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 .
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 24-31 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 24 recites “a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival” in lines 3-4. It is unclear if these limitations are meant to refer to the measurements previously recited in parent claim 23, or if they refer to additional measurements. Appropriate correction or clarification is required.
Claim 25 recites “a second wideband communications apparatus, a second narrowband communications apparatus, a position detection system, and a second controller interconnected therewith; and a charger for said hearing device, said charger having a third wideband communications apparatus, a third narrowband communications apparatus, and a third controller interconnected therewith” in lines 3-8 of the claim. The terms “second” and “third” in these limitations imply three different wideband and narrowband apparatuses and three different controllers, however only two are recited. It is therefore not clear how many of these elements are being claimed. Appropriate correction or clarification is required.
Claims 26-31 are dependent on claim 25, and are therefore also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for at least the same reason as parent claim 25.
Claim 31 further recites “a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival” in lines 3-4. It is unclear if these limitations are meant to refer to the measurements previously recited in parent claim 30, or if they refer to additional measurements. Appropriate correction or clarification is required.
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) 12-17, 19-22 and 25-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub No 2024/0121546 A1 to Jang et al. (“Jang”) in view of US Patent Pub No 2013/0178162 A1 to Neumeyer et al. (“Neumeyer”).
As to claim 12, Jang discloses a hearing device system, comprising a hearing device having a first wideband communications apparatus, a first narrowband communications apparatus, and a first controller interconnected therewith (modules 140/160, see figures 1 and 10-14; pg. 3, ¶ 0050; pg. 4, ¶ 0071 - ¶ 0075, ¶ 0083); a mobile terminal having a second wideband communications apparatus, a second narrowband communications apparatus, and a second controller interconnected therewith (device 10, see figure 1; pg. 3, ¶ 0050; pg. 4, ¶ 0071, ¶ 0074); said first and second controllers being configured to establish and maintain a narrowband connection between said hearing device and said mobile terminal by way of said first and second narrowband communications apparatus during an intended normal operation (Bluetooth connection, see pg. 4, ¶ 0071); and said second controller being configured, in the search mode, to establish a wideband connection with said hearing device by way of said second wideband communications apparatus and to derive and output to the user an indication for an actual position of the hearing device based on the wideband connection (location positioning signal via UWB for identifying a location of the ear module, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
Jang does not expressly disclose the mobile terminal having a position detection system, nor wherein said second controller is configured to determine and store a current position of said mobile terminal as a loss position of said hearing device using said position detection system when the narrowband connection with said hearing device is disconnected; and said second controller is configured to display the stored loss position to a user, at least in a search mode activated by a user input.
Neumeyer discloses a similar system for locating an earpiece, and further discloses the electronic device having a GPS circuit to determine the location of the electronic device, the electronic device further being configured to determine and store a current location of the electronic device as a last known location of the hearing aid if the Bluetooth communication link between the hearing aid and the electronic device is lost, and wherein the user can then access the rough hearing aid location where the link was lost via a hearing aid location application on the electronic device (see figure 2; pg. 1, ¶ 0012 - ¶ 0013; pg. 2, ¶ 0022 - ¶ 0023, ¶ 0026; pg. 3, ¶ 0028 - ¶ 0029).
Jang and Neumeyer are analogous art because they are both drawn to hearing device systems.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the displaying of mobile positioning data for locating a hearing device as taught by Neumeyer in the system as taught by Jang. The motivation being to provide a rough location estimate of the hearing device location as determined once a communication link between the hearing device and the electronic device is dropped, allowing the user to narrow down a finite area in which to look for a lost hearing device, and doing so with data displayed to the user via the electronic device (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0014; pgs. 2-3, ¶ 0022, ¶ 0026 - ¶ 0029).
As to claim 13, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second controller is configured to determine a distance value between said mobile terminal and said hearing device on a basis of the existing narrowband connection with said hearing device, to deduce an absence of said hearing device when the distance value is greater than a specified limit value, and to determine the loss position of said hearing device when the absence has been determined (Neumeyer connection lost when hearing device moves out of range and loss position is determined, see pg. 1, ¶ 0013 - ¶ 0014; pg. 2, ¶ 0022; pg. 3, ¶ 0032).
As to claim 14, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second controller is configured, within a scope of the search mode, to reestablish the narrowband connection between said hearing device and said mobile terminal by way of the second narrowband communications apparatus when said mobile terminal is situated within a given distance range around the determined loss position (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0014).
As to claim 15, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second controller is configured to derive an approximate indication for the actual position of said hearing device on a basis of the narrowband connection (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0014 - ¶ 0015).
As to claim 16, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second controller is configured to output directional information and distance information as indication or approximate indication (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0015; Neumeyer pg. 3, ¶ 0028).
As to claim 17, Jang in view of Neumeyer does not expressly disclose wherein said second controller is configured, within a scope of the search mode, to establish the wideband connection following a user-specific input. However it does disclose the use of a wideband connection (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0009), as well as a user interface for receiving user input (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0017). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to provide the user with options to select the connection link between devices to locate the ear module, particularly for devices having both Bluetooth and UWB antennas, and further to provide a positioning signal capable of detecting a distance and direction of the ear module based on a location of the electronic device, as provided by the UWB positioning signal (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 19, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said first and second narrowband communications apparatus are configured to operate with Bluetooth Low Energy radio communications (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0003; pg. 4, ¶ 0083).
As to claim 20, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said first and second wideband communications apparatus are configured to transmit signals with a frequency width of at least 500 MHz and/or at least 20% of a mid-frequency of the signals (Jang inherent in ultrawide band communications, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 21, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said wideband communications apparatus are configured to transmit signals with a pulse duration of less than or equal to 3 ns (Jang inherent in ultrawide band communications, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 22, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said wideband communications apparatus are ultrawideband wideband communications apparatus (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 25, Jang discloses a hearing device system, comprising: a hearing device (modules 140/160, see figures 1 and 10-14; pg. 3, ¶ 0050); a mobile terminal having a second wideband communications apparatus, a second narrowband communications apparatus, and a second controller interconnected therewith (device 10, see figure 1; pg. 3, ¶ 0050; pg. 4, ¶ 0071, ¶ 0074); and a charger for said hearing device, said charger having a third wideband communications apparatus, a third narrowband communications apparatus, and a third controller interconnected therewith (case 120, see figures 1-2; pg. 3, ¶ 0050, ¶ 0053 - ¶ 0056, ¶ 0065); said second and third controllers being configured to establish and maintain a narrowband connection between said mobile terminal and said charger by way of said second and third narrowband communications apparatus during an intended normal operation (Bluetooth connection, see pgs. 3-4, ¶ 0065 - ¶ 0067); and said second controller being configured, within a scope of the search mode, to establish a wideband connection with said charger by way of said second wideband communications apparatus, and to derive and output to the user an indication for an actual position of said charger based on the wideband connection (location positioning signal via UWB for identifying a location of the case, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009, ¶ 0011 - ¶ 0012; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
Jang does not expressly disclose the mobile terminal having a position detection system, nor said second controller being configured to determine and store a current position of said mobile terminal as a loss position of said charger using said position detection system when the narrowband connection with said charger is disconnected; said second controller being configured to display the stored loss position to a user, at least in a search mode activated by a user input.
Neumeyer discloses a similar system for locating a wirelessly connected device in the form of a hearing aid, and further discloses the electronic device having a GPS circuit to determine the location of the electronic device, the electronic device further being configured to determine and store a current location of the electronic device as a last known location of the hearing aid if the Bluetooth communication link between the hearing aid and the electronic device is lost, and wherein the user can then access the rough hearing aid location where the link was lost via a hearing aid location application on the electronic device (see figure 2; pg. 1, ¶ 0012 - ¶ 0013; pg. 2, ¶ 0022 - ¶ 0023, ¶ 0026; pg. 3, ¶ 0028 - ¶ 0029).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the displaying of mobile positioning data for locating a wirelessly connected device as taught by Neumeyer in the system as taught by Jang. The motivation being to provide a rough location estimate of the wireless device location as determined once a communication link between the wireless device and the electronic device is dropped, allowing the user to narrow down a finite area in which to look for a lost wireless device, and doing so with data displayed to the user via the electronic device (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0014; pgs. 2-3, ¶ 0022, ¶ 0026 - ¶ 0029).
As to claim 26, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second and third narrowband communications apparatus are configured to operate with Bluetooth Low Energy radio communications (Jang figure 1; pg. 1, ¶ 0003; pgs. 3-4, ¶ 0065 - ¶ 0067).
As to claim 27, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said second and third wideband communications apparatus are configured to transmit signals with a frequency width of at least 500 MHz and/or at least 20% of a mid-frequency of the signals (Jang inherent in ultrawide band communications, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 28, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said wideband communications apparatus are configured to transmit signals with a pulse duration of less than or equal to 3 ns (Jang inherent in ultrawide band communications, see pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
As to claim 29, Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein said wideband communications apparatus are ultrawideband wideband communications apparatus (Jang pg. 1, ¶ 0009; pg. 3, ¶ 0050).
Claim(s) 18, 23-24 and 30-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Neumeyer, and further in view of US Patent Pub No 2022/0407666 A1 to Lim et al. (“Lim”).
As to claim 18, Jang in view of Neumeyer discloses the hearing device system according to claim 12.
Jang in view of Neumeyer further discloses wherein: wherein said second controller is configured, within a scope of the search mode, to reestablish the narrowband connection between said hearing device and said mobile terminal by way of the second narrowband communications apparatus when said mobile terminal is situated within a given distance range around the determined loss position; and said second controller is configured, within the scope of the search mode, to transmit to the hearing device by way of the narrowband connection (Neumeyer pg. 1, ¶ 0014), but does not expressly disclose transmitting a trigger signal for establishing the wideband connection. However such a configuration is known in the art, as taught by Lim, which discloses a similar system for locating a hearing device, and further discloses the devices being connected via Bluetooth and UWB, the UWB connection being triggered or activated through the near field connection (see figure 14; pg. 1, ¶ 0005, ¶ 0010; pg. 7, ¶ 0080 - ¶ 0082; pg. 17, ¶ 0199). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to provide more accurate location of the lost device as the distance between devices shortens (Lim figures 14-15; pg. 7, ¶ 0080 - ¶ 0082; pg. 19, ¶ 0215).
As to claim 23, Jang in view of Neumeyer and Lim further discloses wherein said second controller is configured to determine the distance between said terminal and said hearing device based on a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival (Lim pg. 7, ¶ 0082; pg. 15, ¶ 0175).
As to claim 24, Jang in view of Neumeyer and Lim further discloses wherein said first controller and said second controller are configured to determine the distance between said terminal and said hearing device based on a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival (Lim pg. 7, ¶ 0082; pg. 15, ¶ 0175).
As to claim 30, Jang in view of Neumeyer and Lim further discloses wherein said second controller is configured to determine the distance between said terminal and said charger based on a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival (Lim pg. 7, ¶ 0082; pg. 15, ¶ 0175).
As to claim 31, Jang in view of Neumeyer and Lim further discloses wherein said second controller and said third controller are configured to determine the distance between said terminal and said charger based on a signal time-of-flight measurement or a signal angle of arrival (Lim pg. 7, ¶ 0082; pg. 15, ¶ 0175).
Conclusion
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693