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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (Claims 1-21) in the reply filed on 12/07/2025 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 6-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Flexenable (WO 2016/083850 A2) [from IDS]
Regarding claim 1, Flexenable discloses a wearable smartphone comprising:
a flexible structure comprising a plurality of tiles; [Figs 8a, 8b; page 14, each of the cells (tiles) are connected in a way which allows bending]
an integrated view screen across a surface including a surface of each of said plurality of tiles; [Page 18 lines 16-26 a flexible display 12 such as an LCD or OLED]
a switch; [Page 4 lines 23-30; a slide switch or a rocker switch] and a bending apparatus configured to reversibly change the smartphone from a flat configuration to a curved configuration in response to activating said switch. [Page 13 lines 4-23; Page 19 lines 10-24; a control mechanism with an actuator (switch) is described which changes between multiple configurations including flat and two levels of curvature; Figs. 7, 8a, 8b]
Regarding claim 2, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the view screen includes a flexible portion attached to multiple tiles of the plurality of tiles and bending with the flexible structure. [Page 18 lines 16-26 a flexible display 12 such as an LCD or OLED]
Regarding claim 6, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the smartphone is configured transform to an intermediate configuration between the flat configuration and the curved configuration. [Page 19 lines 10-24; changes between multiple configurations including flat and two levels of curvature; Figs. 7, 8a, 8b]
Regarding claim 7, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 6, wherein the intermediate configuration is adjustable by a user. Page 19 lines 10-24; a control mechanism with an actuator (switch) which may be a button actuated by a user is described which changes between multiple configurations including flat and two levels of curvature; Figs. 7, 8a, 8b]
Regarding claim 8, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the wearable smartphone is lockable in a selected configuration. [Page 2 lines 12-19, the device can be held by a user in a given configuration or worn on the wrist meaning it is locked in that position until reconfigured, otherwise it could not be held or worn]
Regarding claim 9, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 6, wherein the wearable smartphone is lockable in a selected configuration. [Page 2 lines 12-19, the device can be held by a user in a given configuration or worn on the wrist meaning it is locked in that position until reconfigured, otherwise it could not be held or worn]
Regarding claim 10, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tiles overlap at least in part. [Figs. 4a-6e, there are multiple configuration where tile sections may overlap]
Regarding claim 11, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, further comprising a flexible battery. [page 14 lines 34-35 the battery layer is flexible enough to allow bending]
Regarding claim 12, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, further comprising at least one inflexible battery attached to at least one tile of said plurality of tiles. [Page 29 lines 16-17, the battery comprises rigid segments]
Regarding claim 13, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of a speaker, microphone, front camera, back camera, switch, batteries, processor, sensors, charger, antenna, Global Positioning System (GPS), magnetometer, proximity sensors, barometer, gyroscope, accelerometer, altimeter, thermometer, projector, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, multimedia functionality, social media access and wireless communications protocols. [speaker, microphone, antenna, battery and at least one wireless communication protocol are inherent to a smartphone, so it would not be functional without at least multiple of the listed options, which are in the alternative, applicant is claiming an open group for inclusion of one or more but a closed group for which components may be selected, however this only means applicant has a set box of parts to choose from which doesn’t really affect the actual device; the reference throughout discloses at least battery, sensors, Bluetooth communications, WiFi protocols, as well as others of the broadly claimed components]
Regarding claim 14, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein said switch comprises a button. [page 13 lines 4-22, a button may be used]
Regarding claim 15, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, further comprising a button to lock and unlock the smartphone in a desired configuration. [page 24 lines 5-12, there is a magnetic lock that can lock or unlock under the control mechanism which controls the configuration and is controlled by various configurations of button]
Regarding claim 16, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 14, wherein the button is graphical. [page 24 lines 5-8]
Regarding claim 17, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 15, wherein the button is graphical. [page 24 lines 5-8]
Regarding claim 19, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 15, wherein the button is physical. [page 24 lines 5-8]
Regarding claim 20, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the smartphone is operable in the flat configuration, the curved configuration and any intermediate configuration therebetween. [Page 19 lines 17-28]
Regarding claim 21, Flexenable discloses the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein in the curved configuration the smartphone is curved away from the screen. [Page 19 lines 17-28, the device may be curved to show the display, or hide the display, and the claim language is broad as it does not indicate that it is curved away from the front or the back of the display, any curvature is away]
Claim(s) 1,3-5, 13 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eida (WO 2016203321 A2). [from IDS]
Regarding claim 1, Eida teaches a wearable smartphone (smartphone of Fig 4, can be worn as seen in Fig 5, Page 4, In 8-9: 'Illustrates the external flat shape (phone state)of the flexible display which is related to the folded rounded configuration (watch state)') comprising: a flexible structure comprising a plurality of tiles (tiles 31, 32, 21, Fig 4); an integrated view screen across a surface including a surface of each of said plurality of tiles (a screen is taught being disposed across the tiles, Page 6, In 20-22: The display screen 20 is normally flat from the center 21 and folded from the right/left flexible sides 31 32, the flexible plates 30 are normally bent, and so the right/left flexible sides 31, 32 of the display 20 are bent with them too.'); a switch (Page 5, In 15-19: 'When the user receives a call, or would like to use the flexible display 20 applications, he needs just to push a conventional switch into unfold, then the tiny motor 25 will start pulling the side parts 22, 23 to rotate against the spiral plate springs force (loading them with tension) and the configuration become flat (phone state)', a switch is taught being used to actuate the folding mechanism); and a bending apparatus configured to reversibly change the smartphone from a flat configuration to a curved configuration in response to activating said switch (motor 25, Fig 6, taught changing the apparatus from flat configuration of Fig 4 to curved configuration of Fig 5 in response to actuating a switch, Page 5, In 15-19).
Regarding claim 3, Eida teaches the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein each tile of the plurality of tiles is connected to a next tile by at least one hinge (Fig 6, 33, hinges defined by pulleys taught between tiles, Page 6, In 25-29: 'the center shaft 26 will roll each three parallel wires 27 over the pulleys 33 which are installed in- between the center display 21 and the right/left display parts 31,32, these wires 27 are connected to the far edges of the flexible displays 31 32 to pull them to straighten to be flat).
Regarding claim 4, Eida teaches the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein the bending apparatus includes at least one string attached to at least one actuator, and wherein the actuator is configured to reversibly put tension on the at least one string, thereby transforming the smartphone from the flat configuration to the curved configuration (Strings 27, Fig 6, Page 6, In 23 - Page 7, In 6: The center part 21 is having the same tiny motor 25 built in inside its backside along its center width, a double switch at unfold position starts the tiny motor 25 to rotate and drive a center shaft 26 clockwise, the center shaft 26 will roll each three parallel wires 27 over the pulleys 33 which are installed in- between the center display 21 and the right/left display parts 31,32, these wires 27 are connected to the far edges of the flexible displays 31 32 to pull them to straighten to be flat, the motor's 25 force will be transferred to the flexible plates 30 and pull them to be straight, loading them with tension, and hence the whole display 20 become flat as a phone, while switching the double switch to fold position will let the motor 25 to rotate the shaft 26 counterclockwise and release the wires 27 and hence the flexible plates 30 will rotate under their loaded tension to be bent again, bending with them the right and left flexible parts 31, 32 of the flexible display 20 to become folded creating a wristwatch, having a rounded shape', the actuator provides tension on strings which provide tension to the springs which then transform the smartphone from a flat to curved configuration).
Regarding claim 5, Eida teaches the wearable smartphone of claim 4, wherein the string is threaded through at least one connecting element connected to a least one of said plurality of tiles (Fig 6, 33, connecting element defined by pulleys taught between tiles, Page 6, In 25-29: 'the center shaft 26 will roll each three parallel wires 27 over the pulleys 33 which are installed in- between the center display 21 and the right/left display parts 31,32, these wires 27 are connected to the far edges of the flexible displays 31 32 to pull them to straighten to be flat).
Regarding claim 13, Eida teaches the wearable smartphone of claim 1, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of a speaker, microphone, front camera, back camera, switch, batteries, processor, sensors, charger, antenna, Global Positioning System (GPS), magnetometer, proximity sensors, barometer, gyroscope, accelerometer, altimeter, thermometer, projector, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, multimedia functionality, social media access and wireless communications protocols. [speaker, microphone, antenna, battery and at least one wireless communication protocol are inherent to a smartphone, so it would not be functional without at least multiple of the listed options, which are in the alternative, applicant is claiming an open group for inclusion of one or more but a closed group for which components may be selected, however this only means applicant has a set box of parts to choose from which doesn’t really affect the actual device; the reference throughout discloses at least battery, sensors, Bluetooth communications, WiFi protocols, as well as others of the broadly claimed components]
Regarding claim 21, Eida teaches the wearable smartphone of claim 1, wherein in the curved configuration the smartphone is curved away from the screen (Fig 5, the smartphone is taught curving away from the screen).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the attached PTO-892 for further state of art references related to sectioned devices and mobile phones that are reconfigurable.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEWIS G WEST whose telephone number is (571)272-7859. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, George Eng can be reached at (571) 272-7495. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LEWIS G WEST/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2699