NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE AND FEE(S) DUE
`
`UN ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark OOice
`Add-=, COMM ISSIOl\'ER FOR PATENT
`P.O. Box 1450
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`
`7590
`ASHOKTANKHA
`36 GREENLEJGH DRIVE
`SEWELL, NJ 08080
`
`08/13/2014
`
`ZHAO, XUEJUN
`
`ART UNIT
`
`PAPER. NUMBER
`
`2653
`
`DATE MAILE D: 08/13/2014
`
`AP PLICA'rlON NO.
`
`F ILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAM ED INVE:NTOR
`
`ATTORNEY l)O KET NO.
`
`' O
`
`IRMA'r lON NO.
`
`13/049.877
`
`03116/201 l
`
`Manli Z hu
`
`reativeTet"h_OI NP _US
`
`1547
`
`TITLE OF TNVENTION: Microphone Array System
`
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`
`ENTITY STATUS
`
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`l l/13/2014
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`IPR PETITION
`US RE48,371
`Sonos Ex. 1006
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`(Do,,,,.,. o ... , •• I
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`(Date)
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`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAM ED INVENTOR
`
`AT T'ORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`' ONFlRMATION NO.
`
`J 3/049,877
`
`03/1 6/201 J
`
`M anli Z hu
`
`CreativeTech_ 0l NP _U.
`
`1547
`
`T ITLE OF lN V T ION : Mi crophone Array System
`
`APPLN. TYPE
`
`ENTITY STA TU
`
`ISSUE FEE DUE
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`11/1 3/2014
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`EXAMINER
`
`ZHAO, X Uf.lllN
`
`ARTUNIT
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`CLASS- UBC.LASS
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`2653
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`Page 4
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`

`

`Notice of Allowability
`
`Application No.
`13/049,877
`Examiner
`EUGENE ZHAO
`
`Applicant(s)
`ZHU ET AL.
`Art Unit
`2653
`
`AIA (First Inventor to
`File) Status
`No
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address-(cid:173)
`All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
`herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
`NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
`of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1.313 and MPEP 1308.
`1. [gl This communication is responsive to Applicant's amendment dated 5/9/2014.
`DA declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on ___ .
`2. D An election was made by the applicant In response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on __ ; the restriction
`requirement and election have been incorporated into this action .
`3. [gl The allowed claim(s) is/are 1. 2 and 5-23 . As a result of the allowed claim(s), you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent
`Prosecution Highway program at a participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information,
`please see t;ltp ://w½w. uspto.gov:patentsi init events/pp h/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@)uspto.aov .
`4. D Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f) .
`Certified copies:
`a) 0 All
`*c) D None of the:
`b) 0 Some
`1. 0 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2. 0 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. __ .
`3. 0 Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this national stage application from the
`International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`• Certified copies not received: __ .
`
`Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE "MAILING DATE" of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
`noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
`THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.
`5. D CORRECTED DRAWINGS ( as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.
`0
`including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment/ Comment or in the Office action of
`Paper No./Mail Date __ .
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`each sheet. Replacement sheet{s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`6. 0 DEPOSIT OF and/or IN FORMAT ION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
`
`Attachment(s)
`1. [gl Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2. D Information Disclosure Statements (PTO/ SB/08),
`Paper No./Mail Date __
`3. D Examiner's Comment Regarding Requ irement for Deposit
`of Biological Material
`4. D Interview Summary (PTO-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date __ .
`
`/EUGENE ZHAO/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2653
`
`5. 0 Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`6. cg) Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`7. 0 Other __ .
`
`U. s. P atenl and Trademark Ott,ce
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20140730
`
`Page 5
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 13/049,877
`
`Art Unit: 2653
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1.
`
`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
`
`provisions.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`Reasons for Allowance
`
`Claims 1, 2 and 5-23 are allowed.
`
`The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
`
`The primary reference, Kim et al. (US 2009/0141907, hereinafter Kim) describes
`
`a method for canceling noise from a sound signal input through a microphone; Another
`
`close reference, Chol et al. (US 2004/0161121, hereinafter Chol), teaches an adaptive
`
`beamforming apparatus. However, neither Kim nor Chol teaches the method of
`
`improving sound quality by combining various units such as sound source localization
`
`unit, adaptive beamforming unit and noise reduction unit, where in the arbitrary
`
`configuration of the microphone array is determined by the delays, predefined angle,
`
`reference axis, azimuth angle, etc. So it is agreed that the prior art of record does not
`
`teach the amended independent claims.
`
`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later
`
`than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably
`
`accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled "Comments on
`
`Statement of Reasons for Allowance."
`
`Page 6
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 13/049,877
`
`Art Unit: 2653
`
`Page 3
`
`Conclusion
`
`4.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to EUGENE ZHAO whose telephone number is (571 )270-
`
`1649. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00AM-4:30PM.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Fan Tsang can be reached on (571 )272-7547. The fax phone number for
`
`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
`
`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/EUGENE ZHAO/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2653
`Work phone: (571) 270-1649
`
`/FAN TSANG/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2653
`
`Page 7
`
`

`

`TN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`In re. application of:
`Application No.: 13/049,877
`Filed: 03/16/2011
`Applicant: Manli Zhu
`Title: Microphone Array System
`
`Mail Stop Amendment
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Examiner: Zhao, Xuejun
`Art Unit: 2653
`Atty. Docket No.: CreativeTech_0lNP _US
`
`Response to Non Final Office Action
`
`Examiner Zhao:
`
`In response to the non-final office action dated January 13, 2014, please amend
`
`the above-referenced application as follows:
`
`Amendments to the Claims are listed on page 2 of this response.
`
`Remarks begin on page 11 of this response.
`
`Attachments:
`1. Transmittal Form, PTO/SB/21;
`2. Petition for 1 month time extension, Form PTO/SB/22;
`3. Payment of the following fee:
`-$210 for 1 new independent claim in excess of 3;
`-$40 for l new claim in excess of 20;
`-$100 for 1 month time extension;
`The Director is hereby authodzed to charge any underpayment of fee or any other fee that
`may be required to deposit account# 503291.
`
`1
`
`Page 8
`
`

`

`Amendment to the Claims
`
`Claim 1 ( currently amended): A method for enhancing a target sound signal from a
`
`plurality of sound signals, comprising:
`
`providing a microphone airny system comprising an airny of sound sensors
`
`positioned in an arbitrai·y configuration, a sound source localization unit, an
`
`adaptive beamforming unit, and a noise reduction unit, wherein said sound source
`
`localization unit, said adaptive beamfonning unit, and said noise reduction unit
`
`are in operative communication with said a1Tay of said sound sensors;
`
`receiving said sound signals from a plurality of disparate sound sources by said
`
`sound sensors, wherein said received sound signals comprise said target sound
`
`signal from a tai·get sound source among said disparate sound sources, and
`
`ambient noise signals;
`
`determining a delay between each of said sound sensors and an 01igin of said
`
`array of said sound sensors as a function of distance between each of said sound
`
`sensors and said origin, a predefined angle between each of said sound sensors
`
`and a reference axis, and an azimuth angle between said reference axis and said
`
`target sound signal, when said target sound source that emits said target sound
`
`signal is in a two dimensional plane, wherein said delay is represented in tetms of
`
`number of samples. and wherein said dete1mination of said delay enables
`
`beamf01ming for arbitrai·y numbers of said sound sensors and a plurality of
`
`arbitrary configurations of said array of said sound sensors;
`
`estimating a spatial location of said target sound signal from said received sound
`
`signals by said sound source localization unit;
`
`petforming adaptive beamfo1ming for steeling a directivity pattern of said airny
`
`of said sound sensoTS in a direction of said spatial location of said target sound
`
`2
`
`Page 9
`
`

`

`signal by said adaptive beamforming unit, wherein said adaptive beamforming
`
`unit enhances said target sound signal and prutially suppresses said ambient noise
`
`signals; and
`
`suppressing said ambient noise signals by said noise reduction unit for fmther
`
`enhancing said tru·get sound signal.
`
`Claim 2 (previously presented): The method of claim 1, wherein said spatial location of
`
`said tru·get sound signal from said tru·get sound source is estimated using a steered
`
`response power-phase transform by said sound source localization unit.
`
`Claims 3-4 ( canceled).
`
`Claim 5 (previously presented): The method of claim 1, wherein said adaptive
`
`beamf orming comp1ises:
`
`providing a fixed beamformer, a blocking matrix, and an adaptive filter in said
`
`adaptive beamforming unit;
`
`steering said directivity pattern of said array of said sound sensors in said
`
`direction of said spatial location of said tru·get sound signal from said tru·get sound
`
`source by said fixed beamfo1mer for enhancing said target sound signal, when
`
`said target sound source is in motion;
`
`feeding said ambient noise signals to said adaptive filter by blocking said target
`
`sound signal received from said target sound source using said blocking matrix;
`
`and
`
`adaptively filtering said ambient noise signals by said adaptive filter in response
`
`to detecting one of presence and absence of said target sound signal in said sound
`
`signals received from said disparate sound sources.
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`Claim 6 (previously presented): The method of claim 5, wherein said fixed bearnformer
`
`pe1forms fixed beamforming by filtering and summing output sound signals from said
`
`sound sensors.
`
`Claim 7 (previously presented): The method of claim 5, wherein said adaptive filte1ing
`
`comprises sub-band adaptive filtering pe1fo1med by said adaptive filter, wherein said sub(cid:173)
`
`band adaptive filtering comprises:
`
`providing an analysis filter bank, an adaptive filter matrix, and a synthesis filter
`
`bank in said adaptive filter;
`
`splitting said enhanced target sound signal from said fixed beamf 01mer and said
`
`ambient noise signals from said blocking matrix into a plurality of frequency sub(cid:173)
`
`bands by said analysis filter bank;
`
`adaptively filtering said ambi.ent noise signals in each of said frequency sub-bands
`
`by said adaptive filter matrix in response to detecting one of presence and absence
`
`of said target sound signal in said sound signals received from said disparate
`
`sound sources; and
`
`synthesizing a full-band sound signal using said frequency sub-bands of said
`
`enhanced target sound signal by said synthesis filter bank.
`
`Claim 8 (previously presented): The method of claim 5, wherein said adaptive
`
`bearnforming fu1ther comprises detecting said presence of said target sound signal by an
`
`adaptation control unit provided in said adaptive beamforming unit and adjusting a step
`
`size for said adaptive filtering in response to detecting one of said presence and said
`
`absence of said target sound signal in said sound signals received from said disparate
`
`sound sources.
`
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`Claim 9 (previously presented): The method of claim 1, wherein said noise reduction unit
`
`petforms noise reduction by using one of a Wiener-filter based noi se reduction algorithm,
`
`a spectral subtraction noise reduction algorithm, an auditory transform based noise
`
`reduction algorithm, and a model based noise reduction algo1ithm.
`
`Claim 10 (previously presented): The method of claim 1, wherein said noise reduction
`
`unit pe1fo1ms noise reduction in a plurality of frequency sub-bands, wherein said
`
`frequency sub-bands are employed by an analysis filter bank of said adaptive
`
`beamformlng unit for sub-band adaptive beamforming.
`
`Claim 11 (currently amended): A system for enhancing a target sound signal from a
`
`plurality of sound signals, comprising:
`
`an runy of sound sensors positioned in an ru·bitrru·y configuration, wherein said
`
`sound sensors receive said sound signals from a plurality of disparate sound
`
`sources, wherein said received sound signals comprise said tru·get sound signal
`
`from a tru·get sound source among said disparate sound sources, and ambient
`
`noise signals;
`
`a sound source localization unit that estimates a spatial location of said target
`
`sound signal from said received sound signals, by determining a delay between
`
`each of said sound sensors and an origin of said array of said sound sensors as a
`
`function of distance between each of said sound sensors and said origin, a
`
`predefined angle between each of said sound sensors and a reference axis, and an
`
`azimuth angle between said reference axis and said target sound signal, when said
`
`target sound source that emits said target sound signal is in a two dimensional
`
`plane. wherein said delay is represented in terms of number of samples, and
`
`wherein said dete1mination of said delay enables beamforming for arbitrary
`
`numbers of said sound sensors and a plurality of ru·bitrary configurations of said
`
`array of said sound sensors;
`
`5
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`an adaptive beamforming unit that steers directivity pattern of sajd a1rny of said
`
`sound sensors in a direction of said spatial location of said target sound signal,
`
`wherein said adaptive beamforming unit enhances said target sound signal and
`
`prutially suppresses said ambient noise signals; and
`
`a noise reduction unit that suppresses said ambient noise signals for further
`
`enhancing said target sound signal.
`
`Claim 12 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, wherein said sound source
`
`localization unit estimates said spatial location of said target sound signal from said tru·get
`
`sound source using a steered response power-phase transform.
`
`Claim 13 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, wherein said adaptive
`
`beamforming unit comprises:
`
`a fixed beamfo1mer that steers said directivity pattern of said array of said sound
`
`sensors in said direction of said spatial location of said target sound signal from
`
`said target sound source for enhancing said target sound signal, when said target
`
`sound sow·ce is in motion;
`
`a blocking matdx that feeds said ambient noise signals to an adaptive filter by
`
`blocking said target sound signal received from said target sound source; and
`
`said adaptive filter that adaptively filters said ambient noise signals in response to
`
`detecting one of presence and absence of said target sound signal in said sound
`
`signals received from said disparate sound sources.
`
`Claim 14 (previously presented): The system of claim 13, wherein said fixed beamformer
`
`pelfo1ms fixed beamforming by filte1ing and summing output sound signals from said
`
`sound sensors.
`
`6
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`Claim 15 (previously presented): The system of clajm 13, wherein said adaptive filter
`
`comprises a set of sub-band adaptive filters comprising:
`
`an analysis filter bank that splits said enhanced target sound signal from said fixed
`
`beamfo1mer and said ambient noise signals from said blocking matli.x into a
`
`plurality of frequency sub-bands;
`
`an adaptive filter matrix that adaptively filters said ambient noise signals in each
`
`of said frequency sub-bands in response to detecting one of presence and absence
`
`of said target sou nd signal in said sound signals received from said disparate
`
`sound sources; and
`
`a synthesis filter bank that synthesizes a full-band sound signal using said
`
`frequency sub-bands of said enhanced target sound signal.
`
`Claim 16 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, wherein said adaptive
`
`beamforming unit fmther comp1ises an adaptation control unit that detects said presence
`
`of said target sound signal and adjusts a step size for said adaptive filtering in response to
`
`detecting one of said presence and said absence of said target sound signal in said sound
`
`signals received from said disparate sound sources.
`
`Claim 17 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, wherein said noise reduction
`
`unit is one of a Wiener-filter based noise reduction unit, a spectral subtraction noise
`
`reduction unit, an auditory transfo1m based noise reduction unit, and a model based noise
`
`reduction unit.
`
`Claim 18 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, further comprising one or more
`
`audio codecs that convert said sound signals in an analog form of said sound signals into
`
`digital sound signals and reconverts said digital sound signals into said analog form of
`
`said sound signals.
`
`7
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`Claim 19 (previously presented): The system of clajm 11, wherein said noise reduction
`
`unit pe1forms noise reduction in a plurality of frequency sub-bands employed by an
`
`analysis filter bank of said adaptive beamformjng unit for sub-band adaptive
`
`beamformjng.
`
`Claim 20 (previously presented): The system of claim 11, wherein said atTay of said
`
`sound sensors is one of a linear an-ay of said sound sensors, a circular array of said sound
`
`sensors, and an arbitrarily distributed coplru1ar an-ay of said sound sensors.
`
`Claim 21 (new): The method of claim 1, wherei