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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/19/2026 has been entered.
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 1-7, 8-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WU et al.), (US 2016/0079689), hereafter Wu.
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a transmission cable 100 comprising: a terminal connector 1 including a circuit board 2 and a setting head 11 having a power terminal 12 (capable to be) configured to transmit power, (It is to be noted that the terminal 12 is conductive terminal and therefore it can transmit power (too), Moreover there is not particular structure of the terminal that transmit the power is defined), a grounding terminal 12, and a first signal terminal 12; and a line set 3 including a signal transmission unit 321, 322 with a first signal transmission part 321, 322 and a drain wire 31/32 (capable to be) configured to use as drain interference of the first signal transmission part. (It is also to be noted that the transmission part 31/32 is conductive and therefore it can be considered as drain interference of the first signal transmission part (too) Moreover there is not particular structure of the drain wire is defined), the first signal transmission part electrically coupled to the first signal terminal via the circuit board, and the drain wire 31/32 electrically coupled to the power terminal via the circuit board, wherein the drain wire is a bare conductor (within the insulating layer of one of the line set) in physical contact with an insulating layer of the first signal transmission part.
It is to be noted that signal transmission unit, drain wire are just the designation of the wire, Any terminals 12, located within housing 11 can be considered as power terminal, signal terminal or ground terminal as there is no particular structure of these terminals have been defined. Similarly, any wires of 31, 32 can be used as signal transmission unit/wire, ground wire and power transmission unit/wire as there is no particular structure of these wires/ transmission unit have been defined.
Regarding claim 2, Wu, discloses the circuit board 2 has a first power pad 230 and a first signal pad 220; a portion of the first signal transmission part is arranged on the first signal pad and electrically coupled to the power terminal; a portion of the drain wire is arranged on the first power pad and electrically connected to the first signal terminal. It is to be noted any pads (210, 220, 221 and 230) of circuit board 2 can be considered as power signal pad signal transmission unit, drain wire, signal pad, power pad, ground pad as there is no particular structure of these pads have been defined.
Regarding claim 3, Wu, discloses the line set further includes a power transmission unit, and the circuit board has a second power pad electrically connected to the power terminal; a portion of the power transmission unit is arranged on the second power pad.
Regarding claim 4, Wu, discloses the line set 3 further includes a power transmission unit electrically coupled to the power terminal via the circuit board.
Regarding claim 5, Wu, discloses the line set further includes a shielding layer 325 at least partly covering the signal transmission unit, and the shielding layer is electrically coupled to the grounding
Regarding claim 6, Wu, discloses the signal transmission unit has a second signal transmission part electrically coupled to a second signal terminal of the setting head via the circuit board.
Regarding claim 8, Wu, discloses the circuit board has a second signal pad electrically coupled to the second signal terminal, and a portion of the second signal transmission part is arranged on the second signal pad.
Regarding claim 9, Wu, discloses the second signal pad is disposed of adjacent to the first signal pad.
Regarding claim 10, Wu, discloses a transmission cable 100 comprising: a terminal connector 1 including a circuit board 2 and a setting head 11 having a power terminal 12 (capable to be) configured to transmit power, (It is to be noted that the terminal 12 is conductive terminal and therefore it can transmit power (too), Moreover there is not particular structure of the terminal that transmit the power is defined), a grounding terminal 12, and a signal terminal 12 (see fig. 9); and a line set 8 (fig. 8) including a signal transmission unit 321, 322 having a signal transmission part and a conductor layer (capable to be) configured to use as drain interference of the signal transmission part. (It is also to be noted that the conductive layer is conductive and therefore it can be work as drain interference of the signal transmission part (too) Moreover there is not particular structure of the drain interference (conductive layer) is defined), the signal transmission part electrically coupled to the signal terminal 12 via the circuit board 2, the conductor layer at least partly covering the signal transmission part and electrically coupled to the power terminal (see fig. 4, 6).
It is to be noted that signal transmission unit, drain wire are just the designation of the wire, Any terminals 12, located within housing 11 can be considered as power terminal, signal terminal or ground terminal as there is no particular structure of these terminals have been defined. Similarly, any wires of 31, 32 can be used as signal transmission unit/wire, ground wire and power transmission unit/wire as there is no particular structure of these wires/ transmission unit have been defined.
Regarding claim 11, Wu, discloses the circuit board has a first power pad and a signal pad; the first power pad is electrically coupled to the power terminal; the signal pad is electrically coupled to the signal terminal; a portion of the signal transmission part is arranged on the signal pad; a portion of the conductor layer is arranged on the first power pad.
Regarding claim 12, Wu, discloses the line set further includes a power transmission unit; the circuit board further has a second power pad electrically coupled to the power terminal; a portion of the power transmission unit is arranged on the second power pad. It is to be noted that signal transmission unit, drain wire are just the designation of the wire, Any terminals 12, located within housing 11 can be considered as power terminal, signal terminal or ground terminal as there is no particular structure of these terminals have been defined. Similarly, any wires of 31, 32 can be used as signal transmission unit/wire, ground wire and power transmission unit/wire as there is no particular structure of these wires/ transmission unit have been defined.
Regarding claim 13, Wu, discloses the line set further includes a power transmission unit electrically coupled to the power terminal via the circuit board.
It is to be noted that signal transmission unit, drain wire are just the designation of the wire, Any terminals 12, located within housing 11 can be considered as power terminal, signal terminal or ground terminal as there is no particular structure of these terminals have been defined. Similarly, any wires of 31, 32 can be used as signal transmission unit/wire, ground wire and power transmission unit/wire as there is no particular structure of these wires/ transmission unit have been defined.
Regarding claim 14, Wu, discloses the line set further includes a shielding layer 325 at least partly covering the signal transmission unit, and the shielding layer is electrically coupled to the grounding terminal.
Regarding claim 15, Wu, discloses the first power pad is arranged between the signal pad and a side of the circuit board adjacent to the line set. It is to be noted any pads (210, 220, 221 and 230) of circuit board 2 can be considered as power signal pad signal transmission unit, drain , signal pad, power pad, ground pad as there is no particular structure of these pads have been defined.
Regarding claim 16, Wu, discloses terminal connector 100 comprising: a setting head 11 having a power terminal configured to transmit power, a grounding terminal, and a signal terminal; and a circuit board 2 configured to connect the setting head and a line set 3, wherein the circuit board includes a first power pad configured to electrically couple an anti- noise part of the line set to the power terminal, wherein the anti-noise part (is capable to be ) (grounding (conductive) layer) configured to( be used as) drain interference of the line set, as anti-noise part of the line set is being and a conductive, wherein the anti-noise part is a bare wire (within the insulating layer of one of the line set) in physical contact with an insulating layer of a signal transmission part of the line set. Regarding claim 17, Wu, discloses the circuit board includes a signal pad configured to electrically couple the signal terminal; the signal pad is adjacent to the first power pad.
Regarding claim 18, Wu, discloses the first power pad is arranged between the signal pad and a side of the circuit board away from the setting head, as discussed above.
Regarding claim 19, Wu, discloses the circuit board includes a second power pad configured to electrically couple a power transmission unit of the line set to the power terminal, as discussed above.
Regarding claim 21, Wu, discloses the drain wire and the first signal transmission part are at least partially covered by a cladding layer.
Regarding claim 22, Wu, discloses the conductor layer and the signal transmission part are formed a coaxial line (see fig. 8).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 7 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu in view of WU et al. (US 9,590,363) hereafter Wu ’363.
Regarding claim 7, Wu discloses all the claimed limitations except for the first signal transmission part and the second signal transmission part are a twisted pair configured to transmit a differential signal.
Wu ’363, discloses the first signal transmission part and the second signal transmission part are a twisted pair configured to transmit a signal transmission (see column 1, lines 46).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use twisted pair cable for the first and second transmission part as taught by Wu ‘363, in order to have better and faster transmission of signal, moreover Twisted pair cable is widely available at lower cost.
Regarding claim 20, Wu discloses all the claimed limitations except for a specification of the setting head corresponds to one of HDMI, DP, and USB.
Wu ’363, discloses, a specification of the setting head corresponds to one of HDMI, DP, and USB (see column 1, lines 46).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a specification of the setting head corresponds to one of HDMI, DP, and USB (see column 1, lines 46, Wu ’363), in order to have better and faster transmission of signal, moreover this speciation connector widely useable variety of electronic device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 2/10/2026. have been fully considered but they are not persuasive, the examiner has revised the rejection to address the recent amendments, as discussed in the rejection body above.
Regarding claim 1, the applicant argues that, “wherein the drain wire is a bare conductor in physical contact with an insulating layer of the first signal transmission part. In particular, claim 1 has been amended to recite the particular structures of the first signal transmission part and the drain wire. The amended particular structures indicate that the drain wire is a bare conductor in physical contact with an insulating layer of the first signal transmission part”. The examiner respectfully disagrees as, the drain wire is a bare conductor covered by its insulating layer, which is indirectly in physical contact with an insulating layer of the first signal layer. Secondly as it in physical contact with the insulating layer of signal transmission, it does not matter, whether drain wire is bare conductor or it is covered by the insulating layer, ultimately it has to be in physical contact with insulating layer of the signal port, which does not alter the intended function of the drain wire and further. Therefore, Wu discloses the presently claimed invention.
Regarding claim 10, the applicant argues, “the cited art fails to disclose the features "a line set including a signal transmission unit having a signal transmission part and a conductor layer configured to drain interference of the signal transmission part, the signal transmission part electrically coupled to the signal terminal via the circuit board, the conductor layer at least partly covering the signal transmission part and electrically coupled to the power terminal". Examiner respectfully disagrees, as the conductor layer is covering the signal transmission part, so upon considering only some portion of the covering portion of the transmission part, it reads on the this claimed subject matter. Thus, the conductor layer can be considered as partly covering the signal transmission part.
Regarding claim 16, the applicant argues that, "wherein the anti- noise part is a bare wire in physical contact with an insulating layer of a signal transmission part of the line set, or is a conductor layer at least partly covering the signal transmission part of the line set."
Examiner respectfully disagrees as, as discussed above that, the conductive conductor covered by the insulator layer is bare conductor and the end portion or any portion of bare conductor is being drain conductor, is anti-noise part of the bare drain conductor, which is in physical contact with an insulating layer of a signal transmission part of the line set.
Secondly as it in physical contact with the insulating layer of signal transmission, it does not matter, whether drain wire is bare conductor or it is covered by the insulating layer, ultimately it has to be in physical contact with insulating layer of the signal port, which does not alter the intended function of the drain wire and further. Therefore, Wu discloses the presently claimed invention.
Thus Wu, discuss all the claimed limitations of these claims.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A Riyami can be reached at 571-270 3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARSHAD C PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831