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 .
This office action is in response to applicant’s Amendment dated 11/6/2024, claims 1, 4, 11, were amended, claim 20 was cancelled and claim 21 was newly introduced. Accordingly claims 1-19 and 21 are currently pending in the application.
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) 1-3, 11, 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fu et al. (US 20220182754 A1) hereinafter Fu.
Regarding claim 1, Fu teaches an acoustic output device (700 in Figs 7 and 8), comprising: a housing (710 in Figs. 7 and 8); a first loudspeaker (740 in Figs. 7 and 8) disposed in the housing (in Fig. 7 speaker 740 is inside housing 710), wherein the first loudspeaker includes a first diaphragm (“The first acoustic driver may include a first diaphragm. The second acoustic driver may include a second diaphragm” in ¶[0039]), and in the housing, a first front cavity and a first rear cavity are respectively disposed on a front side and a rear side of the first diaphragm (“the housing 710 may form a third front cavity 7131. The back side of the third acoustic driver 740 and the housing 710 may form a third rear cavity 7132” IN ¶[0067]), and the first front cavity (7131 in Fig. 7) and the first rear cavity (7132 in Fig. 7) are acoustically coupled with two hole portions (716 and 717 are holes that are aligned to 7131 and 7132 respectively in Fig. 7) disposed on the housing (holes 716 and 717 are disposed on housing 710 in Fig. 7), respectively, to output a first sound wave (sound wave resulting from the sound coming out of sound hole 716 which is acoustically coupled to front cavity 7131 to the front of the membrane of transducer 740 in Fig. 7) and a second sound wave (sound wave resulting from the sound coming out of sound hole 717 which is acoustically coupled to rear cavity 7132 of the membrane of transducer 740 in Fig. 7) having a phase difference (implied since sound produced from front of membrane is 180 degrees in shift with sound produced from rear of the membrane of transducer 740 as shown in Fig. 7); and a second loudspeaker (730 in Fig. 7) disposed in the housing (730 is inside 710 the housing in Fig. 7), wherein the second loudspeaker includes a second diaphragm (“The first acoustic driver may include a first diaphragm. The second acoustic driver may include a second diaphragm” in ¶[0039]), and in the housing, a second front cavity (7121 in Fig. 7) and a second rear cavity (7122 in Fig. 7) are respectively disposed on a front side and a rear side of the second diaphragm (7121 is Infront of membrane of transducer 730 and 7122 is to the rear of membrane of transducer 730 as shown in Fig. 7), and only one of the second front cavity and the second rear cavity is acoustically coupled with a hole portion (“The one or more second sound guide holes 715 may be in fluid communication with the second front cavity 712” in ¶[0067]) disposed on the housing (“One or more second sound guide holes 715 may be provided on a side wall of the housing 710” in ¶[0067]) to output a third sound wave (“The sound output from the front side of the second acoustic driver 730 may be radiated to the outside of the acoustic output device 700 through the one or more second sound guide holes 715” in ¶[0067])), wherein in a target frequency range, the third sound wave, the first sound wave and the second sound wave are destructively superposed at a far-field position in a specific direction of the acoustic output device (“so that the sounds emitted from the different sound guide holes can be superimposed, thereby increasing a listening volume at the ear of the user. In a position (e.g., a far-field) far from the ear of the user, sound waves emitted from the different sound guide holes (e.g., the first sound guide hole 714 and the second sound guide hole 715, the third sound guide hole 716 and the fourth sound guide hole 717) may offset with each other due to their opposite phases, thereby reducing the sound leakage volume of the acoustic output device in the far-field” in ¶[0068]).
Regarding claim 2, Fu teaches the device of claim 1, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein the first loudspeaker is driven by a first electrical signal (“the third acoustic driver 740 is a low frequency acoustic driver, a filter/filter group electrically connected to the third acoustic driver 740 may be turned off, so that the third acoustic driver 740 can also generate a sound wave in the medium-high frequency band according to the control signal” in ¶[0070]), the second loudspeaker is driven by a second electrical signal (“when the first acoustic driver 720 and the second acoustic driver 730 are both medium-high frequency acoustic drivers, the phases of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal may be adjusted” in ¶[0070]), and in a target frequency range, the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal have a difference in amplitude and/or phase (“The third acoustic driver 740 may filter out a middle-high frequency component in the first electrical signal or the second electrical signal through a filter/filter group, and only output a low-frequency sound” in ¶[0070]), the superposition of the first sound wave, the second sound wave, and the third sound wave generates a directional far-field radiation from the acoustic output device (“so that the sounds emitted from the different sound guide holes can be superimposed, thereby increasing a listening volume at the ear of the user. In a position (e.g., a far-field) far from the ear of the user, sound waves emitted from the different sound guide holes (e.g., the first sound guide hole 714 and the second sound guide hole 715, the third sound guide hole 716 and the fourth sound guide hole 717) may offset with each other due to their opposite phases, thereby reducing the sound leakage volume of the acoustic output device in the far-field” in ¶[0068]).
Regarding claim 3, Fu teaches the device of claim 1, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein a vibration direction of the first diaphragm and a vibration direction of the second diaphragm are the same (speakers 740 and 730 have the same membrane direction and therefore have the same vibration direction in Fig. 7), and the first diaphragm and the second diaphragm are arranged at intervals along the vibration direction or a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction (the first and second diaphragms of speakers 740 and 730 are arranged in intervals in a direction perpendicular to the vibration direction “on top of each other” as shown in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Fu teaches the device of claim 1, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein the first front cavity and the first rear cavity are respectively coupled with a first hole portion and a second hole portion disposed on the housing (in Fig. 7 7131 which represents the first front cavity and hole 716 is dedicated to it, and 7132 which represents the first rear cavity has an opening 717 dedicated to it and both are on the housing 710), , and one of the second front cavity and the second rear cavity is coupled with a third hole portion disposed on the housing, the third hole portion being a hole portion different from the first hole portion and the second hole portion (7111 in Fig. 7 represents the second front cavity and 7112 represents the second rear cavity, both of them share an opening 714 that is different from 716 and 717).
Regarding claim 13, Fu teaches the device of claim 11, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein a resonance frequency of the second front cavity or the second rear cavity that is acoustically coupled with the third hole portion is not less than 4 kHz (“In the far-field, especially in the medium-high frequency band (e.g., 200 Hz-20 kHz), the sound from the first sound guide hole 413 may offset the sound from the second sound guide hole 414 better, which may better suppress the sound leakage of the acoustic output device in the medium-high frequency band to a certain extent” in ¶[0059]).
Regarding claim 14, Fu teaches the device of claim 11, Fu does not specifically disclose the device further comprising wherein a resonance frequency of the second rear cavity or the second front cavity that is not acoustically coupled with the third hole portion is not greater than 1 kHz however,
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the values of the resonant frequencies of the cavities are mere design choices that control the resonant frequency for the benefit of improving the output of the device, especially since modify the values of the resonant frequency of the cavities do not produce any unexpected results, therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Fu.
Regarding claim 15, Fu teaches the device of claim 11, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein in a target frequency range and under the driving of the same electrical signal, at a far-field position in a specific direction of the acoustic output device, a difference between the superposition of sound pressure levels of the first sound wave and the second sound wave output by the first loudspeaker and a sound pressure level of the third sound wave output by the second loudspeaker is less than 14 dB (“the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 5 dB. More preferably, the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 4 dB. Further preferably, the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 3 dB.” in ¶[0063]), the target frequency range including a range of 1 kHz-4 kHz (“In the far-field, especially in the medium-high frequency band (e.g., 200 Hz-20 kHz), the sound from the first sound guide hole 413 may offset the sound from the second sound guide hole 414 better, which may better suppress the sound leakage of the acoustic output device in the medium-high frequency band to a certain extent” in ¶[0059]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu et al. (US 20220182754 A1) hereinafter Fu in view of Xiao (US 20240284099 A1) hereinafter Xiao.
Regarding claim 4, Fu teaches the device of claim 1, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein the first front cavity (7131 in Fig. 7) and the first rear cavity (7132 in Fig. 7) are respectively coupled with a first hole portion and a second hole portion (716 and 717 are holes that are aligned to 7131 and 7132 respectively in Fig. 7) disposed on the housing (holes 716 and 717 are disposed on housing 710 in Fig. 7),
Fu does not specifically disclose the device further comprising one of the second front cavity and the second rear cavity shares the same cavity with the first rear cavity, and the second front cavity or the second rear cavity that shares the same cavity with the first rear cavity outputs the third sound wave through the second hole portion however,
Since it is known in the art as evidenced by Xiao for a device to further comprise one of the second front cavity and the second rear cavity shares the same cavity with the first rear cavity, and the second front cavity or the second rear cavity that shares the same cavity with the first rear cavity outputs the third sound wave through the second hole portion (“The sound generating device comprises a housing 01, wherein the housing 01 is provided with a front sound outlet 011 and a rear sound outlet 012, an interior of the housing 01 is provided with a first loudspeaker 02 and a second loudspeaker 03, a front cavity of the first loudspeaker 02 is communicated with the front sound outlet 011, a rear cavity of the first loudspeaker 02 and a front cavity of the second loudspeaker 03 are both communicated with the rear sound outlet 012, and a rear cavity of the second loudspeaker 03 is enclosed” in ¶[0040]),
An ordinary skilled in the art would be motivated to modify the invention of Fu with the teachings of Xiao for the benefit of improving the output of the device, therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Fu with Xiao.
Regarding claim 5, Fu as modified by Xiao teaches the device of claim 4, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein a resonance frequency of the same cavity is not less than 4 kHz (“the sound in the rear cavity 112 (“rear cavity” in FIG. 2) of the acoustic output device 100 to form a resonant peak in a medium frequency or a medium-high frequency (e.g., 2000 Hz-4000 Hz)” in ¶[0038]).
Regarding claim 6, Fu as modified by Xiao teaches the device of claim 4, Fu as modified by Xiao does not specifically disclose the device further comprising wherein a volume of the same cavity is not greater than 0.28 cm3, and an area of the second hole portion is not less than 20 mm2 however,
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the volume of the cavity and the area of the hole, because these changes/values are mere design choices that control the resonant frequency for the benefit of improving the output of the device, especially since changing the changing the volume of the cavity and/or changing the hole area do not produce any unexpected results, therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Fu as modified by Xiao.
Regarding claim 7, Fu as modified by Xiao teaches the device of claim 5, Fu does not specifically disclose the device further comprising wherein a resonance frequency of the second rear cavity or the second front cavity that is not acoustically coupled with the second hole portion is not greater than 1 kHz however,
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the values of the resonant frequencies of the cavities are mere design choices that control the resonant frequency for the benefit of improving the output of the device, especially since modify the values of the resonant frequency of the cavities do not produce any unexpected results, therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Fu as modified by Xiao.
Regarding claim 8, Fu as modified by Xiao teaches the device of claim 5, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein in a target frequency range and under the driving of the same electrical signal, at a far-field position in a specific direction of the acoustic output device, a difference between the superposition of sound pressure levels of the first sound wave and the second sound wave output by the first loudspeaker and a sound pressure level of the third sound wave output by the second loudspeaker is less than 14 dB (“the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 5 dB. More preferably, the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 4 dB. Further preferably, the difference between the amplitude frequency responses of the first acoustic driver and the second acoustic driver in the medium-high frequency band and the high frequency band may be not greater than 3 dB.” in ¶[0063]).
Regarding claim 9, Fu teaches the device of claim 8, Fu further teaches the device further comprising wherein the target frequency range includes a range of 1 kHz-4 kHz (“In the far-field, especially in the medium-high frequency band (e.g., 200 Hz-20 kHz), the sound from the first sound guide hole 413 may offset the sound from the second sound guide hole 414 better, which may better suppress the sound leakage of the acoustic output device in the medium-high frequency band to a certain extent” in ¶[0059]).
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu et al. (US 20220182754 A1) hereinafter Fu in view of Zhang et al. (US 20240334116 A1) hereinafter Zhang.
Regarding claim 21, Fu teaches the device of claim 1, Fu does not specifically disclose the device further comprising wherein the second front cavity or the second rear cavity that is not acoustically coupled with the hole portion is filled with acoustic granular material however,
Since it is kn0own in the art as evidenced by Zhang for a device to further comprise wherein the second front cavity or the second rear cavity that is not acoustically coupled with the hole portion is filled with acoustic granular material in (“the acoustic enhancing material is mostly in the form of granular microspheres having a diameter of 100-600 micrometers. The application of the granular microspheres to the back cavity of a micro-speaker can achieve the effect of lowering the lowest resonance frequency, enhancing the low frequency sensitivity, and improving the low frequency performance of the speaker” in ¶[0004]),
An ordinary skilled in the art would be motivated to modify the invention of Fu with the teachings of Zhang for the benefit of improving the base output of the device, therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to modify Fu with Zhang.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10, 12, 16-19 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMMAR T HAMID whose telephone number is (571)272-1953. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5, Eastern time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivian Chin can be reached at (571) 272-7848. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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AMMAR T. HAMID
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2695
/AMMAR T HAMID/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695
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