Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . See 35 U.S.C. § 100 (note).
Art Rejections
Anticipation
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1–3, 5, 6 and 12–18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 214507328 U (published 26 October 2021) (“Sun”)1.
Claim 1 is drawn to “a loud-speaking apparatus.” The following table and Figures 1 and 2, below, illustrate the correspondence between the claimed apparatus and the Sun reference.
Claim 1
The Sun Reference
“1. A loud-speaking apparatus for a head-mounted device, the loud-speaking apparatus comprising:
The Sun reference describes a loudspeaker assembly for use in a headset, or head-mounted device. Sun at Abs., p.5 ¶ 4, p.6 ¶ 1, FIG.1.
“a shell assembly provided with a mounting cavity, a front sound cavity and a rear sound cavity,
Sun’s assembly includes a housing 200 corresponding to the claimed shell. Id. at p. 5 ¶¶ 2–4, FIG.1. Housing 200 includes a mounting cavity 206, a mounting port 206 corresponding to the claimed front sound cavity and an extending cavity 203 corresponding to the claimed rear sound cavity. Id. at pp. 6–8, FIG.1.
“the mounting cavity comprising a plurality of sub-cavities, and each sub-cavity being communicated with the front sound cavity and the rear sound cavity; and
Mounting cavity 206 is divided into cavity 201 and cavity 202 that respectively receive a loudspeaker 100. Id. Each cavity communicates with both mounting port 206 and extending cavity 203 so sound from loudspeakers 100 may be output through a sound output hole 204 and a sound hole 205. Id.
“a loud-speaking assembly comprising a plurality of loudspeakers, the plurality of loudspeakers being disposed in the plurality of sub-cavities in one-to-one correspondence, so that each sub-cavity is provided with one corresponding loudspeaker.”
Sub-cavity 201 and sub-cavity 202 respectively receive a loudspeaker 100. Id.
Table 1
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Figure 1: Marked-up copy of Sun at FIG.1 (marked-up to show correspondence with claimed invention.)
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Figure 2: Marked-up copy of Sun at FIG.2 (marked-up to show correspondence with claimed invention.)
For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 2 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein two length ends of the shell assembly are a first end and a second end, respectively,
“the front sound cavity is disposed on one side of the mounting cavity proximal to the first end;
“the rear sound cavity is disposed on one side of the mounting cavity proximal to the second end, and
“in a length direction of the shell assembly, a length of the front sound cavity is less than a length of the rear sound cavity.”
Sun’s housing 200 is configured as claimed with a back/rear sound cavity 203 located near a second end (i.e., a right-side portion along the left-right axis of Sun’s FIG.1) and a sound channel/front sound cavity 206 located near a first end (i.e., a left-side portion of Sun’s FIG.1). See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. As illustrated, Sun’s front cavity 206 is substantially shorter in length than back sound cavity 203. See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 3 depends on claim 2, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly is provided with a sound output hole communicated with the front sound cavity, and the sound output hole is formed in an end surface of the first end.”
Similarly, Sun’s front cavity 206 includes a sound outlet hole 204 in an end surface of the first end (i.e., the left-side along the left-right axis of Sun’s FIG.1). Sun at p.7, FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 5 depends on claim 2, and further requires the following:
“wherein the plurality of sub-cavities in the mounting cavity is [sic, are] sequentially arranged in a width direction of the shell assembly, so that the plurality of loudspeakers is flatly laid in the shell assembly side by side.”
Similarly, Sun’s sub-cavities 201 and 202 are sequentially arranged in a width direction (i.e., along the front-back axis in Sun’s FIG.1) so that loudspeakers 100 are laid flat and side-by-side in their respective cavity. See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 6 depends on claim 5, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly comprises a top wall and a bottom wall that are disposed oppositely in a thickness direction,
“the mounting cavity comprises a top channel between the loud-speaking assembly and the top wall,
“each sub-cavity is communicated with the rear sound cavity through the top channel,
“the mounting cavity further comprises a bottom channel between the loud-speaking assembly and the bottom wall, and
“each sub-cavity is communicated with the front sound cavity through the bottom channel.”
Housing 200 further includes a top wall (i.e., the portion located towards the bottom of Sun’s FIG.1) that covers cavity 203 and a bottom wall (i.e., the cover plates 400 and 500) that cover cavities 203 and 206 so that the top wall forms a top channel for cavities 203 and 206. See Sun at p.5 ¶¶ 5–6, p.7, FIGs.1, 2. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 12 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein the loud-speaking apparatus comprises two loudspeakers, and the two loudspeakers are the same as or different from each other.”
Sun’s loudspeaker assembly similarly includes two of the same speakers 100. Sun at p.6, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 13 is drawn to “a head-mounted device.” The following table and Figure 1, above, illustrate the correspondence between the claimed device and the Sun reference.
Claim 13
The Sun Reference
“13. A head-mounted device, comprising a loud-speaking apparatus for a head-mounted device, the loud-speaking apparatus comprising:
The Sun reference describes a loudspeaker assembly for use in a headset, or head-mounted device. Sun at Abs., p.5 ¶ 4, p.6 ¶ 1, FIG.1.
“a shell assembly provided with a mounting cavity, a front sound cavity and a rear sound cavity,
Sun’s assembly includes a housing 200 corresponding to the claimed shell. Id. at p. 5 ¶¶ 2–4, FIG.1. Housing 200 includes a mounting cavity 206, a mounting port 206 corresponding to the claimed front sound cavity and an extending cavity 203 corresponding to the claimed rear sound cavity. Id. at pp. 6–8, FIG.1.
“the mounting cavity comprising a plurality of sub-cavities, and each sub-cavity being communicated with the front sound cavity and the rear sound cavity; and
Mounting cavity 206 is divided into cavity 201 and cavity 202 that respectively receive a loudspeaker 100. Id. Each cavity communicates with both mounting port 206 and extending cavity 203 so sound from loudspeakers 100 may be output through a sound output hole 204 and a sound hole 205. Id.
“a loud-speaking assembly comprising a plurality of loudspeakers, the plurality of loudspeakers being disposed in the plurality of sub-cavities in one-to-one correspondence, so that each sub-cavity is provided with one corresponding loudspeaker.”
Sub-cavity 201 and sub-cavity 202 respectively receive a loudspeaker 100. Id.
Table 2
For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 14 depends on claim 13, and further requires the following:
“wherein the head-mounted device comprises a lateral binder, and the loud-speaking apparatus is disposed on the lateral binder.”
Similarly, Sun disposes its loudspeaker assembly on a lateral binder, such as an arm of a pair of glasses or a VR headset. Sun at p.7 ¶ 2, p.8 ¶¶ 4–5. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 15 depends on claim 13, and further requires the following:
“wherein two length ends of the shell assembly are a first end and a second end, respectively,
“the front sound cavity is disposed on one side of the mounting cavity proximal to the first end;
“the rear sound cavity is disposed on one side of the mounting cavity proximal to the second end, and in a length direction of the shell assembly,
“a length of the front sound cavity is less than a length of the rear sound cavity.”
Sun’s housing 200 is configured as claimed with a back/rear sound cavity 203 located near a second end (i.e., a right-side portion along the left-right axis of Sun’s FIG.1) and a sound channel/front sound cavity 206 located near a first end (i.e., a left-side portion of Sun’s FIG.1). See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. As illustrated, Sun’s front cavity 206 is substantially shorter in length than back sound cavity 203. See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 16 depends on claim 15, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly is provided with a sound output hole communicated with the front sound cavity, and the sound output hole is formed in an end surface of the first end.”
Similarly, Sun’s front cavity 206 includes a sound outlet hole 204 in an end surface of the first end (i.e., the left-side along the left-right axis of Sun’s FIG.1). Sun at p.7, FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 18 depends on claim 15, and further requires the following:
“wherein the plurality of sub-cavities in the mounting cavity is sequentially arranged in a width direction of the shell assembly, so that the plurality of loudspeakers is flatly laid in the shell assembly side by side.”
Similarly, Sun’s sub-cavities 201 and 202 are sequentially arranged in a width direction (i.e., along the front-back axis in Sun’s FIG.1) so that loudspeakers 100 are laid flat and side-by-side in their respective cavity. See Sun at FIG.1. See also Figure 1, above. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Claim 19 depends on claim 18, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly comprises a top wall and a bottom wall that are disposed oppositely in a thickness direction,
“the mounting cavity comprises a top channel between the loud-speaking assembly and the top wall,
“each sub-cavity is communicated with the rear sound cavity through the top channel,
“the mounting cavity further comprises a bottom channel between the loud-speaking assembly and the bottom wall, and
“each sub-cavity is communicated with the front sound cavity through the bottom channel.”
Housing 200 further includes a top wall (i.e., the portion located towards the bottom of Sun’s FIG.1) that covers cavity 203 and a bottom wall (i.e., the cover plates 400 and 500) that cover cavities 203 and 206 so that the top wall forms a top channel for cavities 203 and 206. See Sun at p.5 ¶¶ 5–6, p.7, FIGs.1, 2. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference anticipates all limitations of the claim.
Obviousness
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.
Claims 4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Sun.
Claims 7–11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Sun and US Patent Application Publication 2022/0345802 (effectively filed 22 April 2021) (“Kim”).
Claim 4 depends on claim 3, and further requires the following:
“wherein a center of the sound output hole is disposed at a position deviated from a width center and/or a thickness center of the first end, and the sound output hole accounts for 1/3 or more of a length of the first end.”
Sun’s sound outlet hole 204 similarly has its center disposed at a position deviated form a width center and/or thickness center of a first end. See Sun at FIG.2. Hole 204 is not described as accounting for at least 1/3 of a length of the first end. However, the relative size of hole 204 compared to a length of a first end is a design choice that depends on the desired frequency response of Sun’s speaker device (i.e., by controlling air resistance, mass and compliance of the sound output hole) and the desired size of the first end. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 17 depends on claim 16, and further requires the following:
“wherein a center of the sound output hole is disposed at a position deviated from a width center and/or a thickness center of the first end, and the sound output hole accounts for 1/3 or more of a length of the first end.”
Sun’s sound outlet hole 204 similarly has its center disposed at a position deviated form a width center and/or thickness center of a first end. See Sun at FIG.2. Hole 204 is not described as accounting for at least 1/3 of a length of the first end. However, the relative size of hole 204 compared to a length of a first end is a design choice that depends on the desired frequency response of Sun’s speaker device (i.e., by controlling air resistance, mass and compliance of the sound output hole) and the desired size of the first end. For the foregoing reasons, the Sun reference makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 7 depends on claim 1, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly comprises a bracket comprising a frame portion and a sound output portion,
“the frame portion defines a plurality of first limiting grooves, the plurality of loudspeakers is disposed in the plurality of first limiting grooves in a limited and matched manner in one-to-one correspondence, and
“the sound output portion defines the front sound cavity.”
Sun’s loudspeaker assembly includes a cavity that defines a rectangular frame around both of its loudspeakers 100 and defines a front channel 206, or sound output portion, that also corresponds to the claimed front sound cavity. See Sun at p.6 ¶¶ 4–7, FIG.5. See also Figure 1, above.
Sun does not describe forming its cavity 206 with a plurality of first limiting grooves for each loudspeaker 100. In fact, Sun does not describe any details concerning the form of the cavity 206 aside from what is seen in Sun at FIG.1, requiring one of ordinary skill in the art to devise a solution using known techniques. The Kim reference provides suitable additional teachings on how to form a frame to receive a speaker and to communicate that speaker a space outside the frame. Kim at ¶¶ 98–123, FIG.5. In particular, Kim describes a speaker mounting structure. Id. The structure includes a case, or shell, formed by upper case 530 and lower case 540, which together correspond to Sun’s shell 33. Id. Lower case 540 includes an opening 545 corresponding to Sun’s sound hole 204 and a conduit 570 corresponding to Sun’s front channel 206. Id. Rather than inserting a speaker directly into lower case 540, Kim teaches and suggests providing a removable bracket 520 that fits in a groove formed by walls 544 and protrusions 543 of lower case 540. Id. Bracket 520 includes elements multiple walls 521 and protrusions 523 that form grooves to receive four peripheral surfaces of a speaker. Id. Read in light of Sun, Kim’s teachings would have reasonably suggested forming Sun’s bracket with a similar removable bracket with a rectangular frame that includes walls and protrusions that form grooves to receive each speaker 34. One of ordinary skill would have reasonably expected that forming Sun’s cavity and sub-cavities in this manner would fulfill the role of receiving and securely holding Sun’s loudspeakers 100 in place in housing 200 while communicating the speakers with a front channel 206 and sound outlet 204. Further, one of ordinary skill would have expected that this configuration would facilitate installation of loudspeakers 100 particularly when they are small in size. See Kim at ¶ 7 (describing benefits). For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 8 depends on claim 7, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly further comprises a housing, in which the bracket is disposed, the housing independently defines the rear sound cavity, and the housing and the bracket jointly define the mounting cavity.”
The obviousness rejection of claim 7, incorporated herein, shows the obviousness of forming Sun’s cavity 206 with a removable bracket with frame walls and protrusions that form respective grooves for each of Sun’s speakers 34. Further, Sun’s housing 200 is a housing that defines a rear sound cavity 203 on its own. And when modified as described in the rejection of claim 7, housing 200 will cooperate with the removable bracket to define a mounting cavity for loudspeakers 100. See Sun at FIG.1 (depicting a cavity 206 for receiving speakers 100); Kim at FIG.5 (illustrating the cooperation between a lower case 540 and a bracket 520 to form a mounting cavity 522a for a speaker 510). For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 9 depends on claim 8, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly is provided with a sound output hole communicated with the front sound cavity and an air vent communicated with the rear sound cavity, and both the sound output hole and the air vent are formed in the housing.”
Similarly, Sun provides sound output hole 204 in communication with cavity 206 and a sound leakage hole, or an air vent, 205 in back sound cavity 203. Sun at pp.7–8, FIG.1. For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 10 depends on claim 8, and further requires the following:
“wherein the housing comprises a base and a cover plate,
“the base defines a mounting space having an opening on one thickness side,
“the mounting space is provided with a second limiting groove,
“the bracket is disposed in the mounting space and is positioned in the second limiting groove in a matched manner, and
“the cover plate covers an open side of the base, so that the cover plate and the base jointly define the rear sound cavity.”
Housing 200 similarly includes a base 200 and a cover plate 500 that together define rear sound cavity 203. See Sun at pp.7–8, FIG.1. Further, the obviousness rejection of claim 7, incorporated herein, shows the obviousness of implementing Sun’s speaker-receiving cavity 206 with a removable bracket as taught and suggested by the Kim reference. Following Kim’s example, Sun’s housing 200 would have a mounting space that is open at the top to receive a bracket (520) and includes a second limiting groove defined by walls (544) and protrusions (543). See Kim at FIG.5. For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Claim 11 depends on claim 10, and further requires the following:
“wherein the base is provided with a projecting portion that projects in a direction distal from the cover plate;
“the second limiting groove comprises a partial recess disposed corresponding to the projecting portion, and
“the sound output portion is disposed in the partial recess in a matched manner.”
When modified according to the teachings of Kim, Sun’s housing 200 would include a projecting portion that projects away from a cover plate, like plate 400. See Kim at FIG.6. See also Figure 3, below. For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
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Figure 3: Marked-up copy of Kim at FIG.5 (marked-up to show correspondence with claimed invention.)
Claim 20 depends on claim 13, and further requires the following:
“wherein the shell assembly comprises a bracket comprising a frame portion and a sound output portion,
“the frame portion defines a plurality of first limiting grooves, the plurality of loudspeakers is disposed in the plurality of first limiting grooves in a limited and matched manner in one-to-one correspondence, and
“the sound output portion defines the front sound cavity.”
Sun’s loudspeaker assembly includes a cavity that defines a rectangular frame around both of its loudspeakers 100 and defines a front channel 206, or sound output portion, that also corresponds to the claimed front sound cavity. See Sun at p.6 ¶¶ 4–7, FIG.5. See also Figure 1, above.
Sun does not describe forming its cavity 206 with a plurality of first limiting grooves for each loudspeaker 100. In fact, Sun does not describe any details concerning the form of the cavity 206 aside from what is seen in Sun at FIG.1, requiring one of ordinary skill in the art to devise a solution using known techniques. The Kim reference provides suitable additional teachings on how to form a frame to receive a speaker and to communicate that speaker a space outside the frame. Kim at ¶¶ 98–123, FIG.5. In particular, Kim describes a speaker mounting structure. Id. The structure includes a case, or shell, formed by upper case 530 and lower case 540, which together correspond to Sun’s shell 33. Id. Lower case 540 includes an opening 545 corresponding to Sun’s sound hole 204 and a conduit 570 corresponding to Sun’s front channel 206. Id. Rather than inserting a speaker directly into lower case 540, Kim teaches and suggests providing a removable bracket 520 that fits in a groove formed by walls 544 and protrusions 543 of lower case 540. Id. Bracket 520 includes elements multiple walls 521 and protrusions 523 that form grooves to receive four peripheral surfaces of a speaker. Id. Read in light of Sun, Kim’s teachings would have reasonably suggested forming Sun’s bracket with a similar removable bracket with a rectangular frame that includes walls and protrusions that form grooves to receive each speaker 34. One of ordinary skill would have reasonably expected that forming Sun’s cavity and sub-cavities in this manner would fulfill the role of receiving and securely holding Sun’s loudspeakers 100 in place in housing 200 while communicating the speakers with a front channel 206 and sound outlet 204. Further, one of ordinary skill would have expected that this configuration would facilitate installation of loudspeakers 100 particularly when they are small in size. See Kim at ¶ 7 (describing benefits). For the foregoing reasons, the combination of the Sun and the Kim references makes obvious all limitations of the claim.
Summary
Claims 1–20 are rejected under at least one of 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103 as being unpatentable over the cited prior art. 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 C.F.R. § 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WALTER F BRINEY III whose telephone number is (571)272-7513. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-4:30 pm.
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/Walter F Briney III/
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
Walter F Briney IIIPrimary ExaminerArt Unit 2692
2/10/2026
1 Citations to the text of the Sun reference are made with reference to the machine translation provided by the Office.