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.
Claim(s) 1-13 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by McGee et al. (US 2021/0115664 Al)
Regarding Claim 1, McGee et al. (US 2021/0115664 Al) discloses an acoustic system (200 and 2500; Para. 0061,0111-0113; Fig. 2,25) comprising:
a framework (Frame work 204, 2502, and 2504; Para. 0064,0111; Fig. 2,25); and
a plurality of panes supported by the framework and arranged to form an acoustic surface (Panes 202 supported on framework 204; Para. 0064; Fig. 2,25);
wherein:
each pane of the plurality of panes comprises a face with a respective degree of curvature, the face having a respective number of holes, the number being zero or more (Face curved and has holes; Para. 0066-0067,0082; Fig. 2,9);
the degree of curvature and the number of holes differ across the plurality of panes to establish a monotonic gradient in an acoustic function across an extent of the acoustic surface (Curvature varies between each pane 202 for acoustic function and number of holes may vary; Para. 0046,0066. Monotonic gradient being increasing or decreasing and in structure of Fig. 25: Arrangement of panes into zones of acoustic function from left to right are 2508 reflective (due to being flatter and no holes; Para. 0066), 2510 focusing (due to more curvature than flat and no holes; Para. 0066), 2512 diffusing (due to asymmetrical holes; Para. 0081), 2514 absorbing (due to greater symmetrical distribution of holes; Para. 0082), and 2516 transparent (due to the greatest number of holes); Para. 0113,0086-0087).
Regarding Claim 2, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic function is dissipation (Para. 0086).
Regarding Claim 3, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic function is absorption (2514; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 4, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic function is reflection (2508; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 5, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic function is transmission (Transparency 2516 equivalent to transmission; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 6, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic function is diffusion (2512; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 7, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein: the acoustic surface has a first end and a second end; and the monotonic gradient extends from the first end to the second end (Monotonic gradient between first end near 2510 and second end near 2516 and following reflective, diffusive, absorbing, and transparent; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 8, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein:
the degree of curvature and the number of holes of the plurality of panes establishes a plurality of zones of the acoustic surface (Para. 0086-0087,0112);
the panes in each zone of the plurality of zones collectively establish a primary acoustic function for the zone (Para. 0111-0114); and
the primary acoustic functions differ across the plurality of zones (Different zones: 2508 reflection, 2510 focusing, 2512 diffusing, 2514 absorbing, and 2516 transparent; Para. 0087,0115; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 9, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 8, wherein the panes in each zone of the plurality of zones are configured such that an acoustic response of each zone comprises further acoustic functions at a lower level than the primary acoustic function (In structure since zones provide acoustic functions at a first and second frequency, with one always lower; Para. 0115).
Regarding Claim 10, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 8, wherein: the primary acoustic function of a first zone of the plurality of zones is reflection (2508; Para. 0113; Fig. 25); the primary acoustic function of a second zone of the plurality of zones is diffusion (2512; Para. 0113; Fig. 25); and the primary acoustic function of a third zone of the plurality of zones is absorption (2514; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 11, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 10, wherein the first, second, and third zones are disposed in a sequential arrangement across the extent of the acoustic surface in accordance with the monotonic gradient (In Fig. 25 in order: 2508, 2512, 2514 ; Para. 0113).
Regarding Claim 12, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 8, wherein: the plurality of zones comprise a fourth zone in which transmission is the primary acoustic function; and the fourth zone is adjacent the third zone (Fourth zone 2516 with transparency function equivalent to transmission and adjacent to third zone 2514; Para. 0113; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 13, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 8, wherein the panes in the first zone are flat and have zero holes (2508 is reflective due to being flatter and no holes; Para. 0066; Fig. 25).
Regarding Claim 15, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the number of holes in the faces of the panes increases along the gradient (Fig. 25: no holes in 2510 to many holes in 2516).
Regarding Claim 16, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1, wherein the holes in the face of each pane of the plurality of panes have respective sizes that decrease as distance from a centroid of the pane increases (Longest holes near the center/centroid and shortest near perimeter; Para. 0073).
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(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McGee et al. (US 2021/0115664 Al).
Regarding Claim 14, McGee et al. discloses the acoustic system of claim 1. McGee et al. fails to explicitly disclose wherein the curvature of the faces of the panes increases along the gradient. However, this would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the purpose of optimizing a plurality of acoustic scenarios within a given environment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US-7604094-B2, US-1913249-A, US-4393631-A, US-11670273-B2
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER B OLSON whose telephone number is (571)272-3041. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am -4:00pm.
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/JENNIFER B OLSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DEDEI K HAMMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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