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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 3 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim 2 and 8 respectively, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Limonad et al. (US Pub. No. 20230072792 A1) in view of Chhabra et al. (US Pub. No.20210204094 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Limonad teaches:
“…adapted to be connectable and controllable by a mobile phone” (Device 1 can be a mobile
Phone, see[0021] :” while numeral references pertain to components of the devices 1, 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the following description, the devices 1, 2 are mostly assumed to be handheld devices, such as smartphones”; Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone and device 2 are connected via handshake, Device can take the lead i.e. control Device 2, see [0030]: “…the above steps may be performed at the two devices 1, 2,… The handshake further makes it possible to determine which device will take the lead…”,
also see Fig. 1 and 2)
an acoustic receiver module, for receiving ambient sound(each device has a microphone , i.e. an acoustic receiver, see [0035]:” Each of the two devices 1, 2 may for instance include a speaker 15 and a microphone 16…”; the microphone detects i.e. receives, a signal, see “…for the second device to detect the first signal though its respective microphone”, claim 15, pg. 9; the received signal is ambient sound, see [0024]: “…each of the first signal and the second signal is a composite tone (i.e., a sound)…”);
a microprocessor, connected to the acoustic receiver module, for processing the ambient sound and generating a digital output signal (CPU on each device is a microprocessor, which is connected to a microphone, i.e. the acoustic receiver. As a processing means, it processes the ambient sound picked up by the speaker. It is also well known in the art that modern CPU can process a digital signal and generate a digital output signal, see [0035] :” each device 1,2 may include processing means 11 ( e.g., a central processing unit or CPU)…the processing means 11 is suitably connected to the speaker 15 and the microphone 16 via a system bus, to allow the signals to be transmitted and received, as necessary to perform the present methods”, see Fig. 1B);
a speaker module, connected to the microprocessor, controlled by the microprocessor to play sound according to the digital output signal; wherein (CPU on each device is a microprocessor, which connects and controls various components in each device including a speaker. See [0066]: ”Each device 1, 2, comprises processing means 11, e.g., a CPU. Various components are connected to the CPU…”, see [0035] : “Each of the two devices 1, 2 may for instance include a speaker 15 and a microphone 16, to transmit and record the signals, respectively ”, also see Fig. 1B; the signal S204a transmitted by Device 2 is a sound wave inherently played by a speaker, which is connected to Device 2’s CPU. It’s well known in the art that CPU can control connected modules including a speaker, process and output digital signals, therefore the sound played by the speaker is related to the digital output signal, see [0050]: “As seen in FIG. 2, the first device 1…transmitted S203 by the first device 1 as a sound wave… the second device 2 transmits S204a the second signal at a time t.sub.2′”, also see Fig. 2):
“when the microprocessor recognizes that the ambient sound comprises a first audio sequence transmitted by the mobile phone,…” (Device 2’s microphone detects, i.e. recognizes, a first signal from device 1, the mobile phone, in the ambient sound since it’s emitted through the mobile phone’s speaker; since Device 2’s microphone is connected to a CPU, the microprocessor. This process is performed on the microprocessor, see [0036]: ”the first device 1 may transmit S203 the first signal through its speaker 15, for the second device 2 to detect S203a the first signal though its respective microphone 16”, also see Fig. 1B),
“…the microprocessor generates a second audio sequence and controls the speaker module to play sound according to the second audio sequence,…” ( Device 2 generates a second signal at step S202a, which is played as a second audio sequence, i.e. S204a, via Device 2’s speaker; Since different modules are connect to the microprocessor, audio generation and speaker control are inherently performed by the microprocessor, See [0050]:” This signal is timely generated at step S202a (“Write(msg.sub.2)”). The audio signal tm.sub.2 is then received S204 by the first device 1 at a time t.sub.2…”, also see Fig. 1B)
“…causing the mobile phone to determine a distance between… and the mobile phone according to an arrival time of the second audio sequence…” (S204a is the second audio sequence received and processed by Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone, and the second audio sequence’s arrival time is used for step S206 and S207; Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone can determine the distance between itself and Device 2, see [0036]: “… the second signal is transmitted S204a through the speaker 15 of the second device 2 and received S204 at the first device 1 though the microphone 16 of the latter. Eventually, the first device 1 may attempt to correlate S206 its recording (forming a first comparand) with (i) a representation of the first signal and (ii) an expected signal, with a view to deriving a first time interval …”, also see [0054]: “. The detection in time of the triple-peak pattern is then used to determine S207, S207a the time interval, i.e., the delta time lag between the transmission time and the reception time, denoted by Δ1 and Δ2 in FIG. 2… each device 1, 2 is able to compute the distance”, further see Fig. 4);
“…and a delay compensation parameter” (processing delay is a delay compensation parameter, which is taken into account in a signal propagation delay used to determine the range/distance between two devices, see [0002]: “…some processing time (called processing delay), i.e., the time necessary for the second node B to process the incoming first signal, generate the acknowledgement, and set it for transmission. So, a further signal propagation delay can be calculated by the first node A on receiving the acknowledgement signal from node B. The signal propagation delays are finally used to determine the range between the two nodes”).
the delay compensation parameter comprises a length of signal processing time required by the mobile phone and the wireless earphone to process the first audio sequence and the second audio sequence (Node B can be Device 2, and processing delay in node B, is caused by processing the incoming signal, i.e. the first audio sequence. Node A, e.g. Device 1 or a mobile phone inherently has processing delay when it’s processing the incoming second audio sequence, therefore the processing delay, i.e. the delay compensation parameter comprises the processing time in the mobile phone and Device 2, see [0002]: “ a first signal is transmitted from a first node A to a second node B … processing time (called processing delay), i.e., the time necessary for the second node B to process the incoming first signal, generate the acknowledgement, and set it for transmission”).
Limonad does not specifically teach Device 2 is a wireless earphone.
Chhabra teaches a wireless earphone (Element 120 is a wireless earphone, see [0013] :” The mobile device 110 and the wireless peripheral audio device 120 may be coupled to each other over a wireless communication link 115”, also see Fig. 1).
At the time of the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have selected a wireless earphone as taught by Chhabra as Device 2 in the system as taught by Limonad. It would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so “for the owners to be able to track locations of the wireless peripheral devices to reduce likelihoods of losing them” (Limonad: [0003]).
Regarding claim 4, Limonad in view of Chhabra teaches all the claim limitations previously
stated in claim 1’s 103 rejection.
Limonad also teaches:
the underlined limitation wherein “a wireless transceiver for wireless communication with the mobile phone” (two devices communicate over the wireless channel, see [0045]: “…the present methods may further comprise performing S160 a preliminary handshake between the two devices 1, 2, over the wireless communication channel… This communication channel is preferably established S150 according to a wireless technology standard, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)…”, Limonad does not mention “a wireless transceiver”. However, it is inherent that there must be a wireless transceiver on either device that performs transmitting and receiving wireless signals, otherwise, handshake between those two devices over a wireless communication channel would not be possible),
when the wireless transceiver receives a wireless notification signal transmitted by the mobile phone, the wireless earphone starts the acoustic receiver module to receive the ambient sound ( either device receive a wireless signal during handshake, which is a wireless notification signal, see [0030]: ”… a preliminary handshake may be performed S160; The handshake further makes it possible to determine which device will take the lead…”; the Device 2, i.e. the wireless earphone starts audio recording the ambient sound via a microphone, i.e. the acoustic receiver module. see [0052-0053]: ”First, a handshake is performed S160. Then, the first device 1 starts S201 recording upon completing the handshake… The second device 2 similarly starts S201a recording upon completing the handshake…each device 1, 2 may reconstruct a signal from its respective audio recording”, also see Fig.1 and 4);
the microprocessor performs filtering, noise cancellation, echo cancellation, and digitalization on the ambient sound to generates a digital signal, and identifies whether the digital signal contains the first audio sequence (the CPU i.e. the microprocessor, performs signal reconstruction including filtering, and de-noising, i.e. noise cancellation, see [0053]: “the signal reconstruction may involve trimming, filtering (for noise), and/or amplifying the audio sample obtained. E.g., the audio samples may first be trimmed (using a suitable heuristic to identify the expected patterns), then de-noised, amplified…”; proper peak detection can cancel echoes, see [0005]: “many false peaks appearing in the cross-correlation measurement, due to factors such as noise and interferences, e.g., multiple echoes to the transmitted signal (also known as the ‘multipath’ issue). Being able to detect the right peak in the cross-correlation signal is essential for the precision of the measurements”; the reception time of the first time sequence signal is detected, i.e. t1′ on Device 2’s microprocessor, i.e. the earphone, see [0054]: “The detection in time of the triple-peak pattern is then used to determine S207, S207a the time interval, i.e., the delta time lag between the transmission time and the reception time, denoted by Δ1 and Δ2 in FIG. 2”, also see Fig. 2; It is well known in the art that modern CPU can digitalize inputs from its peripherals including the ambient sound from a connected microphone and generate a digital signal, therefore the digital signal can contain the first audio sequence, see [0035] :” each device 1,2 may include processing means 11 ( e.g., a central processing unit or CPU)…the processing means 11 is suitably connected to the speaker 15 and the microphone 16 via a system bus, to allow the signals to be transmitted and received, as necessary to perform the present methods”, see Fig. 1B).
Regarding claim 6, Limonad in view of Chhabra teaches all the claim limitations previously
stated in claim 1’s 103 rejection.
Limonad also teaches:
“the mobile phone determines the distance between the wireless earphone and the mobile phone according to a length of elapsed time and the delay compensation parameter…” (Device 1 is the mobile phone, and can determine the distance between two wireless devices, see [0023]: “…the first device 1…with a view to deriving S207-S209 the range between the two devices”, also see Fig. 2; Node A can be Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone, signal propagation delays is a length of elapsed time and processing delay is the delay compensation parameter and affects the timestamp for Node B, i.e. the wireless earphone to generate transmission signal, therefore the mobile phone determines the distance based on a length of elapsed time and the delay compensation parameter, see [0002]: ”a first signal is transmitted from a first node A to a second node B. The difference in time (called the signal propagation delay) between the transmission from the first node and the reception at the second node can be calculated. Next, the first node A receives an acknowledgement (i.e., a second signal) from the second node B. This acknowledgement is sent after some processing time (called processing delay), i.e., the time necessary for the second node B to process the incoming first signal, generate the acknowledgement, and set it for transmission. So, a further signal propagation delay can be calculated by the first node A on receiving the acknowledgement signal from node B. The signal propagation delays are finally used to determine the range between the two nodes”)
wherein the length of elapsed time is estimated according to a time difference between a current time slot that the mobile phone recognized the second audio sequence and a first time slot that the mobile phone generated the first audio sequence(time of flight for the first audio sequence, S203/S203a, and the second audio sequence, S204a/S204 is need for getting the signal propagation delays, i.e. the length of elapsed time; t1 is a first time slot when the mobile phone generated the first audio, and t2 is a current time slot when the mobile phone recognized the second audio, difference between t1 and t2 is needed for getting the time of flight, see Fig. 2).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Limonad et al. (US Pub. No. 20230072792 A1) in view of Chhabra et al. (US Pub. No.20210204094 A1) further in view of Booij et al. (US Pub. No. 20080259732 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Limonad in view of Chhabra teaches all the claim limitations previously stated in claim 1’s 103 rejection.
Limonad in view of Chhabra does not teach the delay compensation parameter is obtained by a calibration procedure performed on the wireless earphone and the mobile phone.
Booij teaches the delay compensation parameter is obtained by a calibration procedure performed on the wireless earphone and the mobile phone ( the test is a calibration procedure performed on each tag that receives a sound, and the inherent delay is the delay compensation parameter in each tag, see [0060]:” A test was also performed to check the timing, and to determine the inherent delay in transmission at the tag caused by the listening routine”, also see Fig. 9, wherein a tag can be any wireless device including a mobile phone and a wireless earphone, see [0018]: ”The mobile unit is also referred to herein as a "tag"”, also see Fig. 1).
At the time of the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have integrated a calibration procedure as taught by Booij in the system as taught by Limonad in view of Chhabra to obtain he delay compensation parameter. It would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so to know “the time at which the mobile unit transmits its signal ” (Booij: [0008]).
Claims 5, 7, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Limonad et al. (US Pub. No. 20230072792 A1) in view of Chhabra et al. (US Pub. No.20210204094 A1) further in view of Hviid et al. (US Pub. No. 20180227658 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Limonad in view of Chhabra teaches all the claim limitations previously
stated in claim 4’s 103 rejection.
Limonad also teaches “the microprocessor recognizes that the digital signal contains the first audio sequence, the microprocessor generates the second audio sequence, and controls the speaker module to…play soundwaves containing the second audio sequence” (the reception time of the first time sequence signal as a digital signal to the microprocessor is detected, i.e. recognized in order to calculate Δ2 on Device 2’s microprocessor, i.e. the earphone, see [0054]: “The detection in time of the triple-peak pattern is then used to determine S207, S207a the time interval, i.e., the delta time lag between the transmission time and the reception time, denoted by Δ1 and Δ2 in FIG. 2”, also see Fig. 2; the second audio sequence is generated, amplified and played as sound via the speaker, see [0053]: “the audio samples may first be… amplified, and, if necessary…using any suitable audio signal processing method known in the art ”, see [0050]: “the first device 1 generates S202 a first signal (“Write(msg.sub.1)”)… which is then transmitted S203 by the first device 1 as a sound wave…This signal is received S203a by the second device 2… the second device 2 transmits S204a the second signal…The audio signal tm.sub.2 is then received S204 by the first device 1”, this process is performed by the microprocessor that’s connected to modules like microphone and speaker, see Fig. 1B).
Limonad in view of Chhabra does not teach amplify soundwaves containing the second audio sequence.
Hviid teaches amplify soundwaves (see [0041]: “a user may issue a voice command to the headset 10 via the microphones 18 & 20 to instruct the headset 10 to amplify sounds”).
At the time of the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have integrated the amplification function as taught by Hviid in the system as taught by Limonad in view of Chhabra to amplify sound containing the second audio sequence. It would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so to “emphasize sounds of interest” (Hviid: [0030]).
Regarding claim 7, Limonad in view of Chhabra also teaches:
A mobile phone, adapted to be connectable to a wireless earphone ” (Device 1 can be a mobile
Phone, see Limonad [0021] :” while numeral references pertain to components of the devices 1, 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the following description, the devices 1, 2 are mostly assumed to be handheld devices, such as smartphones”; Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone and device 2 are connected via handshake, see Limonad [0030]: “…the above steps may be performed at the two devices 1, 2,… The handshake further makes it possible to determine which device will take the lead…”, also see Limonad Fig. 1 and 2; Element 120 is a wireless earphone and can be Device 2, see Chhabra [0013] :” The mobile device 110 and the wireless peripheral audio device 120 may be coupled to each other over a wireless communication link 115”, also see Chhabra Fig. 1):
an acoustic receiver module, for receiving ambient sound(each device has a microphone , i.e. an acoustic receiver, see Limonad [0035]:” Each of the two devices 1, 2 may for instance include a speaker 15 and a microphone 16…”, also see Limonad Fig. 1B; the microphone detects i.e. receives, a signal, see Limonad “…for the second device to detect the first signal though its respective microphone”, claim 15, pg. 9; the received signal is ambient sound, see Limonad [0024]: “…each of the first signal and the second signal is a composite tone (i.e., a sound)…”);
a processor, connected to the acoustic receiver module, for processing the ambient sound to generate a digital output signal (CPU on each device is a processor, which is connected to a microphone, i.e. the acoustic receiver. As a processing means, it processes the ambient sound picked up by the speaker. It is also well known in the art that modern CPU can process a digital signal and generate a digital output signal, see Limonad [0035] :” each device 1,2 may include processing means 11 ( e.g., a central processing unit or CPU)…the processing means 11 is suitably connected to the speaker 15 and the microphone 16 via a system bus, to allow the signals to be transmitted and received, as necessary to perform the present methods”, see Limonad Fig. 1B);
a speaker module, connected to the processor, controlled by the processor to play sound according to the digital output signal (CPU on each device is the processor, which connects and controls various components in each device including a speaker, see Limonad [0066]: ”Each device 1, 2, comprises processing means 11, e.g., a CPU. Various components are connected to the CPU…”, see [0035] : “Each of the two devices 1, 2 may for instance include a speaker 15 and a microphone 16, to transmit and record the signals, respectively ”, also see Limonad Fig. 1B; the signal S203 transmitted by Device 1 is a sound wave inherently played by a speaker, which is connected to Device 1’s CPU. It’s well known in the art that CPU can control connected modules including a speaker, process and output digital signals, therefore the sound played by the speaker is related to the digital output signal, see Limonad [0050]: “As seen in FIG. 2, the first device 1…transmitted S203 by the first device 1 as a sound wave… the second device 2 transmits S204a the second signal at a time t.sub.2′”, also see Limonad Fig. 2);
a memory device, storing a delay compensation parameter, the delay compensation parameter comprising a length of signal processing time required by the mobile phone and the wireless earphone to process a first audio sequence and a second audio sequence (processing delay in node B, e.g. Device 2, is caused by processing the incoming signal, i.e. the first audio sequence. Node A, e.g. Device 1 or a mobile phone inherently has processing delay when it’s processing the incoming second audio sequence, therefore the processing delay, i.e. the delay compensation parameter comprises the processing time in the mobile phone and Device 2, see Limonad [0002]: “ a first signal is transmitted from a first node A to a second node B … processing time (called processing delay), i.e., the time necessary for the second node B to process the incoming first signal, generate the acknowledgement, and set it for transmission”; Element 120 is a wireless earphone and can be Device 2, see Chhabra [0013] :” The mobile device 110 and the wireless peripheral audio device 120 may be coupled to each other over a wireless communication link 115”, also see Chhabra Fig. 1; a memory connected to the CPU can comprise computerized methods or protocol, parameters including the delay compensation parameter can be part of the protocol, therefore, memory stores parameters including the delay compensation parameter, see Limonad [0066]: ”…a memory 12 is typically connected to the CPU, as usual in the art. All such components are known per se but need be properly configured, programmed, etc., to be able to perform the present methods. The memory 12 may comprise computerized methods, stored in the form of program code instructions (software), which, when loaded to the main memory and executed, cause the CPU to orchestrate operations of the tone generator 14, the transmitter 15, and the receiver 16, to allow the device 1, 2 to perform S200 a double-sided two-way ranging protocol”, also see Limonad [0048]: “...parts or all of these parameters may be predetermined and fixed as part of requirements of the protocol”):
“when the mobile phone performs an acoustic response test on the wireless earphone, the processor generates the first audio sequence in a first time slot, and the speaker module…the first audio sequence into audible sounds” (processor on Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone generates the first sound signal in S203 at time t1, the first sound signal is the first audio sequence and t1 is a first time slot, this sound is output through Device 1’s speaker into sounds, which will be received by Device 2, i.e. the wireless earphone, this process is part of an acoustic response test, see Limonad [0036]: “…the first device 1 may transmit S203 the first signal through its speaker 15,”, see Limonad Fig. 2; sounds can be audible, see Chhabra [0011]: “…generate a sound such that the user of the mobile device may locate the wireless peripheral audio device by listening for the sound”).
the acoustic receiver module receives ambient sound and generates a digital input signal (each device has a microphone , i.e. an acoustic receiver, see Limonad [0035]:” Each of the two devices 1, 2 may for instance include a speaker 15 and a microphone 16…” also see Fig. 1B; the microphone detects i.e. receives, a signal, see Limonad “…for the second device to detect the first signal though its respective microphone”, claim 15, pg. 9; the received signal is ambient sound, see Limonad [0024]: “…each of the first signal and the second signal is a composite tone (i.e., a sound)…”, the microphone is connected to a CPU and it is also well known in the art that modern CPU can process digital signals including input and output signals, therefore the microphone can generated a digital input signal for the CPU to process, see Limonad [0035] :” each device 1,2 may include processing means 11 ( e.g., a central processing unit or CPU)…the processing means 11 is suitably connected to the speaker 15 and the microphone 16 via a system bus, to allow the signals to be transmitted and received, as necessary to perform the present methods”, see Limonad Fig. 1B);
“when the processor recognizes that the digital input signal comprises the second audio sequence transmitted from the wireless earphone…”(the second signal received by Device 1’s microphone is the second audio sequence from the wireless headphone; the microphone is connected to a processor that can process digital signals, therefore the second audio sequence signal from the microphone is digital input signal recognized by the processor. see Limonad [0023]: “The first device 1 subsequently receives (step S204 in FIGS. 2 and 4) a second signal…”, also see Limonad Fig. 1B).
“…the processor estimates a distance between the wireless earphone and the mobile phone according to a length of elapsed time started from the first time slot and the delay compensation parameter” (Device 1 is the mobile phone, its processor can estimate a distance between two wireless devices, see Limonad [0023]: “…the first device 1…with a view to deriving S207-S209 the range between the two devices”, also see Limonad Fig. 2; Node A can be Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone, signal propagation delays is a length of elapsed time and processing delay is the delay compensation parameter and affects the timestamp for Node B, i.e. the wireless earphone to generate transmission signal, therefore the mobile phone estimates the distance based on a length of elapsed time and the delay compensation parameter, see Limonad [0002]: ”a first signal is transmitted from a first node A to a second node B. The difference in time (called the signal propagation delay) between the transmission from the first node and the reception at the second node can be calculated. Next, the first node A receives an acknowledgement (i.e., a second signal) from the second node B. This acknowledgement is sent after some processing time (called processing delay), i.e., the time necessary for the second node B to process the incoming first signal, generate the acknowledgement, and set it for transmission. So, a further signal propagation delay can be calculated by the first node A on receiving the acknowledgement signal from node B. The signal propagation delays are finally used to determine the range between the two nodes”, t1 is the first timeslot where a length of elapsed time starts, see Limonad Fig. 2).
Hviid teaches the speaker module amplifies the sound (the sounds can be the output sounds amplified by the speaker module in headset, see [0041]: “a user may issue a voice command to the headset 10 via the microphones 18 & 20 to instruct the headset 10 to amplify sounds”).
Regarding claim 10, Limonad in view of Chhabra further in view of Hviid teaches all the claim
limitations previously stated in claim 7’s 103 rejection.
Limonad also teaches:
a wireless transceiver for wireless communication with the wireless earphone (two devices communicate over the wireless channel, see [0045]: “…the present methods may further comprise performing S160 a preliminary handshake between the two devices 1, 2, over the wireless communication channel… This communication channel is preferably established S150 according to a wireless technology standard, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)…”, Limonad does not mention “a wireless transceiver”. However, it is inherent that there must be a wireless transceiver on either device that performs transmitting and receiving wireless signals, otherwise, handshake between those two devices over a wireless communication channel would not be possible);
“when the mobile phone performs the acoustic response test on the wireless earphone…” ( Device 1, i.e. the mobile phone performs a handshake, which can be part of the acoustic response test, the wireless earphone starts listening right after the handshake, see [0049}: “the first device 1 is assumed to be designated as a leader and accordingly transmits S203 the first signal to the second device 2 upon completing S160 the handshake. Concurrently, each device 1, 2 starts listening S201, S201a (i.e., recording) right after completing the handshake”, also see Fig. 2; ).
Limonad does not specifically teach the mobile phone transmits a wireless signal through the wireless transceiver to notify the wireless earphone to start an audio listening function. However, official notice is taken wherein, there are a finite number of choices that device 2, i.e. the wireless earphone can start listening right after handshake is done, e.g. device 2 checks the handshake periodically or device 1, i.e. the mobile phone notifies the wireless earphone upon the completion of the handshake. At the time of invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious for a designer to pick one that suits their needs the most, and neither of these choices produces unexpected results.
Regarding claim 11, Limonad in view of Chhabra further in view of Hviid teaches all the claim
limitations previously stated in claim 7’s 103 rejection.
Limonad also teaches:
the mobile phone periodically performs the acoustic response test on the wireless earphone to track changes of the distance (cycles are acoustic response test done periodically, range values are changes of distance; see [0058]: “Such cycles may be repeated as necessary to successfully determine range values”; the mobile phone can be a leader to perform the test, see [0046]: ”one of the two devices is appointed as a leader, while the other device is designated as a follower”);
Chhabra teaches the mobile phone controls corresponding functions of the wireless earphone according to the characteristics of the distance changes, comprising: audio effect control, volume control, fast forward, backward, start playing, or stop playing ( the mobile device is the mobile phone and the wireless peripheral audio device is the wireless earphone. The mobile phone can control the wireless phone to generate and start playing a sound when the distance is greater than a threshold, see [0011]: ”the mobile device may monitor a distance from the wireless peripheral audio device…when the mobile device determines that the distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the mobile device may transmit a command to the wireless peripheral audio device—e.g., the command including a request for the wireless peripheral audio device to report its location….the mobile device may transmit another command to the wireless peripheral audio device (e.g., upon receiving the user's request to send such command) to generate a sound…”).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Limonad et al. (US Pub. No. 20230072792 A1) in view of Chhabra et al. (US Pub. No.20210204094 A1) in view of Hviid et al. (US Pub. No. 20180227658 A1) further in view of Booij et al. (US Pub. No. 20080259732 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid teaches all the claim limitations previously stated in claim 7’s 103 rejection.
Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid does not teach the delay compensation parameter is obtained by a calibration procedure performed on the wireless earphone and the mobile phone.
Booij teaches the delay compensation parameter is obtained by a calibration procedure performed on the wireless earphone and the mobile phone ( the test is a calibration procedure performed on each tag that receives a sound, and the inherent delay is the delay compensation parameter in each tag, see [0060]:” A test was also performed to check the timing, and to determine the inherent delay in transmission at the tag caused by the listening routine”, also see Fig. 9, wherein a tag can be any wireless device including a mobile phone and a wireless earphone, see [0018]: ”The mobile unit is also referred to herein as a "tag"”, also see Fig. 1).
At the time of the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have integrated a calibration procedure as taught by Booij in the system as taught by Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid to obtain he delay compensation parameter. It would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so to know “the time at which the mobile unit transmits its signal ” (Booij: [0008]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Limonad et al. (US Pub. No. 20230072792 A1) in view of Chhabra et al. (US Pub. No.20210204094 A1) in view of Hviid et al. (US Pub. No. 20180227658 A1) further in view of Dent (WO 03016942 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid teaches all the claim limitations previously stated in claim 7’s 103 rejection.
Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid does not teach after the first audio sequence is generated, the speaker module converts the first audio sequence to an analog signal and amplifies and plays the analog signal.
Dent teaches the speaker module converts the first audio sequence to an analog signal and amplifies and plays the analog signal ( the audio signal can be converted to an analog signal then amplified and played, the audio signal can be the first audio sequence, see [0017-0018]: “Audio signals may first be available as PCM… PCM audio signals may also be converted to analog audio signals…The output of PCM CODEC 306 is amplified by audio amplifier 308 to drive loudspeaker 206.”)
At the time of the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have integrated the analog signal conversion and amplification function as taught by Dent in the system as taught by Limonad in view of Chhabra in view of Hviid to convert and amplify sound before playing. It would have yielded predictable results and resulted in an improved system. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so to take advantage of “pulse code modulation (PCM)… Coder/Decoder” (Dent: [0017]).
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Burckart et al. (US 20090138507 A1) teaches automatically pausing playback when a proximity event occurs and resuming playback when a different proximity event is detected (see [0016]).
Peng et al. (US 20080304361 A1) teaches a ranging method using acoustic signals (see Abstract)
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