DETAILED ACTION
Priority
1. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statements submitted are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
4. Claims 1-6, 10-14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Schoenberger, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0115101 (hereinafter Schoenberger).
Regarding claim 1, Schoenberger discloses an audio link system, comprising a plurality of speaker boxes, the plurality of speaker boxes being capable of being connected in series in a wired manner (from Figure 5, see 400, 410, 420, 430, etc.), wherein each speaker box (from Figure 2, see 199) comprises:
a first audio input interface (from Figure 2, see 110 and 111) configured to receive a first audio input from an audio source (from Figure 1, see 5);
a second audio input interface (from Figure 2, see 180) configured to receive a second audio input from an upstream speaker box connected thereto;
an audio output interface (from Figure 2, see 160) configured to provide audio output to a downstream speaker box connected thereto;
a first switch and a second switch (from Figure 2, see A, B and C) respectively configured to be capable of switching between a first connection state and a second connection state;
and a controller configured to: determine a working mode of the speaker box; and control, based on the determined working mode, the first switch and the second switch to switch to corresponding connection states respectively, so as to realize a signal transmission path corresponding to the determined working mode (from paragraph 0032, see After leaving signal processing block 120 along signal path 130, the signal is routed through a mode switch 140. Mode switch 140 is a three-position switch in this example, enabling operation in the 3 modes described herein. In master mode, the signal is routed through switch 140 to signal path 150, which feeds the power amplifier block 100 and the buffer block 170. The buffer block 170 feeds a signal to the master out connection 160. The master out connection 160 will send a signal to a slave amplifier, which is the next amplifier in the daisy-chain. It should be noted that in the present configuration of switch 140, synchronization block 121 is bypassed).
Regarding claim 2, Schoenberger discloses the audio link system of claim 1, wherein the working mode comprises a master speaker box working mode or a slave speaker box working mode (from abstract, see The present invention allows multi-amplifier systems to be implemented, while avoiding the difficulties associated with current multi-amplifier systems. One amplifier is a "master", which controls the settings a plurality of other amplifiers (the slaves). If an adjustment needs to be made, only the master needs to be adjusted. The amplifier of the present invention is configured to operate in a plurality of modes. In one configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "master mode". In another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave mode". In yet another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave-inverse mode).
Regarding claim 3, Schoenberger discloses the audio link system of claim 2, further comprising a function setting processing module, which is configured to process the first audio input or the second audio input according to preset or received function setting information associated with the speaker box, so that a signal output from the function setting processing module has been loaded with the preset or received function setting information (from paragraph 0031, see The present example of signal processing block 120 is shown for illustration purposes only. Signal processing block 120 may contain other elements or functions known by those skilled in the art to make an amplifier, for instance low pass filter (LPF), gain, bass boost, etc., may also be used).
Regarding claim 4, Schoenberger discloses the audio link system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: control, in response to a determination that the working mode of the speaker box is the master speaker box working mode, the first switch and the second switch to both switch to the first connection state, so that the first audio input received via the first audio input interface is provided to the audio output interface through a first signal transmission path, wherein the first signal transmission path comprises the first switch, the function setting processing module, and the second switch (from paragraph 0029, see More specifically, the source will send audio signals to the left and right audio inputs 110 and 111 of the master amplifier only. Then the signal will proceed through a signal processing block 120 to signal path 130 where processed audio is ready to be fed to the power amplifier 100 inside amplifier 199).
Regarding claim 5, Schoenberger discloses the audio link system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: control, in response to a determination that the working mode of the speaker box is the slave speaker box working mode, the first switch and the second switch to both switch to the second connection state, so that the second audio input received via the second audio input interface is provided to the audio output interface through a second signal transmission path, wherein the second signal transmission path comprises the second switch (from paragraph 0037, see In "slave mode" the amplifier 199 is a slave to the master. Again, it should be noted that the discussion of slave mode refers to FIG. 2, but conceptually, the amplifier 199 discussed here with respect to FIG. 2 may be a different amplifier than that discussed with respect to master mode or slave-inverse mode. Since all amplifiers, whether master or slave can have identical functionality, the master and slave amplifiers can be the same devices, set to operate in different ways, one as a master, others as slaves, or alternatively an amplifier configured as a master can be re-configured to operate in one of the slave modes).
Regarding claim 6, Schoenberger discloses wherein the second audio input received via the second audio input interface is further transmitted through a third signal transmission path, thereby synchronizing function setting information associated with a speaker box working in the master speaker box working mode to the speaker box working in the slave speaker box working mode, and the third signal transmission path comprises the first switch and the function setting processing module (from paragraph 0046, see This configuration allows the slave amplifiers to copy the master's settings. This makes adjustment simple because only the master amplifier needs adjustment to change all amplifiers in the cascade. For example, if a sub-sonic filter needs to be turned on, only the master amplifier's sub-sonic switch needs to be changed. All slave amplifiers follow the master amplifier's settings and ignore their own settings. Only one initial adjustment needs to be made to each slave amplifier after installation to balance the output signal level).
Regarding claim 10, Schoenberger discloses a computer-implemented method for configuring a speaker box (from Figure 2, see 199) included in an audio link system comprising a plurality of speaker boxes (from Figure 5, see 400, 410, 420, 430, etc.) connected in series in a wired manner, the method comprising:
determining a working mode (from abstract, see The amplifier of the present invention is configured to operate in a plurality of modes. In one configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "master mode". In another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave mode". In yet another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave-inverse mode") of the speaker box by a controller of the speaker box; and
controlling, by the controller, a first switch and a second switch of the speaker box to respectively switch to corresponding connection states based on the determined working mode, so as to realize a signal transmission path corresponding to the determined working mode between a first audio input interface or a second audio input interface of the speaker box and an audio output interface of the speaker box (from paragraph 0032, see After leaving signal processing block 120 along signal path 130, the signal is routed through a mode switch 140. Mode switch 140 is a three-position switch in this example, enabling operation in the 3 modes described herein. In master mode, the signal is routed through switch 140 to signal path 150, which feeds the power amplifier block 100 and the buffer block 170. The buffer block 170 feeds a signal to the master out connection 160. The master out connection 160 will send a signal to a slave amplifier, which is the next amplifier in the daisy-chain. It should be noted that in the present configuration of switch 140, synchronization block 121 is bypassed).
Regarding claim 11, Schoenberger discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising processing the first audio input or the second audio input according to preset or received function setting information associated with the speaker box, so that a signal output by the speaker box has been loaded with the preset or received function setting information (from paragraph 0031, see The present example of signal processing block 120 is shown for illustration purposes only. Signal processing block 120 may contain other elements or functions known by those skilled in the art to make an amplifier, for instance low pass filter (LPF), gain, bass boost, etc., may also be used).
Regarding claim 12, Schoenberger discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising controlling, in response to a determination that the working mode of the speaker box is a master speaker box working mode, the first switch and the second switch to both switch to a first connection state, so that the first audio input received via the first audio input interface is provided to the audio output interface through a first signal transmission path, wherein the first signal transmission path comprises the first switch, a function setting processing module, and the second switch (from paragraph 0029, see More specifically, the source will send audio signals to the left and right audio inputs 110 and 111 of the master amplifier only. Then the signal will proceed through a signal processing block 120 to signal path 130 where processed audio is ready to be fed to the power amplifier 100 inside amplifier 199).
Regarding claim 13, Schoenberger discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising controlling, in response to a determination that the working mode of the speaker box is a slave speaker box working mode, the first switch and the second switch to both switch to a second connection state, so that the second audio input received via the second audio input interface is provided to the audio output interface through a second signal transmission path, wherein the second signal transmission path comprises the second switch (from paragraph 0037, see In "slave mode" the amplifier 199 is a slave to the master. Again, it should be noted that the discussion of slave mode refers to FIG. 2, but conceptually, the amplifier 199 discussed here with respect to FIG. 2 may be a different amplifier than that discussed with respect to master mode or slave-inverse mode. Since all amplifiers, whether master or slave can have identical functionality, the master and slave amplifiers can be the same devices, set to operate in different ways, one as a master, others as slaves, or alternatively an amplifier configured as a master can be re-configured to operate in one of the slave modes).
Regarding claim 14, Schoenberger discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising synchronizing function setting information for the speaker box with function setting information included in the second audio input received from a speaker box working in a master speaker box working mode (from paragraph 0046, see This configuration allows the slave amplifiers to copy the master's settings. This makes adjustment simple because only the master amplifier needs adjustment to change all amplifiers in the cascade. For example, if a sub-sonic filter needs to be turned on, only the master amplifier's sub-sonic switch needs to be changed. All slave amplifiers follow the master amplifier's settings and ignore their own settings. Only one initial adjustment needs to be made to each slave amplifier after installation to balance the output signal level).
Regarding claim 18, Schoenberger discloses one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors (from paragraph 0017, see According to an embodiment of the present invention, each amplifier in a cascade has a signal processing block and an amplifier synchronization block. Depending on whether the signal processing block or the amplifier synchronization block is used, any give amplifier can be configured and/or reconfigured as a master or a slave), cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
determining a working mode of a speaker box (from abstract, see The amplifier of the present invention is configured to operate in a plurality of modes. In one configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "master mode". In another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave mode". In yet another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave-inverse mode"); and
controlling a first switch and a second switch of the speaker box to respectively switch to corresponding connection states based on the determined working mode, so as to realize a signal transmission path corresponding to the determined working mode between a first audio input interface or a second audio input interface of the speaker box and an audio output interface of the speaker box (from paragraph 0032, see After leaving signal processing block 120 along signal path 130, the signal is routed through a mode switch 140. Mode switch 140 is a three-position switch in this example, enabling operation in the 3 modes described herein. In master mode, the signal is routed through switch 140 to signal path 150, which feeds the power amplifier block 100 and the buffer block 170. The buffer block 170 feeds a signal to the master out connection 160. The master out connection 160 will send a signal to a slave amplifier, which is the next amplifier in the daisy-chain. It should be noted that in the present configuration of switch 140, synchronization block 121 is bypassed).
Claim 19 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 4.
Claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 13.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schoenberger in view of Zoehner, U.S. Patent No. 11,202,146 (hereinafter Zoehner).
Regarding claim 9, Schoenberger does not clearly teach the controller is a microcontroller unit (MCU). All the same, Zoehner discloses the controller is a microcontroller unit (from Figure 5, see 508). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Schoenberger wherein the controller is a microcontroller unit as taught by Zoehner. This modification would have improved the system’s convenience by providing a platform for software as suggested by Zoehner.
7. Claims 7, 8 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schoenberger in view of Kelloniemi et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0089217 (hereinafter Kelloniemi).
Regarding claim 7, although Schoenberger discloses the controller is further configured to determine the working mode of the speaker box based on whether a detection signal is received (from abstract, see The amplifier of the present invention is configured to operate in a plurality of modes. In one configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "master mode". In another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave mode". In yet another configuration, the amplifier is set to be in a "slave-inverse mode"), Schoenberger does not explicitly teach that the detection signal indicates that there is a cable connected to the second audio input interface. All the same, Kelloniemi discloses that the detection signal indicates that there is a cable connected to the second audio input interface (from paragraph 0011, see Determining the presence of at least one remote loudspeaker apparatus may comprises at least one of: determining a physical audio signal connection between the local loudspeaker apparatus and the remote loudspeaker apparatus). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Schoenberger wherein the detection signal indicates that there is a cable connected to the second audio input interface as taught by Kelloniemi. This modification would have improved the system’s flexibility by providing different ways of detecting the presence of at least one remote loudspeaker as suggested by Kelloniemi.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Schoenberger and Kelloniemi discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: determine, in response to receiving the detection signal, that the working mode of the speaker box is a slave speaker box (from Figure 2 of Kelloniemi, see 30) working mode; and determine, in response to not receiving the detection signal, that the working mode of the speaker box is a master speaker box (from Figure 2 of Kelloniemi, see 20) working mode.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 7.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Schoenberger and Kelloniemi discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising determining, in response to receiving the detection signal, that the working mode of the speaker box is a slave speaker box working mode (from Figure 4, see 30).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Schoenberger and Kelloniemi discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising determining, in response to not receiving the detection signal, that the working mode of the speaker box is a master speaker box working mode (from Figure 4, see 20).
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLISA ANWAH whose telephone number is 571-272-7533. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday from 8.30 AM to 6 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carolyn Edwards can be reached on 571-270-7136. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300 for regular communications and 571-273-8300 for After Final communications.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-2600.
/OLISA ANWAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
Olisa Anwah
Patent Examiner
May 21, 2026
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