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 .
Response for Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election of Group I (claims 1-12) in the reply filed on 01/02/2026 is acknowledged. Non-elected Group II (claims 13-15) is withdrawn from consideration. Since the applicant did not point out errors of restriction; therefore, the restriction will be treated as without traverse.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/10/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. In this case, the present title is too long. See MPEP 606.01. Correction is required.
The following tittle is suggested: --Cradle for a mobile device--
Claim Objections
Claims 9, 13, and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 9: the limitation: “a mobile device” as cited in line 2, should be changed to --the mobile device--.
In claim 13: the limitation: “a mobile device” as cited in line 3, should be changed to --the mobile device--.
In claim 17: the limitation: “a cradle” as cited in line 2, should be changed to --the cradle--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 case; 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…].
PNG
media_image1.png
528
898
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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 or 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 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 (docking station 12, fig.1) or 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 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 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 contacts (connector 20, fig.8) is a pogo pin [connector 20, fig.8, is a pin].
Conclusion
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
02/08/2026