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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. This is in response to application filed 08/26/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jorasch et al. (Pub.No.: 2021/0374391 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jorasch teaches a speaker position determination apparatus for determining a position of a speaker built into a headrest (reads on headset 4000 includes an earbud may be a component that fits in the ear (e.g., for efficient sound transmission), see [0206]), the speaker position determination apparatus comprising:
a camera configured to capture an image of the headrest (reads on forward facing cameras 4022a-b may record the actions of a user cleaning parts in the chemical room with acid tanks 6885. The forward-facing cameras record the specific part by reading the part measurements, barcode or image, see [0217]); and
a position determination device configured to determine the position of the speaker based on the image captured by the camera (rangefinder may allow the camera to determine distances to surrounding objects or features, see [0223]),
wherein the position determination device determines the position of the speaker based on a feature part of the headrest in the image (reads on identifying safety issues (e.g., an object blocking a pathway), see [0223]).
Regarding claim 2, Jorasch teaches wherein the feature part includes at least three feature points provided on a surface of the headrest (reads on determining distances to surrounding objects or features, see [0223]) at equal distances from a center of the speaker (reads on determining distances to surrounding objects, see [0223]), and
the position determination device determines a center of a polygon having vertices at the feature points as a position of the center of the speaker (see [0223]).
Regarding claim 3, Jorasch teaches wherein the feature part includes a grille provided on the surface of the headrest to cover the speaker (reads on outward speakers 4074 which can generate a sound, see [0207]), and
the position determination device determines the position of the speaker based on a position of the grille (reads on identify object blocking pathway, see [0223]).
Regarding claim 4, Jorasch teaches wherein the headrest has a microphone built therein (reads on microphone 4014, see [0214]),
the surface of the headrest is provided with a microphone hole (reads on microphone boom 4016, see [0211]), and the position determination device determines the position of the speaker based on a position of the microphone hole (reads on camera determining the distances to surrounding objects or features, see [0223]).
Regarding claim 5, Jorasch teaches an on-vehicle sound control system (reads on headset 4000 generate a sound, see [0207]), comprising: the speaker position determination apparatus according to claim 1 (see claim 1 rejection); and
a controller configured to control the speaker to output canceling sound (reads on processor 4055 that provide an alert, audible alert, see [0211]) for canceling noise inside a vehicle,
wherein the camera is disposed to further capture an image of a head of an occupant seated in an occupant seat on which the headrest is provided (reads on forward facing cameras 4022a-b may capture the movements of the user, see [0213]),
the position determination device further determines a position of the head of the occupant from the image (reads on accelerometers detecting the orientation, head movement, see [0214]), and
the controller controls the speaker to output the canceling sound based on the position of the head of the occupant and the position of the speaker (reads on processor 40505interepreting the information and providing alert to user, see [0211]- [0212]).
Regarding claim 6, Jorasch teaches wherein the position determination device determines presence or absence of a blocking object that blocks a path from the speaker to the occupant's ear in the image (reads on identifying safety issues, e.g., an object blocking a pathway, see [0233]), and
the controller controls the speaker based on the presence or absence of the blocking object (reads on processor 4055... providing an alert/audible alert in speakers, see [0211]).
Regarding claim 7, Jorasch teaches a microphone configured to generate an error signal (reads on microphone 4014 detecting microphone signals, see [0222]) from the noise and the canceling sound;
a control filter configured to generate a control signal for controlling the speaker (reads on processor 4055 provide information, see [0211]); and
an adaptive update unit configured to perform adaptive update of the control filter based on the error signal (reads on processor 4055 performing analysis, see [0215]),
wherein the adaptive update unit stops the adaptive update of the control filter when the blocking object is present (see object blocking a pathway, [0223]).
Regarding claim 8, Jorasch teaches. The on-vehicle sound control system according to claim 6, wherein the surface of the headrest is provided with a grille covering the speaker (see outward speaker 4074, see [0211]), and
the position determination device determines that the blocking object is present when the grille is hidden in the image (reads on identifying an object blocking a pathway, see [0223]).
Regarding claim 9, Jorasch teaches wherein the headrest is provided with a microphone,
the surface of the headrest is provided with a microphone hole (reads on microphone boom 4016, see [0211]), and the position determination device determines that the blocking object is present when the microphone hole is hidden in the image (see [0223]).
Regarding claim 10, Jorasch teaches wherein the position determination device determines that the blocking object is present when the occupant's ear is hidden in the image (reads on detecting orientation head movement, see [0214] and identifying object blocking a pathway, see [0223]).
Conclusion
4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rasha S. AL-Aubaidi whose telephone number is (571) 272-7481. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Ahmad Matar, can be reached on (571) 272-7488.
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/RASHA S AL AUBAIDI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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