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
1. 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.
2. Claim(s) 1, 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaya (US 5,031,222) in view of Alleman et al. (US 2012/0083718).
Regarding claim 1, Takaya teaches a speaker unit comprising: a substrate; multiple piezoelectric drivers disposed on the substrate, the multiple piezoelectric drivers being configured to generate respective acoustic waves having different frequency ranges (see fig. 1-2, col. 1, lines 26-43, col. 3, line 4-52. The speaker unit having multiple piezoelectric drivers is housed in a frame. Piezoelectric speaker has a construction wherein a diaphragm 2 containing a plurality of piezoelectric drivers 11-19 is fixed to a frame 4 through an elastic supporting member 3. piezoelectric drivers 11-19 are divided into three groups which have different primary resonance frequencies. The piezoelectric drivers 16-19 of the second and third groups have their primary resonance frequencies f1 between the primary resonance frequency f1 and the secondary resonance frequency f2 of the first group. The piezoelectric drivers 11-15 of the first group have low primary resonance frequencies in order to improve a sound pressure level in a low frequency range. Frequency characteristic of this type piezoelectric driver f1=110Hz and f2=450Hz having different speaker groups. The substrate being a metal plate, two piezoelectric plates 100a and 100b, made of PZT or the like, interposing a metal plate 100c. When electric signals are applied to both piezoelectric plates 100a and 100b, the whole piezoelectric driver including the metal plate 100c is vibrated by piezoelectric effect.).
Takaya discloses a housing with piezoelectric drivers but not multiple housing portions. Takaya does not teach a housing integrally including multiple housing portions that house the respective piezoelectric drivers.
Alleman teaches a housing integrally including multiple housing portions that house the respective piezoelectric drivers (see fig.1, 7c-d, ¶ 0119, 0138-0141. The housing having plurality of piezoelectric transducers arranged withing the housing.).
The combination of Alleman to Takaya provides the housing factor for housing the transducers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Takaya to incorporate a housing to include multiple piezoelectric transducers. The modification provides for a housing that incorporates multiple piezoelectric transducers.
Regarding claim 5, Takaya teaches a speaker unit including a substrate, multiple piezoelectric drivers disposed on the substrate, the multiple piezoelectric drivers being configured to generate respective acoustic waves having different frequency ranges (see fig. 1-2, col. 1, lines 26-43, col. 3, line 4-52. The speaker unit having multiple piezoelectric drivers is housed in a frame. Piezoelectric speaker has a construction wherein a diaphragm 2 containing a plurality of piezoelectric drivers 11-19 is fixed to a frame 4 through an elastic supporting member 3. piezoelectric drivers 11-19 are divided into three groups which have different primary resonance frequencies. The piezoelectric drivers 16-19 of the second and third groups have their primary resonance frequencies f1 between the primary resonance frequency f1 and the secondary resonance frequency f2 of the first group. The piezoelectric drivers 11-15 of the first group have low primary resonance frequencies in order to improve a sound pressure level in a low frequency range. Frequency characteristic of this type piezoelectric driver f1=110Hz and f2=450Hz having different speaker groups. The substrate being a metal plate, two piezoelectric plates 100a and 100b, made of PZT or the like, interposing a metal plate 100c. When electric signals are applied to both piezoelectric plates 100a and 100b, the whole piezoelectric driver including the metal plate 100c is vibrated by piezoelectric effect.).
Takaya discloses a housing with piezoelectric drivers but not multiple housing portions. Takaya does not teach an earpiece comprising: a housing integrally including multiple housing portions that house the respective piezoelectric drivers.
Alleman teaches an earpiece comprising: a housing integrally including multiple housing portions that house the respective piezoelectric drivers (see fig.1, 7c-d, ¶ 0040, 0119, 0138-0141. The housing having plurality of piezoelectric transducers arranged withing the housing. The transducer array are earpieces).
The combination of Alleman to Takaya provides the housing factor for housing the transducers.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Takaya to incorporate a housing to include multiple piezoelectric transducers. The modification provides for a housing that incorporates multiple piezoelectric transducers.
3. Claim(s) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaya (US 5,031,222) in view of Alleman et al. (US 2012/0083718) in further view of Kuwahara et al. (US 2021/0297771) in further view of Morgan et al. (US 2018/0295449).
Regarding claim 2, Takaya and Alleman do not teach the speaker unit according to claim 1, wherein the multiple housing portions include respective first through holes in communication with an exterior of the housing, and wherein the acoustic waves generated through the multiple piezoelectric drivers that are housed in the respective housing portions are each configured to be output through a corresponding through hole among the first through holes.
Kuwahara teaches wherein the multiple housing portions include respective first through holes in communication with an exterior of the housing, and wherein the acoustic waves generated through the multiple piezoelectric drivers that are housed in the respective housing portions are each configured to be output through a corresponding through hole among the first through holes (see fig. 6, ¶ 0090, 0106-0109. Spear unit having multiple transducers and sound outputs. Multiple sound paths merger with the first output sound path (the first sound path would be considered a through hole).
Morgan discloses multiple through holes the permit sound energy from a first diaphragm (see fig.15, ¶ 0088.).
The Morgan disclose multiple through holes to be communicated with the exterior of the housing, and Kuwahara discloses multiple speakers being housed with a sound output being a through hole. The combination would provide multiple through holes to be permitted in Kuwahara as taught by Morgan.
The piezoelectric drivers are taught by Takaya and Alleman in combination with Kuwahara and Morgan.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Takaya and Alleman to incorporate a housing to include multiple through holes of the housing. The modification provides for sound output from the speakers.
4. Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaya (US 5,031,222) in view of Alleman et al. (US 2012/0083718) in further view of Combest et al. (US 2020/0228886).
Regarding claim 3, Takaya and Alleman do not teach the speaker unit according to claim 1, further comprising: multiple cylindrical portions provided facing the respective housing portions, wherein the housing includes a wall surface disposed between the cylindrical portions and the housing portions.
Combest in an analogous art teaches multiple cylindrical portions provided facing the respective housing portions, wherein the housing includes a wall surface disposed between the cylindrical portions and the housing portions (see fig. 1, 2, 5. The speaker housing being a cylindrical shape, houses multiple speakers, wherein each one having a portion that is housed within the housing and having a wall disposed therein. The claim is broad to disclose a function of the housing and wall. Even with multiple cylindrical portions, Combest still teaches the housing function.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Takaya and Alleman to incorporate a housing to include multiple cylindrical portions and a wall disposed on the housing. The modification provides for a cylindrical housing for speakers.
5. Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takaya (US 5,031,222) in view of Alleman et al. (US 2012/0083718) in further view of Yang (US 2009/0232340).
Regarding claim 4, Takaya and Alleman do not teach the speaker unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a second through hole through which air escaping in accordance with vibration of the piezoelectric drivers is to pass.
Yang teaches wherein the housing includes a second through hole through which air escaping in accordance with vibration of the piezoelectric drivers is to pass (see fig. 2A-2B, ¶ 0031-0032. The holes 213 and 222 are aligned with each other, so as to release the sound pressure in the earphone chamber. This would be the second through holes wherein the first though hole would be the audio sound.).
The piezoelectric drivers are taught by Takaya and Alleman in combination with Yang.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Takaya and Alleman to incorporate a through holes for venting the sound pressure that is different from the audio sound. The modification provides venting sound pressure in the housing.
Conclusion
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASSAD MOHAMMED whose telephone number is (571)270-7253. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ASSAD MOHAMMED/Examiner, Art Unit 2691
/DUC NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2691