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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Morrell et al. (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2014/0355794 A1).
In regards to claims 1, 14, and 20, Morrell discloses a filter setting method, a filter setting device, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (See [0004]) comprising: measuring an impulse response of a room in which a speaker is placed (See [0044] – [0045]); extracting a late reverberation component of the measured impulse response (See [0059]); detecting a difference between a frequency-amplitude characteristic of the extracted late reverberation component and a predetermined target characteristic (See [0059]); generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including amplification or attenuation according to the difference (See [0140] – [0141]); and setting the filter coefficient in a filter configured to process an audio signal fed to the speaker (See [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claims 2 and 15, Morrell discloses the filter setting method and filter setting device, wherein measuring the impulse response comprises: emitting a sound from the speaker according to the audio signal; generating a signal representing the emitted sound by picking up the emitted sound with a microphone; and calculating the impulse response based on the audio signal and the signal representing the emitted sound (See [0029] and [0037]).
In regards to claims 3 and 16, Morrell discloses the filter setting method and filter setting device, comprising: smoothing the frequency-amplitude characteristic to have a constant resolution when viewed on a logarithmic frequency axis (See [0133] – [0134] and [0149]).
In regards to claims 4 and 17, Morrell discloses the filter setting method and filter setting device, comprising: extracting the late reverberation component from the impulse response by cutting out a component after a predetermined time point of the impulse response (See [0059]).
In regards to claims 5 and 18, Morrell discloses the filter setting method and filter setting device, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic (See [0084] – [0085] and [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claims 6 and 19, Morrell discloses the filter setting method and filter setting device, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic within a human hearing range (See [0084] – [0085] and [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claim 7, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic within a candidate range of low order standing waves according to dimensions of the room (See [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claim 8, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, comprising: smoothing the frequency-amplitude characteristic to have a constant resolution when viewed on a logarithmic frequency axis (See [0133] – [0134] and [0149]).
In regards to claim 9, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, comprising: extracting the late reverberation component from the impulse response by cutting out a component after a predetermined time point of the impulse response (See [0059]).
In regards to claim 10, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, comprising: extracting the late reverberation component of the impulse response by multiplying the impulse response by a window function that includes, in an early portion thereof, a first interval where a value is zero at the predetermined time point and gradually increases with time (See [0059]).
In regards to claim 11, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic (See [0084] – [0085] and [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claim 12, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic within a human hearing range (See[0084] – [0085] and [0144] – [0145]).
In regards to claim 13, Morrell discloses the filter setting method, wherein generating the filter coefficient to be set includes generating a filter coefficient that achieves a frequency response including attenuation according to the difference in frequency bands where the frequency amplitude characteristic exceeds the target characteristic within a candidate range of low order standing waves according to dimensions of the room (See [0144] – [0145]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THJUAN KNOWLIN ADDY whose telephone number is (571)272-7486. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM - 5:00PM Mon-Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at (571) 272-7488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THJUAN K ADDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
