Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/14/26 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 31-38, 40-45 and 48-50 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 31 has been amended to include limitations that “wirelessly transmit” power between the electronic device and the accessory component or the accessary housing or between the protective housing and the accessary component or the accessary housing. These features directed to the wireless transfer of power as set forth are not supported by the original disclosure and therefor constitute new matter that must be cancelled. It is noted that in paragraphs [00221 and 00178] earbuds can receive power, but the power is not disclosed as being wirelessly transferred. Paragraphs [00236 and 00238] discuss the wireless transfer of a signal but these signals as disclosed are not the same as power. Dependent claims 32-38, 40-45 and 48-50 inherit the language set forth in claim 31.
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 pre-AIA 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 –
(e) the invention was described in (1) an application for patent, published under section 122(b), by another filed in the United States before the invention by the applicant for patent or (2) a patent granted on an application for patent by another filed in the United States before the invention by the applicant for patent, except that an international application filed under the treaty defined in section 351(a) shall have the effects for purposes of this subsection of an application filed in the United States only if the international application designated the United States and was published under Article 21(2) of such treaty in the English language.
Claim(s) 31-32, 35, 37-38, 40-45 and 48-49 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) as being anticipated by Schrems (US 9,906,851 B2).
Re claim 31: Schrems teaches a charging system for a handheld electronic device (12), comprising:
at least one power source (32);
a protective housing (18) configured to removably attach to the handheld electronic device, the protective housing being distinct from the handheld electronic device, the protective housing comprising:
an accessory area (see figure 5D) configured to provide power to at least one removable accessory component (64); note (a battery (32) used as the power source) (see column 16, lines 49-60); and
at least one electronic logic board (PCBs 26, 28, 30; column 12, lines 51-56);
an accessory housing (20) being independent and distinct from the protective housing (see figure 5D) and the accessory housing being configured:
to removably attach to the protective housing (see figure 5D), and
to interface (magnetic interface) with the accessory area of the protective housing to facilitate wireless transfer of said power between:
the handheld electronic device and either said at least one removable accessory component stored in the accessory housing or the accessory housing, or
the protective housing and either said at least one removable accessory component stored in the accessory housing or the accessory housing (see discussion in column 9, lines 13-15 and column 16, lines 32-35) satisfying at least one of the possible alternatively claimed power transfers;
at least one wireless transmitter (magnetic interface) mounted on said at least one electronic logic board, said at least one wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit said power between:
the handheld electronic device and either said at least one removable accessory component stored in the accessory housing or the accessory housing, or
the protective housing and either said at least one removable accessory component stored in the accessory housing or the accessory housing (see discussion in column 9, lines 13-15 and column 16, lines 32-35) satisfying at least one of the possible alternatively claimed power transfers;
wherein a software installed on said at least one electronic logic board is configured to control the wireless transfer of said power by said at least one wireless transmitter (battery management system see column 13, lines 26-58; see also column 11, lines 49-60 and column 12, lines 10-50).
Re claim 32: see Schrems, column 8, lines 26-29
Re claim 35: note the wireless earbuds taught in Schrems, satisfies as set forth a
wireless headphone as broadly as set forth
Re claim 37: Schrems teaches electrical contacts mounted on or near the accessary area, the electrical contacts being configured to electrically connect said at least one removable accessary component to one of the following to transfer a charging power or data: said at least one power source, said at least one electronic logic board and the handheld electronic device (see column 16, lines 6-19: The earbud charging contact 76 is configured to contact and charge the wireless earbud 64 when the wireless earbud 64 is positioned in the case 10. In some embodiments, the earbud charging contact 76 is further positioned adjacent to a rechargeable battery 32 disposed in the second housing 38.)
Re claim 38: note teaching in column 11, lines 61-64, the use of a jack, i.e. a port capable of accepting a plug head used for connecting the electronic device to one of the accessory area the accessory housing an accessory component system.
Re claim 40: note the use of a controller (31) Schrems used in conjunction with PCBs (26, 28 and 30) used to activate a connection (charge connection to charge a battery of the earbuds) when at least the earbuds are engaged with the charging system physically or wirelessly; satisfying at least one of the alternative possibilities set forth in the claim by the use of the word “or” on lines 3 and 4 in the claim. See also figure 15A teaching that device (12) can directly control the accessory (64) without the use of case (10) for storage of the accessory
Re claim 41: See figure 15A in Schrems teaching that the device (12) can directly control operations between earbud(s) (64) without the need of case structure (10)
Re claim 42: note controller (31) in Schrems is a component of the protective housing of the charging system
Re claim 43: note power source (32) in Schrems is mounted in the protective housing
Re claim 44: note column 13, lines 26-54 in Schrems discussing the charging of the mobile device (12) suggesting the device includes a battery (power source)
Re claim 45: note battery (32) in Schrems can be considered an accessory item used to transfer power as set forth
Re claim 48: note in Schrems (the power source (32) provides power to the electronic device (column 13, lines 36-38 and a removeable accessory component (earbuds, column 16, lines 46-49) in an accessory area
Re claim 49: note in Schrems (the power source (32) provides power to at least one of the accessory area for a removeable accessory component and the accessory housing (See column 13, Lines 36-38 and column 16, lines 46-49)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 36 and 50 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) in view of Franklin et al. (US 10,892,625 B1).
Re claim 36: The teaching of Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) is discussed above and incorporated herein. Schrems does not teach that the accessary item can be an arial vehicle or drone as set forth in claim 36. Franklin et al. teaches in a similar environment that a drone (column 5, line 11 can be attached to an accessory station of a housing for storage (column 4, lines 1-4) and charging (column 4, line 4-8 and which allows for the charging of the accessory without the need of a specialized charger. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to include a drone as taught in Franklin et al. as a possible accessary item for an electronic device as taught in Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) to predictably allow for the charging of the accessory without the need of a specialized charger. Therefor the claimed subject matter would have been obvious before the filing of the invention.
Re claim 50: The teaching of Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) is discussed above and incorporated herein. Schrems does not teach a magnetic material for attaching a accessory housing to the protective housing. Franklin et al. teaches in a similar environment to use magnetic materials to attach a accessory housing to a protective housing (See use of elements (520 and 614) in figures 5 and 6 along with discussion in column 9, line 34 – column 10, line 16). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace the type of connection made between the protective housing and accessory accessory housing with a magnetic connection as taught by Franklin et al. to predictably provide an alternative way of attaching an accessory housing to a protective housing. Therefor the claimed invention would have been obvious before the filing of the invention
Claim 33 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) as applied to claims 31-32, 35, 37-38, 40-45 and 48-49 above, and further in view of Dilaura (US 2019/0250677 A1)
The teaching of Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) in view of Franklin et al. is discussed above and incorporated herein. This combination does not teach that the accessary item can be a wireless camera as set forth in claim 33. Dilaura teaches in a similar environment that a camera (20) can be attached to an accessory station of a housing for storage (paragraph [0058]) and charging (paragraph [0061]) and which allows for an expanded reach of a camera function of an electronic device. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to include a camera as taught in Dilaura as a possible accessary item for an electronic device as taught in Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) in view of Franklin et al. as applied to predictably allow for an expanded reach of a camera function. Therefor the claimed subject matter would have been obvious before the filing of the invention.
Claim 34 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) as applied to claims 31-32, 35, 37-38, 40-45 and 48-49 above, and further in view of UHM (US 20170170678 A1.
The teaching of Schrems (US Patent 9,906,851) in view of Franklin et al. is discussed above and incorporated herein. This combination does not teach that the accessary item can be a device used for virtual or augmented reality as set forth in claim 34. Uhm teaches in a similar environment that an accessory item that can be connected to an electronic device can include at least a HMD (paragraph [0054], that allows for an image to be displayed to a person wearing such device which typically used in virtual reality applications. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing of the invention to incorporate this teaching of Uhm into the arrangement of Schrems in view of Franklin et al. as applied to predictably provide an arrangement that can be used for virtual reality applications. Therefor the claimed subject matter would have been obvious before the filing of the invention.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/14/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Its is noted that the art being applied to the claims is due to the amendments made to the claims.
Re claim 31: Applicant argues that Schrems does not teach an accessory housing that is independent and distinct from the protective housing. Examiner does not agree since as seen from figure 5D there is a protective housing (18) that is independent and distinct from an accessary housing (20). Also, applicant argues that Schrems does not teach to wirelessly transfer power. Examiner does not agree since it is clear that an alternative embodiment can wirelessly transfer power (see discussion in column 9, lines 13-15 and column 16, lines 32-35). Also, note the software used in Schrems controls all operations disclosed including wireless transfer of power. It is also noted by the examiner that Franklin et al., not required for the rejection of claim 31 also teaches to wirelessly transfer power (column 8, lines 60-63)
Re claim 40: applicant argues that Schrems the earbuds are positioned in or coupled to the case when charged. Examiner agrees however this coupled state is a result of the completion of coupling satisfying the language without physically attaching or detaching (state /process of attaching/detaching) as set forth.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW SNIEZEK whose telephone number is (571)272-7563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00 AM-3:30 PM EST.
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/ANDREW SNIEZEK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/A.S./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693 6/11/26
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