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 .
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-9, 11-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gillian et al (US 2020/0320412; provided by Applicant).
In regards to claims 1, 11 and 17-19, Gillian discloses a system comprising:
a smart textile (capacitive touch sensor 102) arranged on at least a portion of a surface of a device (interactive object) configured to detect at least one input from a plurality of inputs (Fig. 1 and paragraph 58); and
at least one processor (microprocessor 152) communicatively coupled to the smart textile and configured to (Fig. 2 and paragraph 69):
receive at least one signal from the smart textile related to each detected input to the smart textile (paragraph 67),
process each received signal to identify at least one characteristic of the input from a plurality of characteristics (paragraph 67), and
based on each identified characteristic, cause a change associated with the input detected by the smart textile (paragraph 67).
In regards to claim 2 and 19, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the device is at least one of headphones, earphones, a speaker (paragraph 71), a soundbar, a sound system (paragraph 61), a remote control, a smart phone (paragraph 128), a tablet (paragraph 61), a smart watch (paragraph 61), a fitness tracking device, a computer (paragraph 61), a monitor (paragraph 71; displays), a television (paragraph 61), a vehicle, a vessel, an item of furniture (paragraph 60; plastic chairs), a garment (paragraph 59), a wearable item (paragraph 59), or an aircraft.
In regards to claim 3, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is arranged within the device (paragraph 61, 73; laptops, desktop).
In regards to claim 4, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is external to the device (paragraph 61, 73; remote computing device).
In regards to claim 5, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the smart textile uses at least one of a piezoelectric effect, a piezoresistive effect, an optical effect, or an electromyographic effect (paragraph 61).
In regards to claims 6 and 16, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the input to the smart textile is at least one of pressure, deformation, temperature, a change in capacitance, a change in a magnetic field, a change in an electric field, or humidity (paragraph 67).
In regards to claim 7, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the least one processor is configured to process the at least one signal using at least one of artificial intelligence or machine learning (paragraph 149).
In regards to claim 8, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein causing the change associated with the input to the smart textile further comprises causing a type or degree of change based on the at least one characteristic (paragraph 67).
In regards to claims 9 and 12, Gillian discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one caused change is at least one of a change in an operating state, a change in an output characteristic, or an output of a prompt to a user (paragraphs 67, 70).
In regards to claim 13, Gillian discloses the method of claim 12, wherein changing at least one of the operating state, the output characteristic, or initiating the prompt to a user is carried out by the first device (paragraphs 67, 70).
In regards to claim 14, Gillian discloses the method of claim 12, wherein changing at least one of the operating state, the output characteristic, or initiating the prompt to a user is carried out by a second device (paragraphs 67, 70).
In regards to claim 15, Gillian discloses the method of claim 12, wherein changing at least one of the operating state, the output characteristic, or initiating the prompt to a user is carried out by the first device and a second device (paragraphs 41, 67, 70).
Claims 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Poupyrev et al (US 2018/0310644; provided by Applicant).
In regards to claim 18, Poupyrev discloses a set of headphones comprising:
a smart textile arranged on at least a portion of the headphones (Fig. 20 and paragraphs 11, 120); and
at least one processor communicatively coupled with the smart textile and configured to (paragraph 51):
receive at least one signal from the smart textile related to input to the set of headphones (Fig. 20 and paragraphs 11, 51, 120),
process the at least one signal to identify at least one characteristic of the input (Fig. 20 and paragraphs 11, 51, 120), and
based on the processing, cause a change associated with the input to the headphones (Fig. 20 and paragraphs 11, 51, 120).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gillian et al (US 2020/0320412; provided by Applicant) in view of Poupyrev et al (US 2018/0310644; provided by Applicant).
In regards to claim 10, Gillian does not disclose the system of claim 9, wherein the change in the output characteristic is a change to an active noise canceling (ANC) mode or setting.
Poupyrev discloses wherein the change in the output characteristic is a change to an active noise canceling (ANC) mode or setting (paragraph 125).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gillian with the teachings of Poupyrev, provide noise canceling, because it would reduce outside noise and enhance the user’s experience.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
O’Keeffe (US 2016/0309246) discloses a smart speaker includes a speaker, a housing with a speaker grille portion, a circuit board, and one or more indirect input sensors (e.g. an antenna or a proximity sensor). The grille can comprise a first plurality of openings. The circuit board can reside behind the grille and in front of the speaker (e.g. in the path of sound transmission from the speaker). The circuit board can be a substrate for the one or more indirect input sensors. The circuit board can further comprise a second plurality of openings, at least some of which align with at least some of the openings in the grille, thereby providing sound transmission through the circuit board, while providing improved access for the sensors to the local environment in the vicinity of the smart speaker. Several embodiments enable the region behind the speaker grille to accomplish the dual functions sensing the local environment and sound transmission. For example, an indirect input sensor may detect aspects of the local environment (e g hand gestures made by a user, or the location of a person) and activate one more aspects of the smart speaker in response (e.g. illuminate a display).
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/MICHAEL PERVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629 January 30, 2026