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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-6, 8-13 and 15-19 are rejected
Claims 7, 14 and 20 are objected to
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-13 and 15-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shirakihara (US PUB 20160125871, hereinafter Shirakihara) in view of Faller et al (US PUB 20170078821, hereinafter Faller).
Regarding Claim 1, Shirakihara discloses a sound processing method (e.g. using the device of figure 1) comprising: receiving an audio signal (e.g. input terminal 115 receives an audio signal), (see figure 3); generating an effect signal obtained by performing reverb processing on the audio signal (e.g. a late reverberant sound calculator 103 in association with acoustic characteristics approximation filter generate reverberation sound effect), (see figure 3).
Shirakihara further teaches three or more speakers (e.g. a plurality of speakers 80 designated as speakers 1-N), (see figure 3), and distributing the effect signal to the speakers (e.g. the reverb sound effect is distributed to speakers 1-N at output terminals 116), (see [0050], [0054], [0061], [0063],[0065], [0070], also figures 1-3).
Shirakihara does not explicitly disclose selecting a first speaker among three or more speakers, and selecting a second speaker corresponding to the first speaker based on a positional relationship with the first speaker.
However, Faller in the same field of endeavor teaches a sound processing method (see at least the abstract), comprising three or more speakers (e.g. speakers L, R, Ls and Rs), (see figure 11), wherein a first speaker (e.g. speaker L) is selected among the three or more speakers, and a second speaker (e.g. speaker R) corresponding to the first speaker is also selected based on a positional relationship with the first speaker (see Faller, [0026], [0156] and [0182], also figures 11 and 15). Therefore, it would have been obvious to any person having an ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a selection means that selects a first and a corresponding second speakers based on a positional relationship with the first speaker as taught by Faller in the teachings of Shirakihara in order to accurately focus and direct the sound toward the user, and thereby further improving the listening experience of the user.
Regarding Claim 2, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing method according to claim 1, comprising: performing correlation reduction processing (e.g. via the non-correlation IR convolution filter 105) on the effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0055], and [0067]-[0068], also figure 5).
Regarding Claim 3, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing method according to claim 2, wherein the correlation reduction processing performs finite impulse response (FIR) filter processing of which phase characteristics are different, respectively, on a first effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and a second effect signal to be supplied to the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0107] and figure 5).
Regarding Claim 4, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing method according to claim 1, wherein the positional relationship includes a three-dimensional positional relationship (see Faller, [0114]-[0115], and [0156], also figure 11).
Regarding Claim 5, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing method according to claim 1, wherein the positional relationship includes information on a distance (see Faller, [0027]-[0028], and figure 11).
Regarding Claim 6, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first speaker or the second speaker includes a virtual speaker virtually localized by acoustic image localization processing (see Faller, [0166] and figure 11).
Regarding Claim 8, Shirakihara discloses a sound processing apparatus (see at least the abstract and figure 1), comprising: a processor (e.g. a processor 30) configured to: receive an audio signal (e.g. input terminal 115 receives an audio signal), generate an effect signal obtained by performing reverb processing on the
audio signal (e.g. a late reverberant sound calculator 103 in association with acoustic characteristics approximation filter generate reverberation sound effect), (see figure 3).
Shirakihara further teaches three or more speakers (e.g. a plurality of speakers 80 designated as speakers 1-N), (see figure 3), and distribute the effect signal to the speakers (e.g. the reverb sound effect is distributed to speakers 1-N at output terminals 116), (see [0050], [0054], [0061], [0063],[0065], [0070], also figures 1-3).
Shirakihara does not explicitly disclose selecting a first speaker among three or more speakers, and selecting a second speaker corresponding to the first speaker based on a positional relationship with the first speaker.
However, Faller in the same field of endeavor teaches a sound processing method (see at least the abstract), comprising three or more speakers (e.g. speakers L, R, Ls and Rs), (see figure 11), wherein a first speaker (e.g. speaker L) is selected among the three or more speakers, and a second speaker (e.g. speaker R) corresponding to the first speaker is also selected based on a positional relationship with the first speaker (see Faller, [0026], [0156] and [0182], also figures 11 and 15). Therefore, it would have been obvious to any person having an ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a selection means that selects a first and a corresponding second speakers based on a positional relationship with the first speaker as taught by Faller in the teachings of Shirakihara in order to accurately focus and direct the sound toward the user, and thereby further improving the listening experience of the user.
Regarding Claim 9, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to: perform correlation reduction processing (e.g. via the non-correlation IR convolution filter 105) on the effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0055], and [0067]-[0068], also figure 5).
Regarding Claim 10, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the correlation reduction processing includes performing finite impulse response (FIR) filter processing of which phase characteristics are different, respectively, on a first effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and a second effect signal to be supplied to the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0107] and figure 5).
Regarding Claim 11, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the positional relationship includes a three-dimensional positional relationship (see Faller, [0114]-[0115], and [0156], also figure 11).
Regarding Claim 12, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the positional relationship includes information on a distance (see Faller, [0027]-[0028], and figure 11).
Regarding Claim 13, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the sound processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the first speaker or the second speaker includes a virtual speaker virtually localized by acoustic image localization processing (see Faller, [0166] and figure 11).
Regarding Claim 15, Shirakihara discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g. storage 40) storing a program that causes an information processing apparatus to execute processing (e.g. via a processor 30), (see figure 3), comprising: receiving an audio signal (e.g. input terminal 115 receives an audio signal); generating an effect signal obtained by performing reverb processing on the audio signal (e.g. a late reverberant sound calculator 103 in association with acoustic characteristics approximation filter generate reverberation sound effect), (see figure 3).
Shirakihara further teaches three or more speakers (e.g. a plurality of speakers 80 designated as speakers 1-N), (see figure 3), and distributing the effect signal to the speakers (e.g. the reverb sound effect is distributed to speakers 1-N at output terminals 116); (see [0050], [0054], [0061], [0063],[0065], [0070], and [0112], also figures 1-3).
Shirakihara does not explicitly disclose selecting a first speaker among three or more speakers, and selecting a second speaker corresponding to the first speaker based on a positional relationship with the first speaker.
However, Faller in the same field of endeavor teaches a sound processing method (see at least the abstract), comprising three or more speakers (e.g. speakers L, R, Ls and Rs), (see figure 11), wherein a first speaker (e.g. speaker L) is selected among the three or more speakers, and a second speaker (e.g. speaker R) corresponding to the first speaker is also selected based on a positional relationship with the first speaker (see Faller, [0026], [0156] and [0182], also figures 11 and 15). Therefore, it would have been obvious to any person having an ordinary skill in the art to incorporate a selection means that selects a first and a corresponding second speakers based on a positional relationship with the first speaker as taught by Faller in the teachings of Shirakihara in order to accurately focus and direct the sound toward the user, and thereby further improving the listening experience of the user.
Regarding Claim 16, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the program stored thereon causes the information processing apparatus to execute the processing comprising: performing correlation reduction processing (e.g. via the non-correlation IR convolution filter 105) on the effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0055], and [0067]-[0068], also figure 5).
Regarding Claim 17, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the correlation reduction processing performs finite impulse response (FIR) filter processing of which phase characteristics are different, respectively, on a first effect signal to be supplied to the first speaker and a second effect signal to be supplied to the second speaker (see Shirakihara, [0107] and figure 5).
Regarding Claim 18, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the positional relationship includes at least one of a three-dimensional positional relationship or information on a distance (see Faller, [0027]-[0028], and figure 11).
Regarding Claim 19, Shirakihara as modified by Faller discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein at least one of the first speaker or the second speaker includes a virtual speaker virtually localized by acoustic image localization processing (see Faller, [0166] and figure 11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 14 and 20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record provided on PTO 892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/OYESOLA C OJO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695