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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/21/2025;12/05/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the application on 02/21/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “an obtainer that obtains” “an adder that adds” in claims 1-12. The specification discloses in Page 14; lines 30-35 suggests a DSP or CPU performing the adder function.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasegawa et al (JP 2019-003164 A1) in view of Aoki (US 2010/0246853 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hasegawa et al disclose an audio signal processing device comprising: an obtainer that obtains an audio signal (Hasegawa et al; Fig 5; microphone interpreted as obtainer); a first signal processor that generates, based on the audio signal, a first high-frequency signal including a high-frequency component in a frequency band higher than a first frequency higher than a human hearing range (Hasegawa et al; Para [0015][0019]; extended band over frequency over 20kHz interpreted as frequency higher than human hearing range); and an adder that adds the first high-frequency signal to the audio signal to generate an expanded audio signal having an expanded high-frequency range (Hasegawa et al; Para [0019]; adder adds the first high-frequency signal to the audio signal to generate an expanded audio signal having an expanded high-frequency range), but do not expressly disclose wherein the first signal processor generates the first high-frequency signal by performing: (i) first signal processing including first clipping processing of clipping the audio signal at a first amplitude; and (ii) first high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing through the frequency band higher than the first frequency. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aoki discloses a device wherein the first signal processor generates the first high-frequency signal by performing: (i) first signal processing including first clipping processing of clipping the audio signal at a first amplitude (Aoki; Para [0037]-[0039]); and (ii) first high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing through the frequency band higher than the first frequency (Aoki; Para [0037]-[0039]; Fig 2; HPF filter 130). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]).
Regarding claim 2, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 1, but do not expressly disclose wherein the first signal processing includes: first amplification processing of amplifying the audio signal by a first gain, and in the first clipping processing, an audio signal obtained by the first amplification processing is clipped as the audio signal. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aoki discloses a device wherein the first signal processing includes: first amplification processing of amplifying the audio signal by a first gain, and in the first clipping processing, an audio signal obtained by the first amplification processing is clipped as the audio signal (Aoki; Para [0039]-[0040][0044]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]).
Regarding claim 3, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 2, but do not expressly disclose wherein the first signal processor further performs first attenuation processing of attenuating, by a second gain, the audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first attenuation processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aoki discloses a device wherein the first signal processor further performs first attenuation processing of attenuating, by a second gain, the audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first attenuation processing (Aoki; Para [0039]-[0040]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]).
Regarding claim 13, Hasegawa et al disclose an audio signal processing method comprising: obtaining an audio signal (Hasegawa et al; Fig 5; microphone interpreted as obtainer); generating, based on the audio signal, a first high-frequency signal including a high-frequency component in a frequency band higher than a first frequency higher than a human hearing range (Hasegawa et al; Para [0015][0019]; extended band over frequency over 20kHz interpreted as frequency higher than human hearing range); and adding the first high-frequency signal to the audio signal to generate an expanded audio signal having an expanded high-frequency range (Hasegawa et al; Para [0019]; adder adds the first high-frequency signal to the audio signal to generate an expanded audio signal having an expanded high-frequency range), but do not expressly disclose wherein the generating of the first high-frequency signal includes: (i) first signal processing including first clipping processing of clipping the audio signal at a first amplitude; and (ii) first high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing through the frequency band higher than the first frequency. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aoki discloses a method wherein the generating of the first high-frequency signal includes: (i) first signal processing including first clipping processing of clipping the audio signal at a first amplitude (Aoki; Para [0037]-[0039]); and (ii) first high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing through the frequency band higher than the first frequency (Aoki; Para [0037]-[0039]; Fig 2; HPF filter 130). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]).
Regarding claim 14, Hasegawa et al disclose a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for use in a computer, the recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for causing the computer to execute the audio signal processing (Hasegawa et al, Para [0019]) but do not expressly disclose method according to claim 13. However, in the same field of endeavor, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki discloses a method according to claim 1. It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Hasegawa in view of Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]).
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasegawa et al (JP 2019-003164 A1) in view of Aoki (US 2010/0246853 A1) and further in view of Shimura et al (US 2012/0140952 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 2, but do not expressly disclose wherein the first signal processor further performs first equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency band of an audio signal obtained by the first high-pass filter processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first equalizing processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Shimura et al disclose a device wherein the first signal processor further performs first equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency band of an audio signal obtained by the first high-pass filter processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first equalizing processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the equalizer taught by Shimura as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide crisp sound effect (Shimura; Para [0023]).
Regarding claim 5, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 2, but do not expressly disclose wherein the first signal processor further performs: first attenuation processing of attenuating, by a second gain, the audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing; and first equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency band of an audio signal obtained by the first attenuation processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first equalizing processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aoki discloses a device wherein the first signal processor further performs: first attenuation processing of attenuating, by a second gain, the audio signal obtained by the first clipping processing (Aoki; Para [0039]-[0040][0044]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the high frequency generator taught by Aoki as high frequency signal generator in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to prevent the sound quality can be prevented from being lowered (Aoki; Para [0006]). Moreover, in the same field of endeavor, Shimura et al disclose a device wherein first equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency band of an audio signal obtained by the first attenuation processing, and the first high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the first equalizing processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the equalizer taught by Shimura as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide crisp sound effect (Shimura; Para [0023]).
Claim(s) 6-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasegawa et al (JP 2019-003164 A1) in view of Aoki (US 2010/0246853 A1) and further in view of Aarts (US 6,111,960).
Regarding claim 6, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 1, but do not expressly disclose further comprising: a second signal processor that generates, based on the audio signal, a second high-frequency signal different from the first high- frequency signal, wherein the second signal processor generates the second high- frequency signal by performing: (i) second signal processing including offset processing of offsetting the audio signal by a predetermined sound pressure; (ii) second clipping processing of clipping, at a second amplitude, an audio signal obtained by the second signal processing; and (iii) second high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing through a frequency band higher than a second frequency higher than the human hearing range, and the adder generates the expanded audio signal by adding the first high-frequency signal and the second high-frequency signal to the audio signal. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aarts discloses a device further comprising: a second signal processor that generates, based on the audio signal, a second high-frequency signal different from the first high-frequency signal, wherein the second signal processor generates the second high-frequency signal by performing (Aarts; Fig 9; processor 20N-23N-24N): (i) second signal processing including offset processing of offsetting the audio signal by a predetermined sound pressure (Aarts; Fig 6; offset 20N); (ii) second clipping processing of clipping, at a second amplitude, an audio signal obtained by the second signal processing (Aarts; Fig 9; processing 23N; col 9; lines 20-50); and (iii) second high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing through a frequency band higher than a second frequency higher than the human hearing range (Aarts; Fig 9; filter 24N), and the adder generates the expanded audio signal by adding the first high-frequency signal and the second high-frequency signal to the audio signal (Aarts; Fig 9; adder 26). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the harmonic generator taught by Aarts as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide a more economic circuit (Aarts; col 2; lines 20-25).
Regarding claim 7, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki and further in view of Aarts disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 6, but do not expressly disclose wherein the second signal processing includes: the offset processing; and second amplification processing of amplifying, by a third gain, an audio signal obtained by the offset processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aarts discloses a device wherein the second signal processing includes: the offset processing (Aarts; col 9; lines 5-25); and second amplification processing of amplifying, by a third gain, an audio signal obtained by the offset processing (Aarts; col 9; lines 5-25). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the harmonic generator taught by Aarts as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide a more economic circuit (Aarts; col 2; lines 20-25).
Regarding claim 8, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki and further in view of Aarts disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 7, but do not expressly disclose wherein the second signal processor further performs second attenuation processing of attenuating, by a fourth gain, the audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing, and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second attenuation processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Aarts discloses a device wherein the second signal processor further performs second attenuation processing of attenuating, by a fourth gain (Aarts; col 9; lines 5-25); the audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing, and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second attenuation processing (Aarts; col 9; lines 5-25). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the harmonic generator taught by Aarts as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide a more economic circuit (Aarts; col 2; lines 20-25).
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasegawa et al (JP 2019-003164 A1) in view of Aoki (US 2010/0246853 A1) and further in view of Aarts (US 6,111,960) and further in view of Shimura et al (US 2012/0140952 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki and further in view of Aarts disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 7, but do not expressly disclose wherein the second signal processor further performs second equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency range of an audio signal obtained by the second high-pass filter processing, and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second equalizing processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Shimura et al disclose a device wherein the second signal processor further performs second equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency range of an audio signal obtained by the second high-pass filter processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]-[0023][0064]), and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second equalizing processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]-[0023];[0064]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the equalizer taught by Shimura as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide crisp sound effect (Shimura; Para [0023]).
Regarding claim 10, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki and further in view of Aarts disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 7, but do not expressly disclose wherein the second signal processor further performs: second attenuation processing of attenuating, by a fourth gain, the audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing; and second equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency range of an audio signal obtained by the second attenuation processing, and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second equalizing processing. However, in the same field of endeavor, Shimura et al disclose a device wherein the second signal processor further performs: second attenuation processing of attenuating, by a fourth gain, the audio signal obtained by the second clipping processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]-[0023][0064]), and second equalizing processing of amplifying or attenuating a certain frequency range of an audio signal obtained by the second attenuation processing, and the second high-frequency signal is an audio signal obtained by the second equalizing processing (Shimura et al; Para [0022]-[0023][0064]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the equalizer taught by Shimura as harmonic data controller in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to provide crisp sound effect (Shimura; Para [0023]).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hasegawa et al (JP 2019-003164 A1) in view of Aoki (US 2010/0246853 A1) and further in view of Mathew et al (US 2006/0159283 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 2, but do not expressly disclose further comprising: a third signal processor that generates, based on the audio signal, a third high-frequency signal different from the first high-frequency signal, wherein the third signal processor generates the third high-frequency signal by performing: (i) third amplification processing of amplifying the audio signal by a fifth gain; (ii) third clipping processing of clipping, at a third amplitude, an audio signal obtained by the third amplification processing; and (iii) third high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the third clipping processing through a frequency band higher than a third frequency higher than the human hearing range, and the adder generates the expanded audio signal by adding the first high-frequency signal and the third high-frequency signal to the audio signal. However, in the same field of endeavor, Mathew et al disclose a device further comprising: a third signal processor that generates, based on the audio signal, a third high-frequency signal different from the first high-frequency signal (Mathew et al; Para [0057]-[0059]; modulator outputting signal to filter 730-3), wherein the third signal processor generates the third high-frequency signal by performing: (i) third amplification processing of amplifying the audio signal by a fifth gain (Mathew et al; Para [0057]-[0059]; amplifier 740-4); (ii) third clipping processing of clipping, at a third amplitude, an audio signal obtained by the third amplification processing (Mathew et al; Fig 7; Para [0008][0057]-[0059]; clipping 720); and (iii) third high-pass filter processing of passing an audio signal obtained by the third clipping processing through a frequency band higher than a third frequency higher than the human hearing range (Mathew et al; Para [0057]-[0059]; Fig 7; filter 730-3), and the adder generates the expanded audio signal by adding the first high-frequency signal and the third high-frequency signal to the audio signal (Mathew et al; Para [0057]-[0059]; Fig 7; adder combining expanded audio signals). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the processing taught by Mathew as harmonic data processing in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to achieve independence from signal level (Mathew et al; Para [0011]).
Regarding claim 12, Hasegawa et al in view of Aoki and further in view of Mathew disclose the audio signal processing device according to claim 11, but do not expressly disclose wherein values are different from each other in at least one set among (i) a set of a value of the first gain and a value of the fifth gain, (ii) a set of a value of the first amplitude and a value of the third amplitude, and (iii) a set of a value of the first frequency and a value of the third frequency. However, in the same field of endeavor, Mathew et al disclose a device wherein values are different from each other in at least one set among (i) a set of a value of the first gain and a value of the fifth gain, (ii) a set of a value of the first amplitude and a value of the third amplitude, and (iii) a set of a value of the first frequency and a value of the third frequency (Mathew et al; Fig 7; Para [0057]-[0059]; amplifier 740-2 to amplifier 740-4 filter 130-1 to filter 730-3). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective date of the application to use the processing taught by Mathew as harmonic data processing in the device taught by Hasegawa et al. The motivation to do so would have been to achieve independence from signal level (Mathew et al; Para [0011]).
Conclusion
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/KUASSI A GANMAVO/Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
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