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 .
Response to Amendment
The applicant’s amended claim(s) which relate to “to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting to output the same output content from the one or more vehicles” of which the representative argued that the prior art lacked has been reconsidered.
although, Lee indeed disclose of “exterior audio system to produce sound effect based on calibration setting according to vehicle positions”. However, the prior art failed to disclosed as argued of the “synchronization implemented to the exterior audio systems to output same output content”.
However, such aspect of differing the aspect of sound effect to include “synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems to output same content” is very common and obvious in the art as evidence provided by Lee et al. (US 2024/0080619 A1) see (par [45]).
Thus, looking at the overall claims, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted aspect related to system comprising processor synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting to output the same output content from the one or more vehicles so as to allow enhance sound effect based on timely receiving of the sound on the sound stage from the various vehicles.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim (s) 8, 15-16 are 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 10, 015, 595 B2) and Dunn (US 7,979,147 B1) and Lee et al. (US 2024/0080619 A1).
Claim 1, Lee disclose of an audio synchronization system comprising: a transceiver configured to obtain inputs from one or more vehicles (fig.9 (96)), wherein each vehicle comprises one or more audio systems disposed at a vehicle (fig.9 (82); fig.8A ; col.13 line 35-37).
Nonetheless, lee never specify of the exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle; but, Dunn disclose of an exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle (fig.2 (42); col.20 line 60-65). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle so as to direct realistic sound distribution to listeners outside of the vehicle.
The combined teaching of Lee and Dunn as a whole, further disclose of a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the inputs from the transceiver; determine a position of each exterior audio system relative to the audio synchronization system based on the inputs (fig.9 (110); col.7 line 14-22; col.9 line 55-67; col.13 line 60-67); determine a calibration setting of one or more exterior audio systems for each vehicle based on the position and output information associated with the calibration setting to each vehicle to cause each vehicle to provide the desired sound effect associated with the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting (col.6 line 40-42; col.7 line 15-32 & col.9 line 55-67 & col.13 line 60-67).
Nonetheless, Lee fail to limit such aspect of sound effect being related to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting to output the same output content from the one or more vehicles. However, the prior art as in Lee (24) disclose of the similar concept of sound effect being related to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting to output the same output content from the one or more vehicles (par [18, 26, 45]/the various speakers sound may emit synchronized sound effect). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted aspect related to system comprising processor synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting to output the same output content from the one or more vehicles so as to allow enhance sound effect based on timely receiving of the sound on the sound stage from the various vehicles.
4. The audio synchronization system of claim 1, wherein the inputs comprise a vehicle position information (Lee-col.14 line 1-10).
5. The audio synchronization system of claim 1, wherein the calibration setting comprises a time delay and a sound pressure level (Lee-col.6 line 23-25 & 40-42).
6. The audio synchronization system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: select the one or more exterior audio systems from the one or more exterior audio systems for each vehicle based on the position of each exterior audio system (Lee-col.8 line 55-67); and determine the calibration setting for the one or more exterior audio systems based on the position (Lee-col.9 line 1-5 & col.6 line 23-25 & 40-42).
7. The audio synchronization system of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to output a first instruction to each vehicle responsive to selection of the one or more exterior audio systems, and wherein the first instruction comprises a command signal to activate the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting (Lee-col.8 line 60-67 & col.9 line 1-15/the sound of speaker may be selected based on sound effect designation ( calibration)).
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 10, 015, 595 B2) and Dunn (US 7,979,147 B1) and Lee et al. (US 2024/0080619 A1) and Baba (US 9,843,882 B2).
2. The audio synchronization system of claim 1, but the art never specify as wherein the processor is further configured to: transmit, via the transceiver, a request to each vehicle to produce audio signals sequentially using the exterior audio systems; and obtain, via the transceiver, the inputs from each vehicle responsive to transmitting the request.
However, Baba also disclose of a sound system wherein a processor is further configured to: transmit, via a transmitter , a request to each vehicle to produce audio signals sequentially using the exterior audio systems; and obtain, via the transceiver, the inputs from each vehicle responsive to transmitting the request (col.5 line 55-67 & col.6 line 1-24). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the art by adding such aspect related to sound system wherein a processor is further configured to: transmit, via a transmitter , a request to each device to produce audio signals sequentially using the exterior audio systems; and obtain, via the transceiver, the inputs from each vehicle responsive to transmitting the request so as to implement the calibration based on test analysis.
3. The audio synchronization system of claim 2, wherein the inputs comprise a time-of-flight information associated with each audio signal (Baba-col.6 line 10-30).
Claim(s) 9-13; 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 10, 015, 595 B2) and Dunn (US 7,979,147 B1) and Lee et al. (US 2024/0080619 A1).
Claim 9, the prior art as in Lee et al. disclose of a first vehicle comprising: a plurality of audio systems disposed at a vehicle (fig.9 (82); fig.8A ; col.13 line 35-37).
Nonetheless, lee never specify of the exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle; but, Dunn disclose of an exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle (fig.2 (42); col.20 line 60-65). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle so as to direct realistic sound distribution to listeners outside of the vehicle.
Lee further disclose of a vehicle transceiver configured to communicate with an audio synchronization system (Lee-fig.9 (86); col.11 line 35-47; col.13 line 45-60).
However, Lee never is silent regarding the environment status of the of the audio synchronization system as being an external system, however, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the mentioned audio synchronization system as being by specifying if desired such external audio synchronization system for achieving the expected result as to allow the outside user to control the audio system accordingly.
and lee further disclosed of a vehicle processor communicatively coupled to the vehicle transceiver and the plurality of exterior audio systems, wherein the vehicle processor is configured to: obtain inputs from the vehicle transceiver, wherein the inputs comprise a calibration setting information associated with one or more exterior audio systems of the plurality of exterior audio systems (Lee-fig.9 (110); col.6 line 40-45; col.7 line 15-32 & col.9 line 55-67; col.10 line 35-50) , and wherein the calibration setting information is based on positions of the one or more exterior audio systems relative to the external audio synchronization system; and activate the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting information (Lee-col.6 line 40-45; col.7 line 15-32 & col.9 line 55-67; col.10 line 35-50).
Nonetheless, Lee never specify as activate the audio system to output the same audio content as one or more additional vehicles communicatively coupled with the external audio synchronization system.
However, the prior art as in Lee (24) disclose of the similar concept of sound effect being related to activate the audio system to output the same audio content as one or more additional vehicles communicatively coupled with the external audio synchronization system (par [18, 26, 45]/the various speakers sound may emit synchronized sound effect). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted aspect related to system comprising activate the audio system to output the same audio content as one or more additional vehicles communicatively coupled with the external audio synchronization system so as to allow enhance sound effect based on timely receiving of the sound on the sound stage from the various vehicles.
10. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle processor is further configured to: obtain a first instruction from the external audio synchronization system, wherein the first instruction comprises a command signal to activate the one or more exterior audio systems selected by the external audio synchronization system; and activate the one or more exterior audio systems based on the first instruction (lee- col.7 line 15-32 & col.9 line 55-67; col.10 line 35-50).
11. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of exterior audio systems comprises various audio system, but the art never specify as the system comprise a vibration audio exciter.
But the examiner takes official notice having such vibration audio exciter as audio output is well known in the art. Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted vibration audio exciter so as to generate the audio signal according from the various surfaces based on vibration.
12. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of exterior audio systems comprises a vehicle speaker (lee-col.9 line 5-10).
13. The first vehicle of claim 9, wherein the vehicle processor is further configured to: obtain a second instruction from the external audio synchronization system, wherein the second instruction comprises a command to move the first vehicle to an optimal position relative to the external audio synchronization system; and cause the first vehicle to move to the optimal position based on the second instruction (lee-col.10 line 1-12; col.14 line 1-20).
Claim 17, Lee disclose of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain inputs from a plurality of vehicles (col.13 line 30-45; fig.9 (902)), wherein each vehicle comprises a plurality of audio systems (fig.9 (82); fig.8A ; col.13 line 35-37).
Nonetheless, lee never specify of the exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle; but, Dunn disclose of an exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle (fig.2 (42); col.20 line 60-65). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted exterior audio system being disposed at the exterior surface of the vehicle so as to direct realistic sound distribution to listeners outside of the vehicle.
Lee further disclose as of determine a position of each exterior audio system relative to an audio synchronization system based on the inputs (fig.9 (110); col.7 line 14-22; col.13 line 60-67); determine a calibration setting of one or more exterior audio systems for each vehicle based on the position; and output information associated with the calibration setting to each vehicle to cause each vehicle to provide desired sound effect the one or more exterior audio systems based on the calibration setting (col.6 line 40-42; col.7 line 15-32 & col.9 line 55-67 & col.13 line 60-67).
Nonetheless, Lee never specify as a processor to output information associated with calibration setting to each vehicle to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on calibration to output the same audio content from the plurality of vehicles.
However, the prior art as in Lee (24) disclose of the similar concept of processor to output information associated with calibration setting to each vehicle to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on calibration to output the same audio content from the plurality of vehicles (par [18, 26, 45]/the various speakers sound may emit synchronized sound effect). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted aspect related to processor to output information associated with calibration setting to each vehicle to synchronize the one or more exterior audio systems based on calibration to output the same audio content from the plurality of vehicles so as to allow enhance sound effect based on timely receiving of the sound on the sound stage from the various vehicles.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the inputs comprise a time-of-flight information associated with each audio signal (Lee-col.6 line 23-25 & 40-42).
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the inputs comprise a vehicle position information (Lee-col.14 line 1-10).
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the calibration setting comprises a time delay and a sound pressure level (Lee-col.6 line 23-25 & 40-42).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 10, 015, 595 B2) and Dunn (US 7,979,147 B1) and Lee et al. (US 2024/0080619 A1) and Tischer (US 2006/0074645 A1).
14. The first vehicle of claim 10, but the art never specify as wherein the vehicle transceiver is further configured to obtain a request from a second vehicle to communicatively couple with the first vehicle.
But it shall be noted Tischer disclose of the similar concept related to a vehicle transceiver is further configured to obtain a request from a second vehicle to communicatively couple with the first vehicle (fig.2 (232); fig.3; par [54]). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted concept related to a vehicle transceiver is further configured to obtain a request from a second vehicle to communicatively couple with the first vehicle so as to allow the various vehicle systems to share audio information.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DISLER PAUL whose telephone number is (571)270-1187. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-6:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chin, Vivian can be reached at (571)272-7848. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DISLER PAUL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695
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