DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicants' communication filed on March 11, 2026. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are amended, and presents arguments, is hereby acknowledged. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
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 on March 11, 2026 have been fully considered.
In view of the amended Claims and upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection, necessitated by the amendments is made in view of different interpretation of the previously applied references and new prior art as presented in this Office action. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are moot. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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 of this title, 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210168230 A1 (Baker), in view of US 20210181020 A1 (McQuilkin) and in further view of CN 108277463 B (Ruan), US 20220402807 A1 (Guo) and US 20230011603 A1 (Choi).
Regarding Claims 1, 8 and 15:
An electronic device comprising: an enclosure comprising: a housing defining a side surface of the electronic device; a front cover coupled to the housing, defining a front surface of the electronic device, and comprising a front cover member; anda rear cover coupled to the housing, defining a rear surface of the electronic device, and comprising: a rear cover member formed from a colored glass material, the colored glass material comprising a metal incorporated in a glass phase of the glass material and having a dielectric constant from 5 to 6.5 in a frequency band from 5 GHz to 45 GHz, at least a portion of the rear cover member having an average transmission for visible light greater than 35%; and a coating comprising a plurality of color layers disposed along an interior surface of the rear cover member; a display positioned below the front cover; and an antenna element of a wireless communication system positioned below the rear cover (Baker: Figs. 1-5, a cellphone construct that has a hosing, display, front and back cover, multiple cameras or sensor arrays for both front and rear, and camera covers, e.g., in Fig. 5 and par. 216-221, front cameras 506/552, rear camera module 560 that comprises cameras 561/562/563 and corresponding covers 566/567/568, which are optical lenses that filter, magnify, or otherwise condition light received by the respective camera 561, 562, 563; the device also has multiple antenna arrays, e.g., Fig. 8A, illustrates multiple antenna arrays that located various places, side, front (below front panel), back (below the rear cover, antenna 732, 730)).
Baker does not teach explicitly on using different filters on different rear cameras. However, Kramer teaches (McQuilkin: e.g., Fig. 1, a device with multiple camera array and each camera has corresponding spectral filter, where Fig. 4 and par. 199-202, each filter of filter array 208 has different bandwidth, i.e., filter out different color ranges).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify Baker with using different filters on different rear cameras as further taught by McQuilkin. The advantage of doing so is to provide a mechanism for spectral imaging systems whose detection capabilities can be easily changed on demand to be able to detect information for a wide range of desired applications (McQuilkin: Background).
Baker does not teach explicitly on using coating to change filtering properties of a camera. However, Ruan teaches (Ruan: methods of glass coating using multiple materials, e.g., tables 1-4, where different composition and thickness of different materials would yield different properties, e.g., average transmission rate is greater than 57.2% and L* value is greater than 70, and in Figs. 2-3 and Figs. 4-5, further illustrate different composition can achieve different properties, which in turn changes color transmission properties. It is further noted that in Ruan’s teaching, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, Nb₂O₅, and Si₃N₄ have dielectric constant of about 3.9, 8-10, 30-80, 28-120, and 6-9 respectively, and dielectric constants changes with frequency and temperature, e.g., SiO₂ stable up to the low GHz range; Al₂O₃ stable over a wide frequency range, including RF and microwave (0.3-300Ghz)).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify Baker with using coating to change filtering properties of a camera as further taught by Ruan and Beckwith. The advantage of doing so is to provide a preparation method to provide a glass with simple process, good performance of the back cover and back cover glass of mobile device (Ruan: Background).
Bajer does not teach explicitly on a colored glass material, the colored glass material comprising a metal incorporated in a glass phase of the glass material. However, Guo teaches (Guo: par. 5, a colored glass article in which “the colorant comprises at least one of Cr.sub.2O.sub.3, Au, Ag, CuO, NiO, Co.sub.3O.sub.4, TiO.sub.2, CeO.sub.2”; Figs. 44A-C and par. 240, 252, colorant particles may include Au and silver particles, where these particles are metal nanoparticles incorporated into the glass phase that impact color; in addition, par. 5, 123, 311, teach “a dielectric constant from 5.6 to 7.5 un a frequency range from 10GHz to 60 GHz”, where optimizing dielectric properties within a known compistional system to meet application requirements is within ordinary skill, e.g., par. 154, “The dielectric constant Dk of the colored glass article may be calculated according to the equation: Dk=3.802946+0.01747*B.sub.2O.sub.3 (mol %)+0.058769*Al.sub.2O.sub.3 (mol %)+0.080876*Li.sub.2O (mol %)+0.148433*Na.sub.2O (mol %)+0.153264*K.sub.2O (mol %)+0.045179*MgO (mol %)+0.080113*CaO (mol %), enabling an ordinary skill to calculate and tune Dk within any desired range; par. 147, 267, Unless otherwise specified, the L*, a*, and b* values are indicated for article thicknesses of 0.4 mm to 5 mm … this means that each thickness within the range of thicknesses has L*, a*, and b* coordinates falling within the specified range(s) for L*, a*, and b* coordinates, and “as the value of L* decreases, the color of the colored glass articles becomes more saturated and the glasses become more opaque”; par. 355, the same glass composition produces different L* values at different thickness as further shown in Table 7).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify Baker with a colored glass material, the colored glass material comprising a metal incorporated in a glass phase of the glass material as further taught by Guo. The advantage of doing so is to provide colored glass articles having high strength and fracture toughness for mobile devices (Guo: Background).
Baker does not teach explicitly on a single rear cover member having two distinct thickness regions as part of one integral piece. However, Choi teaches (Choi: Abstract, “cover glass may include a color glass including an end having a first thickness and an end having a second thickness different from the first thickness and configured to sequentially vary in thickness from the first thickness to the second thickness”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify Baker with a single rear cover member having two distinct thickness regions as part of one integral piece as further taught by Choi. The advantage of doing so is to provide a mechanism to achieve color gradation effect without additional processing steps.
Regarding Claim 2, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the electronic device further comprises a rear-facing camera array; the second portion of the rear cover member defines an array of holes; and each camera of the rear-facing camera array extends into a respective hole of the array of holes (Baker: Figs. 1-5).
Regarding Claim 3, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 2, wherein: the first portion of the rear cover member defines a first texture along an exterior surface of the rear cover member; the second portion of the rear cover member defines a second texture along the exterior surface of the rear cover member; a third portion of the rear cover member defines a third texture along the exterior surface of the rear cover member that is different from the first texture and the second texture; and the third portion of the rear cover member at least partially surrounds the first portion of the rear cover member and a boundary between the third texture and the first texture defines an outline of a graphic (McQuilkin: Fig. 4, each filter of multiple spectral filter array has different spectral bandwidth, i.e., filter different color ranges or color layers; Ruan and Guo teaches that using different composition of coating to achieve different light properties, L*, average transmission rate, and etc., it is known that composite material dielectric constant depend on material ration, thickness and etc., where it is also known that different dielectric constant yields different texture of the composite material).
Regarding Claim 4, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the third texture has a root mean square height that is greater than a root mean square height of each of the first texture and the second texture (McQuilkin: Fig. 4, each filter of multiple spectral filter array has different spectral bandwidth, i.e., filter different color ranges or color layers; Ruan and Guo teaches that using different composition of coating to achieve different light properties, L*, average transmission rate, and etc., it is known that composite material dielectric constant depend on material ration, thickness and etc., where it is also known that different dielectric constant yields different texture of the composite material, where thickness depends on design requirements and choices).
Regarding Claim 5, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 3, wherein a region of the coating interior to the first portion of the rear cover member has a number of color layers that differs from a number of color layers in a region of the coating interior to the third portion of the rear cover member (McQuilkin: Fig. 4, each filter of multiple spectral filter array has different spectral bandwidth, i.e., filter different color ranges or color layers; Ruan and Guo teaches that using different composition of coating to achieve different light properties, L*, average transmission rate, and etc., it is known that composite material dielectric constant depend on material ration, thickness and etc., where it is also known that different dielectric constant yields different texture of the composite material).
Regarding Claim 6, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:the first portion of the rear cover member has an L* value of at least 90; and an L* difference between the first and the second portions of the rear cover member is at least 10 (McQuilkin: Fig. 4, each filter of multiple spectral filter array has different spectral bandwidth, i.e., filter different color ranges or color layers; Ruan and Guo teaches that using different composition of coating to achieve different light properties, L*, average transmission rate, and etc., it is known that composite material dielectric constant depend on material ration, thickness and etc., where it is also known that different dielectric constant yields different texture of the composite material).
Regarding Claim 7, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a radio frequency antenna assembly configured to operate in the frequency band (Baker: par. 275, 292, all frequency bands that specifies in 5G standards and beyond).
Regarding Claim 9, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 8, wherein: the portion of the rear cover member is a second portion having: a second thickness; and a second chroma value; and the rear cover member further comprises a first portion having: a first thickness that is less than the second thickness; an average transmission for visible light that is greater than the average transmission for visible light of the second portion; and a first chroma value that is less than the second chroma value (Ruan and Guo already teach that composite material dielectric constant and its associated frequency range changes depending on types of material, their ratio and thickness, and different composition coatings have different average transmission values for visible light, wavelength from 380nm-780nm. It is noted that it is known that the dielectric constant is closely related to the refractive index of a material, and refractive index varies with wavelength (i.e., color) of light, called dispersion; the variation in a material's refractive index due to different wavelengths of light directly impacts both hue and chroma).
Regarding Claim 10, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the rear cover member further comprises a third portion at least partially surrounding and visually distinct from each of the first portion and the second portion (Baker: Fig. 5, McQuilkin: e.g., Fig. 1, a device with multiple camera array and each camera has corresponding spectral filter, where Fig. 4 and par. 199-202, each filter of filter array 208 has different bandwidth, i.e., filter out different color ranges).
Regarding Claim 11, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the third portion of the rear cover member has a gloss value that is lower than a gloss value of the first portion of the rear cover member (It is noted that the gloss value of glass is determined by the amount of light it reflects in a specular, mirror-like direction, which is influenced by its surface texture (roughness), refractive index, and the angle of the incident light, where different refractive index value changes gloss values).
Regarding Claim 12, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first portion of the rear cover member and a first portion of the coating positioned under the first portion of the rear cover member together at least partially define a graphic (McQuilkin: e.g., Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 13, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the average transmission ranges from 65% to 90% over a wavelength range from 360 nm to 740 nm (Ruan: Tables 2-5; Guo: par. 397, Table 19 shows examples of colored glass with average transmittances (380-750nm) in the range 65% to 90%; par. 310, “the colored glass articles have an average transmittance greater than or equal to 15% and less than or equal to 92% over the wavelength range of 380 nm to 750 nm”).
Regarding Claim 14, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the portion of the rear cover member has a chroma value of at least 1.75 (Ruan and Guo already teach that composite material dielectric constant and its associated frequency range changes depending on types of material, their ratio and thickness, and different composition coatings have different average transmission values for visible light, wavelength from 380nm-780nm. It is noted that it is known that the dielectric constant is closely related to the refractive index of a material, and refractive index varies with wavelength (i.e., color) of light, called dispersion; the variation in a material's refractive index due to different wavelengths of light directly impacts both hue and chroma).
Regarding Claim 16, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the second cover member has a transmission for visible light that is less than or equal to 90% (Ruan: Tables 2-5; Guo: par. 397, Table 19 shows examples of colored glass with average transmittances (380-750nm) in the range 65% to 90%; par. 310, “the colored glass articles have an average transmittance greater than or equal to 15% and less than or equal to 92% over the wavelength range of 380 nm to 750 nm”).
Regarding Claim 17, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 16, wherein: the first portion of the second cover member has a first hue; and the coating is configured so that a corresponding portion of the second cover has a second hue different from the first hue (Ruan and Guo already teach that composite material dielectric constant and its associated frequency range changes depending on types of material, their ratio and thickness, and different composition coatings have different average transmission values for visible light, wavelength from 380nm-780nm. It is noted that it is known that the dielectric constant is closely related to the refractive index of a material, and refractive index varies with wavelength (i.e., color) of light, called dispersion; the variation in a material's refractive index due to different wavelengths of light directly impacts both hue and chroma).
Regarding Claim 18, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 16, wherein: each of the first and the second portions of the second cover member has a polished texture along an exterior surface of the second cover member; and the second cover member further comprises a third portion that at least partially surrounds the first portion of the second cover member and that defines a texture along the exterior surface that has a root mean square height that is greater than a root mean square height of the polished textures of the first and the second portions of the second cover member (McQuilkin: Fig. 4, each filter of multiple spectral filter array has different spectral bandwidth, i.e., filter different color ranges or color layers; Ruan and Guo teaches that using different composition of coating to achieve different light properties, L*, average transmission rate, and etc., it is known that composite material dielectric constant depend on material ration, thickness and etc., where it is also known that different dielectric constant yields different texture of the composite material, where thickness depends on design requirements and choices).
Regarding Claim 19, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 18, wherein a hue difference (Ah*) between the first and the third portions of the second cover member is less than 15 degrees (Ruan and Guo already teach that composite material dielectric constant and its associated frequency range changes depending on types of material, their ratio and thickness, and different composition coatings have different average transmission values for visible light, wavelength from 380nm-780nm. It is noted that it is known that the dielectric constant is closely related to the refractive index of a material, and refractive index varies with wavelength (i.e., color) of light, called dispersion; the variation in a material's refractive index due to different wavelengths of light directly impacts both hue and chroma, where hue of each camera cover depends on design requirements and choices).
Regarding Claim 20, Baker as modifier further teaches:
The electronic device of claim 15, wherein: the first portion of the second cover member has a thickness greater than 0.3 mm and less than 0.75 mm; and the second portion of the second cover member has a thickness greater than 1 mm and less than or equal to 3 mm (Ruan: e.g., Fig. 5, composite coating thickness can be 0.1mm – 0.5mm depending design properties. It is noted that the 1st portion and 2nd portion may have different design requirements such as transmission rate, gloss, color performance, e.g., hue, chroma, and others, which impacts compositions of coating materials, consequently, thickness of coating as taught through Ruan, Guo and known physical properties of composition materials); .
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHITONG CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1936. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9:30am - 5pm.
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, Yuwen Pan can be reached on 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ZHITONG CHEN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
Prosecution Insights