DETAILED ACTION
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 § 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 7, 9-10, 17 and 19-20 are 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.
Claim 9 recites “wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the wearable ring device is parallel to a charging position”. It is unclear what is meant by “parallel to a charging position”. It is unclear whether this indicates that the device is “in” a charging position (like on the charger, in the correct plane) or in any other position that could be defined as “parallel” based on the plane used to define the two positions. The specification fails to resolve the ambiguity. For the purpose of examination, Examiner is interpreting “parallel to a charging position” as in a charging position.
Claims 7, 10, 17 and 19-20 recite similar language and are indefinite for the same reasons.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-6 and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. Chinese Publication CN 114680435 A. (It is noted that the Wang citations are taken from the machine translation, until a translation is obtained.)
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses a wearable ring device [fig. 1, ring 100; pars. 15 & 23-24], comprising:
a battery configured within the wearable ring device [fig. 2, curved battery 300; pars. 39 & 50-52];
a arcuate frame configured to be worn on a finger of a user, the arcuate frame comprising an outer lateral surface and an inner lateral surface, the inner lateral surface configured to be in contact with the finger of the user [fig. 1, a ring (a ring is an arcuate frame with inner and outer lateral surfaces, the inner of which goes on the finger) 100]; and
an arcuate charging element disposed within a first lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device and coupled with the battery, the charging element configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a conductive band configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device [fig. 2; 400, wireless charging coil conducts electricity induced by the coil to the battery, thus is a conductive band].
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses wherein the conductive band comprises a conductive coil disposed within the first lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device and between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery and conducts electricity induced by the coil to the battery, thus is a conductive band; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses further comprising: an arcuate antenna element disposed within a second lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device and coupled with the battery [fig. 2, arcuate flexible circuit board 200 comprises an NFC circuit (thus an arcuate antenna) and is powered by, and thus coupled to, the battery 300; board 200 is also within the 2 edges of inner ring 500; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses wherein the arcuate antenna element is configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the frame of the wearable ring device [fig. 1-2, 200, 300 and 400 are coupled between 100 and 500].
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses wherein the first lateral edge is opposite the second lateral edge [fig. 2 & 6; 500 has 2 opposing edges 501 and 502].
Regarding claim 11, Wang discloses an apparatus [fig. 1], comprising:
an arcuate frame comprising an outer lateral surface and an inner lateral surface [fig. 1, a ring (a ring is an arcuate frame with inner and outer lateral surfaces, the inner of which goes on the finger) 100]; and
an arcuate charging element disposed within a first lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the apparatus and coupled with a power source within the apparatus [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery], the charging element configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the apparatus [fig. 2, pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55; charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring 500 and sandwiched between the outer layer 100 and inner layer 500].
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a conductive band configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the apparatus [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery and conducts electricity induced by the coil to the battery, thus is a conductive band; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses wherein the conductive band comprises a conductive coil disposed within the first lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the apparatus and between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the apparatus [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery and conducts electricity induced by the coil to the battery, thus is a conductive band; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses further comprising: an arcuate antenna element disposed within a second lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the apparatus and coupled with the power source [fig. 2, pars. 49 & 53; arcuate flexible circuit board 200 comprises an NFC circuit (thus an arcuate antenna) and is powered by, and thus coupled to, the battery 300; board 200 is also within the 2 edges of inner ring 500]..
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses wherein the arcuate antenna element is configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the frame of the apparatus [fig. 1-2, 200, 300 and 400 are coupled between 100 and 500].
Regarding claim 16, Wang discloses wherein the first lateral edge is opposite the second lateral edge [fig. 2 & 6; 500 has 2 opposing edges 501 and 502].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 7, 9-10, 17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. Chinese Publication CN 114680435 A in view of Su et al. US PGPUB 2023/0134920.
Regarding claim 7, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station.
However, Su discloses a wireless charging device for a wearable ring [figs. 1-2, 16 & 18A-18B] wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station for the purpose of allowing the ring to rest in a stable position, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 9, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the wearable ring device is parallel to a charging position.
However, Su discloses a wireless charging device for a wearable ring [figs. 1-2, 16 & 18A-18B] wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the wearable ring device is parallel to a charging position [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the wearable ring device is parallel to a charging position for the purpose of allowing the ring to rest in a stable position, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 10, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the charging position facilitates a current flow between the charging station and the arcuate charging element of the wearable ring device.
However, Su as applied in claim 9 discloses wherein the charging position facilitates a current flow between the charging station and the arcuate charging element of the wearable ring device [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
Regarding claim 17, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station.
However, Su discloses a wireless charging device for a wearable ring [figs. 1-2, 16 & 18A-18B] wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the arcuate charging element when positioned on a receptacle portion of a charging station, in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station, facilitates current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station for the purpose of allowing the ring to rest in a stable position, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 20, Wang discloses a method, comprising:
identifying an arcuate charging element of a wearable ring device [pars. 23-24; the user charges and wears the device, and thus “identifies” the arcuate charging element of a wearable ring device when charging the device], wherein the wearable ring device comprises an arcuate frame comprising an outer lateral surface and an inner lateral surface, the inner lateral surface configured to be in contact with a finger of a user [fig. 1, a ring (a ring is an arcuate frame with inner and outer lateral surfaces, the inner of which goes on the finger) 100], wherein the arcuate charging element is disposed within a first lateral edge of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device and coupled with a battery of the wearable ring device, and wherein the charging element is configured between the outer lateral surface and the inner lateral surface of the arcuate frame of the wearable ring device [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery, thus coupled with the battery; pars. 40];
facilitating a current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station based at least in part on the positioning [pars. 15 & 23-24; the charging is wireless using a coil, thus the current flow is based at least in part on the positioning due to the physics of inductive charging]; and
charging the battery of the wearable ring device based at least in part on facilitating the current flow between the arcuate charging element and the charging station [fig. 2, charging coil 400 is disposed within edges of the inner ring with edges (500) and charges the battery; pars. 40, 50, 52 & 55].
Wang does not explicitly disclose positioning the arcuate charging element of the wearable ring device on a receptacle portion of a charging station in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station.
However, Su discloses a wireless charging device for a wearable ring [figs. 1-2, 16 & 18A-18B] comprising positioning the arcuate charging element of the wearable ring device on a receptacle portion of a charging station in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include positioning the arcuate charging element of the wearable ring device on a receptacle portion of a charging station in a charging position in which the arcuate charging element is parallel with the charging station for the purpose of allowing the ring to rest in a stable position, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. Chinese Publication CN 114680435 A in view of Kim et al. Korean Publication KR 102038286 B1.
Regarding claim 8, Wang does not explicitly disclose wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact.
However, Kim discloses a wirelessly charging ring [figs. 1-2], wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact [fig. 1, the charging unit 260 of the ring may be made of a magnetic material and also contains iron or nickel (conductive materials) for passing current to “charg[e]the detection unit 200”; pars. 51-53].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact for the purpose of using magnetic field induction for charging, as taught by Kim (pars. 51-53).
Regarding claim 18, Wang discloses wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact.
However, Kim discloses a wirelessly charging ring, wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact [fig. 1, the charging unit 260 of the ring may be made of a magnetic material and also contains iron or nickel (conductive materials) for passing current to “charg[e]the detection unit 200”; pars. 51-53].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the arcuate charging element comprises a magnetic contact at least partially coated by a conductive material that forms a charging contact for the purpose of using magnetic field induction for charging, as taught by Kim (pars. 51-53).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. Chinese Publication CN 114680435 A in view of Kim et al. Korean Publication KR 102038286 B1, and further in view of Su et al. US PGPUB 2023/0134920.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Wang and Kim does not explicitly disclose
However, Su discloses a wireless charging device for a wearable ring [figs. 1-2, 16 & 18A-18B] wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the apparatus is parallel to a charging position, wherein the charging position facilitates a current flow between the charging station and the arcuate charging element of the apparatus [fig. 18a-18b; par. 74; ring 102 can be charged while positioned on a charging station 200, wherein the arcuate charging element (charging element of the ring 102 that conforms to the ring shape, fig. 1, antenna 10, par. 43), such that the element is “in parallel” with the charging station, given that the ring lies flat to a plane parallel to that of the plane on which the charger 200 lies flat].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang to further include wherein the charging contact of the arcuate charging element is in contact with a charging station when the apparatus is parallel to a charging position, wherein the charging position facilitates a current flow between the charging station and the arcuate charging element of the apparatus for the purpose of allowing the ring to rest in a stable position, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Sanchez et al. US PGPUB 2022/0320899 discloses a wirelessly chargeable ring with an arcuate charging element.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID V HENZE-GONGOLA whose telephone number is (571)272-3317. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 9am to 7pm.
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/DAVID V HENZE-GONGOLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859