CTNF 18/905,345 CTNF 84073 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Matsuyama (Matsuyama, K., Fujimoto, T., Muraoka, K. and Chiba, N. (2005), Generation of tree movement sound effects. Comp. Anim. Virtual Worlds, 16: 531-545. https://doi.org/10.1002/cav.58) Regarding claim 1, Matsuyama teaches an acoustic signal processing device (sound rendering, fig 2, pg 533) comprising: an obtainer that obtains location information indicating a location of an object in a virtual space (tree position, fig 2), and first shape information indicating a shape of the object (branch shape, fig 2) and used for generating a video of the object in the virtual space (determining video dynamically, pg 532, right hand column); a detector that detects a moving speed of the object in the virtual space (branch velocity, pg 534, left hand column), based on the location information obtained (tree position, fig 2); a generator that generates a first acoustic signal indicating an aerodynamic sound generated by the object (vortex emitted sound, pg 535, left hand column), based on the moving speed detected and the first shape information obtained (velocity, pg 535, left hand column); and an outputter that outputs the first acoustic signal generated (sound rendering, fig 2). Regarding claim 2, Matsuyama teaches the acoustic signal processing device according to claim 1, wherein the obtainer obtains flag information indicating true or false as to whether the object generates the aerodynamic sound, and the generator generates the first acoustic signal when the flag information obtained indicates true (key on or off for leaf blade sound, fig 12, pg 539). Regarding claim 3, Matsuyama teaches the acoustic signal processing device according to claim 2, wherein the flag information includes a threshold that is a minimum value of the moving speed of the object that generates the aerodynamic sound (key on, fig 13, pg 539), and the generator generates the first acoustic signal when the flag information obtained indicates true and the moving speed detected exceeds the threshold indicated by the flag information obtained (leaf L j >threshold, fig 12, pg 539). Regarding claim 4, Matsuyama teaches an acoustic signal processing device (sound rendering, fig 2, pg 533) comprising: 35 an obtainer that obtains location information indicating a location of an object in a virtual space (tree position, fig 2), and second shape information indicating a shape of the object (branch shape, fig 2) and including one or more thicknesses at one or more points of one or more sub-objects forming the object (diameter of branch, pg 534, left hand column); a detector that detects a moving speed of the object in the virtual space (branch velocity, pg 534, left hand column), based on the location information obtained (tree position, fig 2); a generator that generates a first acoustic signal indicating an aerodynamic sound generated by the object (vortex emitted sound, pg 535, left hand column), based on the moving speed detected (velocity, pg 535, left hand column) and the second shape information obtained; and an outputter that outputs the first acoustic signal generated (sound rendering, fig 2), wherein the generator calculates one or more frequencies of aerodynamic sounds generated at the one or more points while the object is moving at the moving speed detected, based on the one or more thicknesses indicated by the second shape information obtained (diameter of branch, pg 534, left hand column), generates one or more second acoustic signals by processing white noise signals at band pass filters each having, as a center frequency, one of the one or more frequencies calculated (creation of frequency group, fig 8, pg 536), and generates, as the first acoustic signal, one second acoustic signal or a combination of two or more second acoustic signals out of the one or more second acoustic signals generated (amplitude of the movement of each branch is the accumulated amplitude from the tree root to the child node, pg 534, right hand column). Claims 5 and 6 are each substantially similar to claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kile Blair whose telephone number is (571)270-3544. The examiner can normally be reached 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. /KILE O BLAIR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691 Application/Control Number: 18/905,345 Page 2 Art Unit: 2691 Application/Control Number: 18/905,345 Page 3 Art Unit: 2691 Application/Control Number: 18/905,345 Page 4 Art Unit: 2691
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