DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/27/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hemes et al. (US 20150103006 A1) in view of Greenewald et al. (US 20190349652 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hemes teaches an information processing apparatus (Fig. 1 and Par. 27, control device e.g., monitor 120, keyboard device 130 or mouse device 14) comprising:
a communicator that is wirelessly connected to another device for Fig. 1 and Par. 37, communications module 250 (communicator) wirelessly communication to host device e.g., computer 110 (another device) and the connection is a Bluetooth.TM. pairing connection or any other wireless standard or proprietary wireless network protocol),
a recognizer that recognizes a presence of a user (Fig. 3, presence detection module 240 (recognizer) and Par. 35, presence detection module 240 is configured to detect the presence of an object or a body in proximity to the control device), and
a controller that controls a transmission output of a radio wave, output from the communicator, based on a recognition result of the presence of the user by recognizer (Fig. 3, control circuit and Pars. 39-41), so as to:
enable a wireless connection to the other device by increasing an intensity of the transmission output of the radio wave in a case that the presence of the user is recognized (Par. 39), and
disable the wireless connection to the other device by eliminating the transmission output of the radio wave, or by reducing the intensity of the transmission output of the radio wave, while a wireless function for the wireless connection to the other device, via the communicator, remains enabled, in a case that the presence of the user is no longer recognized (Par. 40).
Hemes does not teach the wireless communication is a direct communication. However, direct wireless communication is very well-known and cannot be considered new or novel in the presence Greenewald, Greenewald teaches the device 210 establish a direct (NFC) communication with the external device 270 (Figs. 1-3 and Pars. 31, 60).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the above teaching as taught Greenewald into Hemes to ensure secure wireless communication.
Regarding claim 12, method of claim 12 is performed by the apparatus of claim 1. They recite same scope of limitations. Applicant is kindly advised to refer to rejection of claim 1 (apparatus) for the method of claim 12.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hemes et al. (US 20150103006 A1) in view of Greenewald et al. (US 20190349652 A1) and in further view of Yokoyama et al. (US 20160142575 A1).
Regarding claim 2, the modified Hemes further teaches the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a detector that detects the user, wherein the recognition device recognizes the presence of the user when the user is detected by the detector (Par. 35, presence detection module 240 is configured to detect the presence of an object or a body in proximity to the control device). It is obvious that the recognition device (detection module) using a detector (sensor) in the presence Yokoyama (Fig.1 and Pars. 37-38).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the above teaching as taught Yokoyama into the modified Hemes to perform the detection.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hemes et al. (US 20150103006 A1) in view of Greenewald et al. (US 20190349652 A1) and in further view Goets et al. (US 11182995 B1).
Regarding claim 3, the modified Hemes lacks on the teaching of the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a near-field communicator that makes near-field communication by a near-field communication method, wherein the recognition device recognizes the presence of the user when the other device is recognized by the near-field communicator.
Goets teaches the proximity sensor 166 receive a proximity signal (user associated with the proximity signal) transmitted by user device 104 and determine that user device 104 is within a predetermined region relative to external device 108, wherein proximity sensor is structured as any near-field communication device such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transceiver or a near-field communication (NFC) transmitter (Col. 16 Lines 25-40).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the above teaching as Goets into the modified Hemes for reducing power consumption.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 12 have been considered but are moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CINDY HUYEN TRANDAI whose telephone number is (571)270-1914. The examiner can normally be reached 8am -4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley L. Kim can be reached at 571-272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Cindy Trandai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648 7/9/2026
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