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 .
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 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.
4. Claim(s) 1-6 and 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Desard et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20200088964 A1).
As per claim 1, Desard teaches a module 100, for distributing data (see paragraph 3), comprising: an input/output device (shown in figure 1B) with at least two ports (see paragraph 46) for transmitting data (see paragraph 3) between users (see paragraph 3, 105) connected to the ports (see paragraph 46) and respective data cables 160 connecting each of the users (see paragraph 3, 105) to the respective port (see paragraph 46), the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) having a housing 130 made by injection molding (see paragraph 36, 41) of a mass of plastic (along end portions of 150 or 160) surrounding the end of at least one of the data cables 160.
As per claim 2, Desard teaches a module 100, further comprising: a casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) made of metal (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) and a mass of injection-molded plastic (see paragraph 34, 36, 41) that is in an interior of the casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) and extends over (shown in figure 2D) at least the respective end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 3, Desard teaches a module 100, connecting each of the users (see paragraph 3, 105) to the respective port (see paragraph 46), further comprising: a casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) made of a hard plastic (see paragraph 5) and a mass injection-molded plastic (see paragraph 34, 36, 41) that fills an interior of the casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) and extends over (shown in figure 2D) at least the respective end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 4, Desard teaches a module 100, wherein a housing 130 of at least one of the users (see paragraph 3, 105) is injection-molded (see paragraph 36, 41) onto an end of the respective data cable 160.
As per claim 5, Desard teaches a module 100, wherein all data cables 160 are surrounded by the housing 130 of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) and the housings 130 of all the users (see paragraph 3, 105) are injection-molded (see paragraph 36, 41) onto ends of their respective data cable 160.
As per claim 6, Desard teaches a method, of making a module 100 for distributing data (see paragraph 3), comprising the steps of: providing an input/output device (shown in figure 1B) with at least two ports (see paragraph 46) for transmitting data (see paragraph 3) between users (see paragraph 3, 105) connected to the ports (see paragraph 46) and respective data cables 160 connecting the users (see paragraph 3, 105) to the respective ports (see paragraph 46) in the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) when ready to use; and, injection molding (see paragraph 36, 41) a housing 130 of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) with a plastic that surrounds (shown in figure 2D) a respective end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 9, Desard teaches a method, wherein a housing 130 of at least one of the users (see paragraph 3, 105) is injection-molded (see paragraph 36, 41) onto an end of its respective data cable 160.
As per claim 10, Desard teaches a method, wherein the housings 130 of all the users (see paragraph 3, 105) are injection-molded (see paragraph 36, 41) onto the ends of their respective data cables 160.
As per claim 11, Desard teaches a method, of making a module 100 for distributing data (see paragraph 3), comprising the steps of: providing an input/output device (shown in figure 1B) with at least two ports (see paragraph 46) for transmitting data (see paragraph 3) between users (see paragraph 3, 105) connected to the ports (see paragraph 46) and respective data cables 160 connecting the users (see paragraph 3, 105) to the respective ports (see paragraph 46) in the input/output device (shown in figure 1B); and injection molding (see paragraph 36, 41) a housing 130 of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) with a plastic that surrounds (shown in figure 2D) a respective end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 12, Desard teaches a method, of making a module 100 for distributing data (see paragraph 3), further comprising the step of: injection molding (see paragraph 36, 41) and thereby potting a casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) of metal (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) with a plastic forming a housing 130 of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) and surrounding a respective (shown in figure 2D) end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 13, Desard teaches a method, of making a module 100 for distributing data (see paragraph 3), further comprising the step of: injection molding (see paragraph 36, 41) and thereby potting a casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) of plastic (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) with a plastic forming a housing 130 of the input/output device (shown in figure 1B) and surrounding a respective (shown in figure 2D) end of the data cable 160.
As per claim 14, Desard teaches a method, of making a module 100 for distributing data (see paragraph 3), wherein the plastic of the casing (150, 200 see paragraph 27, 34, 74) is harder (see paragraph 5) than the plastic (along 130) of the housing 130.
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (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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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831