DETAILED ACTION
1. Applicant's amendments and remarks submitted on May 1, 2026 have been entered. Claims 1, 5-6, 8 and 10 have been amended. Claim 2 has been cancelled. Claims 11-15 have been added. Claims 1 and 3-15 are still pending on this application, with claims 1 and 3-15 being rejected. All new grounds of rejection were necessitated by the amendments to claims 1, 5-6 and 10, and new claims 11-15. Accordingly, this action is made final.
2. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. Claim(s) 1, 4, 6-8 and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub No 2018/0078422 A1 to Dierenbach in view of US Patent No 10863279 B1 to Wu.
As to claim 1, Dierenbach discloses a notification method for Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus (see figures 1-2; pg. 2, ¶ 0019; pg. 21, ¶ 0258), comprising: obtaining at least one audio signal (see pg. 3, ¶ 0030; pg. 15, ¶ 0198); executing a voice processing to the at least one audio signal; executing an audio positioning processing to the at least one audio signal, and determining an audio source location of the at least one audio signal when the at least one audio signal contains a keyword (see pg. 15, ¶ 0199; pg. 16, ¶ 0208 - ¶ 0210; pg. 17, ¶ 0214); enabling a haptic feedback unit of a haptic feedback module disposed on an earhook component of a Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus at a position facing the audio source location to alert a user wearing the Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus (see figures 6 and 8; pg. 2, ¶ 0014; pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 7, ¶ 0127; pg. 22, ¶ 0266).
Dierenbach does not expressly disclose the voice processing being an offline voice processing. However such a configuration is considered obvious given the teachings of Wu, which discloses a similar Bluetooth device, and further discloses the use of an offline voice recognition module to recognize a preset voice message and preset activation password (see col. 1, lines 45-57). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to provide a voice recognition module that allows for activation and recognition of preset voice information, reducing the time required for the device to recognize complex voice information, thereby saving the cost required for speech recognition devices (Wu col. 2, lines 13-30).
As to claim 4, Dierenbach in view of Wu does not expressly disclose wherein a word count of the keyword is less than a word count threshold. However it does disclose the use of single words or brief phrases as triggering events (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210). Setting a word count of the keyword to be less than a word count threshold is therefore considered obvious given the teachings of Dierenbach in view of Wu. The motivation being to provide a brief triggering event such as one or two words in order to quickly alert the user, particularly for urgent moments that require the user’s attention such as a warning or a call for help (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210).
As to claim 6, Dierenbach discloses a Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus with an earhook component and a main body (see figures 1-2, 10-11, 24 and 26; pg. 2, ¶ 0019; pg. 21, ¶ 0258), comprising: a microphone module, configured in the earhook component for generating at least one audio signal (see figures 21-22; pg. 3, ¶ 0030; pg. 15, ¶ 0198; pg. 18, ¶ 0233); a haptic feedback module, configured in the earhook component (see figures 21-22; pg. 18, ¶ 0225; pg. 22, ¶ 0266); a Bluetooth communication module, configured in the main body (see figure 22; pg. 18, ¶ 0228; pg. 21, ¶ 0258); a storage module, configured in the main body and configured with a voice processing unit and a voice database storing a plurality of keywords (preprogrammed words, see pg. 16, ¶ 0208 - ¶ 0210; pg. 23, ¶ 0277); and a processor circuit, configured in the main body and electrically connected to the microphone module, the haptic feedback module, the Bluetooth communication module and the storage module (see figure 22; see pg. 18, ¶ 0228; pg. 23, ¶ 0277) for executing a notification method, comprising: obtaining the at least one audio signal (see pg. 3, ¶ 0030; pg. 15, ¶ 0198); executing a voice processing to the at least one audio signal; executing an audio positioning processing to the at least one audio signal, and determining an audio source location of the at least one audio signal when the at least one audio signal contains at least one keyword of the plurality of keywords (see pg. 15, ¶ 0199; pg. 16, ¶ 0208 - ¶ 0210; pg. 17, ¶ 0214); enabling a haptic feedback unit of the haptic feedback module at a position facing the audio source location to alert a user wearing the Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus (see figures 6 and 8; pg. 2, ¶ 0014; pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 7, ¶ 0127; pg. 22, ¶ 0266).
Dierenbach does not expressly disclose the voice processing unit being an offline voice processing unit. However such a configuration is considered obvious given the teachings of Wu, which discloses a similar Bluetooth device, and further discloses the use of an offline voice recognition module to recognize a preset voice message and preset activation password (see col. 1, lines 45-57). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to provide a voice recognition module that allows for activation and recognition of preset voice information, reducing the time required for the device to recognize complex voice information, thereby saving the cost required for speech recognition devices (Wu col. 2, lines 13-30).
As to claim 7, Dierenbach in view of Wu further discloses wherein the haptic feedback module is an electrical shock element or a vibration element (Dierenbach pg. 22, ¶ 0266).
As to claim 8, Dierenbach in view of Wu further discloses wherein the storage module is configured with an audio positioning processing unit configured to be executed by the processor circuit to execute the audio positioning processing (Dierenbach pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 15, ¶ 0198; pg. 16, ¶ 0210).
As to claim 12, Dierenbach in view of Wu does not expressly disclose wherein the word count threshold is 5 words. However it does disclose the use of single words or brief phrases as triggering events (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210). Setting the word count threshold as 5 words is therefore considered obvious given the teachings of Dierenbach in view of Wu. The motivation being to provide a brief triggering event such as one or two words in order to quickly alert the user, particularly for urgent moments that require the user’s attention such as a warning or a call for help (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210).
As to claim 13, Dierenbach in view of Wu does not expressly disclose wherein a total number of words in each of the plurality of keywords is not greater than a word count threshold. However it does disclose the use of single words or brief phrases as triggering events (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210). Setting a total number of words in each of the plurality of keywords as not greater than a word count threshold is therefore considered obvious given the teachings of Dierenbach in view of Wu. The motivation being to provide a brief triggering event such as one or two words in order to quickly alert the user, particularly for urgent moments that require the user’s attention such as a warning or a call for help (Dierenbach pg. 16, ¶ 0210).
5. Claim(s) 3, 5 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dierenbach in view of Wu, and further in view of US Patent Pub No 2017/0018272 A1 to Lee et al. (“Lee”).
As to claim 3, Dierenbach in view of Wu discloses the notification method according to claim 2.
Dierenbach in view of Wu further discloses further comprising: selecting one keyword; and enabling the haptic feedback module corresponding to the audio source location based on a selected keyword and the audio source location corresponding to the selected keyword (Dierenbach pg. 2, ¶ 0014; pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 16, ¶ 0210), but does not expressly disclose selecting the one keyword from a plurality of keywords based on priorities corresponding to the plurality of keywords when the at least one audio signal contains a plurality of the keywords. However such a configuration is known in the art, as taught by Lee, which discloses a similar notification method, and further discloses the device can detect spoken words and determine notification importance based on the detected speech and a plurality of important keywords (see pg. 3, ¶ 0056; pg. 4, ¶ 0059 - ¶ 0061; pg. 5, ¶ 0072; pg. 6, ¶ 0080). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being to provide the notification as already taught by Dierenbach in view of Wu based on a level of importance, and particularly to designate certain words as having higher importance or priority if they indicate a warning or would otherwise require the user’s immediate attention (Lee pg. 4, ¶ 0060; pg. 6, ¶ 0080; pg. 8, ¶ 0110).
As to claim 5, Dierenbach in view of Wu and Lee further discloses wherein a SOS message is broadcasted to at least one external electronic device through a Bluetooth communication system when the at least one audio signal contains a SOS keyword (Dierenbach wireless connection to external device, see pg. 21, ¶ 0258; pg. 23, ¶ 0276; Lee output notification as displayed text, see pg. 4, ¶ 0060, ¶ 0064; pg. 6, ¶ 0080; pg. 8, ¶ 0109 - ¶ 0110).
As to claim 9, Dierenbach in view of Wu and Lee further discloses wherein the processor circuit is configured to select one keyword from a plurality of keywords contained in the least one audio signal based on priorities corresponding to the plurality of keywords contained in the least one audio signal when the at least one audio signal contains the plurality of keyword and to enable the haptic feedback module based on a selected keyword and the audio source location corresponding to the selected keyword (Dierenbach pg. 2, ¶ 0014; pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 16, ¶ 0210; Lee pg. 3, ¶ 0056; pg. 4, ¶ 0059 - ¶ 0061; pg. 5, ¶ 0072; pg. 6, ¶ 0080).
As to claim 10, Dierenbach in view of Wu and Lee further discloses wherein the processor circuit is configured to enable a SOS message to be broadcasted to at least one external electronic device by the Bluetooth communication module when the at least one audio signal contains a SOS keyword (Dierenbach wireless connection to external device, see pg. 21, ¶ 0258; pg. 23, ¶ 0276; Lee output notification as displayed text, see pg. 4, ¶ 0060, ¶ 0064; pg. 6, ¶ 0080; pg. 8, ¶ 0109 - ¶ 0110).
6. Claim(s) 11 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dierenbach in view of Wu, and further in view of CN 207150794 U to Li.
As to claim 11, Dierenbach in view of Wu discloses the notification method according to claim 1.
Dierenbach in view of Wu discloses the apparatus being connected to an external device via Bluetooth (Dierenbach pg. 21, ¶ 0258; pg. 23, ¶ 0276), but does not disclose further comprising: receiving an output signal of a help trigger module of the Bluetooth earhook microphone apparatus; broadcasting a SOS message to at least one external electronic device through a Bluetooth communication system when the output signal corresponding to a SOS signal.
Li discloses a similar wearable device, the device configured to use Bluetooth technology for connection, and further comprising an SOS distress signal switch that is connected to the main control board and the Bluetooth module, wherein the switch can be pressed to send an SOS distress signal in case of emergency (see figure 3; pg. 10, ¶ 0018; pg. 13, ¶ 0025; pg. 15, ¶ 0029 of the English translation).
Dierenbach in view of Wu and Li are analogous art because they are drawn to notification methods.
It would have been an obvious choice before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an SOS distress switch as taught by Li in the method as taught by Dierenbach in view of Wu. The motivation being to provide the wearer of the device with a means for alerting others in an emergency or dangerous situations, thereby facilitating help or rescue of the wearer (Li pg. 10, ¶ 0018)
As to claim 14, Dierenbach in view of Wu and Li further disclose further comprising: a help trigger module, disposed in the main body and electrically connected to the processor circuit, wherein the help trigger module is triggered by the user to generate a SOS signal (Li figure 3; pg. 10, ¶ 0018; pg. 13, ¶ 0025; pg. 15, ¶ 0029).
As to claim 15, Dierenbach in view of Wu and Li further disclose wherein the processor circuit is configured to receive an output signal of the help trigger module and broadcast a SOS message to at least one external electronic device through a Bluetooth communication system when the output signal corresponding to a SOS signal (Dierenbach wireless connection to external device, see pg. 21, ¶ 0258; pg. 23, ¶ 0276; Li SOS distress signal sent to facilitate help, see pg. 10, ¶ 0018; pg. 15, ¶ 0029).
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed May 1, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 6, Applicant argues “Dierenbach only discloses that a direction is indicated by controlling the vibration intensity of the tactile input device 301 or 302,” therefore “Dierenbach does not disclose that a direction is indicated by trigging the tactile output device 301 or 302 which is at a position facing the direction.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Dierenbach discloses the use of different vibration intensities and patterns as noted by Applicant, but it also discloses simplified versions of said vibrations, as shown in figures 6 and 8. Specifically regarding figure 8, Dierenbach discloses the devices can be configured to vibrate based on the direction of the received audio, with the left tactile output being at 0% (no output) and the right tactile output being at 100% (max output) when the audio is received from the right side of the user, and the right tactile output being at 0% and the left tactile output being at 100% when the audio is received from a left side of the user (see figures 6 and 8; pg. 5, ¶ 0086 - ¶ 0088; pg. 7, ¶ 0127). Dierenbach therefore discloses the tactile output devices at a position facing the direction of the received sound being activated to provide a tactile output that corresponds with the direction of the received audio in order to communicate a direction to the user.
Conclusion
8. 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.
9. 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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at 5712727488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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