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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., and
`SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC.,
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`Petitioners
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`v.
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`ZOPHONOS INC.,
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`Patent Owner
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`Case IPR2026-00083
`U.S. Patent No. 10,656,906
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`Petition for Inter Partes Review of
`U.S. Patent No. 10,656,906
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`IPR2026-00083
`U.S. Patent No. 10,656,906
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`PETITIONERS’ EXHIBIT LIST .............................................................................. v
`LISTING OF CHALLENGED CLAIMS ................................................................ vi
`I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1
`II. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(A)) ................................ 1
`III. STATEMENT OF PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED FOR EACH CLAIM
`CHALLENGED .............................................................................................. 1
`A. Claims for Which Review is Requested ................................................ 1
`B. Statutory Grounds of Challenge ............................................................ 1
`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE ’906 PATENT ............................................................ 3
`V. OVERVIEW OF THE PRIMARY PRIOR ART REFERENCES .................. 6
`A. DiCenso641 (EX1005) .......................................................................... 6
`B. Smith (EX1006) ..................................................................................... 8
`VI. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ............................................. 9
`VII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 10
`VIII. DETAILED EXPLANATION OF GROUNDS ............................................ 11
`A. Ground 1A: DiCenso641 and Smith Render Obvious
`Claims 1, 4-11, and 13-20 ................................................................... 11
`1. Claim 1 ...................................................................................... 11
`a. 1[pre] ............................................................................... 11
`b. 1[a] .................................................................................. 11
`c. 1[b] .................................................................................. 13
`d. 1[c] .................................................................................. 14
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`(i) 1[c][i] ...................................................................... 15
`(ii) 1[c][ii] ..................................................................... 15
`e. 1[d] .................................................................................. 17
`(i) 1[d][i] ...................................................................... 18
`(ii) 1[d][ii] ..................................................................... 20
`(iii) 1[d][iii] ................................................................... 21
`f. 1[e] .................................................................................. 24
`g. 1[f] .................................................................................. 25
`h. 1[g] .................................................................................. 28
`(i) 1[g][i] ...................................................................... 29
`(ii) 1[g][ii] ..................................................................... 31
`(iii) 1[g][iii] ................................................................... 33
`(iv) 1[g][iv] .................................................................... 38
`(v) 1[g][v] ..................................................................... 39
`2. Claim 4 ...................................................................................... 40
`3. Claim 5 ...................................................................................... 41
`4. Claim 6 ...................................................................................... 42
`5. Claim 7 ...................................................................................... 43
`6. Claim 8 ...................................................................................... 46
`7. Claim 9 ...................................................................................... 49
`8. Claim 10 .................................................................................... 51
`9. Claim 11 .................................................................................... 52
`a. 11[pre] ............................................................................. 52
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`b. 11[a] through 11[g][v] .................................................... 53
`10. Claims 13-17 and 19-20 ............................................................ 56
`11. Claim 18 .................................................................................... 56
`B. Ground 1B: DiCenso641, Smith, and Holland Render
`Obvious Claims 2 and 12 .................................................................... 58
`1. Claim 2 ...................................................................................... 58
`a. 2[a] .................................................................................. 58
`b. 2[b] .................................................................................. 59
`c. 2[c] .................................................................................. 62
`d. 2[d] .................................................................................. 63
`e. 2[e] .................................................................................. 63
`2. Claim 12 .................................................................................... 64
`C. Ground 1C: DiCenso641, Smith, and Warren Render
`Obvious Claim 3 .................................................................................. 66
`1. Claim 3 ...................................................................................... 66
`D. Ground 2A: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, and Smith Render
`Obvious Claims 1, 4-11, and 13-20 .................................................... 68
`E. Ground 2B: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, Smith, and
`Holland Render Obvious Claims 2 and 12 ......................................... 72
`F. Ground 2C: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, Smith, and Warren
`Render Obvious Claim 3 ..................................................................... 72
`IX. SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................... 72
`X. MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. § 42.8 ................................. 72
`A. Real Parties-in-Interest ........................................................................ 72
`B. Related Matters .................................................................................... 73
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`C. Lead and Backup Counsel ................................................................... 73
`D. Service Information ............................................................................. 74
`E. Power of Attorney ............................................................................... 74
`XI. FEES .............................................................................................................. 75
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`PETITIONERS’ EXHIBIT LIST
`Exhibit
`No. Description
`1001 U.S. Patent 10,656,906 (“ ’906Pat.”)
`1002 Declaration of Chris K yriakakis, Ph.D. (“Kyriakakis”)
`1003 Curriculum Vitae of Chris K yriakakis, Ph.D.
`1004 File Histor y of U.S. Patent No. 10,656,906 (“File History”)
`1005 U.S. Patent Applicati on Publication 2015/0195641 (“DiCenso641”)
`1006 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014 /0254842 (“Smith”)
`1007 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014 /0337902 (“Holland”)
`1008 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008 /0031481 (“Warren”)
`1009 NOT USED
`1010 U.S. Patent Applicati on Publication 2008/0137873 (“Goldstein873”)
`1011 NOT USED
`1012 U.S. Patent Applicati on Publication 2005/0058181 (“Lyle”)
`1013 C. Wiernicki and W. Karoly, “Ultrasound: Biological Effects and
`Industrial Hygiene Concerns,” Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J., 46:488–496
`(1985) (“Wiernicki”)
`1014 U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011 /0058056 (“Lindahl”)
`1015 NOT USED
`1016 Excerpts from Microsoft Computer Dictionary (5th ed. 2002)
`(“Computer Dictionary”)
`1017 Excerpts from Robert Oshana , “DSP Software Development
`Techniques Embedded and Real-Time Systems” (2006) (“Oshana”)
`1018 Excerpts from Thomas D. Rossing, Richard F. Moore, and Paul A.
`Wheeler, “The Science of Sound” (3rd. ed. 2002) (“Rossing”)
`1019 U.S. Patent Applicati on Publication 2013/0003998 (“Kirkeby”)
`1020 U.S. Patent Application Publication 20150 /371643A1 (“Ramo”)
`1021 U.S. Patent 8,767,970 (“ Eppolito”)
`1022 U.S. Patent 7,970,144 (“ Avendano”)
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`LISTING OF CHALLENGED CLAIMS
`Claim 1
`1[pre] A system comprising:
`1[a] an audio control source;
`1[b] at least one cluster of at least one computing device,
`1[c] the at least one computing device including:
`1[c][i] a sound sensing mechanism, configured to sense a noise; and
`1[c][ii] a wireless transceiver, confi gured to wirelessly transmit and receive
`data from the audio control source;
`1[d] at least one output device, including:
`1[d][i] a power source for operating the output device;
`1[d][ii] a speaker for outputting sound; and
`1[d][iii] a communication mechanism, for receiving electronic information
`from the audio control source; and
`1[e] the audio control source, in electronic communication the at least
`one cluster and the at least one output device, the audio control
`source including:
`1[f] a memory, containing computer-executable instructions for
`connecting to the at least one cluster, and varying an output of the at
`least one output device, providing an interface; and
`1[g] a processor, for executing th e computer-executable instructions,
`wherein the computer-executable instructions include:
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`1[g][i] identifying one or more sounds within the noise;
`1[g][ii] isolating the one or more sounds;
`1[g][iii] determining if one or more of the one or more sounds includes a
`frequency outside of a predetermined threshold;
`1[g][iv] if one or more of the one or more sounds includes the frequency
`outside of the predetermined threshold, altering the one or more of
`the one or more sounds so that the frequency does not fall outside of
`the predetermined threshold; and
`1[g][v] outputting the one or more sounds on the at least one output device.
`Claim 2
`2[a] The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an interfacing
`mechanism, the interfacing mechanism including:
`2[b] a network adapter, configured to transmit and receive electronic
`information through both wired and wireless communication; and
`2[c] at least one input me chanism, configured to:
`2[d] manipulate the interfacing mechanism; and
`2[e] vary the output of the at least one output device.
`Claim 3
`3 The system as recited in cl aim 1, wherein the sound-sensing
`mechanism is an omnidirectional transducer.
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`Claim 4
`4 The system as recited in cl aim 1, wherein the sound-sensing
`mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: an ultrasonic
`transducer; an infrasonic transducer: and a microwave transducer.
`Claim 5
`5 The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the sensed noise includes
`infrasonic or ultrasonic soundwaves.
`Claim 6
`6 The system as recited in clai m 1, wherein the predetermined
`threshold equates to a frequency determined to pose a risk of harm
`to a user’s hearing capabilities.
`Claim 7
`7 The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable
`instructions further include: if one or more of the one or more
`sounds includes the frequency outside of the predetermined
`threshold, notifying a user, via a notification, that one or more of the
`one or more sounds includes the frequency outside of the
`predetermined threshold.
`Claim 8
`8 The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer-executable
`instructions further include steps selected from the group consisting
`of: panning the sensed noise; and equalizing the sensed noise.
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`Claim 9
`9 The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: an in-ear
`device, wherein an audio output of the in-ear device auto-adjusts
`based on signal energy sensed within a cluster or surrounding
`clusters.
`Claim 10
`10 The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the altering the one or
`more of the one or more sounds so that the frequency does not fall
`outside of the predetermined threshold is performed automatically.
`Claim 11
`11[pre] A method of altering sensed noise prior to outputting the sensed
`noise, comprising:
`11[a] providing at least one audio control source;
`11[b] providing at least one cluster of at least one computing device,
`11[c] the at least one computing device including:
`11[c][i] a sound sensing mechanism, configured to sense a noise; and
`11[c][ii] a wireless transceiver, confi gured to wirelessly transmit and receive
`data from the audio control source;
`11[d] at least one output device, including:
`11[d][i] a power source for operating the output device;
`11[d][ii] a speaker for outputting sound; and
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`11[d][iii] a communication mechanism, for receiving electronic information
`from the audio control source; and
`11[e] the audio control source, in electronic communication the at least
`one cluster and the at least one output device, the audio control
`source including:
`11[f] a memory, containing computer-executable instructions for
`connecting to the at least one cluster, and varying an output of the at
`least one output device, providing an interface; and
`11[g] a processor, for executing th e computer-executable instructions;
`11[g][i] identifying one or more sounds within the noise;
`11[g][ii] isolating the one or more sounds;
`11[g][iii] determining if one or more of the one or more sounds includes a
`frequency outside of a predetermined threshold;
`11[g][iv] if one or more of the one or more sounds includes the frequency
`outside of the predetermined threshold, altering the one or more of
`the one or more sounds so that the frequency does not fall outside of
`the predetermined threshold; and
`11[g][v] outputting the one or more sounds on the at least one output device.
`Claim 12
`12[a] The method as recited in cl aim 11, wherein the at least one
`computing device further includes: an interfacing mechanism, the
`interfacing mechanism including:
`12[b] a network adapter, configured to transmit and receive electronic
`information through both wired and wireless communication; and
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`12[c] at least one input me chanism, configured to:
`12[d] manipulate the interfacing mechanism; and
`12[e] vary the output of the at least one output device.
`Claim 13
`13 The method as recited in clai m 11, wherein the sound-sensing
`mechanism is selected from the group consisting of: an
`omnidirectional transducer; an ultrasonic transducer; an infrasonic
`transducer; an electro-optical transducer; and a microwave
`transducer.
`Claim 14
`14 The method as recited in clai m 13, wherein the sensed noise
`includes infrasonic, ultrasonic, visible, or radio waves.
`Claim 15
`15 The method as recited in clai m 11, wherein the predetermined
`threshold equates to a frequency determined to pose a risk of harm
`to a user’s hearing capabilities.
`Claim 16
`16 The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: if one or
`more of the one or more sounds includes the frequency outside of
`the predetermined threshold, notifying a user, via a notification, that
`one or more of the one or more sounds includes the frequency
`outside of the predetermined threshold.
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`Claim 17
`17 The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: panning the
`sensed noise.
`Claim 18
`18 The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: adding one
`or more audio effects to the sensed noise.
`Claim 19
`19 The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising: equalizing
`the sensed noise.
`Claim 20
`20 The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the altering the one or
`more of the one or more sounds so that the frequency does not fall
`outside of the predetermined threshold is performed automatically.
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`I. INTRODUCTION
`Petitioners Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America,
`Inc. (“Petitioners” or “Samsung”) request inter partes review of claims 1-20 of U.S.
`Patent No. 10,656,906 (“the ’906 patent”).
`II. GROUNDS FOR STANDING (37 C.F.R. § 42.104(A))
`Petitioners certify that the ’ 906 patent is available for inter partes review
`(“IPR”), and that Petitioners are not barred or estopped from requesting IPR to
`challenge the claims on the grounds herein.
`III. STATEMENT OF PRECISE RELIEF REQUESTED FOR EACH
`CLAIM CHALLENGED
`A. Claims for Which Review is Requested
`Petitioners respectfully request review of claims 1-20 (“Challenged Claims”)
`of the ’906 patent, and cancellation of these claims under 35 U.S.C. § 311 as
`unpatentable.
`B. Statutory Grounds of Challenge
`For purposes of this proceeding only, Petitioners apply the earliest alleged
`priority date of the ’906 patent: 09/ 23/2014. The AIA applies. The Challenged
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`Claims should be canceled as unpatent able based on the following prior art
`references and grounds:1
`Reference Date(s) Prior Art At Least
`Under
`US20150195641
`(“DiCenso641”) (EX1005) 01/06/2014 (filed) §102(a)(2)
`US20140254842
`(“Smith”) (EX1006) 09/11/2014 (published) §102(a)(1)
`US20140337902
`(“Holland”) (EX1007) 05/12/2014 (filed) §102(a)(2)
`US20080031481
`(“Warren”) (EX1008) 02/07/2008 (published) §102(a)(1)
`US2008/0137873
`(“Goldstein873”)
`(EX1010)
`06/12/2008 (published) §102(a)(1)
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`Ground Claims Basis
`1A 1, 4-11, 13-20 §103: DiCenso641, Smith
`1B 2, 12 §103: DiCenso641, Smith, Holland
`1C 3 §103: DiCenso641, Smith, Warren
`2A 1, 4-11, 13-20 §103: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, Smith
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`1 Petitioners do not concede that any Cha llenged Claims satisfy requirements for
`patentability that cannot be raised in IPR.
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`Ground Claims Basis
`2B 2, 12 §103: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, Smith,
`Holland
`2C 3 §103: DiCenso641, Goldstein873, Smith,
`Warren
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`IV. OVERVIEW OF THE ’906 PATENT
`The ’906 patent is directed to a syst em with devices “h aving the ability to
`sense the frequency and magnitude of audio signals,” and using this information to
`control audio output. ’906Pat., 8:18-28. Previously, professionals (e.g., at concert
`venues) and/or software controlled the audio to produce the desired output. See id.,
`1:37-47. Prior systems, however, lacked granular control of a given individual
`listener’s audio output. See id., 2:3-19.
`The ’906 patent describes a system w ith “clusters of various computing
`devices and wearable computers with sound management techniques and methods”
`that can sense the sound and control audio output. Id., 8:5-29. An audio control
`source collects audio data via integrated de vices and adjusts outputs so that desired
`sounds are intelligible, such as “important intercom announcements.” Id., 8:32-37.
`FIG. 1 (reproduced below) illustrate s a cluster 101 including computing
`device 102 with sound sensing mechanism 150 and wireless transceiver 155. See id.,
`10:39-46.
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`’906Pat., FIG. 1
`An output device 160 includes a speaker 170 and communications mechanism 175.
`Id., 12:05-12:25. The output device 160 “is locat ed within said at least one cluster
`101, such that audio control source 111 may alter the power supplied to said speaker
`170 in real-time.” Id., 12:20-25. In some embodiments, the system includes in-ear
`systems. Id., 8:48-60, 12:3-5, FIG. 3 (element 112).
`Figure 3 (reproduced below) illust rates audio control source 111
`communicating with clusters. “The embodiment depicted [in figure 3] shows devices
`that sense audio signal energy within the confines of a single cluster and then sends
`data directly to an audio c ontrol unit and other clusters.” Id., 12:26-30. The audio
`control source 111 adjusts “any connected output devices … to ensure high
`quality/fidelity output.” Id., 12:35-39; see also id. 13:2-6, FIG. 4 (step 208), 8:48-60
`(adjusting “in-ear monitors”), 12:20-25 (adjusting speakers).
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`’906Pat., FIG. 3, FIG. 4 (excerpted)
`The ’906 patent states the system pe rforms “the functions of sensing and
`isolating frequency bands associated with music instruments/human voices.” Id.,
`8:63-66. The sensing devices sense the audio. Id., 13:59-61, FIG. 5 (step 305). The
`“instruments and/or frequencies are identifi ed and isolated from the sensed audio”
`(step 310), and the signal amplitude is manipulated (step 315). Id., 13:62-14:1,
`FIG. 5.
`In addition, the ’906 patent discloses notifying the user (step 325) when the
`sensed audio is hazardou s to hearing (step 320). Id., 15:46-54, FIG. 5. Further, the
`system may control the dynamic range of the sensed audio to remove the hazardous
`audio (step 330). Id., 15:60-63, FIG. 5. The system may also perform additional
`functions, including panning the audio (step 335), “add[] depth and texture to audio
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`output” (step 340), and equalizing the audio (step 345). Id., 15:63-67; see also,
`FIGs. 5-6.
`V. OVERVIEW OF THE PRIMARY PRIOR ART REFERENCES
`The prior art references analyzed in the grounds below are analogous to the
`’906 patent because they are within the same field of endeavor as the ’906 patent
`and are reasonably pertinent to one or more problems addressed by the ’906 patent.
`Kyriakakis, ¶¶49-60.
`A. DiCenso641 (EX1005)
`DiCenso641 is directed generally to “a system or method for generating a user
`controllable auditory environment for a user.” DiCenso641, [0019]. A user
`personalizes or customize his/her auditory environment using system 100 by setting
`different user preferences applied to different types or groups of sounds selected by
`an associated user interface.” Id., [0023]. For example, a user interface “allows user
`120 to create a personalized or customized auditory experience by setting his/her
`preferences … for associated sound types to indicate which sounds to amplify,
`cancel, add or insert, or attenuate, respectively.” Id., [0028]. DiCenso641 also
`discloses that “[o]ther functions may be used to enhance a sound by providing
`equalization or filtering, se lective attenuation or amp lification of one or more
`frequencies of an associated sound, or replacing an undesired sound with a more
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`pleasant sound (using a combination of can cellation and addition/insertion, for
`example).” Id.
`DiCenso641 discloses that “system 100 include s a wearable device 130 that
`includes at least one microphone, at leas t one speaker, and a microprocessor-based
`digital signal processor (DSP) …” Id., [0022]. Wearable device 130 may be
`implemented by multiple earpieces 134 2 “that each contain an associated speaker
`and one or more microph ones or transducers …” Id. The “earpieces 134, may also
`be equipped with wireless communicati on (integrated Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to
`connect with various external sound sources , an external user interface, or other
`similar wearable devices.” DiCenso641, [0025].
`DiCenso641 discloses implementing the user interface “within a separate
`mobile or wearable device, such as a smartphone” which “include[s] an associated
`microprocessor and/or digital signal proce ssor that may also be used to provide
`additional processing power to augmen t the capabilities of the main system
`microprocessor and/or DSP.” Id. DiCenso641 also discloses that “mobile device 320
`may provide additional processing power for system 300.” Id., [0039]. For example,
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`2 DiCenso641 interchangeably refers to component 134 as “headphones or ear buds”
`(DiCenso641, [0022]), “earpieces” or “ear pieces” ( id., [0022], [0023], [0025],
`[0027]), and “devices” (id., [0024]).
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`“an unprocessed audio stream may be sent to mobile device 320, which processes
`the audio stream and sends this modified audio stream back to DSP 310.” Id.
`Changes made “using the user interface are communicated to the wearable
`device 130 to control corresponding processing of input signals to create auditory
`output signals that implement the user preferences.” Id., [0028]. Signals captured by
`one or more microphones 312 are processed and modified based on user preferences,
`and “[t]he modified signal is output to amp(s) 314 and speake r(s) 316 to generate
`the auditory environment for the user.” Id., [0042].
`B. Smith (EX1006)
`Smith discloses a system and method for providing both hearing enhancement
`and hearing protection. See Smith, Abstract. Earpiece 101 includes one or multiple
`microphones 102. See Smith, [0020] (“[E]arpiece 101 can substantially contain a
`microphone 102, electronics 103, a conn ector 104, and a speaker 105. The
`microphone 102 can pick up ambient sound and can transduce the sound into a
`signal, such as an analog electronic signa l.”). When more than one microphone is
`used, “[e]ach microphone 102 can be comparatively more sensitive to a different
`portion of the audio spectrum.” Id. [0025]. For example, Smith discloses that “one
`microphone 102 can be sensitive to infras ound (such as sound having a frequency
`less than 20 Hz) and another microphone 102 can be sensitive to ultrasound (such as
`sound having a frequency greater than 20 kHz).” Id., [0026]. Smith discloses that
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`“[s]uch sounds outside of the audible range can be converted to the audible range
`for enhanced hearing.” Id.
`Smith’s system also “can alert the user to otherwise inaudible sounds. Such
`sounds can be inaudible due to their frequency content and/or amplitude. Such
`inaudible sounds can be reproduced at an increased amplitude and/or different
`frequency so that they can be heard by the user.” Id., [0027]. Smith also explains that
`“inaudible sounds can be replaced with other sounds, such as a warning, voice
`identification or other identification.” Id.
`To identify individual sounds, Smith discloses storing sound signatures for
`various sounds, including inaudible sounds ( id., [0028]), and comparing inaudible
`sounds to their sound signature stored in the database and providing an indication to
`the user if a match is found (id., [0029]).
`VI. LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
`A person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the alleged invention of the
`’906 patent (“POSITA”), which for purposes of this proceeding is no earlier than
`September 23, 2014, would ha ve had a Bachelor of Sc ience (or equivalent) in
`electrical engineering, computer science, audio engineering, or a similar field and at
`least two years of experience in the design of digital audio systems and associated
`signal processing in hearing instruments such as earphones, hearing aids, and/or
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`hearing protectors. A greater amount of education could compensate for fewer years
`of work experience and vice versa. Kyriakakis, ¶22.
`VII. CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`Petitioners are unaware of any “prior claim constr uction determination” by
`any tribunal. See 37 C.F.R. §42.100(b).
`Here, given the close correlation and substantial identity between the prior art
`references and the Challenged Claims , Petitioners submit that no express
`constructions of the claims are necessary , and the claims should be given their
`ordinary meaning.3 Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312-13 (Fed. Cir. 2005)
`(en banc).
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`3 Petitioners reserve all rights to raise claim construction arguments and other
`arguments in any parallel or future litigation concerning the ’906 patent. For
`example, comparing the clai ms to the accused products in the litigation may raise
`controversies that require construction of certain claim terms.
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`VIII. DETAILED EXPLANATION OF GROUNDS
`A. Ground 1A: DiCenso641 and Smith Render Obvious Claims 1, 4-
`11, and 13-20
`1. Claim 1
`a. 1[pre]
`To the extent the preamble is limiting, DiCenso641 teaches this feature. 4
`Kyriakakis, ¶¶63-64. For example, DiCenso641 discloses “a system or method for
`generating a user controllable auditory environment for a user that may be
`personalized or customized in response to user preferences for particular types or
`groups of sounds.”5 DiCenso641, [0019].
`b. 1[a]
`DiCenso641 teaches this feature. Kyriakakis, ¶¶65-69.
`DiCenso641 discloses that “system 100 include s a wearable device 130 that
`includes at least one microphone, at leas t one speaker, and a microprocessor-based
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`4 Petitioners use the term “teaches” as in cluding both express teachings or those
`fairly suggested to a POSITA. In re Baird, 16 F.3d 380, 383 (Fed. Cir. 1994); In re
`Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425 (CCPA 1981) (“The te st for obviousness is ... what the
`combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill
`in the art.” (citations omitted)).
`5 All bold/italics/color emphases and annotations added unless noted otherwise.
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`digital signal processor (DSP) as illustra ted and described in greater detail with
`reference to FIGS. 2-6.” DiCenso641, [0022]. DiCenso641 discloses that
`“[w]earable device 130, which may be implemented within earpieces 134, may also
`be equipped with wireless communication (integrated Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to
`connect with various external sound sources , an external user interface, or other
`similar wearable devices.” Id., [0025]. DiCenso641 discloses that “the user interface
`may be implemented within a separate m obile or wearable device, such as a
`smartphone …” Id., [0027]. DiCenso641 also discloses that “[t]he separate mobile
`or wearable device may include an associ ated microprocessor and/or digital signal
`processor that may also be used to provi de additional processing power to augment
`the capabilities of the main syst em microprocessor and/or DSP.” Id. DiCenso641’s
`figure 3 depicts components of its system in communication with mobile device 320:
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`DiCenso641, FIG. 3
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`DiCenso641 explains that “changes made by user 120 using the user interface
`are communicated to the wearable device 130 to control corresponding processing
`of input signals to create auditory ou tput signals that implement the user
`preferences.” Id., [0028]; see also id. , [0039] (“In the representative embodiment
`illustrated in FIG. 3, user interface 324 is implemented by a second microprocessor
`326 having associated memory 328 embedde d in a mobile device 320, such as a
`smartphone ….”).
`Accordingly, DiCenso641 teaches a mobile devi ce 320 configured to
`implement a user interface via which a user may contro l the processing of input
`signals to create auditory output signals (“an audio control source”). Kyriakakis, ¶69.
`c. 1[b]
`DiCenso641 teaches this feature. Kyriakakis, ¶¶70-77.
`DiCenso641 discloses “system 100 includes a wearable device 130 that
`includes at least one microphone, at leas t one speaker, and a microprocessor-based
`digital signal processor (DSP).” DiCenso641, [0022]. DiCenso641 also discloses
`implementing wearable device 130 by multiple earpieces 1346 “that each contain an
`associated speaker and one or more microphones or transducers …” Id.; see also id.,
`[0024] (“In one embodiment as generally depicted in FIG. 1, user 120 wears two in-
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`6 See footnote 2.
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`ear or intra-aural devices 134 (one in each ear) ….”). DiCenso641 discloses that
`“[w]earable device 130, which may be implemented within earpieces 134, may also
`be equipped with wireless communicati on (integrated Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) to
`co