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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 5/28/25 has been considered.
Drawings
The drawings filed 8/15/24 are acceptable to the examiner.
Examiner’s Comments
Each of claims 1 and 11 make reference to the term “augmented reality glasses” to which a headphone is attached without providing any specifics that would limit the glasses to an augmented reality arrangement. Therefor examiner will consider this term satisfied by any form of glasses to which a headphone is attached.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sprague et al. (US 9,380, 374 B2).
Re claim 1: Sprague et al. teaches detachable headphone module (see figures 2C, 2G) along with column 23, lines 59-62; “may be replaced easily”) comprising:
an engaging member (exterior surface of 241), configured to be engaged with a temple of augmented reality glasses (connecting sides 208, 210), wherein the engaging member has a sound input channel (hollow male end portion opening of (241) closest to female connection (240) which is aligned with a first sound output opening of the temple (large end of female portion (240) in which (241) is inserted); and
a sound output assembly (interior portion of 241, 226, 232), configured to be connected to the engaging member, wherein the sound output assembly includes:
a communication channel (including at least the channel formed within hollow tube (226)), communicated with the sound input channel;
a front chamber (inside hollow within (241) that is attached to (226)), communicated with the communication channel; and
a second sound output opening (output opening at the opposite end of (226), configured to be communicated with the front chamber;
wherein the sound output assembly extends from the engaging member in a first direction, the temple extends in a second direction, and an included angle formed between the first direction and the second direction is between 0 and 90 degrees *see orientation of members of the detachable headphone module in relation to the glasses as depicted in figure 2C, 2G).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-20 are allowed.
Claims 2-10 are 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
It is noted that claim 11 includes the features as discussed in claim 1, which are taught by Sprague et al. Sprague et al. however does not teach of obvious suggest to the claimed glasses that incudes the specifics of the detachable headphone module that is used with first and second detachable blocking members when the headphone module being located between these blocking members as set forth in claim 11. The limitations of claims 12-20 depend upon those features of claim 11. The claimed detachable headphone module including in combination those features of claim 1 that wherein additionally the sound output assembly has a bottom cover and an upper cover, and the upper cover fixedly covers the bottom cover to form the communication channel as set forth in claim 2 is neither taught by nor an obvious variation of the art of record. The limitations of claims 3-10 depend upon those features of claim 2/1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Osterhout et al. is a general teaching of using a headphone module in combination with augmented reality glasses. Hollingsworth, Henderson and Lewis et al. each teach related arrangements of including headphone modules used in conjunction with glasses. JP 3199563 teaches an arrangement using a channel like member to attach headphones to a temple portion of glasses.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW SNIEZEK whose telephone number is (571)272-7563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-3:30 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at 571-272-7488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW SNIEZEK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/A.S./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693 2/6/26