DETAILED ACTION
Claim Objections
Claims 1-9 are objected to because of the following informalities: Example, claim 1, “microphone (100), receiver (200), audio signal (101), position detector (300), and processing unit (500) are confusing (and number references in claims 2-9). It is unclear if the numbers are a drawing references or a quantity meaning. Appropriate correction is required.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-2 and 4-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Pub. No. 2023/0353967 A1 to SOLVANG in view of U.S Pub. No. 20190011545 A1 to SUNDARESAN et al. (hereinafter “SUNDARESAN”).
Regarding claim 1, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system, comprising at least one wireless microphone which is configured to capture an audio signal and transmit it wirelessly (Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0058] and [0060], the remote microphone device 6 comprises a microphone 26, an associated storage portion 28 and a docking portion 30 comprising a second set of electrical connectors 32 adapted to mate with the first set of electrical connectors 16),
a wireless receiver which is configured to receive the audio signals transmitted by the at least one wireless microphone (Fig. 1 and paragraph [0067]- [0068]; a supplementary signal comprising only components of the stored remote audio signal that are absent from the compressed version of the remote audio signal (that is transmitted wirelessly to the base unit 4) may be transferred from the remote microphone device 6) to the local storage device 24 of the base unit 4),
a position detector which is configured to capture a distance and/or an orientation or at least one angle between the at least one wireless microphone (Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays); and
an audio processing unit which is configured toto process the captured audio signals of the at least one wireless microphone based on the detected position information and/or the alignment information for the spatial perception of the audio signals of the at least one wireless microphone in an overall audio signal (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal).
However, SOLVANG does not explicitly teach a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver.
In the same field of endeavor, SUNDARESAN discloses a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver (paragraphs [0027],[0031] and [0039]; determining a location may include, for example, determining a distance between the first and the second apparatus or determining both a distance between the first and second apparatus and determining an orientation of the second apparatus relative to the first apparatus).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify SOLVANG’s teaching with a feature of a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver as taught by SUNDARESAN in order to determine a total travel time of the first signal and the second signal based, at least in part, on the determined latencies at each of the first and second devices (paragraph [0005]; SUNDARESAN).
Regarding claim 2, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the audio processing unit is configured to adapt a level of the captured audio signal depending on the detected position information (Abstract and paragraph [0034]; determine a position of the remote microphone device, and generate a spatially encoded soundtrack using the spatially encoded sound-field signal and the stored remote audio signal in accordance with the determined position of the remote microphone device).
Regarding claim 4, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system according to claim 2, wherein position and/or orientation information is embedded as metadata in the audio signal (paragraphs [0021] and [0032]; data may comprise metadata).
Regarding claim 5, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system according to one of the claims claim 2 wherein a transmission of the audio signals takes place based on a first audio transmission protocol and a capturing of the position (Abstract, paragraphs [ 0063];determine a position of the remote microphone device, and generate a spatially encoded soundtrack using the spatially encoded sound-field signal and the stored remote audio signal in accordance with the determined position of the remote microphone device).
Regarding claim 6, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system comprising at least one wireless microphone which is configured to capture an audio signal and transmit it wirelessly (Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0058] and [0060], the remote microphone device 6 comprises a microphone 26, an associated storage portion 28 and a docking portion 30 comprising a second set of electrical connectors 32 adapted to mate with the first set of electrical connectors 16),
a wireless receiver which is configured to receive the audio signals transmitted by the at least one wireless microphone (Fig. 1 and paragraph [0067]- [0068]; a supplementary signal comprising only components of the stored remote audio signal that are absent from the compressed version of the remote audio signal (that is transmitted wirelessly to the base unit 4) may be transferred from the remote microphone device 6) to the local storage device 24 of the base unit 4),
a position detector, which is configured to capture a distance Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays); and
an audio processing unit which is configured to output the captured audio signals of the at least one wireless microphone together with the detected position information and/or the orientation information (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal).
However, SOLVANG does not explicitly teach a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver.
In the same field of endeavor, SUNDARESAN discloses a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver (paragraphs [0027],[0031] and [0039]; determining a location may include, for example, determining a distance between the first and the second apparatus or determining both a distance between the first and second apparatus and determining an orientation of the second apparatus relative to the first apparatus).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify SOLVANG’s teaching with a feature of a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver as taught by SUNDARESAN in order to determine a total travel time of the first signal and the second signal based, at least in part, on the determined latencies at each of the first and second devices (paragraph [0005]; SUNDARESAN).
Regarding claim 7, SOLVANG teaches Wireless audio transmission system according to claim 1, wherein the captured audio signal is output directly, is stored and then output or is stored and output on request (Abstract and paragraphs [0016] and [0037]; the stored remote audio signal and the spatially encoded sound-field signal may be labelled with a time code to aid synchronization when determining position and generating the soundtrack).
Regarding claim 8, SOLVANG teaches Method for audio post-processing for a wireless audio transmission system which comprises at least one wireless microphone (Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0058] and [0060], the remote microphone device 6 comprises a microphone 26, an associated storage portion 28 and a docking portion 30 comprising a second set of electrical connectors 32 adapted to mate with the first set of electrical connectors 16), a wireless transmitter and a position detector for detecting a distance Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays), comprising the steps:
capturing an audio signal by the at least one wireless microphone (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal),
transmitting the audio signal from the wireless microphone to a wireless receiver (Fig. 1 and paragraph [0067]- [0068]; a supplementary signal comprising only components of the stored remote audio signal that are absent from the compressed version of the remote audio signal (that is transmitted wirelessly to the base unit 4) may be transferred from the remote microphone device 6) to the local storage device 24 of the base unit 4),
detecting a distance and/or an orientation (Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays), and
processing the captured audio signals based on the detected position information and the orientation information to adapt a spatial perception of the audio signals of the at least one wireless microphone in an overall audio signal (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal).
However, SUNDARESAN does not explicitly teach a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver.
In the same field of endeavor, SUNDARESAN discloses a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver (paragraphs [0027],[0031] and [0039]; determining a location may include, for example, determining a distance between the first and the second apparatus or determining both a distance between the first and second apparatus and determining an orientation of the second apparatus relative to the first apparatus).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify SOLVANG’s teaching with a feature of a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver as taught by SUNDARESAN in order to determine a total travel time of the first signal and the second signal based, at least in part, on the determined latencies at each of the first and second devices (paragraph [0005]; SUNDARESAN).
Regarding claim 9, SOLVANG teaches Method for audio post-processing for a wireless audio transmission system which comprises at least one wireless microphone (Fig. 1 and paragraphs [0058] and [0060], the remote microphone device 6 comprises a microphone 26, an associated storage portion 28 and a docking portion 30 comprising a second set of electrical connectors 32 adapted to mate with the first set of electrical connectors 16), a wireless transmitter and a position detector for detecting a distance (Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays), comprising the steps:
capturing an audio signal by the at least one wireless microphone, transmitting the audio signal from the wireless microphone to a wireless receiver (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal),
detecting a distance of the wireless microphone (Fig.5 and paragraphs [0075] and [0075]; at step 506 an orientation between the remote microphone device 6 and the microphone array 10 is determined using these time delays);
outputting the captured audio signals together with the detected position information and the orientation information (Abstract, paragraphs [0059], [0061], [0061] and [0061] and [0070]; the processor 18 of the base unit 4 compares the (full quality) remote audio signal with the plurality of components of the spatially-encoded sound field signal to determine the position (or positions, if the person moves during audio capture) of the remote microphone device 6 during the capture of the remote audio signal).
However, SUNDARESAN does not explicitly teach a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver.
In the same field of endeavor, SUNDARESAN discloses a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver (paragraphs [0027],[0031] and [0039]; determining a location may include, for example, determining a distance between the first and the second apparatus or determining both a distance between the first and second apparatus and determining an orientation of the second apparatus relative to the first apparatus).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify SOLVANG’s teaching with a feature of a position detector which is configured to capture a distance or an orientation between the at least one wireless microphone and the wireless receiver as taught by SUNDARESAN in order to determine a total travel time of the first signal and the second signal based, at least in part, on the determined latencies at each of the first and second devices (paragraph [0005]; SUNDARESAN).
Claims 1-2 and 4-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Pub. No. 2023/0353967 A1 to SOLVANG in view of U.S Pub. No. 20190011545 A1 to SUNDARESAN et al. (hereinafter “SUNDARESAN”) in further view of U.S Pub. No. 2019/0182415 A1 to Sivan.
Regarding claim 3, SOLVANG and SUNDARESAN do not teach Wireless audio transmission system according to claim 1, further comprising a camera, wherein the wireless receiver and the position detector are coupled to the camera so that position information and/or orientation information related to a viewing axis of the camera is captured by means of the position detector.
In the same field of endeavor, Sivan discloses a camera, wherein the wireless receiver and the position detector are coupled to the camera so that position information and/or orientation information related to a viewing axis of the camera is captured by means of the position detector (Abstract, paragraphs [0280], [0480]; a video or still hand-held digital camera is activated or controlled based on estimation of a user head pose or gaze direction. The system comprises uses two wearable devices associated with right and left sides of the user body, each comprises an RF beacon. The head pose or gaze detection is estimated by comparing the signal strength (such as RSSI) or the phase of the RF signals from the wearable devices at the digital camera device. An angular deviation between the head pose (or gaze detection) and the digital camera (such as the line of sight) is estimated)
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify SOLVANG and SUNDARESAN teaching with a feature of a camera, wherein the wireless receiver and the position detector are coupled to the camera so that position information and/or orientation information related to a viewing axis of the camera is captured by means of the position detector as taught by Sivan in order to estimate and using relative head pose and gaze detection that is estimated by comparing the signal strength or the phase of the RF signals from the wearable devices at the digital camera device. (Abstract; Sivan).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKELAW A TESHALE whose telephone number is (571)270-5302. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am -6pm.
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AKELAW TESHALE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2694
/AKELAW TESHALE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
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