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
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 10/31/24 fails to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609 because the noted unconsidered reference is illegible. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered as to the merits. Applicant is advised that the date of any re-submission of any item of information contained in this information disclosure statement or the submission of any missing element(s) will be the date of submission for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements based on the time of filing the statement, including all certification requirements for statements under 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8-9 and 11-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Referring to claim 8, claim 8 recites the limitation "the reflection audio signal" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets line 6 as saying the reflection audio signal.
Referring to claim 9, claim 9 recites the limitation "the reverberation configuration" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets as the reverberation configuration information.
Referring to claim 11, claim 11 recites the limitations "the at least one reverberated audio signal" and “the at least one reverberator.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Examiner interprets as perform generating the reverberant audio signal based on the reverberator and the output of the at least one control line.
Referring to claim 12, claim 12 recites the limitations "the at least one reverberated audio signal" and “the at least one reverberator.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Examiner interprets as at least a first portion of the reverberant audio signal.
Referring to claims 13-16, claim 13 recites the limitation "the first of the at least three reverberation parameters", "the second of the at least three reverberation parameters", "the third of the at least three reverberation parameters" and “the at least one control line delay.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claims. Examiner interprets as perform obtaining the at least three reverberation parameters is further caused to perform obtaining: a first of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one reverberation time for controlling the first stage delay line and the second stage delay line; a second of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one first-echoes time-of-arrival for controlling the first stage delay line and the at least one delay line of the at least one control line; and a third of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one first-echoes level for controlling the at least one control line gain filter. Claims 14-16 depend from claim 13, therefore, they are rejected for the same reasons.
Referring to claims 14-16, claim 14 recites the limitation "the at least one feedback attenuation filer.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. Examiner interprets as the feedback attenuation filer. Claims 15-16 depend from claim 14, therefore, they are rejected for the same reasons.
Referring to claim 16, claim 16 recites the limitations "the first set of delay lines," “the at least one feedback attenuation filter,” and “the feedback network.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Examiner interprets as a first set of delay lines, the feedback attenuation filter, and a feedback network.
Referring to claim 17, claim 17 recites the limitations “the portion”, "the at least one reverberant audio signal," “the at least reverberant signal,” and “the at least one reflection echoes.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. Further, it is unclear if “a reflection audio signal” is the same as the one in claim 1. Examiner interprets as processing at least the portion of the reverberant audio, the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interferes with the reflection audio signal is further caused to perform at least partially suppressing or otherwise modifying in amplitude a first echo of the reverberant audio signal such that the reverberant audio signal comprises reverberations which minimally interfere with or otherwise compliment at least one reflection echo.
Referring to claim 18, claim 18 recites the limitation "the reverberation configuration" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets as the reverberation configuration information.
Referring to claim 19, claim 19 recites the limitation "the directional configuration" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner interprets as the directional configuration information.
Referring to claim 19, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Examiner interprets claim as the directional configuration information comprises a spherical design.
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) 1-12, 17-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eronen et al. International Publication. No. WO2021186107 (from IDS).
Referring to claim 1, Eronen et al. teaches an apparatus for applying reverberation to at least one audio signal (abstract: “apparatus for simulating reverberation”), the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (para 0027: “the electronic device 50 may comprise a controller 56, processor or processor circuitry for controlling the apparatus 50. The controller 56 may be connected to memory 58 which in embodiments of the present disclosure may store both data in the form of image and/or audio data and/or may also store instructions for implementation on the controller 56.), cause the system at least to perform:
obtaining the at least one audio signal (para 0127: “at least one audio signal”);
obtaining at least three reverberation parameters based on obtaining reverberation configuration information and directional configuration information (para 0133: “obtaining of the first parameters and the obtaining of the second parameters”; para 0130: “The first parameters may comprise at least one of: a reflecting plane, a reflecting surface, a position, a delay, a level, or a direction of arrival”; para 0132: “The second parameters may comprise at least one of: at least one attenuation filter coefficient, at least one delay line length, or at least one diffuse-to-direct ratio control filter coefficient.”);
controlling a reverberator using the at least three reverberation parameters for providing a reverberant audio signal using the at least one audio signal, based on the at least three reverberation parameters, the reverberant audio signal comprising at least a late reverberation part (para 0127: “performing the early reflection synthesis based on the first parameters and at least one audio signal to produce at least one early reflection signal, 1330; performing the late reverberation generation based on the second parameters and the at least one audio signal to produce a diffuse reverberated signal, 1340; combining the at least one early reflection signal and the diffuse reverberated signal to produce at least one reverberated signal”);
processing at least a portion of the reverberant audio signal, the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interfering with a reflection audio signal (para 0127: “performing the early reflection synthesis based on the first parameters – Examiner notes that by “performing early reflection synthesis”, processing will be done on a portion of the overall reverberant signal that coincides with early reflections (or reflection audio signals)); and
generating a binaural output audio signal, the binaural output audio signal comprising the processed reverberant audio signal (para 0150: “rendering of the at least one reverberated signal may comprise decoding the at least one encoded reverberated signal to produce a binaural or loudspeaker output”).
Referring to claim 2, Eronen et al. teaches determining the reflection audio signal from the at least one audio signal, wherein the reflection audio signal comprises at least an early reflections part (para 0127).
Referring to claim 3, Eronen et al. teaches determining the reflection audio signal from the at least one audio signal further caused to perform processing the at least one audio signal to generate the reflection audio signal (para 0127).
Referring to claim 4, Eronen et al. teaches generating the binaural output audio signal is further caused to perform combining the processed reverberant audio signal and the reflection audio signal (para 0127).
Referring to claim 5, Eronen et al. teaches providing a direct audio signal based on processing the at least one audio signal, wherein the binaural output audio further comprises the direct audio signal (para 0108).
Referring to claim 6, Eronen et al. teaches providing the direct audio signal based on processing the at least one audio signal is further caused to perform applying to the at least one audio signal at least one of: distance gain attenuation; air absorption filtering, and directional reproduction processing (para 0108).
Referring to claim 7, Eronen et al. teaches the reverberant audio signal further comprises at least one first echo, wherein the portion of the reverberant audio signal which at least partially interferes with the reflection audio signal is the at least one first echo (para 0127).
Referring to claim 8, Eronen et al. teaches processing at least a portion of the reverberant audio signal, the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interfering with the reflection audio signal is further caused to perform one of: determining the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interfering with a reflection audio signal based on an analysis of the reverberant audio signal and the reflection audio signal; or determining the portion of the reverberant audio signal based on a user input defining the at least partially interfering portion of the reverberant audio signal (paras 0127, 0142).
Referring to claim 9, Eronen et al. teaches the reverberation configuration comprises at least one of: at least one late reverberation time; at least one first echo arrival time; at least one first echo level (paras 0066, 0130).
Referring to claim 10, Eronen et al. teaches controlling the reverberator using the at least three reverberation parameters for providing the reverberant audio signal using the at least one audio signal caused to perform: controlling the reverberator comprising: a gain stage associated with late reverberation; a first stage delay line and a second stage delay line respectively for providing at least one first echo arrival time and for providing at least one parameter associated with the late reverberation, wherein the reverberator is configured to provide an output using the at least one audio signal based on the gain stage, the first stage delay line and the second stage delay line; providing at least one control line comprising at least one delay line and a gain filter, wherein the at least one delay line is associated with the first stage delay line and the gain filter is associated with the gain stage, and wherein the at least one delay line and the gain filter are configured based on the at least three reverberation parameters so as to cause an output from the at least one control line using the at least one audio signal (Fig. 8, para 0075).
Referring to claim 11, Eronen et al. teaches providing the reverberant audio signal using the at least one audio signal is further caused to perform generating the at least one reverberated audio signal based on a combination of the at least one reverberator and the output of the at least one control line (para 0127; Fig. 8 shows late reverberation synthesis output, which is output of the control line).
Referring to claim 12, Eronen et al. teaches a timing and density of at least a first portion of the at least one reverberated audio signal output by the at least one reverberator is defined by the at least three reverberation parameters (para 0076).
Referring to claim 17, Eronen et al. teaches processing at least a portion of the reverberant audio, the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interferes with a reflection audio signal is further caused to perform at least partially suppressing or otherwise modifying in amplitude a first echo of the at least one reverberant audio signal such that the at least one reverberant signal comprises reverberations which minimally interfere with or otherwise compliment the at least one reflection echoes (paras 0077, 0127).
Referring to claim 18, Eronen et al. teaches the reverberation configuration comprises at least one of: reverberation time (para 0051); reverberant-to-direct ratio (para 0077); diffuse-to-source energy ratio; pre-delay time; a first echo time-of-arrival specification; a first echo frequency contour specification; a virtual space geometry specification (para 0048).
Referring to claim 20, Eronen et al. teaches a method for applying reverberation to at least one audio signal (abstract: “method…for simulating reverberation”), the method comprising:
obtaining the at least one audio signal (para 0127: “at least one audio signal”);
obtaining at least three reverberation parameters based on obtaining reverberation configuration information and directional configuration information (para 0133: “obtaining of the first parameters and the obtaining of the second parameters”; para 0130: “The first parameters may comprise at least one of: a reflecting plane, a reflecting surface, a position, a delay, a level, or a direction of arrival”; para 0132: “The second parameters may comprise at least one of: at least one attenuation filter coefficient, at least one delay line length, or at least one diffuse-to-direct ratio control filter coefficient.”);
controlling a reverberator using the at least three reverberation parameters for providing a reverberant audio signal using the at least one audio signal, based on the at least three reverberation parameters, the reverberant audio signal comprising at least a late reverberation part (para 0127: “performing the early reflection synthesis based on the first parameters and at least one audio signal to produce at least one early reflection signal, 1330; performing the late reverberation generation based on the second parameters and the at least one audio signal to produce a diffuse reverberated signal, 1340; combining the at least one early reflection signal and the diffuse reverberated signal to produce at least one reverberated signal”);
processing at least a portion of the reverberant audio signal, the portion of the reverberant audio signal at least partially interfering with a reflection audio signal (para 0127: “performing the early reflection synthesis based on the first parameters – Examiner notes that by “performing early reflection synthesis”, processing will be done on a portion of the overall reverberant signal that coincides with early reflections (or reflection audio signals)); and
generating a binaural output audio signal, the binaural output audio signal comprising the processed reverberant audio signal (para 0150: “rendering of the at least one reverberated signal may comprise decoding the at least one encoded reverberated signal to produce a binaural or loudspeaker output”).
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) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eronen et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schissler et al. US Patent No. 9940922.
Referring to claim 19, Eronen et al. teaches geometrical information (para 0041), but Eronen et al. does not teach a spherical design, but Schissler et al. teaches the directional configuration comprises a spherical design such as a t-design, Lebedev grid, or other suitable uniform spherical layout with D points representing rendering directions (Column 10, Lines 54-67 to Column 11, Lines 1-3). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a spherical design in the geometrical information because it can help provide a more complete reverberation rendering.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-16 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 13-16, Eronen et al. teaches most of the limitations of claim 13, however, it does not, alone or in combination with other prior art of record, teach obtaining at least three reverberation parameters is further caused to perform obtaining the at least three reverberation parameters is further caused to perform obtaining: a first of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one reverberation time for controlling the first stage delay line and the second stage delay line; a second of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one first-echoes time-of-arrival for controlling the first stage delay line and the at least one delay line of the at least one control line; and a third of the at least three reverberation parameters as at least one first-echoes level for controlling the at least one control line gain filter in combination with other recited elements in the claim.
Claims 14-16, which depend on claim 13, are narrower in scope than claim 13, and therefore, Eronen et al. alone or in combination with other prior art of record, do not teach or make obvious to combine the further limitations.
Conclusion
Examiner respectfully requests, in response to this Office Action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line number(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist Examiner in prosecuting the application.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATHERINE A FALEY whose telephone number is (571)272-3453. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Wednesday, 9am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached on (571)272-7488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KATHERINE A FALEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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