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.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.
2.Claim(s) 1-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al. (US 20220129234) in view of KAJIMOTO et al. (US 20220044632).
Regarding claim 1, Nam discloses an audio system arranged in a listening environment in a vehicle (Paragraph: 0276 and fig.20, 21: Nam discusses a vehicle audio system) comprises at least one multimedia unit configured to output an audio signal (Paragraphs: 0262-0262 and 0287: Nam discusses how a sound signal provided from the audio system and/or the multimedia system; and how a speaker outputting a sound in the vehicle audio system), and at least one display loudspeaker (fig.20, DIS1, DIS2), wherein each of the at least one display loudspeaker is coupled to the at least one multimedia unit and receives the audio signal from the at least one multimedia unit (Paragraphs: 0262 and 0280: Nam discusses how the first display DIS1 and the second display DIS2 directly output sound generated from the display panel),
Nam discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “each of the at least one display loudspeaker comprises an OLED panel and at least one exciter coupled to the OLED panel and configured to vibrate the OLED panel to reproduce the audio signal”
KAJIMOTO however discloses each of the at least one display loudspeaker comprises an OLED panel and at least one exciter coupled to the OLED panel and configured to vibrate the OLED panel to reproduce the audio signal (Paragraph: 0082 and fig.6-7: KAJIMOTO discusses how a display speaker outputs sound by vibrating a display panel (OLED panel, etc.); and how a loudspeaker included in the display apparatus output sound).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Nam, and modify a system wherein each of the at least one display loudspeaker comprises an OLED panel and at least one exciter coupled to the OLED panel and configured to vibrate the OLED panel to reproduce the audio signal, as taught by KAJIMOTO, thus allowing to control processing based on image information of an image that is displayed on the display and sound information of sound that is output from the loudspeaker, as discussed by KAJIMOTO.
Considering claim 2, Nam further discloses the audio system of claim 1, wherein at least one of: one display loudspeaker is arranged in front of a driver seat of the vehicle, one display loudspeaker is arranged in front of a front passenger seat of the vehicle (Paragraph: 0015 and fig.20, DIS1, DIS2), one display loudspeaker is arranged at the back of the driver seat and in front of a first rear passenger seat, and one display loudspeaker is arranged at the back of the front passenger seat and in front of a second rear passenger seat (Paragraph: 0015 and fig.20, DIS4, DIS5).
Considering claim 3, KAJIMOTO discloses the audio system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one display loudspeaker comprises two exciter coupled to the respective OLED panel (Paragraphs: 0082 and 0084: KAJIMOTO discusses how sound is output by vibration of the display panel based on vibration of the actuator (i.e. exciter), it would have been obvious that the panel can have more than one exciter).
Considering claim 4, KAJIMOTO discloses the audio system of claim 1, wherein the at least one multimedia unit is further configured to output a video signal, and each of the at least one display loudspeaker is configured to output the video signal on the OLED panel (Paragraphs: 0081-0082 and 0084: KAJIMOTO discusses how sound is output by vibration of the display panel based on vibration of the actuator (i.e. exciter); and how the display and the loudspeaker based on one or both of information of an image that is displayed on the display and information of sound that is output from the loudspeaker of the display apparatus).
Considering claim 5, Nam further discloses the audio system of claim 4, wherein the audio signal represents an audio track corresponding to the video signal (Paragraph: 0110 and 0291: Nam discusses how the sound signal synchronized with the video data in the vehicle multimedia system).
Considering claim 6, Nam further discloses the audio system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional loudspeaker coupled to the at least one multimedia unit (Paragraphs: 0276 and 0291-0292: Nam discusses how a multimedia system each equipped in the vehicle (DIS1-DIS5) provide a passenger with a sound).
Considering claim 7, Nam further discloses the audio system of claim 6, wherein the at least one additional loudspeaker comprises at least one of one or more front passenger speakers, one or more rear passenger speakers, one or more subwoofers, and one or more tweeters (Paragraphs: 0279-0280 and fig.20, DIS4, DIS5: Nam discusses a speaker for outputting a sound, and may transfer a 3-channel stereo sound to a driver and/or a passenger, i.e. via one or more front passenger speakers, one or more rear passenger speakers).
Considering claim 9, Nam further discloses the audio system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a passenger car, a van, a camper van, a caravan, a truck, a bus, a tractor, an airplane, or a ship (Paragraph: 0019 and fig.20).
3.Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al. (US 20220129234) in view of KAJIMOTO et al. (US 20220044632) and further in view of WINTON et al. (US 20210266661).
Considering claim 8, Nam in view of KAJIMOTO fail to disclose claim 8. WINTON however discloses the audio system of claim 8, further comprising one or more reference microphones (M1, M2) arranged in a cabin of the vehicle; one or more loudspeakers (L1, L2) arranged in the cabin of the vehicle, and a control unit, wherein the control unit receives reference signals from the one or more references microphones (M1, M2), the reference signals being indicative of engine sound present in the vehicle cabin, the control unit, based on the reference signals, generates anti-noise components having a phase opposite to the phase of the engine sound, and the anti-noise components are output by the one or more display loudspeakers (Paragraphs: 0023-0027 and fig.1, 110: WINTON discusses how the noise acquired by the microphones, both exterior and interior, may be used by the processor for active noise cancelation purposes; and how an integrated noise cancellation system may be included and reduce the low-frequency propagation in all passenger seats).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Nam and KAJIMOTO, and modify a system wherein one or more reference microphones (M1, M2) arranged in a cabin of the vehicle; one or more loudspeakers (L1, L2) arranged in the cabin of the vehicle, and a control unit, wherein the control unit receives reference signals from the one or more references microphones (M1, M2), the reference signals being indicative of engine sound present in the vehicle cabin, the control unit, based on the reference signals, generates anti-noise components having a phase opposite to the phase of the engine sound, and the anti-noise components are output by the one or more display loudspeakers, as taught by WINTON, thus allowing to applies noise cancelation to the audio signals; and hence enhances the operability of the in-car audio system, as discussed by WINTON.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
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/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2691 01/05/2026