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 § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Pub No 2020/0382867 A1 to Felton.
As to claim 1, Felton discloses an auditory monitoring method for monitoring a hearing status of a user in linkage with a hearing aid earphone (see pg. 1, ¶ 0006; pg. 24, ¶ 0259; pg. 30, ¶ 0319), the auditory monitoring method comprising: detecting a hear mode of a hearing aid function and a music mode of an earphone function according to the user's selection input (music and transparency modes, see pg. 13, ¶ 0139; pg. 35, ¶ 0375, ¶ 0380, ¶ 0383; pg. 37, ¶ 0387); measuring hearing habits that include an external noise level and an exposure time in the hear mode and a music volume level and an exposure time in the music mode (see pg. 45, ¶ 0450 - ¶ 0459); and analyzing the hearing habits and performing personalized monitoring for hearing improvement of each of the user's right ear and left ear in the hear mode and the music mode (adjustments based on customized settings and hearing habits, see figures 8B-8I, 9A-9G, 11A-11E and 16-17J; pg. 27, ¶ 0289 - ¶ 0290; pg. 40, ¶ 0400; pg. 42, ¶ 0419 - ¶ 0422; pg. 45, ¶ 0459; pg. 51, ¶ 0484; pg. 53, ¶ 0497 - ¶ 0498).
As to claim 2, Felton further discloses wherein the detecting comprises detecting the hear mode for amplifying or reducing a decibel of external sound input through the hearing aid earphone according to a customized decibel set according to a hearing loss level of each of the user's right ear and left ear and thereby outputting the same (see pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327, ¶ 0334; pg. 32, ¶ 0341; pg. 33, ¶ 0351).
As to claim 3, Felton further discloses wherein the detecting comprises detecting the music mode for amplifying or reducing a decibel of music sound output through the hearing aid earphone according to the customized decibel and thereby outputting the same (see pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327, ¶ 0334; pg. 32, ¶ 0341; pg. 33, ¶ 0351).
As to claim 4, Felton further discloses wherein the measuring comprises measuring the external noise level measured as external sound input through the hearing aid earphone and the exposure time exposed to noise in the hear mode (see figures 9C-9D; pg. 22, ¶ 0236; pgs. 27-28, ¶ 0293 - ¶ 0296, ¶ 0302) and measuring the music volume level measured as music sound through the hearing aid earphone and the exposure time exposed to music in the music mode (see figures 14A-14D; pg. 41, ¶ 0407 - ¶ 0409).
As to claim 5, Felton further discloses wherein the monitoring comprises analyzing the measured hearing habits and calculating the average exposure value of the external sound and the music sound output to the user's right ear and left ear and quantifying the exposure time and the average exposure value by day or by hour in the hear mode and the music mode (see figures 9C-9D and 14A-14D; pg. 27, ¶ 0289; pg. 28, ¶ 0302; pg. 42, ¶ 0419 - ¶ 0420).
As to claim 6, Felton further discloses wherein the monitoring comprises providing hearing status feedback for hearing improvement of the user by turning ON a noise cancellation function or pushing a notification in a specific time zone in which the user is exposed to relatively high external noise, based on the exposure time and the average exposure value quantified by day or by hour (see figures 14E-14I, 14P-14R and 14AB-14AC; pg. 22, ¶ 0240, ¶ 0243; pg. 28, ¶ 0296; pg. 40, ¶ 0406; pg. 41, ¶ 0412, ¶ 0416; pg. 43, ¶ 0429).
As to claim 7, Felton further discloses further comprising: testing hearing of each of the user's right ear and left ear, determining a hearing loss level of the user based on test results, and setting a customized decibel that complements the hearing of each of the user's right ear and left ear (see figures 11A-11L; pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327).
As to claim 8, Felton further discloses further comprising: controlling a personalized hearing status using a customized decibel that complements the hearing of the user by amplifying or reducing a decibel of the user’s right ear and left ear in each situation of voice, television (TV) sound, and external sound (see figure 11G and 12D-12G; pg. 24, ¶ 0258; pg. 31, ¶ 0332, ¶ 0334).
As to claim 9, Felton discloses an auditory monitoring system for monitoring a hearing status of a user in linkage with a hearing aid earphone (see pg. 1, ¶ 0006; pg. 24, ¶ 0259; pg. 30, ¶ 0319), the auditory monitoring system comprising: a detection unit configured to detect a hear mode of a hearing aid function and a music mode of an earphone function according to the user's selection input (music and transparency modes, see pg. 9, ¶ 0078; pg. 13, ¶ 0139; pg. 35, ¶ 0375, ¶ 0380, ¶ 0383; pg. 37, ¶ 0387); a measurement unit configured to measure hearing habits that include an external noise level and an exposure time in the hear mode and a music volume level and an exposure time in the music mode (see pg. 8, ¶ 0075; pg. 45, ¶ 0450 - ¶ 0459); and a monitoring unit configured to analyze the hearing habits and to perform personalized monitoring for hearing improvement of each of the users right ear and left ear in the hear mode and the music mode (adjustments based on customized settings and hearing habits, see figures 8B-8I, 9A-9G, 11A-11E and 16-17J; pg. 8, ¶ 0075; pg. 27, ¶ 0289 - ¶ 0290; pg. 40, ¶ 0400; pg. 42, ¶ 0419 - ¶ 0422; pg. 45, ¶ 0459; pg. 51, ¶ 0484; pg. 53, ¶ 0497 - ¶ 0498).
As to claim 10, Felton further discloses wherein the detection unit is configured to detect the hear mode for amplifying or reducing a decibel of external sound input through the hearing aid earphone according to a customized decibel set according to a hearing loss level of each of the user's right ear and left ear and thereby outputting the same (see pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327, ¶ 0334; pg. 32, ¶ 0341; pg. 33, ¶ 0351).
As to claim 11, Felton further discloses wherein the detection unit is configured to detect the music mode for amplifying or reducing a decibel of music sound output through the hearing aid earphone according to the customized decibel and thereby outputting the same (see pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327, ¶ 0334; pg. 32, ¶ 0341; pg. 33, ¶ 0351).
As to claim 12, Felton further discloses wherein the measurement unit is configured to measure the external noise level measured as external sound input through the hearing aid earphone and the exposure time exposed to noise in the hear mode (see figures 9C-9D; pg. 22, ¶ 0236; pgs. 27-28, ¶ 0293 - ¶ 0296, ¶ 0302) and to measure the music volume level measured as music sound through the hearing aid earphone and the exposure time exposed to music in the music mode (see figures 14A-14D; pg. 41, ¶ 0407 - ¶ 0409).
As to claim 13, Felton further discloses wherein the monitoring unit is configured to analyze the measured hearing habits and calculate the average exposure value of the external sound and the music sound output to the user's right ear and left ear and to quantify the exposure time and the average exposure value by day or by hour in the hear mode and the music mode (see figures 9C-9D and 14A-14D; pg. 27, ¶ 0289; pg. 28, ¶ 0302; pg. 42, ¶ 0419 - ¶ 0420).
As to claim 14, Felton further discloses wherein the monitoring unit is configured to provide hearing status feedback for hearing improvement of the user by turning ON a noise cancellation function or pushing a notification in a specific time zone in which the user is exposed to relatively high external noise, based on the exposure time and the average exposure value quantified by day or by hour (see figures 14E-14I, 14P-14R and 14AB-14AC; pg. 22, ¶ 0240, ¶ 0243; pg. 28, ¶ 0296; pg. 40, ¶ 0406; pg. 41, ¶ 0412, ¶ 0416; pg. 43, ¶ 0429).
As to claim 15, Felton further discloses further comprising: a control unit configured to test hearing of each of the user's right ear and left ear, to determine a hearing loss level of the user based on test results, and to set a customized decibel that complements the hearing of each of the user's right ear and left ear (see figures 11A-11L; pg. 30, ¶ 0319 - ¶ 0320; pg. 31, ¶ 0326 - ¶ 0327).
As to claim 16, Felton further discloses wherein the control unit is configured to control a personalized hearing status using a customized decibel that complements the hearing of the user by amplifying or reducing a decibel of the user's right ear and left ear in each situation of voice, television (TV) sound, and external sound (see figure 11G and 12D-12G; pg. 24, ¶ 0258; pg. 31, ¶ 0332, ¶ 0334).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SABRINA DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1621. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693