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 .
Election/Restrictions
1.In response to the election/restriction requirement sent on 05/27/2026, applicants elect group I (Claims 1-7) without traverse.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2.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.
3. Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marchant et al. (WO 2022035413) in view of Satongar et al. (US 12001753).
Regarding claim 1, Marchant discloses an electronic device (fig.4 & 5A, 402), comprising: a housing having a cavity configured to receive an earbud (Paragraphs: 0033, 0124 and fig.3, 312, 5A, 510, 512: Marchant discusses how cavities can be configured to receive and/or store wireless earphones, such as each receiving one of a pair of wireless earphones; and how the earphones are inserted into the cavities); an input device configured to generate a signal in response to detecting a user input (Paragraphs: 0026, 0032, 0122 and fig.4, 402, 404: Marchant discusses how the peripheral device and/or the user computing device and/or other components of the computing system such as an audio playback system to perform one or more tasks responsive to the user input via a touch gesture, tap gesture, swipe gesture, scroll gesture etc.; and how the user computing device configured to select and/or otherwise generate an audio signal to be provided to the user); and in response to detecting the signal, send an instruction to the earbud to change at least one of a source or a perceived location of audio content output at the earbud (Paragraphs: 0022, 0044 and 0120-0121: Marchant discusses a system accommodate a user in selecting a selected audio source from a plurality of audio sources in the acoustic environment, adjusting a selective filtering level (e.g., a volume level) associated with the selected audio source, muting and/or unmuting the selected audio source, and/or otherwise adjusting an audio characteristic representative of how audio from the selected audio source is provided to the user through an audio playback system (e.g., headphones, earphones); and how the selected audio source can be determined based at least in part on a selection user input at a peripheral device which is a wireless earphone case).
Marchant discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically mentioning “circuity coupled to the input device and configured to: detect the signal”
Satongar however discloses circuity coupled to the input device and configured to: detect the signal (Col.6 lines 20-35, Col.43 lines 54-67 and fig.1A, 110, 103, fig.5A-5C: Satongar discusses how the case wherein the audio circuitry 110 coupled to the audio input output 312 to detect inputs at locations corresponding to each of the control regions; and how an audio circuitry 110, speaker, microphone, input/output (I/O) subsystem, other input or control devices, and external port. Device optionally includes one or more intensity sensors for detecting intensities of contacts on device).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Marchant, and modify a system wherein circuity coupled to the input device and configured to: detect the signal, as taught by Satongar, thus allowing to perform operations for controlling operations associated with one or more headphones as well as to charge the headphones, including but not limited to headphone case devices with touch-sensitive surfaces that allow for inputs/gestures to be received, as discussed by Satongar.
Considering claim 2, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input device is further configured to generate a graphical user interface (Paragraphs: 0025, 0084 and fig.1A, 152: Marchant discusses one or more user interfaces such as touch screen configured to interact with the user, such as one or more user input components).
Considering claim 3, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 2, wherein: the graphical user interface includes a user selectable icon corresponding to an audio source (Paragraphs: 0022 and 0024); and the audio source includes at least one of a music application, a calendar application, an email application, a message application, or a weather application (Paragraphs: 0022, 0103 and 0119: a computing device includes a number of applications such as an email application).
Considering claim 4, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a capacitive touch surface (Paragraphs: 0122, 0125 and fig.4, 402: peripheral device, such as a touch surface).
Considering claim 5, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 4, wherein the user input comprises a gesture applied in a direction along the capacitive touch surface (Paragraphs: 0026, 0122-0123 and 0125).
Considering claim 6, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 5, wherein: in response to detecting the signal, the input device sends an instruction to the earbud to change the perceived location of audio content output at the earbud; and the direction corresponds to a perceived source location of the audio content (Paragraphs: 0031 and 0043: particular audio source audio direction).
Considering claim 7, Marchant discloses the electronic device of claim 5, wherein the instruction changes the perceived source location (Paragraphs: 0022-0023).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
YOSEF K. LAEKEMARIAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2651
/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
Prosecution Insights