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 § 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, 4-8, 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandina et al. (US 12,166,518 B2) and Yamashita et al. (US 8,204,614 B2).
Claim 1, the comprising: a plurality of loudspeakers (fig.1C (114); fig.1A (110); col.10 line 35-40); memory storing a plurality of pre-stored sound files (col.24 line 45-50); memory storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the rendered sounds and associated with a plurality of audio streams, the attributes defining one or more parameters for rendering each of the sounds and the audio streams (fig.1C (112b); fig.9 (960); col.33 line 1-15/each stream may have designated category).
But Pandina et al. never specify of the aspect concerning each sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers, But it shall be noted Yamashita et al. disclose of the similar concept related to having such sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers (Ya-col.4 line 50-65). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers so as to provide the secured and output signals to desired external speaker.
Thus, Pandina et al. and Yamashita et al. as a whole, would have further disclose of memory storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the rendered sounds, the attributes defining one or more parameters for rendering each of the sounds (Pandina-fig.1C (112b); fig.9 (960); col.33 line 1-15/any data may have designated category).
Pandina et al. further disclose of an audio manager configured for receiving a plurality of the pre-stored sound files and a plurality of audio streams and configured for receiving attributes from the attribute file, the received attributes corresponding to the received plurality of pre-stored sound files and the plurality of audio files, wherein the audio manager is configured for, based on the received attributes, determining relative priorities for rendering the received plurality of the pre-stored sound files and the received plurality of audio streams (Pan-fig.12 (1214); col.45 line 30-52).
Thus, although, the prior art never specify of attributes associated with rendered sound, but one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the art with attribute for the various streams by adding such storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the associated with rendered sound, the attributes defining one or more parameters for rendering the pre-stored sound files for achieving the same result so as to manage of provided concurrent sound files.
Pandin et al. further disclose of an audio module configured for, based on the determined relative priorities, outputting signals to the plurality of loudspeakers to render the received plurality of the pre-stored sound files and the received plurality of audio streams according to the determined relative priorities (Pan-col.46 line 8-45/mixing audio stream accordingly based on priorities).
Although, pandina never explicitly mentioned of audio mixer, since it mentioned of the above mixing audio stream according to priorities, then it is inherent that the system must have such audio mixer as claimed.
4. (Currently Amended) The vehicle of claim1,wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a quantitative rank of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, wherein the quantitative rank determines how two sounds are rendered relative to each other when the two sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously (Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
5. (Currently Amended) The vehicle of claim1, wherein the audio streams include at least one of a radio broadcast, a streaming music service, an audiobook, or navigation instructions (Pan-col.37 line 40-50), and wherein the pre-stored sound files encode sounds representing audible alerts to occupants of the vehicle (pan-fig.9A (960); col.6 line 30-40).
6. (Currently Amended) The vehicle of claim1,wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a quantitative rank of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, wherein the quantitative rank determines how two sounds are rendered relative to each other when the two sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously (Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
7. (Currently Amended) The vehicle of claim1, wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a relative priority of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, wherein the relative priority determines whether, when the sound and the other sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously, the other sounds are not to be rendered, a volume of the other sounds shall be reduced, or the other sounds shall be rendered without any changes(Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
.claim 8, the prior art as in Pandina et al. disclose of a method of rendering audio signals over a plurality of loudspeakers in a vehicle, the method comprising: storing a plurality of pre-stored sound files (Pan-col.24 line 45-50.
But Pandina et al. never specify of the method concerning each sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers, But it shall be noted Yamashita et al. disclose of the similar concept of method related to having such each sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers (col.4 line 50-65). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such noted each sound file encoding a sound for rendering by one or more of loudspeakers of the plurality of loudspeakers so as to provide the secured and output signals to desired external speaker.
Panda further disclose of storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the associated with a plurality of audio streams, the attributes defining one or more parameters for rendering the audio streams (Panfig.1C (112b); fig.9 (960); col.33 line 1-15/each stream may have designated category).
Thus, although, the prior art never specify of attributes associated with rendered sound, but one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the art with attribute for the various streams by adding such storing an attribute file containing attributes associated with the associated with rendered sound, the attributes defining one or more parameters for rendering the pre-stored sound files for achieving the same result so as to manage of provided concurrent sound files.
Pandina et al. further disclose of receiving a plurality of the pre-stored sound files and a plurality of audio streams and configured for receiving attributes from the attribute file, the received attributes corresponding to the received plurality of pre-stored sound files and the plurality of audio files; determining, based on the received attributes, relative priorities for rendering the received (Pan- fig.12 (1214); col.45 line 30-52); determining, based on the received attributes, relative priorities for rendering the received plurality of the pre-stored sound files and the received plurality of audio streams (Pan-fig.12 (1214); col.45 line 30-52); and outputting, based on the determined relative priorities, signals to the plurality of loudspeakers to render the received plurality of the pre-stored sound files and the received plurality of audio streams according to the determined relative priorities (Pan-col.46 line 8-45).
12. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 8,wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a quantitative rank of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, and the method further comprising: determines, based on the quantitative rank, how two sounds are rendered relative to each other when the two sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously (Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
13. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 8, wherein the audio streams include at least one of a radio broadcast, a streaming music service, an audiobook, or navigation instructions (Pan-col.37 line 40-50), and wherein the pre-stored sound files encode sounds representing audible alerts provided to occupants of the vehicle (pan-fig.9A (960); col.6 line 30-40).
14. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 8,wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a quantitative rank of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, wherein the quantitative rank determines how two sounds are rendered relative to each other when the two sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously (Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
15. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 8,wherein the attributes associated with a sound include a relative priority of the sound relative to other rendered sounds, wherein the relative priority determines whether, when the sound and the other sounds are scheduled to be rendered simultaneously, the other sounds are not to be rendered, a volume of the other sounds shall be reduced, or the other sounds shall be rendered without any changes (Pan-Abstract; col.33 line 1-15).
Claim(s) 2, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandina et al. (US 12,166,518 B2) and Yamashita et al. (US 8,204,614 B2) and fong (US 11,670,274 B2).
2. (Original) The vehicle of claim 1, but the prior art never mentioned of wherein the attribute file is a tabular file.
But Fong disclose of a system wherein file is associated with a tabular file (Fong-col.11 line 50-55). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such tabular file regarding the file so as to allow such information to be retrievable for later use.
The claim (s) 9 which in substance disclose of the same feature as in claim(s) 2 has been analyzed and rejected accordingly.
Claim(s) 3, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandina et al. (US 12,166,518 B2) and Yamashita et al. (US 8,204,614 B2) and fong (US 11,670,274 B2) and Delepine et al. (US 12,167,095 B2).
3. (Currently Amended) The vehicle of claim 1, but the art never specify as wherein the attribute file includes an xml file.
But it shall be noted Delepine disclose of the similar concept related to a certain attribute file as include an xml file (De-col.19 line 10-20). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the prior art by adding such aspect related to attribute file as include an xml file so as to store the attribute in the retrievable database for evaluation.
The claim (s) 10 which in substance disclose of the same feature as in claim(s) 3 has been analyzed and rejected accordingly.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandina et al. (US 12,166,518 B2) and Yamashita et al. (US 8,204,614 B2) and fong (US 11,670,274 B2) and Pahuja et al. (US 2013/0343547 A1).
.
11. (Currently Amended) The method of claims 9, wherein mentioning of the relative priorities for rendering the received plurality of the pre-stored sound files and the received plurality of audio streams as noted, but the prior art never specify as further comprising updating values of the attribute file without changing executable code that controls operation of an audio manager that determines, based on the received attributes.
However, the concept of having a method for separately as updating values of one component without changing executable code that controls operation of other component is well known as noted herein (par 78]/one of the bandwidth or separation may be separately control). Thus, one of the ordinary skills in the art could have modified the art associated with attribute file and audio manager by adding such aspect related to method for separately as updating values of one component without changing executable code that controls operation of other component which would result in less benefit although more specific control of each parameters.
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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/DISLER PAUL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695