DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the response to this office action, the Examiner respectfully requests that 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 numbers in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the Examiner in prosecuting this application.
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements filed on 27 December 2024, 21 April 2025, and 27 April 2026 have been considered and placed in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 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.
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
6. Claims 1, 8-11, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nadon et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200138340 (hereinafter, “Nadon”) in view of Campbell et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20220070604 (hereinafter, “Campbell”), and further in view of Andrea et al. U.S. Patent 5825897 (hereinafter, “Andrea”).
Regarding claim 1, Nadon teaches an electronic apparatus (The device 10 includes an earpiece 20 typically occluding the outer ear canal 13, 13′, such as a custom-fitted earpiece body as an example, with an earpiece-embedded OAE probe 22, 22′, Fig. 1, par [0079] see Nadon), see comprising:
a speaker (two preferably high-quality miniature balanced armature receivers 24 (or also often called miniaturized loudspeakers) used to send the two pure-tone stimuli 26, Fig. 1, par [0079] see Nadon);
a first microphone (a miniature outer ear microphone 30, 30′, OEM-I, OEM-C, is placed on the outside of the earpiece to measure the external background noise 15, Fig. 1, par [0079] see Nadon);
a second microphone (One miniature internal ear microphone 28, 28′, IEM-I, IEM-C, is placed towards the ear canal 13, 13′ in order to measure the otoacoustic emission response and physiological noise, respectively, Fig. 1, par [0079] see Nadon).
Nadon further teaches the two earpieces 20, 20′ (i.e., including receivers 24 and microphone 28, 28′) are typically connected to a signal conditioning circuit (not shown), part of the controller system 12, to amplify and filter the DPOAE microphone signal for the digital signal processor (not shown) (DSP—also part of the controller system 12) based data acquisition and digital signal processing circuit (Fig. 1, par [0079] see Nadon).
However, Nadon does not expliccitly disclose memory storing one or more computer programs and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the speaker, the first microphone, the second microphone, and the memory.
Campbell teaches audio equalization metadata (see Title) in which in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the audio equalization metadata taught by Campbell with the apparatus of Nadon such that to obtain memory storing one or more computer programs and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the speaker, the first microphone, the second microphone, and the memory in order to provide an audio consumer with the sound quality comparable to the studio sound quality, as suggested by Campbell in paragraph [0025].
Nadon in view of Campbell, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions set at various times in various memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when read and executed by one or more processing units or processors in a computer, cause the computer to perform operations to execute elements involving the various aspects of the disclosure (par [0108], see Campbell)).
control an external speaker to output sound of a first frequency (sending only an external wide-band sound signal to an external loudspeaker, par [0053], see Nadon),
obtain a first sound signal corresponding to the sound of the first frequency (f1(t), send the two pure-tone stimuli 26 (f1 and f2 with the f2/f1 ratio typically around 1.22) without any sound distortion from the DPOAE system controller 12, see Fig. 1, par [0079], see Nadon) through the first microphone (24; two preferably high-quality miniature balanced armature receivers 24 (or also often called miniaturized loudspeakers) Fig. 1, par [0079], see Nadon) (Now referring more specifically to FIG. 3, there is shown an adaptive filter coefficient initialization method 90 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Where an external wide-band sound signal 92 covering the audible frequency range (typically between about 20 Hz and about 20 kHz) is sent to an external loudspeaker 94 for a pre-determined time duration, Fig. 3, par [0101], see Nadon), and obtain a second sound signal including the first sound signal through the second microphone (signal at internal ear microphone 28, Fig. 1 including output of the first signal f1(t) output from upper speaker 24 in Fig. 1 of Nadon) (activating an adaptation of the inter-probe transfer function using the respective inner sound signals (d.sub.1(n), x.sub.2(n)) measured from the internal (IEM-I, IEM-C) microphones of the first and second earpieces and the probe attenuation transfer function using the respective inner (d.sub.1(n)) and outer (x.sub.2(n)) sound signals measured from the internal (IEM-I) and outer ear (OEM-I) microphones of the first earpiece with the external wide-band sound signal for a pre-determined time duration, par [0054], see Nadon),
obtain a first noise cancelling signal (the error signal 50 (e2(n)) is used to correct the adaptive filter's 44 coefficients, see Fig. 3, par [0083], see Nadon) based on the first sound signal (at microphone 30, Fig. 3, see Nadon) and the second sound signal (at microphone 28, Fig. 3, see Nadon) (see also: using a noise rejection algorithm followed by a signal extraction algorithm (par [0050], see Nadon); initializing an inter-probe transfer function of a first adaptive filter using the internal (IEM-I, IEM-C) microphones of the first and second earpieces and a probe attenuation transfer function of a second adaptive filter using the internal (IEM-I) and outer ear (OEM-I) microphones of the first earpiece when only an external wide-band sound signal is being sent to an external loudspeaker for a pre-determined time duration, par [0052], see Nadon), (i.e., both probes derived from two microphone signals);
a third sound signal of a second frequency through the speaker (When two pure tone stimuli, f-----1 and f2 with the f2/f-----1 ratio typically around 1.22, are sent through the two miniature receivers of the otoacoustic emission (OAE) probe (f2 corresponds to third signal at second frequency), low-level cubic distortion signals (i.e. fdp = 2f1-f2)) are generated by an active non-linear process inside the inner ear (par [0005], see Nadon)).
However, Nadon in view of Campbell, does not explicitly disclose output a second noise cancelling signal in which at least one of a phase or a gain of the first noise cancelling signal is changed.
Andrea teaches noise cancellation apparatus (see Title) in which the active noise reduction system in FIG. 22 cancels noise at a specific point in space by sensing that noise 1315 with a sensor microphone 1310 and producing an anti-noise signal which is of the same magnitude but 180.degree. out of phase with the input noise N.sub.1 signal 1315. By adjusting the variable gain/phase controller 1350 to create an anti-noise signal of the same magnitude, but 180 degrees out of phase with the noise signal 1315, and summing the inputted audio signal 1300 and anti-noise signal at one summing node 1360 to yield an anti-noise plus audio signal, the ambient noise is attenuated without the input audio 1300 being degraded by mechanical or vibration induced microphone signals (Fig. 22, col. 30, lines 9-19, see Andrea).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the noise cancellation apparatus taught by Andrea with the apparatus of Nadon in view of Campbell, such that to obtain output a second noise cancelling signal in which at least one of a phase or a gain of the first noise cancelling signal is changed in order to improve the intelligibility of electro-acoustic communication using headsets with a microphone, as suggested by Andrea in column 4, lines 9-10.
Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea, as modified, teaches obtain the second sound signal (a controller system connecting to both the first and second receivers of at least one said pair of earpieces for simultaneously sending first (f1(n)) and second (f2(n)) stimuli sound signals thereto, respectively (par [0040], see Nadon); to synchronize the carrier signal 62′ (c.sub.1(n)) with the DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)), the phase φ starts at π/2 and is increased by an additional delay within a loop until the error signal or cross-correlation (Equation 3a or 3b) gives the optimal result, (par [0090], see Nadon)) by changing at least one of the phase or the gain changed (For example, to create the multiple interfering sounds, akin to active noise cancellation, the right speaker 310 can emit an interfering sound to cancel out the sound emitted by the left speaker 300 for duration time, and after the desired delay, dT, can emit the same sound as the left speaker 300, so that the consumer hears the sound with his right ear after the desired delay, dT. The amplitude of the sound can be adjusted by both speakers 300, 310 so that the audio consumer hears the sound at a desired amplitude. Any of the speakers 300-350 can be used in creating the sound and/or the interfering sound, Fig. 3, par [0048], see Campbell); to synchronize the carrier signal 62′ (c1 (n)) with the DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)), the phase φ starts at π/2 and is increased by an additional delay within a loop until the error signal or cross-correlation (Equation 3a or 3b) gives the optimal result, (par [0090], see Nadon). The motivation is in order to improve the intelligibility of electro-acoustic communication using headsets with a microphone, as suggested by Andrea in column 4, lines 9-10; and
identify at least one of a target phase or a target gain (i.e., optimal result; to synchronize the carrier signal 62′ (c1 (n)) with the DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)), the phase φ starts at π/2 and is increased by an additional delay within a loop until the error signal or cross-correlation (Equation 3a or 3b) gives the optimal result, (par [0090], see Nadon)) based on a third frequency component related to distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) of the first frequency and the second frequency included in the second sound signal (fdp = 2f1-f2; Indeed, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) offer an objective, fast and reliable way to detect early signs of noise-induced changes in hearing sensitivity. When two pure tone stimuli, f1 and f2 with the f2/f1 ratio typically around 1.22, are sent through the two miniature receivers of the otoacoustic emission (OAE) probe, low-level cubic distortion signals (i.e. fdp = 2f1-f2) are generated by an active non-linear process inside the inner ear. These signals travel back from the inner ear to the outer ear canal where they can be recorded. If the outer hair cells inside the cochlea of the inner ear are damaged—for instance due to previous excessive noise exposure—the amplitude of DPOAEs is found to be lower than if they would be healthy (par [0005, see Nadon)).
Regarding claim 8, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea teaches the apparatus of claim 1. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea, as modified, teaches further comprising: a communication interface (Various devices described in this application such as hearing profile measuring member 110, the acoustic environment measuring member 120, the encoding member 130, the decoding member 140, the modifying member 150, the audio emitter 160, the range finder 370 in FIG. 3, the home device 380 in FIG. 3, etc. can communicate with each other using the network interface device of the computer system 1000, Fig. 10, par [0094], see Campbell), wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)) control the communication interface to transmit a control signal to output the sound of the first frequency (f1(n)) to the external speaker (initializing an inter-probe transfer function of a first adaptive filter using the internal (IEM-I, IEM-C) microphones of the first and second earpieces and a probe attenuation transfer function of a second adaptive filter using the internal (IEM-I) and outer ear (OEM-I) microphones of the first earpiece when only an external wide-band sound signal is being sent to an external loudspeaker for a pre-determined time duration (par [0052], see Nadon); the external wide-band sound signal covers a frequency range extending between about 20 Hz and about 20 kHz (par [0058], see Nadon)). The motivation is in order to provide an audio consumer with the sound quality comparable to the studio sound quality, as suggested by Campbell in paragraph [0025].
Regarding claim 9, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea teaches the apparatus of claim 1. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)) receive the first sound signal (f1(t); send the two pure-tone stimuli 26 (f1 and f2 with the f2/f1 ratio typically around 1.22) without any sound distortion from the DPOAE system controller 12, see Fig. 1, par [0079], see Nadon), the second noise cancelling signal (see anti-noise signal in Fig, 22 of Andrea, col. 30, lines 9-19), the third sound signal (f2, see Fig. 1, par [0079], see Nadon), and the second sound signal (signal at internal ear microphone 28, Fig. 1 including output of the first signal f1(t) output from upper speaker 24 in Fig. 1 of Nadon) including a sound signal corresponding to the third frequency component through the second microphone (signal input 36′ (d2(n) at internal ear microphone 28 in Fig. 3, par [0083], see Nadon)).
Regarding claim 10, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea teaches the apparatus of claim 1. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)) obtain an inverse phase signal (i.e., The background noise signal detected by the pick-up microphone is inverted, col. 6, lines 25-30, see Andrea) of a signal including the first sound signal (f1(t), Fig. 1, par [0079], see Nadon) and the second sound signal (signal at internal ear microphone 28, Fig. 1 including output of the first signal f1(t) output from upper speaker 24 in Fig. 1, par [0079] of Nadon) as the first noise cancelling signal (The background noise signal detected by the pick-up microphone is inverted through electric-acoustical processing means producing an anti-noise signal, which signal is transmitted to the acoustical waveguide to create a quiet zone. This quiet zone is located between the output transducer and the eardrum of the user, col. 6, lines 25-30, see Andrea).
Regarding claim 11, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 1 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 18, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 8 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 19, this claim merely reflects the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors individually or collectively, cause an electronic apparatus to perform operations of claim 1 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons. It is noted that Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea teaches a
non-transitory storage medium (para [0112], see Campbell).
7. Claims 2-6, 12-16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nadon et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200138340 (hereinafter, “Nadon”) in view of Campbell et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20220070604 (hereinafter, “Campbell”) in view of Andrea et al. U.S. Patent 5825897 (hereinafter, “Andrea”), and further in view of Hsiao et al. "Measuring Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission With a Single Loudspeaker in the Ear: Stimulus Design and Signal Processing Techniques" Frontiers in Digital Health (August 9, 2021), Vol. 3, 13 pages (hereinafter, “Hsiao”).
Regarding claim 2, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea teaches the apparatus of claim 1. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)). (This algorithm 60 has an automatic normalization (amplitude and phase tracking) process 64 that adjusts the modulating carrier signal 62 (c(n)) level to match the DPOAE signal (s(n)) level. An error signal (not shown) is calculated based on the difference between the captured DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)) and the generated modulation carrier signal 66 (c.sub.1′(n)) after the normalization process 64, when this error signal exceeds a defined threshold, the phase of the modulation carrier is slightly adjusted to minimize this error. Another means of correcting the phase was also tested by the inventors, using cross-correlation to evaluate phase drifts, Fig. 2, par [0087], see Nadon); (To synchronize the carrier signal 62′ (c.sub.1(n)) with the DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)), the phase φ starts at π/2 and is increased by an additional delay within a loop until the error signal or cross-correlation (Equation 3a or 3b) gives the optimal result. When the error signal reaches a value below the defined threshold the phase adjustment is stopped, Fig. 2, par [0090], see Nadon).
However, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea does not explicitly disclose identify a phase section in which the phase is gradually changed such that the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) does not occur, and identify the target phase based on the phase section.
Hsiao teaches Measuring Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission With a Single Loudspeaker in the Ear: Stimulus Design and Signal Processing Techniques (see Title) in which the cancellation strategy shows the idea behind this strategy is to cancel IMD3
instantaneously. To achieve this goal, we utilize two techniques, namely a phase-controlled exponential swept-sine chirp and the one-dimensional Volterra filters (ODVFs), to adjust the input signal before sending it to the speaker (see page 4, right column, last paragraph, see Hsiao). In page 6, right column, to page 7, first paragraph of Linear System Estimation by Phase Controlled Exponential Swept-Sine Chirp section, equations (5) and (6) disclose a phase-controlled exponential swept-sine chirp (27) is used to obtain the linear coupling response from the loudspeaker to the microphone. This chirp exhibits an instantaneous frequency that increases exponentially with time (see equations (5) and (6) and their detailed description). The result of convolving s[n] and s-1 [n] is approximately a Dirac delta impulse, and the gain is 0 dB for all frequencies. We set the chirp’s frequency to glide from 47 to 24, 000 Hz and the chirp length was 10.5 s. Then, we delivered the chirp to drive the single speaker and recorded the sound simultaneously. Subsequently, the recorded signal was convolved with the inverse chirp (Equation 6) to obtain the impulse response h[n] that characterizes the linear coupling from the speaker to the microphone. The Fourier transform of h[n] is denoted as H(ω) in Figure 5 (see page 6, right column, to page 7, first paragraph, and Fig. 5 in page 7 of Hsiao). Thus, Hsiao being capable to identify the target phase based on the phase section (Meanwhile, the cancellation strategy directly recovered both the magnitude and the phase of DPOAE, reducing the magnitude estimation error from 15.5 dB to 3.9 dB in the mean-square sense, see page 1, first paragraph, see Hsiao).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the Measuring Distortion-Product Otoacoustic Emission With a Single Loudspeaker in the Ear: Stimulus Design and Signal Processing Techniques taught by Hsiao with the apparatus of Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea such that to obtain identify a phase section in which the phase is gradually changed such that the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) does not occur, and identify the target phase based on the phase section in order to improve the DPOAE-to-interference ratio, as suggested by Hsiao in page 1, first paragraph.
Regarding claim 3, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao teaches the apparatus of claim 2. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)) identify a center of the phase section as the target phase (This algorithm 60 has an automatic normalization (amplitude and phase tracking) process 64 that adjusts the modulating carrier signal 62 (c(n)) level to match the DPOAE signal (s(n)) level. An error signal (not shown) is calculated based on the difference between the captured DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)) and the generated modulation carrier signal 66 (c.sub.1′(n)) after the normalization process 64, when this error signal exceeds a defined threshold, the phase of the modulation carrier is slightly adjusted to minimize this error. Another means of correcting the phase was also tested by the inventors, using cross-correlation to evaluate phase drifts, Fig. 2, par [0087], see Nadon); (To synchronize the carrier signal 62′ (c.sub.1(n)) with the DPOAE signal 54 (s(n)), the phase φ starts at π/2 and is increased by an additional delay within a loop until the error signal or cross-correlation (Equation 3a or 3b) gives the optimal result. When the error signal reaches a value below the defined threshold the phase adjustment is stopped, Fig. 2, par [0090], see Nadon). In page 6, right column, equation (5) of Linear System Estimation by Phase Controlled Exponential Swept-Sine Chirp, Hsiao teaches capable to identify a center of the phase section as the target phase. The motivation is in order to improve the DPOAE-to-interference ratio, as suggested by Hsiao in page 1, first paragraph.
Regarding claim 4, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao teaches the apparatus of claim 2. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)): based on the gain being 0 (During such adaptive filter coefficient initialization step, the first (f.sub.1(n)) and second (f.sub.2(n)) stimuli sound signals must be completely stopped in order to prevent the convergence of the adaptive filters on such primary tones, par [0102], see Nadon), identify a minimum amplitude at which the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) occurs by changing an amplitude of the sound of the first frequency (This algorithm 60 has an automatic normalization (amplitude and phase tracking) process 64 that adjusts the modulating carrier signal 62 (c(n)) level to match the DPOAE signal (s(n)) level, Fig. 2, par [0087], see Nadon). In page 6, right column, equation (5) of Linear System Estimation by Phase Controlled Exponential Swept-Sine Chirp, Hsiao teaches capable to identify the target gain based on the minimum amplitude. The motivation is in order to improve the DPOAE-to-interference ratio, as suggested by Hsiao in page 1, first paragraph.
Regarding claim 5, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao teaches the apparatus of claim 4. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)): Campbell teaches the amplitude can play a particular frequency at 80% of the intended aptitude, increase the amplitude of the particular frequency by 125% so that the reproduced amplitude (see par [0034], see Campbell) adjust the amplitude by 80%, by 25% (see par [0071], see Campbell); increase the amplitude of the frequency by hundred percent (see par [0071], see Campbell). Therefore, Campbell is capable to identify a half value of the minimum amplitude as an amplitude of the sound of the first frequency, based on the amplitude of the sound of the first frequency being the half value of the minimum amplitude. In page 6, right column, equation (5) of Linear System Estimation by Phase Controlled Exponential Swept-Sine Chirp, Hsiao teaches capable to identify a minimum gain in which the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) occurs by changing the gain, and identify the minimum gain as the target gain. The motivation is in order to improve the DPOAE-to-interference ratio, as suggested by Hsiao in page 1, first paragraph.
Regarding claim 6, Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao teaches the apparatus of claim 5. Nadon in view of Campbell in view of Andrea in view of Hsiao, as modified, teaches wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, cause the electronic apparatus to (in the example of FIG. 10, the computer system 1000 includes a processor, memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device (par [0093], see Campbell). In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions referred to as “computer programs (par [0108], see Campbell)): change the first frequency and the second frequency, and repeat target phase identification operation and the target gain identification operation, and map a plurality of target phases and a plurality of target gains (the adjustment of various parameters i.e. filter adjustments, adaptation step sizes and normalization gains in order to optimize the algorithm for all possible situations such as, for example, different DPOAE magnitudes and various noise conditions (par [0012], see Nadon); This algorithm 60 has an automatic normalization (amplitude and phase tracking) process 64 that adjusts the modulating carrier signal 62 (c(n)) level to match the DPOAE signal (s(n)) level, Fig. 2, par [0087], see Nadon) obtained through the repetitive operation to corresponding first frequency and second frequency (Nadon send the two pure-tone stimuli 26 (f1 and f2 with the f2/f1 ratio typically around 1.22) (see [par [0078]) across sound signal covers a frequency range extending between about 20 Hz and about 20 kHz ([par [0059], see Nadon)) and store the same in the memory (a controller system connecting to both the first and second receivers of at least one said pair of earpieces for simultaneously sending first (f.sub.1(n)) and second (f.sub.2(n)) stimuli sound signals thereto, respectively, the controller system connecting to the internal and outer ear (IEM-I, OEM-I) of one said earpieces corresponding the a tested ear of the user and to the internal (IEM-C) microphone of the other one said earpieces for recording respective inner (d.sub.1(n)), outer (x.sub.2(n)) and inner (x.sub.1(n)) sound signals therefrom, par [0040], see Nadon). The motivation is in order to improve the DPOAE-to-interference ratio, as suggested by Hsiao in page 1, first paragraph.
Regarding claim 12, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 2 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 13, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 3 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 14, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 4 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 15, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 5 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 16, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 6 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 20, this claim merely reflects the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors individually or collectively, cause an electronic apparatus to perform operations of claim 2 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claim 7 is 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.
9. Claim 17 is 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
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Inventor
Publication
Number
Disclosure
Hou
US Patent Application Publication
20200329298
The ANC headphone 100 according to one exemplary embodiment of the application includes: a first microphone 110A, a second microphone 110B, a first inverter 115A, a second inverter 115B (Fig. 1, paragraph [0015]).
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/C.P.T/Examiner, Art Unit 2695
/VIVIAN C CHIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2695
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