DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6 and 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 6 and 18 both recites the limitation " the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color, the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color, the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color, and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color" through the claim. This terminology is not fully explained within the specification and the language is indefinite as to what these colors are in relation to the numbers. Appropriate clarification or correction is required. .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Browning (2016/0330852) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Hwang (2017/0347476).
Regarding Claim 1: Browning teaches an electronic device comprising a housing (40), wherein a portion of the housing (42, 44, 46) is a conductive member formed of an electrically conductive material (paragraph [0040]), wherein the conductive member is divided into a first portion (42) and a second portion (44), wherein the first portion and the second portion are electrically separated (paragraph [0040]) by an insulating material (48, 50) disposed between the first portion and the second portion (fig. 3), wherein a first oxide film is formed on a surface of the first portion by a primary anodizing process (figs. 4-5b) in which electricity is applied to the first portion (paragraph [0035]), wherein a second oxide film is formed on a surface of the second portion by a secondary anodizing process (figs. 4 and 5c-5d) in which electricity is applied to the second portion (paragraph [0035]), but lacks a specific teaching of and the first oxide film is colored in a first color, and the second oxide film is colored in a second color, and wherein the second color is different from the first color.
Hwang teaches a first oxide film is colored in a first color (paragraph [0059]), and the second oxide film is colored in a second color (paragraph [0059]), and wherein the second color is different from the first color (paragraph [0059]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having first oxide film is colored in a first color, and the second oxide film is colored in a second color, and wherein the second color is different from the first color as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 2: Browning teaches the housing comprises: a front plate (figs. 2-3), a rear plate (figs. 2-3) facing in a direction opposite to the front plate (figs. 2-3), a side member (figs. 2-3) surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate (figs. 2-3), and a support member (figs. 2-3) disposed in the space (figs. 2-3); and wherein the conductive member comprises the side member (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 3: Browning teaches the conductive member further comprises the rear plate (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 4: Browning teaches the conductive member further comprises the support member (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 5: Browning teaches each of the first portion and the second portion comprises an outer wall facing an outside of the housing (figs. 2-3) and an inner wall facing in a direction opposite to the outer wall (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 6: Browning lacks a specific teaching of the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color, the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color, the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color, and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color.
Hwang teaches the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color, the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color, the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color, and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 7: Browning lacks a specific teaching of the outer wall of the first portion and the inner wall of the first portion are colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process, and the outer wall of the second portion and the inner wall of the second portion are colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process.
Hwang teaches the outer wall of the first portion and the inner wall of the first portion are colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), and the outer wall of the second portion and the inner wall of the second portion are colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]) which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having the outer wall of the first portion and the inner wall of the first portion are colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process, and the outer wall of the second portion and the inner wall of the second portion are colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 8: Browning teaches the first portion comprises a plurality of first parts physically spaced apart from each other (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 9: Browning teaches the second portion comprises a plurality of second parts physically spaced apart from each other (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 10: Browning teaches the first portion and the second portion are electrically segmented by at least one slit (area holding 48 and 50 in fig. 3).
Regarding Claim 11: Browning teaches the insulating material (48, 50) is filed in the at least one slit (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 16: Browning teaches a housing for an electronic device comprising a conductive member (42, 44, 46) formed of an electrically conductive material (paragraph [0040]), wherein the conductive member is divided into a first portion (42) and a second portion(44), wherein the first portion (42) and the second portion (44) are electrically separated by an insulating material (48, 50) disposed between the first portion and the second portion (figs. 2-3), wherein a first oxide film is formed on a surface of the first portion by a primary anodizing process (figs. 4-5b) in which electricity is applied to the first portion (paragraph [0035]), wherein a second oxide film is formed on a surface of the second portion by a secondary anodizing process (figs. 4 and 5c-5d) in which electricity is applied to the second portion (paragraph [0035]), but lacks a specific teaching of the first oxide film is colored in a first color, and the second oxide film is colored in a second color, and wherein the second color is different from the first color.
Hwang teaches the first oxide film is colored in a first color (paragraph [0059]), and the second oxide film is colored in a second color (paragraph [0059]), and wherein the second color is different from the first color (paragraph [0059]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having the first oxide film is colored in a first color, and the second oxide film is colored in a second color, and wherein the second color is different from the first color as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 17: Browning teaches further comprising: a front plate (figs. 2-3); a rear plate (figs. 2-3) facing in a direction opposite to the front plate (figs. 2-3); and a side member (figs. 2-3) surrounding a space between the front plate and the rear plate (figs. 2-3), wherein the conductive member comprises the side member (figs. 2-3).
Regarding Claim 18: Browning teaches each of the first portion and the second portion comprises an outer wall (figs. 2-3) facing an outside of the housing (figs. 2-3) and an inner wall (figs. 2-3) facing in a direction opposite to the outer wall (figs. 2-3), but lacks a specific teaching of the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color, the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color, the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color, and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color.
Hwang teaches the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having of the first portion and the second portion comprises an outer wall facing an outside of the housing and an inner wall facing in a direction opposite to the outer wall, and wherein the outer wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-1)th color, the inner wall of the first portion is colored with a (1-2)th color, the outer wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-1)th color, and the inner wall of the second portion is colored with a (2-2)th color as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 19: Browning lacks a specific teaching of the first portion is colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process, and the second portion is colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process.
Hwang teaches the first portion is colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]), and the second portion is colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]) which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process (paragraphs [0057]-[0061]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Browning by having the first portion is colored by a first color series using the primary anodizing process, and the second portion is colored by a second color series using the secondary anodizing process which is continuously performed following the primary anodizing process as disclosed by Hwang in order to allow for a more appealing as well as versatile design of the overall apparatus which can help to not only strengthen the supports of the device but also make them more custom to the users preference.
Regarding Claim 20: Browning teaches wherein the first portion and the second portion are electrically segmented by at least one slit (area holding 48 and 50 in fig. 3), wherein the insulating material is filled in the at least one slit (figs. 2-3).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY MICHAEL HAUGHTON whose telephone number is (571)272-9087. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841