DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
In response to the non-final office action dated 04/17/2026, applicant has amended claims 1, 3, 4 and 14. Claims 2 and 13 are cancelled. Claims 1, 3-12, 14 and 15 are currently pending in the application.
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, 3-12, 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Furuya et al (US Pub No. 2004/0071303, hereinafter Furuya).
Regarding claim 1, Furuya teaches a sound production module (Fig 5, compound sound generator), wherein the sound production module comprises a sound production unit (Fig 1 & 5 & ¶ [0030], diaphragms 36, 41 (mislabeled 42 in fig 5) and voice coils 35, 40) and an expansion cavity (Fig 5 & ¶ [0037], inner space of case 50), and the sound production unit comprises a receiver unit (Fig 1 & 5 & ¶ [0030], second diaphragm 41 and second voice coil 40 form receiver) and a speaker unit (Fig 1 & 5 & ¶ [0030], first diaphragm 36 and first voice coil 35 form speaker) disposed opposite to the receiver unit (Fig 5, speaker and receiver opposite each other), wherein the sound production unit further comprises a magnetic circuit system (Fig 1 & 5, yoke 32 and annular magnets 33, 38), a vibration system of the receiver unit (Fig 1 & 5, second diaphragm 41) and a vibration system of the speaker unit (Fig 5, first diaphragm 36) are provided on two opposite sides of the magnetic circuit system (Fig 1 & 5, first diaphragm 36 and second diaphragm 41 on opposite sides of yoke 32), wherein the receiver unit comprises a first diaphragm (Fig 1 & 5, second diaphragm 41), and a first rear cavity is formed between the first diaphragm and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 5, back chamber 43b), wherein the speaker unit comprises a second diaphragm (Fig 5, first diaphragm 36), and a second rear cavity is formed between the second diaphragm and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 5, back chamber 43a), wherein the first rear cavity and the second rear cavity are separated from each other (Fig 5, back chambers 43a-b separated by yoke 32 (not labeled)), and the first rear cavity and the expansion cavity are separated from each other (Fig 5, back chamber 43b separated from inner space of case 50 by frame 31), wherein a first frame is provided between the first diaphragm of the receiver unit and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 5, frame 31), and the first frame is provided with the communication hole penetrating through a side wall of the first frame (Fig 5, opening 31e), wherein the sound production module further includes a fix housing for fixing the sound production unit, the expansion cavity is formed between the fix housing and the sound production unit, and the first frame is exposed to the fix housing (Fig 5, case 50), and wherein the receiver unit is provided with a communication hole for communicating the first rear cavity with a space outside the sound production module (¶ [0039], opening 31e in communication with atmosphere through discharge hole 50d), and the communication hole is not communicated with the expansion cavity (Fig 5 & ¶ [0039], air passage j formed by horizontal baffle 52a).
Regarding claim 3, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first frame opposite to the first diaphragm has a groove, and the communication hole is formed between the surface of the first frame having the groove and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 1 & 5, opening 31e formed between protrusion 31b and yoke flange 32a)
Regarding claim 4, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 1, wherein the communication hole is provided on two opposite short axis sides of the first frame (Fig 5 & ¶ [0039], air passage j formed by horizontal baffle 52a).
Regarding claim 5, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 4, wherein two communication holes spaced apart are provided on each short axis side of the first frame (Fig 2 & ¶ [0032], air passage 31d which has 2 openings on each of the “short axis” sides of the compound sound generator).
Regarding claim 6, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 5, wherein a reinforcing rib is protruded from an outer side wall of the first frame, and the reinforcing rib is located between the two communication holes on the same short axis side of the first frame (Fig 1, upper projection 31b).
Regarding claim 7, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 3, wherein a mounting boss is provided on a side of the magnetic circuit system facing the first diaphragm, the first frame is provided on the mounting boss, and the surface of the first frame having the groove contacts and forms the communication hole with a table surface of the mounting boss (Fig 5, case 50).
Regarding claim 8, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 7, wherein a mounting groove is formed on the table surface of the mounting boss, an inserting block protruding from the surface of the first frame having the groove is inserted into the mounting groove (Fig 1 & 5, annular spacers 51).
Regarding claim 9, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 8, wherein a mounting plane for mounting the first diaphragm is formed on a surface of the first frame opposite to the magnetic circuit system (Fig 1 & 5, mounting plane of second diaphragm 41 on frame 31 above yoke 32).
Regarding claim 10, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 9, wherein a mounting space is formed by a plurality of limit blocks spaced apart protruding from the mounting plane, the first diaphragm is fixed in the mounting space, and the limit blocks are hooked on an edge of the first diaphragm (Fig 1 & 5, upper projection 31b).
Regarding claim 11, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 1, wherein a first frame is provided between the first diaphragm of the receiver unit and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 5, frame 31), a first groove is provided at a position of the magnetic circuit system corresponding to a side wall of the first frame (Fig 1 & 5, protrusion 31b), and the communication hole is formed between a surface of the magnetic circuit system having the first groove and the first frame (Fig 5, opening 31e).
Regarding claim 12, Furuya teaches the sound production module of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the sound production unit further comprises a front cover covered on the first diaphragm (Fig 1 & 5, second protector 42), an opening is disposed at a position of the front cover directly facing the first diaphragm (Fig 1 & 5, sound discharge holes 42a), and the opening forms a first sound outlet channel (¶ [0031], sound generated by second diaphragm 41 discharged through sound discharge holes 42a).
Regarding claim 14, Furuya teaches the sound production module of claim 1, wherein the sound production unit further comprises a second frame disposed between the second diaphragm of the speaker unit and the magnetic circuit system (Fig 1 & 5, frame 31 between first diaphragm 36 and yoke 32), the second rear cavity is formed between the second diaphragm (Fig 5, back chamber 43a), the second frame and the magnetic circuit system, and the second rear cavity is communicated with the expansion cavity (Fig 5, air passage 31d).
Regarding claim 15, Furuya teaches a terminal device (Fig 1 & 5, compound sound generator), comprising: a casing (Fig 5, case 50) having a mounting cavity formed therein (Fig 5, inner space of case 50); and the sound production module of any one of claims 1 to 14 disposed in the mounting cavity (Fig 1 & 5], diaphragms 36, 41 and voice coils 35, 40), and the first rear cavity of the sound production module is communicated with the mounting cavity through the communication hole (Fig 5, opening 31e in communication with air passage j).
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 07/16/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants’ arguments pages 3-5 state that opening 31e of the prior art Furuya cannot directly communicate with the space outside the sound production module. To this, the examiner disagrees. Opening 31e in figure 5 of the prior art Furuya has a direct communication path to the exterior of case 50 allowing it to “directly” communicate with the exterior of the compound sound generator. This communication path is similar to the communication path provided by the application in figure 2 showing communication hole 11a in communication with an air passage to communicate with mounting cavity 301.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhong et al (US Pub No. 2018/0035198) teaches a speaker module having a sound passage and sound hole.
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.
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/T.M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2694
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
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