DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the response to this office action, the Examiner respectfully requests that support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line numbers in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the Examiner in prosecuting this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement filed on 09/30/2025 has been considered and placed in the application file.
Specification
3. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In Specification page 2, paragraph [0016], there is a typographical error “Figure 3A”, which should be - - Figure 2A - -.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
4. The drawings are objected to because:
Specification page 2, par [0009] states “Figure 1E shows a block diagram of a network microphone device.”; however, drawing Fig. 1E shows “BONDED PLAYBACK DEVICE 110p”, “PLAYBACK DEVICE 110a”, “PLAYBACK DEVICE 110i”.
Specification page 29, par [0108] states “Electronics 312 (Figure 3C) includes components configured to drive the transducers 314a and 314b”; however, label “314b” could not be found (there are two labels “314a” instead).
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. 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 of this title, 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.
7. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
8. Claims 28-31, 35-36, and 42-45 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200213145 (hereinafter, “Smith”) in view of Triplett et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160357503 (hereinafter, “Triplett”).
Regarding claim 28, Smith teaches a media playback system (FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example configuration of a media playback system 100 (or “MPS 100”) in which one or more embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented, par [0056], see Smith; In embodiments described below, one or more of the various playback devices 102 may be configured as portable playback devices, while others may be configured as stationary playback devices, par [0057], see Figs. 1A, 1B, and respective portions of the specification, see Smith) comprising:
a portable playback device comprising an energy storage (The playback device 102c in the Patio may be named portable because it is battery-powered and/or readily transportable to different areas of the environment 101, Fig. 1B, par [0063], see Smith),one or more first audio transducers (Each of the speakers 218 may include an individual transducer (e.g., a “driver”) or the speakers 218 may include a complete speaker system involving an enclosure with one or more drivers, Fig. 2A, par [0076], see Smith), and one or more first processors (As shown, the playback device 102 includes at least one processor 212, Fig. 2A, par [0071], see Smith);
a stationary plug-in playback device (while the playback device 102d on the bookcase may be a stationary device, Fig. 1B, par [0057], see Smith) comprising one or more audio second transducers (Each of the speakers 218 may include an individual transducer (e.g., a “driver”) or the speakers 218 may include a complete speaker system involving an enclosure with one or more drivers, Fig. 2A, par [0076], see Smith) and one or more second processors (As shown, the playback device 102 includes at least one processor 212, Fig. 2A, par [0071], see Smith);
one or more computer-readable media (Specification page 52, par [0176] discloses “The computer readable medium may include nontransitory computer readable media”) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more first processors and/or the one or more second processors of the media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations (As shown, the playback device 102 includes at least one processor 212, which may be a clock-driven computing component configured to process input data according to instructions stored in memory 213. The memory 213 may be a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium configured to store instructions that are executable by the processor 212, Fig. 2A, par [0071], see Smith) comprising:
receiving audio content from an audio source (As just mentioned, certain functions may involve the playback device 102 synchronizing playback of audio content with one or more other playback devices, Fig. 2A, par [0073], see Smith);
while in a first mode, playing back the audio content via at least the portable playback device (As another example, the playback device 102c on the Patio may be a battery-powered device, which may allow it to be transported to various areas within the environment 101, and outside of the environment 101, when it is not plugged in to a wall outlet or the like, par [0057], see Figs. 1A, 1B, see Smith).
Smith further teaches Bonded playback devices may have different playback responsibilities (e.g., channel responsibilities). In another implementation described below, multiple playback devices may be merged to form a single zone. For example, the playback device 102d named “Bookcase” may be merged with the playback device 102m named “Living Room” to form a single Zone C. The merged playback devices 102d and 102m may not be specifically assigned different playback responsibilities. That is, the merged playback devices 102d and 102m may, aside from playing audio content in synchrony, each play audio content as they would if they were not merged (Figs. 3A-3E, par [0089], see Smith).
However, Smith does not explicitly disclose while in a second mode, playing back only a first portion of the audio content via the portable playback device and playing back a second portion of the audio content via the stationary plug-in playback device, wherein the second portion of the audio content includes more audio content below about a predetermined frequency threshold than the first portion of the audio content; and transitioning between the first mode and the second mode based on one or more of: a proximity parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device, a power parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device, or a grouping parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device.
Triplett teaches dynamic bonding of playback devices (see Title) in which for example, when the shared playback device 510 is a subwoofer, the first, second, third and fourth audio playback configurations of the respective playback devices 504-508 are adjusted such that the shared playback device 510 presents low frequency components of the audio spectrum and the other playback devices 505, 506, 508 present the remaining frequency components without having to produce the low frequency components handled by the shared playback device 510 (Fig. 5, par [0068], see Triplett). If the playback device 200 is a playback device designed to render low frequency range audio content (i.e. a subwoofer), the playback device 200 may be consolidated with a playback device designed to render full frequency range audio content. In such a case, the full frequency range playback device, when consolidated with the low frequency playback device 200, may be configured to render only the mid and high frequency components of audio content, while the low frequency range playback device 200 renders the low frequency component of the audio content (Fig. 2, par [0037], see Triplett). The playback devices 502-524 may be configured to automatically form the first and second bonded zones 538, 540 based on, for example, proximity of the respective playback devices to each other and/or based on the type of the respective playback devices. For example, when two PLAY:1 devices detect each other within a threshold distance (e.g., using wireless signal strength), the PLAY:1 devices may automatically form a bonded zone (Fig. 5, par [0064], see Triplett). Put another way, a playback device is said to bonded when one or more playback parameters and/or values of the playback device are set according to the playback device being joined with one or more other playback devices, rather than presenting media in a standalone manner (e.g., presenting all components of audio content) (par [0038], see Triplett). Examples disclosed herein adjust the audio configuration (e.g., playback settings) of the playback devices in response to the change in membership caused by the joining or unjoining of the shared playback device 510 in the first and/or second bonded zones 538, 540 (Fig. 5, par [0068], see Triplett).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the dynamic bonding of playback devices taught by Triplett with the media playback system of Smith such that to obtain while in a second mode, playing back only a first portion of the audio content via the portable playback device and playing back a second portion of the audio content via the stationary plug-in playback device, wherein the second portion of the audio content includes more audio content below about a predetermined frequency threshold than the first portion of the audio content; and transitioning between the first mode and the second mode based on one or more of: a proximity parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device, a power parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device, or a grouping parameter of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device in order to further enhance the listening experience, as suggested by Triplett in Abstract.
Regarding claim 29, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 28. Smith in view of Triplett, as modified, teaches wherein the grouping parameter comprises an indication that the portable playback device and the stationary plug-in playback device are grouped together for synchronous audio playback (The paired playback devices may further play audio content in synchrony with other playback devices (par [0036], see Triplett). In another example, the playback device 200 may be sonically consolidated with one or more other playback devices to form a single, consolidated playback device (par [0037], see Triplett)). Referring back to the media playback system 100 of FIG. 1, the environment may have one or more playback zones, each with one or more playback devices. Some playback zones are “bonded zones.” Two or more bonded playback devices are said to form a “bonded zone.” For example, paired playback devices form a “bonded zone.” Additionally, playback devices consolidated so as to be treated as a single playback device form a “bonded zone.” As used herein, a “bonded zone” is distinguished from a “non-bonded zone.” Specifically, a playback zone that is a “bonded zone” includes playback devices having playback configurations (e.g., audio playback settings) dependent on membership in the “bonded zone.” In some cases, the playback configurations of playback devices in a bonded zone work together to form an audio presentation, with each of the playback devices contributing a subset of a full spectrum of the content (Fig. 1, par [0039], see Triplett).
Regarding claim 30, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 29. Smith in view of Triplett, as modified, teaches wherein the operations further comprise: automatically grouping the portable playback device and the stationary plug-in playback device for synchronous playback based on the proximity parameter (the playback devices 502-524 may be configured to automatically form the first and second bonded zones 538, 540 based on, for example, proximity of the respective playback devices to each other and/or based on the type of the respective playback devices. For example, when two PLAY:1 devices detect each other within a threshold distance (e.g., using wireless signal strength), the PLAY:1 devices may automatically form a bonded zone, Fig. 5, par [0064], see Triplett).
Regarding claim 31, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 28. Smith in view of Triplett, as modified, teaches wherein the proximity parameter comprises an indication that the stationary plug-in playback device is within a predetermined distance of the portable playback device (for example, proximity of the respective playback devices to each other and/or based on the type of the respective playback devices. For example, when two PLAY:1 devices detect each other within a threshold distance (e.g., using wireless signal strength), the PLAY:1 devices may automatically form a bonded zone, Fig. 5, par [0064], see Triplett).
Regarding claim 35, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 28 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 36, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 29 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 37, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 30 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 38, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 31 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 42, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 28 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 43, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 29 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 44, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 30 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 45, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 31 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
9. Claims 32-33, 39-40, and 46-47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200213145 (hereinafter, “Smith”) in view of Triplett et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160357503 (hereinafter, “Triplett”), and further in view of Oishi et al. Patent Application Publication 20160044406 (hereinafter, “Oishi”).
Regarding claim 32, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 28. However, Smith in view of Triplett does not explicitly disclose wherein a volume of playback of the second portion of the audio content via the stationary plug-in playback device depends at least in part on the proximity parameter.
Oishi teaches playback device speaker configuration based on proximity detection (see Title) in which setting the playback configuration of the playback device may involve adjusting the component of the audio content based on the received proximity data. For example, when the playback device is playing the audio content at one volume level, the playback device may adjust the particular volume of the component of the audio content. The playback device may vary the amount that the volume is adjusted based on the received proximity data. For instance, if proximity data indicates that a particular barrier is relatively near to the playback device (or a speaker thereof), the playback device may adjust the volume by a greater amount than if the proximity data indicated that barrier is relatively further from the playback device (par [0102], see Oishi).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the playback device speaker configuration based on proximity detection taught by Oishi with the media playback system of Smith in view of Triplett such that to obtain wherein a volume of playback of the second portion of the audio content via the stationary plug-in playback device depends at least in part on the proximity parameter in order to further enhance the listening experience, as suggested by Oishi in Abstract.
Regarding claim 33, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 28. However, Smith in view of Triplett does not explicitly disclose wherein the power parameter comprises one or more of: a power level of the portable playback device energy storage; an output volume level of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device; an acoustic efficiency profile of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device; a battery health parameter; or a temperature associated with the portable playback device energy storage.
Oishi teaches playback device speaker configuration based on proximity detection (see Title) in which setting the playback configuration of the playback device may involve adjusting the component of the audio content based on the received proximity data. For example, when the playback device is playing the audio content at one volume level, the playback device may adjust the particular volume of the component of the audio content. The playback device may vary the amount that the volume is adjusted based on the received proximity data. For instance, if proximity data indicates that a particular barrier is relatively near to the playback device (or a speaker thereof), the playback device may adjust the volume by a greater amount than if the proximity data indicated that barrier is relatively further from the playback device (par [0102], see Oishi).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the playback device speaker configuration based on proximity detection taught by Oishi with the media playback system of Smith in view of Triplett such that to obtain wherein the power parameter comprises one or more of: a power level of the portable playback device energy storage; an output volume level of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device; an acoustic efficiency profile of the portable playback device and/or the stationary plug-in playback device; a battery health parameter; or a temperature associated with the portable playback device energy storage in order to further enhance the listening experience, as suggested by Oishi in Abstract.
Regarding claim 39, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 32 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 40, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 33 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 46, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 32 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 47, this claim merely specifies one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a media playback system, cause the media playback system to perform operations of claim 33 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
10. Claims 34, and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smith et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20200213145 (hereinafter, “Smith”) in view of Triplett et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160357503 (hereinafter, “Triplett”), and further in view of Holmgren et al. Patent 7792311 (hereinafter, “Holmgren”).
Regarding claim 34, Smith in view of Triplett teaches the media playback system of claim 28. Smith in view of Triplett , as modified, teaches wherein, in the second mode, the stationary plug-in playback device plays back only the second portion of the audio content, and wherein the second portion of the audio content includes only audio content below a (For instance, if the playback device 200 is a playback device designed to render low frequency range audio content (i.e. a subwoofer), the playback device 200 may be consolidated with a playback device designed to render full frequency range audio content. In such a case, the full frequency range playback device, when consolidated with the low frequency playback device 200, may be configured to render only the mid and high frequency components of audio content, while the low frequency range playback device 200 renders the low frequency component of the audio content (Fig. 2, par [0037], see Triplett); when the shared playback device 510 is a subwoofer, the first, second, third and fourth audio playback configurations of the respective playback devices 504-508 are adjusted such that the shared playback device 510 presents low frequency components of the audio spectrum and the other playback devices 505, 506, 508 present the remaining frequency components without having to produce the low frequency components handled by the shared playback device 510 (Fig. 5, par [0068], see Triplett)).
However, Smith in view of Triplett does not explicitly disclose below a frequency being below a threshold frequency.
Holmgren teaches method and apparatus for automatically enabling subwoofer channel audio based on detection of subwoofer device (see Title) in which based upon the determination of matching or mismatching of the input and output configuration, the digital signal processing module 210 may combine or split the input audio source to create a proper audio output for the output speaker configuration (Fig. 2, col. 5, lines 62-6, see Holmgren). At 316, the subwoofer channel effect is synthetically created by combining the removed low frequencies sound from 314. In one embodiment, the process at 314 and 316 may be performed by the digital signal processing module 210 of FIG. 2A. In another embodiment, the subwoofer channel effect is created using a filtering process that removes audio frequencies below a predetermined (i.e., threshold) value from the left and right effects, and combines the removed audio frequencies to create a subwoofer channel effect (Fig. 3, col. 7, lines 5-9, see Holmgren).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the method and apparatus for automatically enabling subwoofer channel audio based on detection of subwoofer device taught by Holmgren with the media playback system of Smith in view of Triplett such that to obtain below a frequency being below a threshold frequency in order the user is able to listen to a desired sound from a player coupled to another player providing or replaying the audio source, as suggested by Holmgren in column 9, lines 43-45.
Regarding claim 41, this claim merely reflects the method to the apparatus claim of Claim 34 and is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Inventor
Publication
Number
Disclosure
Bates
US Patent Application Publication
20160299669
The control device may then be moved to the Office zone, which causes the playback devices of the Office zone (i.e., playback device 118) to begin playback of the media items queued in the Living Room zone (and perhaps also causes the playback devices of the Bedroom zone to stop playback) Fig. 1, paragraph [0111]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CON P TRAN whose telephone number is (571) 272-7532. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (08:30 AM- 05:00 PM) ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, VIVIAN C. CHIN can be reached at 571-272-7848. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.P.T/Examiner, Art Unit 2695
/VIVIAN C CHIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2695
