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 to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Chang charger device does not teach or suggest the structural feature of being sized to receive each of a plurality of differently sized rings, stating that differences in inner diameters of wearable ring devices is directly relevant to whether the charging contacts can be brought into reliable contact, and that the depiction of the opening in electronic device 100 appearing to align with the opening in the charger device 200 leads to the assumption that a unique charger device is provided for different sized electronic devices 100. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The charger device teaches that the charging element of the charging station is positioned in a location which facilitates connection with a charging element on an edge surface of the wearable ring device, rather than on an interior or exterior surface of the wearable ring (Fig.4). Magnets are used to provide an attractive force to move the wearable ring device into a position in which the charging elements come into contact. Since Chang teaches this connection occurring on the edge of a wearable ring device, independent of the size of the inner diameter, the charger device it is inherently sized to receive each of a plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices, having different inner diameters, since it is well known there are various ring sizes to accommodate different consumer sizes required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-4 & 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al. (USPGPN 2017/0222458), in view of Buelow et al. (USPGPN 2015/0077064).
Regarding Claim 1, Chang (Fig.2A) teaches a charging station, comprising:
a receptacle portion (indented area of 110 corresponding to 112a) sized to receive each of a plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices, the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices having different inner diameters (¶0028: device 200 may be a smart ring, and rings are known to come in different sizes; since the charger device interacts with an edge surface of the wearable ring device and not an inner surface or outer surface, the charger device is sized to interact with the wearable ring device regardless of the interior diameter, therefore the charger device is inherently sized to receive differently sized wearable rings having different inner diameters); and
a first charging element (140) disposed within the receptacle portion that forms a charging contact (¶0039: contact charging through 140), wherein the charging station uses a magnetic force (120 & 130) so that the wearable ring device from the plurality of different sized wearable wing devices align, when placed in the receptacle portion, in a charging position that facilitates current flow between the first charging element of the charging station and the second charging element of the wearable ring device (¶0034 & 0039: when the electronic device is placed on the charging device, the magnetic members align the electronic device so the electronic contacts are in contact with the metal connectors for power flow), wherein the second charging element is coupled with a battery of the wearable ring device and configured to facilitate the current flow to the battery (¶0032: power storage member 230 connected to electronic contact 250).
Chang fails to explicitly teach the first charging element comprising an electrically conductive magnetic interior portion that forms a charging contact, wherein the first charging element is configured to apply an attractive magnetic force to a second charging element of a wearable ring device.
However, Buelow teaches the use of a first charging element comprising a magnetic interior portion that forms a charging contact (Fig.2; ¶0017: magnets 252 may be magnetically charged conductors; ¶0018: magnets are coated with copper, silver, gold, or nickel, or similar), wherein the first charging element is configured to apply an attractive magnetic force to a second charging element (¶0017: magnets 252 are paired with magnets 232 for applying a magnetic force).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system taught by Chang with Buelow to use coated magnets as a first charging element comprising a magnetic interior that forms a charging contact, that applies an attractive magnetic force to second charging element. Doing so allows for a single element to provide both a retention force and a conduit for electricity which saves space in the charging station.
Regarding Claim 2, Chang, as modified, further teaches wherein the charging contact of the first charging element is in contact with the second charging element of the wearable ring device when the wearable ring device is aligned in the charging position (¶0039: the electronic contacts are in contact with the metal connectors for power flow when disposed on the charging device).
Regarding Claim 3, Chang, as modified, further teaches a third charging element disposed within the receptacle portion and comprising a second magnetic interior portion that forms a second charging contact, wherein the third charging element is configured to apply an attractive magnetic force to a fourth charging element of the wearable ring device so that the wearable ring device aligns in the charging position, and wherein the charging position facilitates current flow between the third charging element of the charging station and the fourth charging element of the wearable ring device (as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1 above, Chang teaches two metal connectors 140, Fig.2A, which facilitate current flow to corresponding connectors on an electronic device; Buelow’s modification teaches the third charging element comprising a second magnetic interior portion which applies a magnetic force to a fourth charging element).
Regarding Claim 4, Chang, as modified, further teaches wherein the first charging element of the charging station and the third charging element of the charging station are configured to align the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices in the charging position (as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, Chang-the electronic device 200 has two electronic contacts and so the corresponding metal connectors on the charging device align differently sized wearable rings into a charging position).
Regarding Claim 8, Chang, as modified, further teaches wherein the receptacle portion is configured to interface with a rim surface of the wearable ring device, and wherein the first charging element is configured to couple with the second charging element that is on the rim surface of the wearable ring device (Figs.1 & 4: profile view of a seated electronic device in the charging device showing a rim surface interface).
Regarding Claim 9, Chang, as modified, further teaches a magnetic sub-portion on the receptacle portion that is configured to magnetically couple with a rim surface of the wearable ring device when the wearable ring device is aligned in the charging position (Figs.2A & 3A: 120 aligns with 211a).
Regarding Claims 10 & 11, Chang, as modified, further teaches wherein the electrically conductive magnetic interior portion comprises a magnetic interior portion that is at least partially coated by an electrically conductive material that has a material with higher electrical conductivity relative to the magnetic interior portion; and
wherein the conductive material comprises gold, nickel, copper, palladium, or any combination thereof (as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1; Buelow-¶0018: magnets are coated with copper, silver, gold, or nickel, or similar).
Claim(s) 5 & 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang, in view of Buelow, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Von Badinski et al. (USPGPN 2020/0089272).
Regarding Claim 5, Chang, as modified, further teaches a third charging element disposed within the receptacle portion and comprising a second magnetic interior portion that forms a second charging contact, wherein the third charging element is configured to apply an attractive magnetic force to a conductive band, and wherein the charging position facilitates current flow between the third charging element of the charging station and the conductive band of the wearable ring device (as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1 above, Chang teaches two metal connectors 140, Fig.2A, which facilitate current flow to corresponding connectors on an electronic device; Buelow’s modification teaches the third charging element comprising a second magnetic interior portion which applies a magnetic force to a fourth charging element).
Chang, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein the third charging element is configured to apply an attractive magnetic force to a conductive band on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring device so that the wearable ring device aligns in the charging position.
However, Von Badinski teaches an equivalent charging station which comprises a docking pillar that is configured to fit within respective inner circumferences of the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices (Fig.19E: 1954e sits within wearable ring 1900e), and wherein the docking pillar comprises a first charging element configured to couple with a second charging element that is on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring device (Fig.19E: 1970e is located on the docking pillar to charge wearable ring 1900e through charging element 1930e located on the wearable ring).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system taught by Chang, in view of Buelow, with Von Badinski, to include a docking pillar and locate the first and third charging elements on the docking pillar to couple with a second charging element and conductive band that are on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring. Doing so may provide additional protection to the first charging element by locating it on a surface less likely to be damaged by an item being dropped onto the charging station.
Regarding Claim 6, Chang, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein the receptacle portion comprises a docking pillar that is configured to fit within respective inner circumferences of the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices, and wherein the docking pillar comprises the first charging element and the first charging element is configured to couple with the second charging element that is on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring device.
However, Von Badinski teaches an equivalent charging station which comprises a docking pillar that is configured to fit within respective inner circumferences of the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices (Fig.19E: 1954e sits within wearable ring 1900e), and wherein the docking pillar comprises a first charging element configured to couple with a second charging element that is on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring device (Fig.19E: 1970e is located on the docking pillar to charge wearable ring 1900e through charging element 1930e located on the wearable ring).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system taught by Chang, in view of Buelow, with Von Badinski, to include a docking pillar and locate the first charging element on the docking pillar to couple with a second charging element that is on an inner circumferential surface of the wearable ring. Doing so may provide additional protection to the first charging element by locating it on a surface less likely to be damaged by an item being dropped onto the charging station.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang, in view of Buelow, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nam et al. (USPGPN 2023/0361587 – effectively filed 2021).
Regarding Claim 7, Chang, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein the receptacle portion comprises a docking surface configured to circumferentially surround respective outer circumferences of the plurality of differently sized wearable ring devices, and wherein the docking surface comprises the first charging element and the first charging element is configured to couple with the second charging element that is on an outer circumferential surface of the wearable ring device.
However, Nam teaches an equivalent charging station which comprises a receptacle portion comprising a docking surface which is configured to circumferentially surround respective outer circumferences of wearable ring devices (Fig.3, outer surface 212 surrounds the circumference of device 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system taught by Chang, in view of Buelow, with Nam to modify the docking surface to circumferentially surround the outer circumference of a wearable ring device. Doing so helps protect the outer surface of the ring from damage while placed in the charging station.
Chang, as modified, discloses the claimed invention except for the first charging element is not located on the docking surface where it circumferentially surrounds the outer circumferential surface, to couple with a second charging element that is on the outer circumferential surface of the wearable ring device. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to move the first charging element to the docking surface where it circumferentially surrounds the outer circumferential surface, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. Doing so may provide additional protection to the first charging element by locating it on a surface less likely to be damaged by an item being dropped onto the charging station.
Conclusion
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
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/JOHN P ONDRASIK/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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