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 .
Status of Preliminary Amendment
Examiner acknowledges receipt of preliminary amendment to application 18/248,201 received April 6, 2023. Claims 7 and 14 are canceled, claims 1-2, 4, 8 and 15 are amended, and claims 3, 5-6 and 9-13 are left as original.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruscher et al. U.S. PGPub 2020/0099245 A1 (hereinafter Ruscher) in view of Kim et al. U.S. PGPub 2011/0266880 A1 (hereinafter Kim), Herbst et al. U.S. Patent 10,651,685 (hereinafter Herbst) and Park et al. U.S. PGPub 2018/0329527 A1 (hereinafter Park).
Regarding Claim 1, Ruscher teaches a wireless charging circuit (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Para. [0061], and Fig. 11, Element 1100; Para. [0049]), applied to a power supply device (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Element 100; Para. [0029], “electronic device”, and Fig. 11, Element 1105; Para. [0048]) and comprising: an inverter module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, A function of Element 1120, “Device Inductive Charging Circuitry” where the inverter is not separately illustrated, Para. [0061]), a power supply module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1125, “Device Battery”; Para. [0049]), a first processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1115, “Device Processor”; Paras. [0049]–[0050]), a first communication module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1135, “Device Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0049]-[0050]) and a first coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Transmit Coil”; Para. [0049]), wherein the first coil component comprises: a coil gating submodule, a switching submodule (Ruscher, these modules are not separately illustrated, but the function is obvious within the disclosure; See Abstract and Paras. [0004], [0007], [0008] and [0011] – [0012]) and at least two coils (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Element 715a-x,; Para. [0040], “transmit coils”); the inverter module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, A function of Element 1120, “Device Inductive Charging Circuitry” where the inverter is not separately illustrated, Para. [0061]) is connected to the first coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Transmit Coil”; Para. [0049]); the inverter module is configured to: obtain a direct current signal (Ruscher, Fig. 11, From Element 1125, “Device Battery”; Although not explicitly stated in Ruscher, obvious to one skilled in the art.), convert the direct current signal into a first alternating current signal at a target resonant frequency (Ruscher, Para. [0049], “time varying electromagnetic signal”), and output the first alternating current signal to the first coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Transmit Coil”; Para. [0049]), wherein the target resonant frequency is at an MHz level (Ruscher, Para. [0033]); the first coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Transmit Coil”) is configured to emit a wireless charging signal based on the first alternating current signal (Ruscher, Para. [0049]); the first communication module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1135, “Device Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0049]-[0050]) configured to receive a required charging power from a stylus (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]), and send the required charging power to the first processing module (Ruscher, Paras. [0029] – [0032] and [0053]); the power supply module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1125, “Device Battery”) is further configured to send power supply information to the first processing module (Ruscher, Para. [0049]); the first processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1115, “Device Processor”) configured to obtain a writing position of the stylus on a screen (Ruscher, Para. [0054] – [0055]), and determine a first target power based on the power supply information, the writing position of the stylus, and the required charging power, sending the first target power to the inverter module (Ruscher, Paras. [0032], [0049], and [0051]); the inverter module is also used for: adjusting an output power of the inverter module to the first target power (Ruscher, Para. [0049]); the stylus include a second processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1145, “Stylus Processor”; Paras. [0051]–[0052]), a second communication module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1160, “Stylus Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0052]–[0053]), and an electric quantity detection module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Stylus Power Circuitry”; Paras. [0049]–[0055]); the electric quantity detection module configured to detect electric quantity of batteries in a battery pack and send electric quantity information of the battery pack to the second processing module (Ruscher, Paras. [0049]–[0055]); the second processing module configured to interact with the power supply device in terms of a charging protocol by using the second communication module to charge a second battery pack in the stylus (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0059]), but does not explicitly teach an inverter and specific functions of an inverter.
Kim, however, teaches a wireless charging circuit (Kim, Fig. 3; Paras. [0063] – [0083]), applied to a power supply device (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 300; Para. [0063], “resonance power transmitter”) and comprising: an inverter module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 330; Para. [0065], “DC/AC converter”), a power supply module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 320; Para. [0065], “AC/DC converter”), a first processing module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 390; Para. [0065], “MCU/controller”), a first communication module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 380; Para. [0065], “source communicating unit”) and a first coil component (Kim, Fig. 1, Element 115; Paras. [0048] - [0050] and Fig. 3, Element 350; Para. [0065], “Source Resonator”); the inverter module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 330) is connected to the first coil component (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 350); the inverter module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 330) is configured to: obtain a direct current signal (Kim, Para. [0068]), convert the direct current signal into a first alternating current signal (Kim, Para. [0069]) at a target resonant frequency (Kim, Para. [0072]), and output the first alternating current signal to the first coil component (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 350), wherein the target resonant frequency is at an MHz level (Kim, Paras. [0048] – [0072]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher is silent as to the details of an DC/AC converter (inverter), Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional inverter commonly understood in the art. The inverter taught by Kim, for adjusting and converting the incoming DC voltage to an outgoing AC signal to drive an output coil, teaches one of the many conventional inverter circuits utilized in the art used for transferring power wirelessly. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kim, to adjust/convert the voltage signals within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
The combined teaching of the Ruscher and Kim references discloses the claimed invention as stated above, but does not explicitly teach the details of a coil module.
Herbst, however, teaches wherein the first coil component comprises: a coil gating submodule, a switching submodule and at least two coils (Herbst, Fig. 5; Col. 10, Lines 35-46).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher as modified by Kim is silent as to the details of the coil switching, Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional coil gaiting and switching commonly understood in the art. The coil gaiting and switching taught by Herbst, for selecting each coil to be energized or de-energized, teaches one of the many conventional coil gaiting and switching methods utilized in the art used for selecting the coils in order to transfer power wirelessly to a device on a multi-coil surface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Herbst, to control the connection between the inverter and appropriate coils within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim and Herbst references discloses the claimed invention as stated above, but does not explicitly teach an electric quantity detection module in the stylus.
Park, however, teaches the stylus (Park, Fig. 1, Element 110, and Fig. 4, Element 400, “pen”; Para. [0052]) include an electric quantity detection module (Park, Fig. 4, Element 460; Para. [0056], Lines 20-26, “battery power level detecting sensor”); the electric quantity detection module configured to detect electric quantity of batteries in a battery pack and send electric quantity information of the battery pack to the second processing module (Park, Fig. 4; Para. [0056]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher as modified by Kim and Herbst is silent as to the details of detecting the electric quantity in a battery pack of the stylus, Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional voltage/current monitoring commonly understood in the art. The electric quantity detection taught by Park, for detecting the electric quantity in a battery pack of the stylus, teaches one of the many conventional power detection methods utilized in the art for maintaining the charge of a rechargeable battery within an electronic device. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Park, to detect and control the battery charging of the stylus pen within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
Regarding Claim 2, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the coils (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Elements 715a-715x; Para. [0040], “transmit coils”) are distributed at different positions of the power supply device (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Element 700; Para. [0040], “electronic device”), and that the inverter module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, A function of Element 1120, “Device Inductive Charging Circuitry” where the inverter is not separately illustrated, Para. [0061]) is connected to the first coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, “Transmit Coil”; Para. [0049]) comprises the inverter module is connected to each coil (Ruscher, Para. [0038]).
Regarding Claim 3, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 2/1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein that the coils (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Elements 715a-715x; Para. [0040], “transmit coils”) are distributed at different positions of the power supply device (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Element 700; Para. [0040], “electronic device”) comprises the coils are evenly distributed at different positions of the power supply device based on a screen of the power supply device (Ruscher, Paras. [0026] – [0027]).
Regarding Claim 4, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 2/1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the circuit further comprises a first processing module and the switching submodule is connected to the first processing module and the coil gating submodule respectively, that the inverter module is connected to each coil comprises: the inverter module is connected to each coil by using the coil gating submodule, the first processing module is configured to: detect a writing position of a stylus on the screen, select a target coil from the coils in the first coil component based on the writing position, and send information of the selected target coil to the switching submodule, and the switching submodule is configured to: control the coil gating submodule to gate a path between the target coil and the inverter module based on the information of the target coil (Ruscher,; Paras. [0038] and [0054] – [0056]. These modules are not separately illustrated, but function is obvious within the disclosure; See Abstract and Paras. [0004], [0007], [0008] and [0011] – [0012])).
Regarding Claim 5, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 4/2/1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the coil gating submodule comprises a plurality of switches (Ruscher, these modules are not separately illustrated, but function is obvious within the disclosure; See Abstract and Paras. [0004], [0007], [0008] and [0011] – [0012]). Further, Herbst teaches each coil in the first coil component corresponds to one switch; that the inverter module is connected to each coil by using the coil gating submodule comprises: the inverter module is connected to each coil by using a switch corresponding to the coil; and that the switching submodule is configured to control the coil gating submodule to gate a path between the target coil and the inverter module comprises: the switching submodule is configured to: control a switch corresponding to the target coil to turn on, and control a switch corresponding to a coil other than the target coil to turn off (Herbst, Fig. 5; Col. 10, Lines 35-46).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher as modified by Kim is silent as to the details of the coil switching, Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional coil gaiting and switching commonly understood in the art. The coil gaiting and switching taught by Herbst, for selecting each coil to be energized or de-energized, teaches one of the many conventional coil gaiting and switching methods utilized in the art used for selecting the coils in order to transfer power wirelessly to a device on a multi-coil surface. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Herbst, to control the connection between the inverter and appropriate coils within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
Regarding Claim 6, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 4/2/1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the circuit further comprises a first communication module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1135, “Device Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0049]-[0050]), configured to receive a charging request from the stylus (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]), and send the charging request to the first processing module; and further configured to receive a charging stop request from the stylus (Ruscher, Para. [0035]), and send the charging stop request to the first processing module, wherein the first processing module is further configured to control the inverter module to start operating when it is determined, based on the charging request, to charge the stylus; and control the inverter module to stop operating when it is determined, based on the charging stop request, to stop charging the stylus (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0059]).
Regarding Claim 8, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim, Herbst and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the coils are planar coils (Ruscher, Fig. 7, Element 715a-x,; Para. [0042]).
Claims 9-10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruscher et al. U.S. PGPub 2020/0099245 A1 (hereinafter Ruscher) in view of Kim et al. U.S. PGPub 2011/0266880 A1 (hereinafter Kim).
Regarding Claim 9, Ruscher teaches a wireless charging circuit (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Para. [0061], and Fig. 11, Element 1100; Para. [0049]), applied to a stylus (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Element 105; Para. [0029], and Fig. 11, Element 1110; Para. [0048]) and comprising a second coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1150, “Receive Coil”; Para. [0051]) and a rectifier module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, A function of Element 1130, “Stylus Power Circuitry” where the rectifier is not separately illustrated, Para. [0061]), wherein the second coil component (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1150) is connected to the rectifier module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1130, As illustrated.), the second coil component is configured to receive a wireless charging signal (Ruscher, Para. [0054] – [0055]), at a target resonant frequency (Ruscher, Para. [0049], “time varying electromagnetic signal”), emitted by a power supply device (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Element 100; Para. [0029], “electronic device”, and Fig. 11, Element 1105; Para. [0048]), convert the wireless charging signal into a second alternating current signal, and transmit the second alternating current signal to the rectifier module (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Para. [0051]); wherein the target resonant frequency is at an MHz level (Ruscher, Para. [0033]), and the rectifier module is configured to rectify the second alternating current signal into a direct current signal, and the direct current signal is used to charge a battery pack of the stylus and/or supply power to a power circuit of the stylus (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0058]), but does not explicitly teach a rectifier and specific functions of a rectifier.
Kim, however, teaches a wireless charging circuit (Kim, Fig. 3; Paras. [0063] – [0083]), applied to a stylus (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 400; Para. [0063], “resonance power receiver”. In this case a stylus.) and comprising a second coil component (Kim, Fig. 1, Element 121; Para. [0050] and Fig. 3, Element 410; Para. [0066], “Target Resonator”) and a rectifier module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 430; Para. [0066], “AC/DC converter”), wherein the second coil component (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 410; “Target Resonator”) is connected to the rectifier module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 430; “AC/DC converter”. As illustrated.), the second coil component (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 410; “Target Resonator”) is configured to receive a wireless charging signal at a target resonant frequency (Kim, Para. [0072]), emitted by a power supply device (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 300; Para. [0063], “resonance power transmitter”), convert the wireless charging signal into a second alternating current signal (Kim, Fig. 3, Paras. [0079] – [0083]), and transmit the second alternating current signal to the rectifier module (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 430; Para. [0066]), wherein the target resonant frequency is at an MHz level (Kim, Paras. [0048] – [0072]), and the rectifier module is configured to rectify the second alternating current signal into a direct current signal (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 430; Paras. [0081] – [0082]), and the direct current signal is used to charge a battery pack of the stylus and/or supply power to a power circuit of the stylus (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 440; Paras. [0082] – [0083]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher is silent as to the details of an DC/AC converter (inverter), Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional inverter commonly understood in the art. The inverter taught by Kim, for adjusting and converting the incoming DC voltage to an outgoing AC signal to drive an output coil, teaches one of the many conventional inverter circuits utilized in the art used for transferring power wirelessly. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kim, to adjust/convert the voltage signals within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
Regarding Claim 10, The combined teaching of the Ruscher and Kim references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 9. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the circuit further comprises: a second processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1145, “Stylus Processor”; Paras. [0051]–[0052]) and a second communication module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1160, “Stylus Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0052]–[0053]), wherein the second processing module is configured to send a charging request to the power supply device by using the second communication module (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]), wherein the charging request is used to request the power supply device to send a wireless charging signal, and is further configured to send a charging stop request to the power supply device by using the second communication module (Ruscher, Para. [0035]), wherein the charging stop request is used to request the power supply device to stop sending the wireless charging signal (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0059]).
Regarding Claim 15, The combined teaching of the Ruscher and Kim references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 9. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches a stylus, comprising the wireless charging circuit according to claim 9 (Ruscher, Fig. 1, Element 105; Para. [0029], and Fig. 11, Element 1110; Para. [0048]).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ruscher et al. U.S. PGPub 2020/0099245 A1 (hereinafter Ruscher) in view of Kim et al. U.S. PGPub 2011/0266880 A1 (hereinafter Kim) as applied to claims 10/9 above, and further in view of Park et al. U.S. PGPub 2018/0329527 A1 (hereinafter Park).
Regarding Claim 11, The combined teaching of the Ruscher and Kim references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 10/9. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches the second processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1160, “Stylus Communication Circuitry”; Paras. [0052]–[0053]) is configured to send a charging request to the power supply device by using the second communication module (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]) comprises the second processing module is configured to send a charging request to the power supply device by using the second communication module when it is determined (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]), based on the detection result, to perform wireless charging; and that the second processing module is configured to send a charging stop request to the power supply device by using the second communication module comprises the second processing module is configured to send a charging stop request (Ruscher, Para. [0035]) to the power supply device by using the second communication module when it is determined, based on the detection result, to stop wireless charging (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0059]), but does not explicitly teach an electric quantity detection module in the stylus.
Park, however, teaches further comprising an electric quantity detection module (Park, Fig. 4, Element 460; Para. [0056], Lines 20-26, “battery power level detecting sensor”), configured to: detect electric quantity information of the battery pack in the stylus, and send a detection result to the second processing module (Park, Fig. 4; Para. [0056]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher as modified by Kim is silent as to the details of detecting the electric quantity in a battery pack of the stylus, Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional voltage/current monitoring commonly understood in the art. The electric quantity detection taught by Park, for detecting the electric quantity in a battery pack of the stylus, teaches one of the many conventional power detection methods utilized in the art for maintaining the charge of a rechargeable battery within an electronic device. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Park, to detect and control the battery charging of the stylus pen within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
Regarding Claim 12, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 11/10/9. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches wherein the second processing module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, Element 1145, “Stylus Processor”; Paras. [0051]–[0052]) is further configured to control the rectifier module (Ruscher, Fig. 11, A function of Element 1130, “Stylus Power Circuitry” where the rectifier is not separately illustrated, Para. [0061]) to start rectifying the second alternating current signal output by the second coil component when it is determined, based on the detection result, to perform wireless charging; and control the rectifier module to stop the rectifying when it is determined, based on the detection result, to stop wireless charging (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0058]), but does not explicitly teach a rectifier and specific functions of a rectifier.
Kim, however, teaches control the rectifier module to start rectifying the second alternating current signal output by the second coil component when it is determined, based on the detection result, to perform wireless charging (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 430; Paras. [0081] – [0082]), and control the rectifier module to stop the rectifying when it is determined, based on the detection result, to stop wireless charging (Kim, Fig. 3, Element 440; Paras. [0082] – [0083]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Ruscher is silent as to the details of an DC/AC converter (inverter), Ruscher would inherently incorporate some type of conventional inverter commonly understood in the art. The inverter taught by Kim, for adjusting and converting the incoming DC voltage to an outgoing AC signal to drive an output coil, teaches one of the many conventional inverter circuits utilized in the art used for transferring power wirelessly. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kim, to adjust/convert the voltage signals within the wireless charging system of Ruscher.
Regarding Claim 13, The combined teaching of the Ruscher, Kim and Park references discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 11/10/9. Furthermore, Ruscher teaches further comprising the second processing module is further configured to calculate a required charging power based on the detection result (Ruscher, Fig. 11; Paras. [0048] – [0059]), and send the required charging power to the power supply device by using the second communication module (Ruscher, Figs. 1-2, Element 105; Para. [0030], and Fig. 11, Element 1110, “Stylus”; Para. [0049]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Park et al. U.S. PGPub 2022/0155878 teaches a stylus pen with electronic device.
Liang et al. U.S. PGPub 2019/0068002 teaches a wireless power system.
Kim et al. U.S. PGPub 2014/0265615 teaches a wireless power system.
Kim et al. U.S. PGPub 2014/0084858 teaches a wireless power transmission system.
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/JERRY D ROBBINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859