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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Nos. 103, 102a, 104, 301, 302, 303, 102b, 102c, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-17 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.
Each independent claim contains language that renders the claims indefinite. For example, claims 1, 7, and 12 contain language stating that the electronic device “is about to communicate with” the cable integrated circuit module. Does this mean that the electronic device is about to establish communication with the cable integrated circuit module or does it mean that it is about to exchange information between the two? The specification and disclosure appear to describe it as about to establish communication between the two; however, this is not evident from the claims. The same is true for the phrase “has completed communication with” the cable integrated circuit module found in claims 1 and 12. Does this mean that the two elements have established communication or have exchanged all the necessary information? Clarification is required.
Claims 2-6, 9-11, and 13-17 have been rejected as being dependent on rejected base claims.
A prior art rejection has not been formulated in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The claims pertain to a very specific method for a very specific apparatus configuration. Charging electronic devices using specific communications protocol is not new in the prior art, as seen in the charging performed by Ghosh et al [U.S. 8,843,770]. However, each claim of the current application recites three separate devices, in this case an electronic device, a cable integrated circuit module, and a charger wherein the communication ports of the cable integrated circuit module are all configured to be in a receive mode. Furthermore, each independent claim teaches a first instruction that instructs the charger to disable a transmission function of a transmit end of the charger based on this first instruction. This is considered unobvious subject matter when compared to the prior art. Furthermore, claims 1 and 12 include a second instruction being used for indicating that the electronic device has completed or established communication with the cable integrated circuit module.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hawkins et al [U.S. 7,376,846] teaches a charging cable system for a handheld computer system.
Arai [US 2008/0122297] provides a wireless power supply system.
Kim et al [U.S. 10,218,197] utilizes a plurality of charging circuits.
Guo [U.S. 12,603,517] teaches a fast-charging circuit and cable.
Kim et al [U.S. 12,608,063] determines that a target resistance has been determined.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN A. TWEEL JR whose telephone number is (571)272-2969. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta W Goins can be reached at 571-272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JAT
6/29/2026
/JOHN A TWEEL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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