DETAILED ACTION
The Art Unit location of your application in the PTO has changed. To aid in correlating any papers for this application, all further correspondence regarding this application should be directed to Group Art Unit 2691.
This communication is responsive to the claims filed 03/04/2025.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claims 1-4 and 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Kwon (KR-1010210000224).
Regarding claim 1, Kwon discloses an electronic device (Fig. 1), comprising: a projection part (150); a first speaker (181) to output sound toward a front surface of the electronic device that is a projection direction of the projection part; a second speaker (182) to output sound toward at least one of a back surface or a side surface of the electronic device; and at least one processor (110, 130) configured to control the electronic device by being connected with the projection part, the first speaker, and the second speaker, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control the first speaker to output a first sound of a first frequency band, and control the second speaker to output a second sound of a second frequency band which is lower than the first frequency band ([0075, 0098, 0100]) inherently. But Kwon may not specially teach that the first speaker including a speaker cover formed with a plurality of holes as claimed. Since providing suitable protective/filter means for a loudspeaker device is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable protective/filter means, such as a speaker cover formed with holes or a grille, for the speaker of the electronic device taught by Kwon., in order to provide desirable protection for the electronic device.
Regarding claims 2-3, Kwon may not specially teach that the plurality of holes of the speaker cover are parallel to the projection direction, and the plurality of holes have different diameters or areas based on a distance from an output point of the first sound as claimed. Since providing suitable configured protective/filter means or a grille, for a loudspeaker device is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable protective/filter means, such as a speaker cover formed with holes or an adjustable grille, for the speaker of the electronic device taught by Kwon., in order to provide desirable protection for the electronic device.
Regarding claim 4, Kwon may not specially teach a distance sensor as claimed. Since providing suitable a distance sensor, for a loudspeaker device is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable a distance sensor, for the electronic device taught by Kwon., in order to obtain feedback signal and provide noise reduction process for the electronic device.
Regarding claim 7, Kwon further discloses the electronic device, further comprising: a user interface (160), wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control, based on a user command for implementing an integrated screen through the electronic device and at least one other electronic device being received through the user interface, the projection part to project a portion of an area of an image, and control the first speaker to output sound of a channel corresponding to the portion of the area from among the first sound (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 8-10, Kwon may not specially teach a communication interface, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: control the communication interface to transmit a remaining area of the image, a remaining channel of the first sound, and the second sound to the at least one other electronic device as claimed. Since providing a suitable communication interface, for an electronic device is very well known in the art (Official Notice), it therefore would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to provide suitable communication interface, such as a wireless remote controller, for the electronic device taught by Kwon., in order to effectively and efficiently control the electronic device, especially wirelessly.
Regarding claim 11, Kwon further discloses the electronic device, wherein the projection part requires a focal distance of greater than or equal to a pre-set distance inherently.
Method claims 12-15 are similar to claims 1-4 and 7-11 except for being couched in method terminology; such methods would be inherent when the structure is shown in the references.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUHAN NI whose telephone number is (571)272-7505. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUHAN NI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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