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
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.
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 1 - 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sridhara et al. (US Pub. No. 20200100307), hereinafter referred to as Sridhara in view Felder et al. (US Pub. No. 20200044763), hereinafter referred to as Felder.
As to claim 1, Sridhara discloses an apparatus comprising:
a first transport link (Bluetooth link 130-a, Fig. 1) configured to convey a first information (audio/control signals from device 110 to audio device 115-a, Fig. 1);
a second transport link (Bluetooth link 130-b, Fig. 1) configured to convey a second information (audio/control signals from device 110 or relayed from audio device 115-a to audio device 115-b, Fig. 1);
a virtual transport link manager (virtual transport link manager inside device 115, Fig. 1), coupled to the first transport link (link 130-a, Fig. 1), the virtual transport link manager configured to the first transport link (forwarding or withholding control information to secondary device 115-b via link 135, Fig. 1);
a first audio peripheral (audio device 115-a, Fig. 1) coupled to the first transport link (audio device 115-a via link 130-a, Fig. 1), the first audio peripheral configured to receive the first information (audio stream from device 110, Fig. 1);
a second audio peripheral (audio device 115-b, Fig. 1) coupled to the second transport link (audio device 115-b via link 130-b, Fig. 1), the second audio peripheral configured to receive the second information (audio/control signals from device 110 or relayed by audio device 115-a, Fig. 1); and
a primary transport link manager (primary transport link 135, Fig. 1) configured to connect to the second transport link (link 135 between audio devices 115-a and 115-b, Fig. 1).
Felder discloses, what Sridhara lacks, the virtual transport link manager (control extractor 72 and DAI 14 with channel select CS input, Fig. 9) configured to select between a primary lane with both control information (DIN data including SIGNAL data and CNTL data carried on the DIN line of the 3-bit TDM bus 70, Fig. 8–9; see DIN carries SIGNAL and CNTL data, para. 0033 - 0036) and data information and a second lane with only data information (SIGNAL data extracted by DAI 14 without CNTL extraction, Fig. 9).
Sridhara and Felder are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely digital audio communication systems and transport of audio and control information between audio devices.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the teachings of Sridhara and Felder before him or her, to modify the transport link architecture of Sridhara to include the selectable lane structure disclosed in Felder.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve transport flexibility and bandwidth efficiency in Sridhara’s wireless audio system. Sridhara already recognizes the need to manage and forward control information between audio devices to maintain coordinated operation (para. [0045]) and to adapt transport behavior depending on system conditions (paras. [0047], Figs. 3–4). Felder teaches a known technique for embedding and selectively utilizing control information within an audio transport stream (FIGS. 8–9), thereby allowing a designer to choose whether control data is conveyed together with audio data or to operate effectively in a data-only mode. Incorporating Felder’s selectable control-and-data transport mechanism into Sridhara’s transport links would have been a predictable use of known digital audio transport techniques to enhance flexibility and configurability of the audio interconnect.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Felder with Sridhara to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
As to claim 2, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the first information is control information for a control plane (Control plane refers to the portion of a communication system responsible for signaling, configuration, and management, as distinct from the data plane, which carries user payload such as audio content. In the context of Sridhara, the control plane corresponds to the signaling exchanged between the primary and secondary earbuds to coordinate their operation. For example, Sridhara discloses that the primary audio device 115 may be responsible for forwarding control information to the secondary device so that the secondary device is able to interact with the mobile device… For example, the primary audio device 115-a may transmit control information to the secondary device 115-b over link 135, para. [0045])).
As to claim 3, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the control information is conveyed to processing functions used for configuration control and policy implementation (the control information is not merely passed along but is actively used by processing functions to handle configuration and policy-related tasks. In Sridhara, this is supported by the disclosure that the primary audio device (115-a) forwards control information to the secondary audio device (115-b) so the secondary can properly interact with the mobile device (e.g., connect to calls, play audio, maintain coordination). This forwarding inherently enables the secondary’s internal processing functions to implement configuration (establishing or adjusting link roles) and policy (e.g., handling audio routing or prioritizing call connections) to stay synchronized with the primary (Fig. 1; para. [0045])
As to claim 4, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the second information is data information for a data plane (Control plane refers to the portion of a communication system responsible for signaling, configuration, and management, as distinct from the data plane, which carries user payload such as audio content. In the context of Sridhara, the control plane corresponds to the signaling exchanged between the primary and secondary earbuds to coordinate their operation. For example, the secondary device sending audio data, para. 0045).
As to claim 5, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein:
the second information is another control information for another control plane (secondary audio device 115-b receives control signaling from device 110 or relayed from 115-a, maintaining coordination for additional control functions, Fig. 1).
As to claim 6, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a frequency reference coupled to the first audio peripheral and the second audio peripheral, the frequency reference configured to generate a synchronous clock signal provided to the first audio peripheral and the second audio peripheral (synchronization between primary audio device 115-a and secondary audio device 115-b over link 135 requires shared timing to align audio/control signals, Fig. 1).
As to claim 7, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 6, wherein:
the frequency reference is a reference oscillator with frequency stability characteristics (primary audio device 115-a maintains clock/timing stability for synchronization with secondary device 115-b, Fig. 1).
As to claim 8, Sridhara discloses an apparatus for flexible digital audio system interconnectivity, the apparatus comprising:
means for assigning a plurality of virtual transport link managers to a plurality of transport links according to a control plane allocation and a data plane allocation (primary audio device 115-a acting as virtual manager for link 130-a and secondary link 135, allocating control plane vs. data plane information, Fig. 1); and
means for transporting control plane information and data plane information over the plurality of transport links to a plurality of audio peripherals using the plurality of virtual transport link managers (control information and audio data transported across 130-a, 130-b, and 135 to audio devices 115-a and 115-b, Fig. 1).
Felder discloses, what Sridhara lacks, virtual transport link managers (control extractor 72 and digital audio interface DAI 14 managing extraction and routing of control and signal data, Fig. 9); and
wherein at least one of the plurality of transport links is selected between a primary lane with both control information and data information (DIN line of TDM bus 70 carrying DIN data including SIGNAL data and CNTL data, Fig. 8–9); and
and a second lane with only data information for the at least one of the plurality of transport links (SIGNAL data extracted by DAI 14 without CNTL extraction via channel select CS input, Fig. 9).
Sridhara and Felder are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely digital audio communication systems and transport of audio and control information between audio devices.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the teachings of Sridhara and Felder before him or her, to modify the transport link architecture of Sridhara to include the selectable lane structure disclosed in Felder.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve transport flexibility and bandwidth efficiency in Sridhara’s wireless audio system. Sridhara already recognizes the need to manage and forward control information between audio devices to maintain coordinated operation (para. [0045]) and to adapt transport behavior depending on system conditions (paras. [0047], Figs. 3–4). Felder teaches a known technique for embedding and selectively utilizing control information within an audio transport stream (FIGS. 8–9), thereby allowing a designer to choose whether control data is conveyed together with audio data or to operate effectively in a data-only mode. Incorporating Felder’s selectable control-and-data transport mechanism into Sridhara’s transport links would have been a predictable use of known digital audio transport techniques to enhance flexibility and configurability of the audio interconnect.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Felder with Sridhara to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
As to claim 9, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:
means for reconfiguring the plurality of transport links, wherein the means for reconfiguring is enabled in response to a reconfiguration directive and the means for reconfiguring uses an advancement directive subsequent to control plane information transport and data plane information transport (primary audio device 115-a switches between short-range Bluetooth, long-range Bluetooth, or mesh link when link quality degrades, Figs. 3–4).
As to claim 10, Sridhara discloses the apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:
means for interconnecting the plurality of transport links to the plurality of audio peripherals with the control plane allocation and with the data plane allocation (links 130-a, 130-b, 135 connecting device 110 to audio devices 115-a/115-b with division of control and data, Fig. 1); and
means for enabling a primary transport link manager and a plurality of virtual transport link managers in a digital audio system (primary audio device 115-a serving as primary manager, while forwarding functions act as virtual managers for control/data delivery, Fig. 1).
As to claim 11, Sridhara discloses a method comprising:
assigning a plurality of virtual transport link managers to a plurality of transport links according to a control plane allocation and a data plane allocation (primary audio device 115-a manages transport of control vs. data across links 130-a/135, Fig. 1); and
transporting control plane information and data plane information over the plurality of transport links to a plurality of audio peripherals using the plurality of virtual transport link managers (control info and audio data conveyed across links 130-a, 130-b, and 135 to audio devices 115-a and 115-b, Fig. 1).
Felder discloses, what Sridhara lacks, virtual transport link managers (control extractor 72 and digital audio interface DAI 14 managing routing and extraction of control and signal data, Fig. 9),
wherein at least one of the plurality of transport links is selected between a primary lane with both control information and data information (DIN line of TDM bus 70 carrying DIN data including SIGNAL data and CNTL data, Figs. 8–9); and a second lane with only data information for the at least one of the plurality of transport links (SIGNAL data path through DAI 14 without CNTL extraction, selectable via channel select CS input, Fig. 9).
Sridhara and Felder are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely digital audio communication systems and transport of audio and control information between audio devices.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the teachings of Sridhara and Felder before him or her, to modify the transport link architecture of Sridhara to include the selectable lane structure disclosed in Felder.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve transport flexibility and bandwidth efficiency in Sridhara’s wireless audio system. Sridhara already recognizes the need to manage and forward control information between audio devices to maintain coordinated operation (para. [0045]) and to adapt transport behavior depending on system conditions (paras. [0047], Figs. 3–4). Felder teaches a known technique for embedding and selectively utilizing control information within an audio transport stream (FIGS. 8–9), thereby allowing a designer to choose whether control data is conveyed together with audio data or to operate effectively in a data-only mode. Incorporating Felder’s selectable control-and-data transport mechanism into Sridhara’s transport links would have been a predictable use of known digital audio transport techniques to enhance flexibility and configurability of the audio interconnect.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Felder with Sridhara to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
As to claim 12, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 11, further comprising:
interconnecting the plurality of transport links to the plurality of audio peripherals with the control plane allocation and with the data plane allocation to form an interconnection (device 110 connects via 130-a/130-b to 115-a/115-b, with control relayed on 135, forming a system-level interconnection, Fig. 1).
As to claim 13, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 12, wherein:
the interconnection includes an enumeration of the plurality of audio peripherals (audio devices 115-a and 115-b recognized and coordinated by primary device for joint operation, Fig. 1).
As to claim 14, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 13, wherein:
the enumeration assigns identification labels to distinguish each of the plurality of audio peripherals (primary/secondary role assignment distinguishing 115-a as primary and 115-b as secondary, Fig. 1).
As to claim 15, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 14, wherein:
if the interconnection of one of the plurality of transport links includes the control plane allocation and the data plane allocation, then set a transport link configuration word for the one of the plurality of transport links to an enabled state (links such as 135 configured to forward both audio data and control information when primary assigns secondary role, Fig. 1).
As to claim 16, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 12, wherein:
the plurality of audio peripherals is in a digital audio system (wireless earbuds 115-a/115-b forming a digital audio system with device 110, Fig. 1).
As to claim 17, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 12, further comprising:
reconfiguring the plurality of transport links in response to a reconfiguration directive (switching to mesh or long-range Bluetooth when link quality drops, Figs. 3–4).
As to claim 18, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 17, further comprising:
using an advancement directive for the reconfiguring (control logic in primary audio device directs switching of link type to maintain connectivity, Figs. 3–4).
As to claim 19, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 18, wherein:
the reconfiguring is performed subsequent to performing the transporting control plane information and data plane information (switch to mesh/long-range occurs only after detection of link degradation during ongoing control/data transport, Figs. 3–4).
As to claim 20, Sridhara discloses the method of claim 17, further comprising:
enabling a primary transport link manager and the plurality of virtual transport link managers in a digital audio system (primary audio device 115-a operates as primary manager, while secondary device 115-b operates via virtual management functions coordinated through link 135, Fig. 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims above have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUANITO C BORROMEO whose telephone number is (571)270-1720. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 9 - 5.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Henry Tsai can be reached on 5712724176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/J.C.B/ Assistant Examiner, Art Unit 2184
/HENRY TSAI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2184