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 .
Status of Application
This communication is responsive to the applicant's application filed 12/31/2024.
Claims 1-33 are pending.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 18, 19, 29, and 30-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fersch et al (US-2017/0013387, hereinafter, Fersch).
Regarding claim 1, Fersch discloses an apparatus (see Fig. 1) for generating one or more audio output signals from one or more encoded audio signals, wherein the apparatus comprises:
an input interface for receiving the one or more encoded audio signals and for receiving additional audio information data (bitstream comprises a first set of metadata and a second set of metadata, see para [0030], [0031], [0047], and
a signal generator for generating the one or more audio output signals depending on the encoded audio signals and depending on second additional audio information (see para [0047]- [0049]),
wherein the signal generator is configured to obtain the second additional audio information using the additional audio information data and using first additional audio information, if the additional audio information data exhibits a redundancy state (see para [0028]- [0031], detecting that a redundant data element of the first set of metadata is encoded by referring to a redundant data element of the second set of metadata", "deriving the redundant data element of the first set of metadata from a redundant data element of a set of metadata which is external to the first set of metadata (e.g. of the second set of metadata)"; paragraph [0016]: "Encoding may comprise adding a flag to the first set of metadata. The flag (e.g. a one bit value) may indicate whether the redundant data element is explicitly comprised within the first set of metadata or whether the redundant data element is only comprised within the second set of metadata or within a dedicated set of metadata"; paragraph [0019]), and
wherein the signal generator is configured to obtain the second additional audio information using the additional audio information data without using the first additional audio information, if the additional audio information data exhibits a non- redundancy state (see paragraphs [0028]- [0031], paragraph [0016] and paragraph [0019] that when no redundant data element is identified, the flag indicates that no redundant data element is present in the bitstream).
Regarding claim 18, see para [0049], wherein the rendering output signal having a format of a headphone configuration.
Regarding 19, Fersch discloses an apparatus (see Fig. 1) for encoding one or more audio signals and for generating additional audio information data (see para [0009], [0010]), wherein the apparatus comprises:
an audio signal encoder for encoding the one or more audio signals to obtain one or more encoded audio signals (see para [0011], [0042]-[0046]), and
an additional audio information generator for generating the additional audio information data, wherein the additional audio information generator exhibits a non- redundancy operation mode and a redundancy operation mode (see para [0010]-[0019], [0027], [0067], and Fig. 4),
wherein the additional audio information generator is configured to generate the additional audio information data, if the additional audio information generator exhibits the non-redundancy operation mode, such that the additional audio information data comprises the second additional audio information (it is implicit from paragraphs [0013]- [0019], paragraph [0027] and paragraph [0067] that when no redundant data element is identified, the flag indicates that no redundant data element is present in the bitstream and the whole sets of metadata are transmitted), and
wherein the additional audio information generator is configured to generate the additional audio information data, if the additional audio information generator exhibits the non-redundancy operation mode, such that the additional audio information data does not comprise the second additional audio information or does only comprise a portion of the second additional audio information, such that the second additional audio information is obtainable using the additional audio information data together with first additional audio information (paragraphs [0013]-[0019]: "the redundant data element of the first set of metadata may be encoded by referring to the redundant data element of the second set of metadata", "Encoding may comprise adding a flag to the first set of metadata. The flag (e.g. a one bit value) may indicate whether the redundant data element is explicitly comprised within the first set of metadata or whether the redundant data element is only comprised within the second set of metadata or within a dedicated set of metadata. Hence, the redundant data element may be replaced by a flag within the first set of metadata, thereby further reducing the data rate which is required for the transmission of the metadata"; paragraph [0027]; paragraph [0067]; figure 4).
Regarding claim 29, Fersch discloses the system as claimed as in the combination of claim 1 and 19, and it is rejected for the same reasoning as set forth in claims 1 and 19 above.
Method claims 30, and 31 are rejected for the same reasoning as set forth for the rejection of apparatus claims 1, and 19 since the apparatus claims perform the same functions as the method claims.
Claims 32, and 33 recite “a non-transitory machine readable medium comprising a computer program for implementing" the method of claim 30, and 31, respectively. Fersch in para [0033]-[0035] discloses a storage medium, which is including a non-transitory CRM, adapted for executing a software program for performing method steps as discloses in method claims 30, and 31. Claims 32, and 33 are rejected for the same reasoning as set forth in method claims 30, and 31 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-17, and 20-28 are 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.
The following is an Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance:
The closest prior art of Fersch et al fails to disclose the limitations as recited in dependent claims 2-17, and 20-28.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Oh et al, Bruhn, and Eksler disclose various systems for encoding and decoding spatial audio signals including metadata and/or additional audio information data.
Thompson et al discloses a system for identifying files to determining redundancies in content object directories.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XU MEI whose telephone number is (571)272-7523. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 10-6:30 est.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivian Chin can be reached on 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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/XU MEI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2695 06/27/2026
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