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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description:
Reference numbers 518 and 520 mentioned in paragraph 0049 are not show in Fig. 5A. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the acoustic channels 518 and 520 mentioned in paragraph 0049 of the specification should read as 512 and 516, .
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-11 and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Leahy et al, hereinafter Leahy (WO2021/174372).
Regarding claim 1, Leahy discloses an acoustic module, comprising: a plurality of acoustic sensor
devices, including at least a first acoustic sensor device and a second acoustic sensor device (e.g., Figs. 3-14, and 16-20);
and a plurality of sound ports (e.g., Figs. 17 and 18) configured to couple the plurality of acoustic sensor devices to an ambient environment, the plurality of sound ports including at least a first sound port (e.g., 1708), a second sound port (e.g., 1709) and a third sound port (e.g., either one of 1710 or 1711), wherein the first acoustic sensor device includes a first transducer (e.g., first MEMS, paragraph 0072) having a first side coupled to an ambient environment via the first sound port (1708) and a second side coupled to the ambient environment via the second sound port (1709), Note, Figs. 3-10, 12 and 13, clearly show that the MEMS has one side to one port and another side to another port. By the way for example, MEMS transducers 402, 503, 606, , 702, 802, 906, etc. have one side couple to an ambient environment via first port (1780) and second side couple to the ambient environment via second port (1709) and the second acoustic sensor device includes a second transducer (e.g., second MEMS) exposed to the ambient environment on one side via the third sound port (e.g., either one of 1710 or 1711), and the first sound port (1708), the second sound port (1709), and the third sound port (either of 1710 or 1711) are positioned in the acoustic module such that the third sound port is at least approximately aligned with a midpoint between the first sound port and the second sound port (note, Fig. 17 clearly shows that either one of port 1710 or 1711 (third port) is positioned approximately aligned with a midpoint between first port 1708 and second port 1709).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 17 clearly shows the first sound port is spaced from the second sound port by a distance along a line connecting the first sound port and the second sound port; and the midpoint lies at least approximately halfway along the distance between the first sound port and the second sound port (for the propose of adding clarity, a red line is add to show a distance along a line connecting the first port (1708) and the second port (1709), and the midpoint (where the red and green line (also added) are intersected lies at least approximately halfway between the first port and second port).
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Regarding claim 3, Leahy discloses wherein the third sound port (either 1710 or 1711) is disposed at a position along an axis (add green line axis) that is approximately perpendicular to the line (red line) connecting the first sound port (1708) and the second sound port 1709 (Fig. 17 and explanation above in claim 2.
Regarding claim 4, Leahy discloses wherein the third sound port is disposed at a position along the axis within a plane that i) is perpendicular to the line connecting the first sound port and the second sound port and ii) crosses the line connecting the first sound port and the second sound port at the midpoint (see explanation to claims 2 and 3 above).
Regarding claim 5, Leahy discloses wherein the third sound port (either 1710 or 1711) is positioned at the midpoint between the first sound port (1708) and the second sound port (1709).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, Leahy discloses wherein each of one or both of the first transducer and the second transducer comprises a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) transducer/microphone (Paragraph 0072).
Regarding claim 8, Leahy discloses wherein: the first acoustic sensor device is configured to have a directional response to sound waves in the ambient environment; and the second acoustic sensor device is configured to have an omnidirectional response to sound waves in the ambient environment (for examples, paragraphs 003, 0004, 0005, 0006, 0067, 0077, etc.).
Regarding claim 9, Leahy discloses wherein the first acoustic sensor device is configured to have a dipole directionality pattern (paragraph 0065).
Regarding claim 10, Leahy discloses wherein the first acoustic sensor device and the second acoustic sensor device are coupled to a processor configured to combine a first signal generated by the first acoustic sensor device and a second signal generated by the second acoustic sensor device to generate a combined output signal of the acoustic module (Figs. 19 and 20 and paragraphs 0074- 0076, especially 0076 in which Leahy discloses the signals from the transducers can be either added and/or subtracted).
Regarding claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to combine the first signal generated by the first acoustic sensor device and the second signal generated by the first acoustic sensor device to generate a combined output signal having one of a cardioid directionality pattern, a hypercardioid directionality pattern, a supercardioid directionality pattern, or a subcardioid directionality pattern (See explanation to claim 10 above and paragraph 0065)
Claim 13 is rejected for the same rationales as recited in claims 1 and 8 above.
Claims 14 to 20 are corresponding to claims 2-11. Therefore, they are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 2-11 above.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gupta et al. (US2025/0033953) is cited to shows similar acoustic sensor structure.
Patel et al. (WO2024/238857) is cited to show similar acoustic sensor structure.
Sibbald et al. (20180041843) is cited to show MEMS microphone Assembly.
Watson et al. (20170041692) is cited to show MEMS microphone package.
Claim 12 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Prior art does not disclose the limitations ”wherein the processor is configured to, prior to combining the first signal and the second signal, filter the first signal and the second signal so that one or both i) a frequency response of the first signal matches a frequency response of the second signal and ii) a phase response of the first signal matches a phase response of the second signal”, in combination, with all the limitations of intervening claims and independent claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON CHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3022. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00AM – 5:00PM from Monday to Thursday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alford Kindred, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4037. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON CHAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2619