DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to communications filed 3/28/2025:
Claims 1-20 are pending
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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) 1-2, 6, 8-12, 16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Actualtools (NPL: “Automatic Audio Playback Redirection”).
Regarding claim 1, Actualtools teaches a method (Fig.2, procedure/process of setting up the software), the method comprising:
receiving, at a sound mapping system, an indication to output a sound at one of a plurality of audio output devices (pg. 2, software setup to allow for audio output at the monitor associated with the audio output application);
determining, utilizing the sound mapping system, at least one audio output device of the plurality of audio output devices to output the sound, wherein the determining comprises identifying a component corresponding to the sound and associating the component with the at least one audio output device (Fig. 2, pg. 2, configuring the software to allow audio to be mapped to an application and to output the audio at the monitor displaying the application; “component” here is the relationship that exists between the application and its audio output); and
outputting, utilizing the sound mapping system, the sound from the at least one audio output device (Fig. 3, sound output is automatically directed/redirected to the audio device/monitor that is displaying the content).
Regarding claim 2, Actualtools teaches wherein the determining comprises identifying the sound is associated with an application present on a display having a corresponding audio output device (Fig. 2, pg. 2, the application and its associated sound is output at a corresponding monitor/display).
Regarding claim 6, Actualtools teaches wherein the determining comprises accessing meta data associated with the sound and identifying, based upon the meta data, the component (Fig. 2, pg. 2, metadata is the relationship between the audio associated with the application and the software allows for audio to be output at the display/monitor that is displaying the application).
Regarding claim 8, Actualtools teaches wherein the determining comprises identifying preferences of a user with respect to sound outputs and identifying the component based upon the preferences (Fig. 2, user can specify the monitor and audio device to be used).
Regarding claim 9, Actualtools teaches wherein the outputting comprises routing the sound to the at least one audio output device (Fig. 2, audio is routed to the selected output device).
Regarding claim 10, Actualtools teaches wherein the determining comprises utilizing the sound mapping system to identify a relationship between the at least one audio output device and the component (Fig. 2, pg. 2, the relationship is defined between the application to be shown on the display and its associated audio output).
Regarding claims 11-12, they are rejected similarly as claims 1-2, respectively. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Regarding claim 16, it is rejected similarly as claim 6. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Regarding claims 18-19, they are rejected similarly as claims 8-9, respectively. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Regarding claim 20, it is rejected similarly as claim 1. The product can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC comprising a storage device).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 3-4 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Actualtools (NPL: “Automatic Audio Playback Redirection”) in view of Dell (NPL: “Inspiron 27 7720 All-in-One Owner's Manual).
Regarding claim 3, Actualtools fails to explicitly teach wherein each of more than one of the plurality of audio output devices corresponds to one of a plurality of monitors.
Dell teaches wherein each of more than one of the plurality of audio output devices corresponds to one of a plurality of monitors (pg. 8, each monitor/display is an “all in one PC” which means each monitor/display has its own separate speaker system).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio routing technique (as taught by Actualtools) with the all-in-one computer (as taught by Dell). The rationale to do so is to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of using an all-inclusive style computer with the audio routing software so that a user does not need to purchase additional speakers to associate with a multi-monitor set up.
Regarding claim 4, Actualtools in view of Dell teaches wherein the component comprises one of the plurality of monitors, and wherein the determining comprises identifying that the monitor is displaying an application corresponding to the sound (Actualtools, Fig. 2, pg. 2, software allows for associating a monitor with an application so that audio is output at the monitor displaying the application).
Regarding claims 13-14, they are rejected similarly as claims 3-4, respectively. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Claim(s) 5 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Actualtools (NPL: “Automatic Audio Playback Redirection”) in view of Tomlin et al (US20200288263, hereinafter “Tomlin”).
Regarding claim 5, Actualtools fails to explicitly teach wherein the determining comprises detecting a location of a gaze of the user upon receipt of the indication and correlating the location of the gaze to the component.
Tomlin teaches wherein the determining comprises detecting a location of a gaze of the user upon receipt of the indication and correlating the location of the gaze to the component (¶54, determining a user’s gaze to produce a more spatialized audio mix).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio routing technique (as taught by Actualtools) with gaze tracking technique (as taught by Tomlin). The rationale to do so is to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of producing a more spatialized audio output for the user based on their attention (gaze) thus improving user experience (Tomlin, ¶28, 54).
Regarding claim 15, it is rejected similarly as claim 5. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Actualtools (NPL: “Automatic Audio Playback Redirection”) in view of Morten (US2024111041).
Regarding claim 7, Actualtools fails to explicitly teach wherein the determining comprises identifying a location of each of the plurality of audio output devices with respect to a location of a user receiving the sound output.
Morten teaches wherein the determining comprises identifying a location of each of the plurality of audio output devices with respect to a location of a user receiving the sound output (¶26, identifying a user and calculating their position with respect to the audio output device location in order to determine one or more parameters to modify to improve audio output).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the audio routing software (as taught by Actualtools) with the user position detection method (as taught by Morten). The rationale to do so is to apply a known technique to a known method to yield the predictable result of improving the listening experience of the users (Morten, ¶26).
Regarding claim 17, it is rejected similarly as claim 7. The device can be found in Actualtools (pg. 1, PC).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892, Notice of References Cited for a listing of analogous art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QIN ZHU whose telephone number is (571)270-1304. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6AM-4PM EST.
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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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/QIN ZHU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
