DETAILED ACTION
The preliminary amendment filed on 02/18/2025 has been entered.
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by U.S Pub. No. 2020/0193958 A1 to SHIBUYA.
Regarding claim 1, SHIBUYA teaches an audible signal control method, comprising: a trait acquisition step of acquiring, by processing circuitry, a trait of a user (Fig.5 and paragraph [0096]; he sensor unit 100 measures sensing information of at least one of the user 3 and the environment (S101). Subsequently, the behavior recognition unit 110 recognizes behavior of the user 3 on the basis of the measured sensing information of at least one of the user 3 and the environment (S103)); and
an audible signal control step of controlling, by processing circuitry, an input audible signal based on the acquired trait (paragraphs [0096]- [0098]; the behavior recognition unit 110 recognizes behavior of the user 3 on the basis of the measured sensing information of at least one of the user 3 and the environment (S103). Next, the processing controller 120 controls a processing mode of signal processing on the basis of the behavior of the user 3 (S105)).
Regarding claim 2, SHIBUYA teaches the audible signal control method according to claim 1, wherein in the trait acquisition step, traits of the user are acquired on the basis of the results of a questionnaire conducted with the user in advance (paragraphs [0061] and [0116]; the information processing apparatus 1 recognizes behavior of a user on the basis of sensing information of at least one of the user 3 and an environment measured by various sensors, and controls, on the basis of the recognized behavior of the user 3, generation of at least one of an audio signal listened to by the user 3, a noise reduction signal, and an external sound monitor signal).
Regarding claim 3, SHIBUYA teaches the audible signal control method according to claim 1, wherein in the audible signal control step, control is performed such that (a) a suppression amount in noise cancelation if the trait indicates that the user is highly extrovert is greater than a suppression amount in noise cancelation if otherwise (Abstract, paragraphs [0061] and [0131]; recognize the behavior of the user 3 with higher accuracy by performing the recognition further on the basis of the environment surrounding the user 3 determined on the basis of the collected external sound).
Regarding claim 4, SHIBUYA teaches the audible signal control method according to claim 1, wherein in the audible signal control step, control is performed to generate a binaural beat in a case where the trait indicates that the user is highly conscientious (paragraphs [0044], [0045] and [0057]; the behavior recognition unit 110 can recognize whether the user 3 is walking, running, stopping, or the like on the basis of the walking frequency of the user 3. Further, the behavior recognition unit 110 may determine whether a half cycle of a waveform of acceleration in a vertical direction corresponds to one step or two steps on the basis of the shape of the waveform, and may detect a walking situation of the user 3 on the basis of the determination result. Accordingly, the behavior recognition unit 110 can recognize whether the user 3 is walking, running, stopping, or the like on the basis of the walking situation of the user 3).
Regarding claim 5, SHIBUYA teaches an audible signal control device, comprising processing circuitry configured to: acquire a trait of a user; and control an input audible signal based on the acquired trait (paragraphs [0044], [0045] and [0057]; the behavior recognition unit 110 can recognize whether the user 3 is walking, running, stopping, or the like on the basis of the walking frequency of the user 3. Further, the behavior recognition unit 110 may determine whether a half cycle of a waveform of acceleration in a vertical direction corresponds to one step or two steps on the basis of the shape of the waveform, and may detect a walking situation of the user 3 on the basis of the determination result. Accordingly, the behavior recognition unit 110 can recognize whether the user 3 is walking, running, stopping, or the like on the basis of the walking situation of the user 3).
Regarding claim 6, SHIBUYA teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a program for causing a computer to execute processing of each step of the audible signal control method according to claim 1 (Please see Fig. 1 rejections above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S Pub. No. 2011/0300806 A1 to Lindahl et al. discloses methods, and devices for user-specific noise suppression are provided. For example, when a voice-related feature of an electronic device is in use, the electronic device may receive an audio signal that includes a user voice. Since noise, such as ambient sounds, also may be received by the electronic device at this time, the electronic device may suppress such noise in the audio signal. In particular, the electronic device may suppress the noise in the audio signal while substantially preserving the user voice via user-specific noise suppression parameters (Abstract).
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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