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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Introduction
This action responds to the application 18/749,959 filed on 06-21-2024. Claims 1-34 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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 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.
4. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
5. Claims 1- 7, 11-14 and 16-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a (2) as being anticipated by Seefeldt et al.(WO 2021/021707).
Consider Claim 1, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus for generating one or more audio channels for a reproduction device from one or more audio object signals(see figs. 1-3B),
wherein each of the one or more audio object signals is associated with an audio object of one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-3B and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29),
wherein the apparatus is configured to determine first rendering information depending on a position of the reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine second rendering information depending on a capability of the reproduction device to replay spatial sound(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41), and
wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the one or more audio channels from the one or more audio object signals depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claims 2 and 3, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the reproduction device comprises two or more loudspeaker drivers, wherein the capability of the reproduction device to replay spatial sound comprises a capability of the reproduction device to spatially replay the spatial sound, and wherein the apparatus is configured to generate two or more audio channels for the two or more loudspeaker drivers of the reproduction device depending on the one or more audio object signals, depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information depending on a spatial arrangement of the two or more loudspeaker drivers within the reproduction device(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41).
Consider Claims 4 and 5, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the reproduction device comprises three or more loudspeaker drivers, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate three or more audio channels for the three or more loudspeaker drivers of the reproduction device depending on the one or more audio object signals, depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information depending on a spatial arrangement of the three or more loudspeaker drivers within the reproduction device(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information depending on the position of each of the one or more audio objects depending on an orientation of the reproduction device in an environment(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claims 6 and 7, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the two or more audio channels by generating two or more component channels, wherein the two or more audio channels are the two or more component channels or are derived from the two or more component channels, wherein each of the two or more component channels is associated with one of the two or more components of the reproduction device,
wherein each of the two or more components defines a different region around the reproduction device, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects, and depending on the two or more components, and wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the two or more component channels using the second rendering information(see figs. 3A-23 and page 34 to page 41); and an apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each component channel of the two or more component channels comprises signal portions of those of the one or more audio object signals of the one or more audio objects which are located in the region around the reproduction device, which is defined by the component that comprises said component channel(see figs. 3A-23 and page 34 to page 41).
Consider Claims 11 and 12, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the two or more components differently depending on a property of an audio object signal of the one or more audio object signals, such that, if said audio object signal exhibits a first property, a region of at least one of the two or more components is different compared to if said audio object signal exhibits a different second property(see figs. 3A-23 and page 44 to page 50); and an apparatus wherein the first property of the audio object signal is that the audio object signal is a direct signal, and wherein the second property of the audio object signal is that the audio object signal is an ambience signal(see figs. 3A-23 and page 44 to page 50)...
Consider Claims 13 and 14, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the first property of the audio object signal is that the audio object signal is a speech signal, and wherein the second property of the audio object signal is that the audio object signal is a non-speech signal(see figs. 3A-23 and page 44 to page 50); and an apparatus wherein the two or more audio channels are the two or more component channels(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claims 16 and 17, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine first rendering information depending on at least one distance being a distance between the position of the reproduction device and the position of an audio object of the one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the at least one distance is an angular distance between the position of the reproduction device and the position of an audio object of the one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29)..
Consider Claims 18 and 19, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the at least one distance is a linear distance between the position of the reproduction device and the position of an audio object of the one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information such that the first rending information indicates that a first audio object of the one or more audio objects having a greater distance from the reproduction device than a second audio object of the one or more audio objects shall be attenuated more than the second audio object(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41).
Consider Claims 20 and 21, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information depending on the position of each of the one or more audio objects and depending on at least one further reproduction device of one or more further reproduction devices, wherein each further reproduction device of the one or more further reproduction devices is to reproduce one or more further audio signals for said further reproduction device, wherein said one or more further audio signals depend on the one or more audio object signals(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information depending on a capability to replay spatial sound of said at least one further reproduction device and/or depending on a position of said at least one further reproduction device(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41).
Consider Claims 22 and 23, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information depending on the position of the reproduction device, depending on the position of each of the one or more audio objects and depending on a position of at least one of one or more further reproduction devices by employing amplitude panning(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to receive metadata comprising information on the position of each of the one or more further reproduction devices, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information and/or the second rendering information using the information on the position of each of the one or more further reproduction devices(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41).
Consider Claims 24 and 25, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to generate one or more modified object signals from the one or more audio object signals using the first rendering information which depends on the position of each of the one or more further reproduction devices, and wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the one or more audio channels from the one or more modified object signals using the second rendering information(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to receive information on that another reproduction device being different from the one or more further reproduction devices is to start reproducing at least one further signal which depends on the one or more audio object signals, and wherein, in response to said information, the apparatus is configured to recalculate the first rendering information depending on said other reproduction device; and/or wherein the apparatus is configured to receive information on that one of the one or more further reproduction devices is to stop or has stopped reproducing one or more audio signal being reproduced by the further reproduction device, and wherein, in response to said information the apparatus is configured to recalculate the first rendering information depending on said information(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claims 26 and 27, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information and/or the second rendering information depending on a listening position(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the one or more audio channels for the reproduction device from two or more audio object signals, wherein each of the two or more audio object signals is associated with an audio object of two or more audio objects, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the first rendering information depending on a position of the reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the two or more audio objects, and wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the one or more audio channels from the two or more audio object signals depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29)..
Consider Claims 28 and 29, Seefeldt teaches a reproduction device, wherein the reproduction device comprises the apparatus, wherein the apparatus according to claim 1 is configured to generate one or more audio channels for the reproduction device(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); and a system comprising: the reproduction device of claim 28, being a first reproduction device, and one or more further reproduction devices(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41). ...
Consider Claims 30 and 31, Seefeldt teaches a system according wherein the apparatus according to claim 1 of the first reproduction device is configured to determine the first rendering information depending on the position of the first reproduction device, depending on the position of each of the one or more audio objects and depending on a position of at least one of the one or more further reproduction devices. (see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41); and a system according to claim 29, wherein the apparatus according to claim 1 of the first reproduction device, is configured to generate the one or more audio channels for the first reproduction device, wherein, for each further reproduction device of the one or more further reproduction devices, the apparatus according to claim 1 of the first reproduction device is configured to generate one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, wherein, for generating the one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, the apparatus of the first reproduction device is configured wherein, for each further reproduction device of the one or more further reproduction devices, the apparatus according to claim 1 of the first reproduction device is configured to generate one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, wherein, for generating the one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, the apparatus according to claim 1 of the first reproduction device is configured to determine first further rendering information for said further reproduction device depending on a position of the further reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects, to determine second further rendering information for said further reproduction device depending on a capability of the further reproduction device to replay spatial sound, and to generate the one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device from the one or more audio object signals depending on the first further rendering information for said further reproduction device and depending on the second further rendering information for said further reproduction device(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claim 32, Seefeldt teaches a system wherein each of the one or more further reproduction devices comprises an apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the apparatus according to claim 1 of each further reproduction device of the one or more further reproduction devices is configured to generate one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, wherein, for generating the one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, the apparatus according to claim 1 of said further reproduction device is configured wherein the apparatus according to claim 1 of each further reproduction device of the one or more further reproduction devices is configured to generate one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, wherein, for generating the one or more audio channels for said further reproduction device, the apparatus according to claim 1 of said further reproduction device is configured to determine first further rendering information for said further reproduction device depending on a position of the further reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects, to determine second further rendering information for said further reproduction device depending on a capability of the further reproduction device to replay spatial sound, and to generate the one or more further audio channels for said further reproduction device from the one or more audio object signals depending on the first further rendering information for said further reproduction device and depending on the second further rendering information for said further reproduction device(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Consider Claim 33, Seefeldt teaches a method for generating one or more audio channels for a reproduction device from one or more audio object signals(see figs. 1-3B),
wherein each of the one or more audio object signals is associated with an audio object of one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-3B and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29),
wherein the method comprises: determining first rendering information depending on a position of the reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41),
determining second rendering information depending on a capability of the reproduction device to replay spatial sound(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41), and
generating the one or more audio channels from the one or more audio object signals depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29),
Consider Claim 34, Seefeldt teaches a non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform the method for generating one or more audio channels for a reproduction device from one or more audio object signals(see figs. 1-3B and , page 2, page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29),
wherein each of the one or more audio object signals is associated with an audio object of one or more audio objects(see figs. 1-3B and , page 2, page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29), wherein the method comprises:
determining first rendering information depending on a position of the reproduction device and depending on a position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects(see figs. 3A-21 and page 34 to page 41),
determining second rendering information depending on a capability of the reproduction device to replay spatial sound, and generating the one or more audio channels from the one or more audio object signals depending on the first rendering information and depending on the second rendering information, when said computer program is run by a computer(see figs. 1-3B and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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 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.
7. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
8. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
9. Claims 8-10 and 15 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Seefeldt et al.(WO 2021/021707) in view of Fejzo et al. (US 2012/0288124).
Consider claim 8, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus wherein each component channel of the two or more component channels comprises more average signal energy of the signal portions of those of the one or more audio object signals of the one or more audio objects which are located in the region around the reproduction device, which is defined by the component that comprises said component channel, than any other component channel of the two or more component channels(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); but Seefeldt does not explicitly teach wherein a first component channel of the two or more component channels comprises more average signal energy of the signal portions of an audio object signal of the one or more audio object signals than a second component channel, if an average of the signal energy of the signal portions of the audio object signal in the first component signal is greater than an average of the signal energy of the signal portions of the audio object signal in the second component signal.
However, Fejzo teaches wherein a first component channel of the two or more component channels comprises more average signal energy of the signal portions of an audio object signal of the one or more audio object signals than a second component channel, if an average of the signal energy of the signal portions of the audio object signal in the first component signal is greater than an average of the signal energy of the signal portions of the audio object signal in the second component signal(see figs. 1a-13 and paragraphs[0116]-[0154]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to combine the teaching of Fejzo into the teaching of Seefeldt to provide characterize a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration, to correct loudspeaker/room delay, gain and frequency response or to configure sub-band domain correction filters.
Consider claim 9, Seefeldt does not explicitly teach an apparatus wherein each of the two or more components defines an angular region around the reproduction device such that each of the two or more components is definable by an angle.
However, Fejzo teaches an apparatus wherein each of the two or more components defines an angular region around the reproduction device such that each of the two or more components is definable by an angle(see figs. 1a-13 and paragraphs[0116]-[0154]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to combine the teaching of Fejzo into the teaching of Seefeldt to provide characterize a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration, to correct loudspeaker/room delay, gain and frequency response or to configure sub-band domain correction filters.
Consider claim 10, Seefeldt does not explicitly teach an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information such that the second rendering information indicates a mapping rule for mapping the one or more audio object signals or one or more modified object signals derived from the one or more audio object signals to the two or more component channels depending on the two or more components associated with the two or more component channels and depending on the position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects which are associated with the one or more audio object signals.
However, Fejzo teaches an apparatus wherein the apparatus is configured to determine the second rendering information such that the second rendering information indicates a mapping rule for mapping the one or more audio object signals or one or more modified object signals derived from the one or more audio object signals to the two or more component channels depending on the two or more components associated with the two or more component channels and depending on the position of each audio object of the one or more audio objects which are associated with the one or more audio object signals(see figs. 1a-13 and paragraphs[0041]-[0054]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to combine the teaching of Fejzo into the teaching of Seefeldt to provide characterize a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration, to correct loudspeaker/room delay, gain and frequency response or to configure sub-band domain correction filters.
Consider claim 15, Seefeldt teaches an apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the two or more audio channels from the two or more component channels by processing at least one component channel of the two or more component channels, wherein the processing of the at least one component channel comprises one or more of(see figs. 1-21 and page 9, line 32-page 11, line 10 and page 26-29); but Seefeldt does not explicitly teach that amplifying or attenuating the at least one component channel in a time domain; and/or applying a gain and/or adding a delay to the at least one component channel in the time domain; and/or conducting a phase inversion on the at least one component channel in the time domain; and/or applying a gain and/or adding a delay and/or conducting a phase inversion and/or a phase modification on one or more frequency bands of the at least one component channel in a frequency domain, and/or amplifying or attenuating at least one frequency band of the at least one component channel in a frequency domain; and/or applying a filter operation on the at least one component channel; and/or applying compression or limiting on the at least one component channel; and/or applying equalisation on the at least one component channel.
However, Fejzo teaches an apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus is configured to generate the two or more audio channels from the two or more component channels by processing at least one component channel of the two or more component channels, wherein the processing of the at least one component channel comprises one or more of: amplifying or attenuating the at least one component channel in a time domain; and/or applying a gain and/or adding a delay to the at least one component channel in the time domain; and/or conducting a phase inversion on the at least one component channel in the time domain; and/or applying a gain and/or adding a delay and/or conducting a phase inversion and/or a phase modification on one or more frequency bands of the at least one component channel in a frequency domain, and/or amplifying or attenuating at least one frequency band of the at least one component channel in a frequency domain; and/or applying a filter operation on the at least one component channel; and/or applying compression or limiting on the at least one component channel; and/or applying equalisation on the at least one component channel(see figs. 1a-13 and paragraphs[0040]-[0054]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to combine the teaching of Fejzo into the teaching of Seefeldt to provide characterize a multi-channel loudspeaker configuration, to correct loudspeaker/room delay, gain and frequency response or to configure sub-band domain correction filters.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Adami et al. (US 2019/0272836) is cited to show other APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MULTI DEVICE AUDIO OBJECT RENDERING.
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/LUN-SEE LAO/Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2651 Patent Examiner
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Knox
571-272-7501
Date 02-29-2026