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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 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 –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Kogan (US 20060258409 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kogan discloses
A cradle (docking station 12, fig.1) for a mobile device (PDA 10, fig.1), the cradle (docking station 12) comprising:
a cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1, has a body);
a plurality of biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.3) extending from the cradle body (docking station 12) and configured for making contact with contacts (connector 28, figs.7-8) on the mobile device (PDA 10) or a case containing the mobile device; and
at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) disposed within the cradle body (docking station 12) and configured, in operation, to heat the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) [Par.0015 cited: “…battery 22 of the PDA 10 is charged, heat is generated…].
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Regarding claim 2, Kogan discloses
electronic circuitry (docking station 12 inherently has a circuit board) disposed in the cradle body (body of docking station 12, fig.1) and coupled to the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) and configured for directing operation of the at least one heating element (battery 22).
Regarding claim 3, Kogan discloses
a temperature sensor (thermal sensor, Par.0015) disposed in the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1), coupled to the electronic circuitry (circuit board), and configured to measure or estimate a cradle temperature or an ambient temperature [Par.0015 cited: “…many devices include a thermal sensor which directs the device to stop charging when a predetermined temperature is reached …”].
Regarding claim 4, Kogan discloses
the temperature sensor (thermal sensor, Par.0015) comprises a thermistor [thermal sensor, Par.0015, can be a thermistor].
Regarding claim 5, Kogan discloses
at least one of the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) comprises a housing (wall 29, fig.2) and a pin (channel 30, fig.2) partially disposed within the housing (wall 29) and configured to move up and down within the housing (wall 29) [recess 14 and channel 30, fig.2, is allowed PDA 10, fig.1, moves up and down].
Regarding claim 6, Kogan discloses
at least one of biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) comprises a pogo pin [connector 20, fig.8, is a pin].
Regarding claim 7, Kogan discloses
a substrate (lower-most surface 18, fig.3) disposed within the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1), wherein each of the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) is coupled to the substate (lower-most surface 18).
Regarding claim 8, Kogan discloses
the substrate (lower-most surface 18, fig.3) comprises a printed circuit board [lower-most surface 18, fig.3, can be a circuit board].
Regarding claim 9, Kogan discloses
the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1) comprises a cradle base (battery receiving station 52, fig.2), a bottom device receiver (wall 29, fig.2) coupled to the cradle base (battery receiving station 52) and configured to retain a bottom portion of a mobile device (PDA 10, fig.1) or a case containing the mobile device (PDA 10) loaded into the cradle (docking station 12); and a top cup (opening of wall 29, fig.2) coupled to the cradle base (battery receiving station 52) and configured to retain a top portion of the mobile device (PDA 10) or the case containing the mobile device (PDA 10) loaded into the cradle (docking station 12) [Par.0013 cited: “…mobile device, in this case a PDA 10, is received within a first recess 14 of a docking station 12 according to the invention with a bottom surface 38 of the PDA 10 including a connector 28 thereof facing a lower-most surface 18 of the recess 14…”].
Regarding claim 10, Kogan discloses
the bottom device receiver (wall 29, fig.2) comprises a cover (bottom surface 48, fig.6) coupleable to a remainder of the bottom device receiver (lower-most surface 18, fig.3) and configured to allow access to a cavity (recess 14, fig.2) defined within the bottom device receiver (wall 29).
Regarding claim 11, Kogan discloses
each of the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) is partially disposed within the cavity (recess 14, fig.2) and extends out of the bottom device receiver (lower-most surface 18, fig.3).
Regarding claim 12, Kogan discloses
a connector cord (external cabling, Par.0017) extending from the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1) and electrically coupled to the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) [Par.0017 cited: “…Those skilled in the art will understand that the connector 20 is coupled to the one or more ports (not shown) on the docking station 12 which may be coupled to sources of power and/or data via external cabling while it is necessary only to connect the connector 56 to a port supplying power…”].
Regarding claim 13, Kogan discloses
A system (docking station 12, PDA 10, fig.1), comprising: the cradle (docking station 12); and the mobile device (PDA 10) insertable into the cradle (docking station 12).
Regarding claim 14, Kogan discloses
the cradle (docking station 12, fig.1) is configured for operation of the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) by the mobile device (PDA 10, fig.1).
Regarding claim 15, Kogan discloses
A method for using a cradle (docking station 12, fig.1) for a mobile device (PDA 10, fig.1), the method comprising: providing the cradle (docking station 12); and heating the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) using the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3).
Regarding claim 16, Kogan discloses
heating the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) comprises operating the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) using electronic circuitry (docking station 12, fig.1, inherently has a circuit board) disposed within the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1).
Regarding claim 17, Kogan discloses
heating the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) comprises measuring or estimating the cradle temperature or an ambient temperature using a temperature sensor (thermal sensor, Par.0015) disposed within the cradle body (docking station 12, fig.1) and providing the measured or estimated temperature to the electronic circuitry (docking station 12, fig.1, inherently has a circuit board) for operating the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3).
Regarding claim 18, Kogan discloses
operating the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) comprises turning on the at least one heating element (battery 22) when the measured or estimated cradle temperature or ambient temperature falls below a threshold temperature [Par.0015 cited: “…when the battery 22 heats to a predetermined level, the device will shut down the recharging process to prevent damage thereto. For example, many devices include a thermal sensor which directs the device to stop charging when a predetermined temperature is reached…”].
Regarding claim 19, Kogan discloses
operating the at least one heating element (battery 22, fig.3) comprises turning off the at least one heating element (battery 22) when the measured or estimated cradle temperature or ambient temperature exceeds a threshold temperature [Par.0015 cited: “…when the battery 22 heats to a predetermined level, the device will shut down the recharging process to prevent damage thereto. For example, many devices include a thermal sensor which directs the device to stop charging when a predetermined temperature is reached…”].
Regarding claim 20, Kogan discloses
at least one of the biasing contacts (connector 20, fig.8) is a pogo pin [connector 20, fig.8, is a pin].
Response to Amendment
With respect to Specification Objection: the applicant’s argument in the Remark, filed on 05/11/2026, has been fully considered and it is persuasive, such that the Specification Objection is withdrawn.
With respect to Claim Objection: the applicant’s amendment, filed on 05/11/2026, that overcame the Claim Objection.
Response to Argument
Applicant's arguments filed 05/11/2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive as the following reasons:
In claim 1: The applicants argue: “…Kogan does not teach or suggest a cradle that includes "at least one heating element disposed within the cradle body and configured, in operation, to heat the biasing contacts." The battery 22 of Kogan is not within the body of the docking station 12 of Kogan, the battery 22 is within the PDA 10 and may be remote from the connector 20 of the docking station of Kogan and therefore not substantially heat the connector, and Kogan teaches away from generating heat with the battery 22 and, instead, teaches limiting such heating…”, Remark Page 7.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because the task of 102 rejections is “a claim is anticipated only if each and every element as set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference”. Verdagaal Bros. v. Union Oil Co. of California, 814 F.2d 628,631,2 USPQ2d 1051, 1053 (Fed. Cir. 1987). In this case, the Kogan discloses all the limitations as cited in claim 1, including the limitation “at least one heating element disposed within the cradle body and configured, in operation, to heat the biasing contacts”, as shown in fig.4, when the PDA 10 sits on the docking station 12, then the battery 22 is located in the docking station 12 during operation. Additionally, more or less an amount of heat of the battery 22, during operation, is generated to heat the connector 20.
In claims 3 and 17: The applicants argue: “…claim 3 recites a temperature sensor disposed in the cradle body, coupled to the electronic circuitry, and configured to measure or estimate a cradle temperature or an ambient temperature. Claim 17 also recites a temperature sensor disposed within the cradle body. The Office Action points to [0015] of Kogan which discloses "many devices include a thermal sensor which directs the device to stop charging when a predetermined temperature is reached." Office Action, pp. 5, 8. Paragraph [0015] of Kogan is clearly referring to the PDA 10 or other mobile devices, not a docking station. There is no disclosure in Kogan of a cradle (e.g., a docking station) including a temperature sensor. Accordingly, Kogan fails to teach or suggest all of the elements of claims 3 and 17 …”, in the Remark, Page 7.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because the Kogan reference discloses a thermal sensor, in Par.0015, which is considered as a “temperature sensor” that can be used to perform the function as cited in the claims; the thermal sensor belongs to the docking station 12, when the PDA 10 sits on the docking station 12, as shown in fig.4.
In claim 4: The applicants argue: “…Kogan does not explicitly or inherently disclose a thermistor …”, in the Remark, Page 8.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because the Kogan reference discloses a thermal sensor, in Par.0015, which is considered as a “a thermistor” because it can be used to perform the function as cited in the claims.
In claim 5: The applicants argue: “…Kogan fails to teach or suggest all the elements of claim 5 …”, in the Remark, Page 8.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because as shown in fig.2, the channel 30 is considered as a pin, that can move up and down in the wall 29, with respect to the PDA 10.
In claims 6 and 20: The applicants argue: “…Kogan does not anticipate claims 6 and 20 …”, in the Remark, Page 8.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because for the broadly interpretation, the connector 20, as shown in fig.1, is considered as a “pogo pin”, because they both can be used to perform the same function.
In claim 9: The applicants argue: “…Kogan fails to teach or suggest the top cup recited in claim 9 …”, in the Remark, Page 9.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because, as shown in fig.2, the opening of wall 29, is considered as a “top cup”, connected to the battery receiving station 52 to retain a top portion of the PDA10 loaded into the docking station 12. Also, Par.0013 or Kogan cited: “…mobile device, in this case a PDA 10, is received within a first recess 14 of a docking station 12 according to the invention with a bottom surface 38 of the PDA 10 including a connector 28 thereof facing a lower-most surface 18 of the recess 14…”
In claim 18: The applicants argue: “…claim 18 recites a deliberate step to start heating based on a measured temperature. This is not taught by Kogan…”, in the Remark, Page 9.
The examiner’s response: the applicant’s argument is not persuasive because it has been disclosed in Par.0015 of Kogan: “…when the battery 22 heats to a predetermined level, the device will shut down the recharging process to prevent damage thereto. For example, many devices include a thermal sensor which directs the device to stop charging when a predetermined temperature is reached…”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Slattery (US 20140173155 A1) is considered as a relevant prior art in field of a mobile device dock, as shown in fig.1, with a mobile device, a dock and a biasing contact, but does not disclose a heater is located within the dock...
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (8.00am-5.00pm).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
05/31/2026
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