise cancelling signal is used in the mixed output signal (para 0038: “At high SPL, the adaptive controller and W filter are operating at full strength” – Examiner notes that an anti-noise signal operating at full strength is akin to the noise cancellation signal of Murata operating at 100% ratio), and
a variable amount of mixing of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancelling signal for ambient noise levels between the first ambient sound level and the second ambient sound level (Fig. 7: shows a variable amount of strength being applied to the anti-noise filter between Low_SPL and High_SPL). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to adjust the strength of the noise cancellation signal based on ambient sound level, as taught in Po et al., in the device of Murata, because in quieter environments, “ANC may not add significant value”, and can thus be lowered or turned off, which “will help preserve battery life.”
Referring to claim 23, Murata et al. teaches the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the mixing value based on an operational state of the device (para 0063: “The NC signal generation part 41 executes the noise canceling processing (function) with respect to the input microphone signal using a filter coefficient stored in the coefficient memory 42.”; para 0064: “The coefficient memory 42 stores a plurality of types of filter coefficients corresponding to surrounding environments and supplies a prescribed filter coefficient to the NC signal generation part 41 as occasion demands.) and Po et al. teaches the curve (Fig. 7). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 22.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murata et al. and Po et al, as shown in claim 1 above, and further in view of Alberth et al. US Publication No. 20130028300.
Referring to claim 11, Murata et al. and Po et al do not teach prioritizing one state over another, but Alberth et al. teaches determining the operational state of the device at least in part by: identifying a first operational state of the device occurring concurrently with a second operational state of the device; and determining the operational state by selecting a higher priority one of the first operational state and the second operational state (para 0022). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to choose the higher priority operational state, as taught in Alberth et al., in the method of Murata et al and Po et al. because it simplifies and reduces processing resources.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murata et al. and Po et al, as shown in claim 1 above, and further in view of Davidsson et al. US Publication No. 20130345775.
Referring to claim 14, Murata et al. teaches modifying the first mixing value based on a user input; and obtaining the mixing value (para 0071: “a user interface that allows the user to set the effecting degrees of the noise canceling function and the cooped-up feeling elimination function. The ratio between the noise canceling function and the cooped-up feeling elimination function set by the user via the interface is supplied from the operation unit 12 to the analysis control section 32.”) and Po et al. teaches obtaining the value from the mixing curve ((Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; paras 0032; 0038-0039). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
However, Murata et al. and Po et al. do not teach a user adjusting stored data, but Davidsson et al. teaches modifying, prior to later usage, the data based on a user input (para 0037: “When the user interacts with the user-interface component 230 to change the variable setting, the interface module 210 receives the user input from the user interface component 230. The interface module 210 stores the user-requested change to the variable setting in the data storage 206”); and obtaining the modified data (para 0030: “processor 208 accesses the data storage 206 to identify the control settings and the variable settings”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the user to adjust data, as taught in Davidsson et al., in the method of Murata et al and Po et al. because it allows the user more customization and the ability to improve settings if need be.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murata et al. and Po et al, as shown in claim 1 above, and further in view of Jensen US Publication No. 20130044889.
Referring to claim 15, Murata et al. teaches dynamically adjusting the mix of the pass-through audio signal and the noise cancellation signal in the mixed output signal, based on the mixing value obtained, from the first mixing curve, using the current ambient sound level (para 0068; 0260-261) comprises applying a gain to the pass-through audio signal prior to generating the mixed output signal, wherein the gain is determined based on the mixing value (para 0068: “The adder 46 adds (combines) together the noise canceling signal supplied from the variable amplifier 43 and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal supplied from the variable amplifier 45 and outputs a signal resulting from the addition to the DAC 15 (FIG. 3). The combining ratio between the noise canceling signal and the cooped-up feeling elimination signal equals the gain ratio between the gain A of the variable amplifier 43 and the gain B of the variable amplifier 45.”; Fig. 4: gain B of variable amplifier 45 applied to cooped-up feeling elimination signal prior to added 46) and Po et al. teaches dynamically adjusting a strength of a noise cancellation signal in the output signal, based on a value obtained, from the first curve, using the current ambient sound level (Fig. 7: curve relates filter magnitude to SPL; paras 0032, 0038-0039). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 1.
However, Murata et al. and Po et al. do not teach that the gain is frequency dependent, but Jensen teaches applying a frequency-dependent gain to the audio signal, wherein the frequency-dependent gain has a frequency dependence that is determined based on environmental state (para 0016: “the signal processing unit is adapted to provide a frequency dependent gain according to a user's particular needs, e.g. in a particular acoustic environment”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the user use frequency dependent gains, as taught in Jensen, in the method of Murata et al and Po et al. because it allows for finer control of the sound characteristics which creates a better experience for the user.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murata et al., Po et al., and Jensen, as shown in claims 1 and 15 above, and further in view of Cardoso et al. US Publication No. 20210407490.
Referring to claim 16, Murata et al. teaches obtaining an environment classification of an acoustic environment of the device (para 0172); and determining the gain based on the environment classification (para 0165: “the signal processing unit 14 calculates the optimum ratios between the respective functions based on surrounding situations, user's operation states, or the like and controls the respective gains based on the calculation results”) and Jensen teaches determining the frequency-dependent gain based on the environment classification (para 0016). Motivation to combine is the same as in claim 15.
However, Murata et al., Po et al., and Jensen do not teach machine learning to classify environments, but Cardoso et al. teaches obtaining an environment classification of an acoustic environment of the device using a machine learning model at the device, the machine learning model having been trained to classify acoustic environments based at least in part on an audio input to the machine learning model (para 0039). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use machine learning, in the method of Murata et al., Po et al., and Jensen because it allows for automation of repetitive tasks and improves data analysis for better decision making.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 and 21 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 6-8 and 21, Murata et al. and Po et al. teach most of the limitations of claims 6 and 21, however, they do not, alone or in combination with other prior art of record, teach the variable amount of mixing for the ambient sound levels between the first ambient sound level and the second ambient sound level comprises a first variation that changes at a first rate for ambient sound levels between the first ambient sound level and an inflection point, and a second variation that changes at at least a second rate for ambient sound levels between the inflection point and the second ambient sound level in combination with other recited elements in the claim.
Claims 7-8, which depend on claim 6, are narrower in scope than claim 6, and therefore, Murata et al. and Po et al. alone or in combination with other prior art of record, do not teach or make obvious to combine the further limitations.
Conclusion
Examiner respectfully requests, in response to this Office Action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line number(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist Examiner in prosecuting the application.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
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/KATHERINE A FALEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693