`ges=tiex
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`NOTICE OF ALLOWANCEAND FEE(S) DUE
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`64188
`
`7590
`
`08/20/2020
`
`ASHOK TANKHA
`36 GREENLEIGH DRIVE
`
`ESCALANTE,OVIDIO
`
`3992
`
`DATE MAILED: 08/20/2020
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`16/052,623
`
`08/02/2018
`
`Manli Zhu
`
`CreativeTech_01RECon
`
`5388
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: Microphone Array System
`
`
`
`
`
`
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`ASHOK TANKHA
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`(Signature) (Date)
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`FILING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`16/052,623
`
`08/02/2018
`
`Manli Zhu
`
`CreativeTech_01RECon
`
`5388
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: Microphone Array System
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`APPLN. TYPE PUBLICATION FEE DUE|PREV. PAID ISSUE FEEENTITY STATUS ISSUE FEE DUE TOTAL FEE(S) DUE DATE DUE
`
`nonprovisional
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`SMALL
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`$500
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`$0.00
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`$0.00
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`$500
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`11/20/2020
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`EXAMINER
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`ART UNIT
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`CLASS-SUBCLASS
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`ESCALANTE, OVIDIO
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`3992
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`381-300000
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`1. Change of correspondenceaddressor indication of "Fee Address” (37
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`USS. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`16/052,623
`
`08/02/2018
`
`Manli Zhu
`
`CreativeTech_01RECon
`
`5388
`
`64188
`
`7590
`
`08/20/2020
`
`ASHOK TANKHA
`36 GREENLEIGH DRIVE
`
`ESCALANTE,OVIDIO
`
`3992
`
`DATE MAILED: 08/20/2020
`
`Determination of Patent Term Extension or Adjustment under 35 U.S.C. 154 (b)
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`

`

`.
`
`ae
`
`16/052, 623
`
`Zhu et al.
`
`OVIDIO ESCALANTE
`
`3992
`
`No
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`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 GRANTOF PATENTRIGHTS.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.{¥} This communication is responsive to 7/29/2020.
`(J A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
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`.
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`2.() An election was madebythe applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`restriction requirement and election have been incorporatedinto this action.
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`; the
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`3.4} The allowed claim(s) is/are 26-45 . As a result of the allowed claim(s), you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution
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`4[_) Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
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`“ Certified copies not received:
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`5.(. CORRECTED DRAWINGS (as "replacement sheets") must be submitted.
`() including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment / Commentor in the Office action of
`Paper No./Mail Date
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`6.C DEPOSIT OFand/or INFORMATION aboutthe deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
`
`Reexamination Specialist, Art Unit 3992
`
`Attachment(s)
`5. (2 Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`1.11 Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2. Information Disclosure Statements (PTO/SB/08), 6.l¥}Examiner's Statement of Reasonsfor Allowance
`Paper No./Mail Date
`.
`3.) Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirementfor Deposit
`of Biological Material
`4.{] Interview Summary (PTO-413),
`Paper No./Mail Date.
`/OVIDIO ESCALANTE/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3992
`
`7. CZ Other
`
`.
`
`/MAJID A BANANKHAH/
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`.
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20200803
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/052,623
`Art Unit: 3992
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1. This action is responsive to the Applicant’s after final response filed on July 29, 2020.
`
`Reissue Applications
`
`2. For reissue applications filed before September 16, 2012,allreferences to 35 U.S.C. 251 and 37 CFR
`
`1.172, 1.175, and 3.73 are to the law and rules in effect on September 15, 2012. Where specifically
`
`designated, these are “pre- AIA”provisions.
`
`Forreissue applicationsfiled on or after September 16, 2012, all references to 35 U.S.C. 251 and
`
`37 CFR 1.172, 1.175, and 3.73 are to the current provisions.
`
`3.
`
`Applicant is reminded of the continuing obligation under 37 CFR 1.178(b), to timely apprise the
`
`Office of any prior or concurrent proceeding in which Patent No. 8,861,756 is or was involved. These
`
`proceedings would includeinterferences, reissues, reexaminations, andlitigation.
`
`Applicant is further reminded of the continuing obligation under 37 CFR 1.56, to timely apprise
`
`the Office of any information which is material to patentability of the claims under considerationin this
`
`reissue application.
`
`These obligations rest with each individual associated with the filing and prosecution ofthis
`
`application for reissue. See also MPEP §§ 1404, 1442.01 and 1442.04.
`
`Reissue Declaration
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`The examiner has reviewed the Applicant’s correction reissue declaration field on July 29, 2020.
`
`The examiner agrees that the corrected declaration overc omestheissuesset forth in the previous office
`
`action and therefore the examiner will withdraw the rejection to the claims.
`
`103 Rejections over Li, Erten and Kim
`
`The Applicant argues that the combination of Li and Erten does not disclose atleast “estimating a
`
`location of said target sound signal from said received soundsignals by said sound source localization
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/052,623
`Art Unit: 3992
`
`Page 3
`
`unit”, and “performing adaptive beamforming for steering a directivity pattern of said array of said sound
`
`sensorsin a direction of said location of said target sound signal by said adaptive beamforming unit,
`
`wherein said adaptive beamforming unit enhancessaid target sound signal and partially suppresses said
`
`ambient noise signals”.
`
`In addition, on page 7 of the Applicant’s response, the Applicant states Li does not disclose a
`
`sound source localization unit.
`
`With respect to Kim, the Applicant acknowledged the Examiner’s citation of Kim which shows a
`
`sound source localizer which determinesthe direction of the sound source using a as Steered Response
`
`Power (SRP) — PHATalgorithm, however, the Applicant disagreed with the Examiner’s position since
`
`Kim uses a hybrid sound source localizer that uses a combination of a Generalized Cross -Correlation
`
`(GCC) Phase Transform (PHAT)algorithm and a SRP — PHAT algorithm.
`
`The Applicant states that in Li, the beamforming unit is directly connectedto the array of sound
`
`sensors andsteers the directivity pattern of the array of sound sensors in a direction of spatial location of
`
`the target sound signal whichis not estimated previously by a soundlocalization unit. The examiner
`
`agrees that in considering Li alone, Li does not disclose a sound source localization unit which estimates a
`
`location ofsaid target soundsignal.
`
`With respect to the two-step noise reduction process, the Applicantstates that Li only discloses
`
`Step 2 (“anoise reduction unit that suppresses said ambient noise signals for further enhancingsaid target
`
`sound signal”). The Applicant argues Li does not disclose thefirst step (“performing adaptive
`
`beamforming for steering a directivity pattern of said array of sound sensors in a direction ofsaid spatial
`
`location of said target sound signal by said adaptive beamforming unit, wherein said adaptive
`
`beamforming unit enhancessaid target soundsignal and partially suppresses said ambient noise signals”’).
`
`In view of the commentsset forth by the Applicant, the examiner agrees that combinationset
`
`forth in the rejection does not disclose estimating a location of said target sound signal from said received
`
`soundsignals by said sound source localization unit”, and “performing adaptive beamforming for steering
`
`a directivity pattern of said array of said sound sensors in a direction ofsaid location of said target sound
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/052,623
`Art Unit: 3992
`
`Page 4
`
`signal by said adaptive beamforming unit, wherein said adaptive beamforming unit enhancessaid target
`
`soundsignal and partially suppresses said ambient noise signals”.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 26-45 are allowed.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`The following is an examiner’s statement of reasonsfor allowance: the relied uponpriorart of
`
`record does not disclose “estimating a location of said target sound signal from said received sound
`
`signals by said sound source localization unit”, and “performing adaptive beamformmgfor steering a
`
`directivity pattern of said array of said sound sensorsin a direction ofsaid location of said target sound
`
`signal by said adaptive beamforming unit, wherein said adaptive beamforming unit enhancessaid target
`
`soundsignal and partially suppresses said ambient noise signals”. In addition, the examiner notes that
`
`claim 26 requires a sound source localization unit, an adaptive beamforming unit, a noise reduction unit,
`
`and an echo cancellation unit (which further enhances the target sound signal) to all be implemented in a
`
`digital signal processor and wherethedigital signal processoris in communication with said array of
`
`sound sensors. Lidoes not disclose each of those elements implemented in a DSP.
`
`With respect to claims 34 and 42, the claim recites similar limitations as to claim 26. The
`
`examiner notesthat the relied upon prior art of record does not disclose a digital signal processor which
`
`includes “a soundsource localization unit that estimates a location of said target sound signal from said
`
`received soundsignal” and “an adaptive beamforming unit that steers directivity pattern ofsaid array of
`
`said sound sensors in a direction ofsaid location of said target sound signal, wherein said adaptive
`
`beamforming unit enhancessaid target soundsignal and partially suppresses said ambientnoise signals”.
`
`In addition, claims 34 and 42recite a digital signal processor including each of a sound source
`
`localization unit, an [adaptive] beamforming unit, an echo cancellation unit and a noise reduction unit. Li
`
`does notdisclose a digital signal processor which each of those elements.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/052,623
`Art Unit: 3992
`
`Page5S
`
`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 accompanythe issue fee. Such
`
`submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
`
`be directed to Ovidio Escalante whose telephone numberis (571)272-7537. The examiner can normally
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`be reached on Mondayto Friday - 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
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`If attempts to reach the examinerby telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor,
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`Michael Fuelling can be reached on (571) 270-3778. The fax phone numberfor the organization where
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`this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-9000. Information regarding the status of an
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`application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status
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`information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
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`Status information for unpublished applicationsis available through Private PAIR only. For more
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`information about the PAIR system,see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access
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`to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If
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`you would like assistance from a USPTO CustomerService Representative or access to the automated
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`information system,call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
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`/Ovidio Escalante/
`Ovidio Escalante
`Reexamination Specialist
`Central Reexamination Unit - Art Unit 3992
`(571) 272-7537
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`Conferees:
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`/MAJID A BANANKHAH/
`Reexamination Specialist, Art Unit 3992
`/M.F/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3992
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`