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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in CN on 07/28/2021. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/04/2024, 10/10/2024, 12/10/2024, 07/14/2025 and 03/27/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the features must be shown or the features would be canceled from the claims:
Claim 19 recites “wherein a second connection mechanism is disposed on the metal middle frame”. There is no drawings showing there are two connection mechanism: one of them is on the housing and the second one is disposed on the metal middle frame. Figs. 15-21 show the connection mechanism 26 is disposed on the middle frame 22 and figs. 22-24 show the connection mechanism 26 is disposed on the housing 21 but drawings do not show there are 2 connection mechanism disposed on the housing and on the metal middle frame at the same time.
No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Para [0084]: “ground points P1 and P2” should read “feed points P1 and P2”
Appropriate correction is required.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is more than 150 words in length. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Objections
Claims 8 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8 has unclear boundaries regarding where the preamble ends and the body of the claim begins.
Claim 19: “the housing is made of a conductive material” can be omitted or read “the housing is made of [[a]] the conductive material” because the phrase has been recited in the last line of claim 14.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 8-10 are rejected as failing to define the invention in the manner required by 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
The claim 8 is narrative in form. The structure which goes to make up the device must be clearly and positively specified. The structure must be organized and correlated in such a manner as to present a complete operative device.
Claims 9-10 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 8 and are subsequently rejected.
Claims 14-20 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.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "a metal middle frame" in line 21 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear if this metal middle frame is the same or different to the metal middle frame recited in line 7. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Claims 15-20 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 14 and are subsequently rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al, US-20230121035-A1 (hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses the following:
a wearable electronic device movement comprising a metal middle frame and a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on the metal middle frame, wherein:
a controller is disposed on the PCB (para [0037]);
at least one ground point (G1, fig. 3A) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, 140, para [0034]) and is coupled to a ground port (160a) on the PCB (160, para [0061]);
at least one feed point (F1) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, fig. 2) and is coupled to a radio frequency circuit (102, para [0049]) on the PCB (160, fig. 2);
in response to that the wearable electronic device movement is mounted in mounting space of a housing (114), the controller is configured to obtain a switch control signal (para [0038]: The communication processor may include a wireless communication circuit and para [0067]: the wireless communication circuit 102 may control the switch circuit); and
the controller is configured to control an ON state of at least one of a first switch or a second switch based on the switch control signal, the first switch being coupled between the at least one ground point and the ground port, the second switch being coupled between the at least one feed point and the radio frequency circuit (para [0067]).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses wherein an impedance matching circuit is further disposed on the PCB (para [0092]: the wireless communication circuit 102 comprises the impedance matching circuit and the wireless communication circuit 102 is disposed on the PCB 160, fig. 2), and the impedance matching circuit is connected between the metal middle frame (112) and the ground port or the radio frequency circuit (102, para [0092]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhao et al, US-20230082798-A1 (hereinafter Zhao).
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Zhao discloses the following:
a housing (200, figs. 9A-9B), wherein a connection mechanism (500) is disposed inside the housing (figs. 9A-9B); and in response to that a wearable electronic device movement is detachably mounted in mounting space of the housing, the connection mechanism (500) electrically connects a metal middle frame (100) of the wearable electronic device movement to the housing (200), and the housing is made of a conductive material (para [0071]).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as applied to claim 1 above, and in view of Chen et al, CN-106506028-A (hereinafter Chen).
Regarding claim 2, Kim does not disclose wherein the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal in response to a selection signal triggered by a user based on a material of the housing.
Chen suggests wherein the controller (control unit, Abstract) is configured to generate the switch control signal in response to a selection signal triggered by a user based on a material of the housing (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to generate the switch control signal taught in Kim based on a material of the housing as suggested in Chen as claimed for the purpose of improving the performance of the antenna in order to improve the wireless communication of the wearable electronic device (Chen, Abstract).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as applied to claim 1 above, and in view of Di Nallo et al, US-20180248811-A1 (hereinafter Di Nallo).
Regarding claim 3, Kim does not disclose the wearable electronic device movement according to claim 1, further comprising: a proximity sensor chip, wherein the proximity sensor chip is coupled to the metal middle frame; the proximity sensor chip is configured to detect a capacitance value of the metal middle frame; and the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal based on the capacitance value.
Di Nallo suggests the wearable electronic device movement according to claim 1, further comprising: a proximity sensor chip (para [0069]), wherein the proximity sensor chip is coupled to the antennas (40L, 40U); the proximity sensor chip is configured to detect a capacitance value of the metal middle frame (para [0069]); and the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal based on the capacitance value (para [0069]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a proximity sensor chip as suggested in Di Nallo to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of using the antenna not being block by an external object in order to improve the antenna’s performance (Di Nallo, para [0069]).
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as applied to claim 1 above, and in view of Zhao, US-20230082798-A1.
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the housing (114, fig. 2) is made of a conductive material (para [0040]) and the metal middle frame might be connected to the housing (fig. 2, para [0040], [0046]).
Kim does not disclose wherein a connection mechanism is disposed on the metal middle frame; and in response to that the wearable electronic device movement is mounted in the mounting space of the housing, the connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing.
Zhao suggests wherein a connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) is disposed on the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]); and in response to that the wearable electronic device movement (100, main board, figs. 2-3) is mounted in the mounting space of the housing (200), the connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection mechanism as suggested in Zhao to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of forming an electrical connection between the metal middle frame and the housing in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses wherein the connection mechanism (1011, 1013, fig. 10) comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the frame (210), a first end of the spring is connected to the body (fig. 10), and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the housing (112, 120).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhao as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Wu et al, US-20180342817-A1 (hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses the spring (1011, 1013, fig. 10) comprises a protrusion (C3, C4) close to the second end, the protrusion is away from a direction of the body (fig. 10), and the protrusion protrudes from the mounting groove to press against the housing (112, 120).
Kim does not disclose wherein the body comprises a limiting mechanism located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring, the body is fastened in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame.
Zhao suggests the body is fastened in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame (para [0071], figs. 9A-9B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fasten the body of the connection mechanism taught in Kim in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame as suggested in Zhao as claimed for the purpose of fixing connection mechanism to the middle frame in order to form electrical connection to the housing to improve the antenna’s performance (Zhao, para [0043]).
The combination of Kim and Zhao does not disclose wherein the body comprises a limiting mechanism located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring.
Wu suggests wherein the body (40, fig. 3) comprises a limiting mechanism (81) located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring (22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a limiting mechanism as suggested in Wu to the connection mechanism taught in Kim and Zhao as claimed for the purpose of limiting the bending angle of the second end of the spring depending on the requirements of the application.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao as applied to claim 8 above.
Regarding claim 9, Zhao discloses wherein the connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]), a first end of the spring is connected to the body, and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the housing (200, para [0071]).
Although Zhao does not explicitly disclose the body is fastened in the housing and the second end of the spring cambers press against the metal middle frame, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to swap the body from being fastened in the metal middle frame and the second end of the spring cambers pressing against the housing as taught in Zhao to the body being fastened in the housing and the second end of the spring cambers pressing against the metal middle frame as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stem from the need to mount the connection mechanism to form the electrical connection between the housing and the metal middle frame depending on the metal and available spaces of the metal middle frame or the housing to dispose the connection mechanism.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Wu.
Regarding claim 10, Zhao discloses the body is fastened in a mounting groove (figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]), the spring comprises a protrusion close to the second end (figs. 9A-9B, the protrusion is away from a direction of the body, and the protrusion protrudes from the mounting groove to press against the housing (figs. 9A-9B).
Although Zhao does not explicitly disclose the mounting groove of the housing and the protrusion press against metal middle frame, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to swap the mounting groove from the metal middle frame and the protrusion pressing against the housing as taught in Zhao to the mounting groove to be on the housing and the protrusion pressing against metal middle frame as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stem from the need to mount the connection mechanism to form the electrical connection between the housing and the metal middle frame depending on the metal and available spaces of the metal middle frame or the housing to dispose the connection mechanism.
Zhao does not disclose wherein the body comprises a limiting mechanism located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring.
Wu suggests wherein the body (40, fig. 3) comprises a limiting mechanism (81) located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring (22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a limiting mechanism as suggested in Wu to the connection mechanism taught in Zhao as claimed for the purpose of limiting the bending angle of the second end of the spring depending on the requirements of the application.
Claims 11-12, 14 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, US-20230121035-A1, and in view of Zhao, US-20230082798-A1.
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses the following:
a wearable electronic device movement comprising a metal middle frame and a print circuit board (PCB) disposed on the metal middle frame, wherein:
at least one ground point (G1, fig. 3A) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, 140, para [0034]) and is coupled to a ground port (160a) on the PCB (160, para [0061]);
at least one feed point (F1) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, fig. 2) and is coupled to a radio frequency circuit (102, para [0049]) on the PCB (160, fig. 2);
in response to that the wearable electronic device movement (112, 160) is mounted in mounting space of a housing (114) and
the housing (114, fig. 2) is made of a conductive material (para [0040]).
Kim does not disclose a connection mechanism is disposed on the metal middle frame; and
the connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing.
Kim discloses and the metal middle frame might be connected to the housing (fig. 2, para [0040], [0046]).
Zhao suggests wherein a connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) is disposed on the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]); and in response to that the wearable electronic device movement (100, main board, figs. 2-3) is mounted in the mounting space of the housing (200), the connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection mechanism as suggested in Zhao to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of forming an electrical connection between the metal middle frame and the housing in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 12, Kim does not disclose wherein the connection mechanism comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the metal middle frame, a first end of the spring is connected to the body, and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the housing.
Zhao suggests wherein the connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]), a first end of the spring is connected to the body, and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the housing (200, para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection mechanism as suggested in Zhao to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of forming an electrical connection between the metal middle frame and the housing in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 14, as best understood, Kim discloses the following:
a wearable electronic device, comprising a housing and a wearable electronic device movement that is mounted inside mounting space of the housing, wherein:
the wearable electronic device movement comprises a metal middle frame (112, figs. 1-2,) and a printed circuit board (PCB) (160) disposed on the metal middle frame (112, fig. 9);
a controller is disposed on the PCB (para [0037]);
at least one ground point (G1, fig. 3A) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, 140, para [0034]) and is coupled to a ground port (160a) on the PCB (160, para [0061]);
at least one feed point (F1) is provided on the metal middle frame (112, fig. 2) and is coupled to a radio frequency circuit (102, para [0049]) on the PCB (160, fig. 2);
a connection mechanism (1011, 1013, fig. 10) is disposed inside the housing (114);
in response to that the wearable electronic device movement is mounted in mounting space of a housing (114), the controller is configured to obtain a switch control signal (para [0038]: The communication processor may include a wireless communication circuit and para [0067]: the wireless communication circuit 102 may control the switch circuit);
the controller is configured to control an ON state of at least one of a first switch or a second switch based on the switch control signal, the first switch being coupled between the at least one ground point and the ground port, the second switch being coupled between the at least one feed point and the radio frequency circuit (para [0067]), and
the housing (114, fig. 2) is made of a conductive material (para [0040]).
Kim does not disclose the connection mechanism electrically connects a metal middle frame of the wearable electronic device movement to the housing.
Kim discloses the metal middle frame might be connected to the housing (fig. 2, para [0040], [0046]).
Zhao suggests wherein a connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) electrically connects a metal middle frame (100) of the wearable electronic device movement to the housing (200, para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection mechanism as suggested in Zhao to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of forming an electrical connection between the metal middle frame and the housing in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 18, Kim does not disclose wherein the connection mechanism comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the housing, a first end of the spring is connected to the body, and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the metal middle frame.
Zhao discloses wherein the connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) comprises a body and a spring, the body is fastened in the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]), a first end of the spring is connected to the body, and a second end of the spring cambers relative to the body to press against the housing (200, para [0071]).
Although Zhao does not explicitly disclose the body is fastened in the housing and the second end of the spring cambers press against the metal middle frame, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to swap the body from being fastened in the metal middle frame and the second end of the spring cambers pressing against the housing as taught in Zhao to the body being fastened in the housing and the second end of the spring cambers pressing against the metal middle frame as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stem from the need to mount the connection mechanism to form the electrical connection between the housing and the metal middle frame depending on the metal and available spaces of the metal middle frame or the housing to dispose the connection mechanism.
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses the housing (114, fig. 2) is made of a conductive material (para [0040]).
Kim does not disclose wherein a second connection mechanism is disposed on the metal middle frame; and in response to that the wearable electronic device movement is mounted in mounting space of a housing, the second connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing.
Kim discloses and the metal middle frame might be connected to the housing (fig. 2, para [0040], [0046]).
Zhao suggests wherein a second connection mechanism (500, figs. 9A-9B) is disposed on the metal middle frame (100, figs. 9A-9B, para [0071]); and in response to that the wearable electronic device movement (100, main board, figs. 2-3) is mounted in the mounting space of the housing (200), the connection mechanism electrically connects the metal middle frame to the housing (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the connection mechanism as suggested in Zhao to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of forming an electrical connection between the metal middle frame and the housing in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Regarding claim 20, Kim discloses wherein an impedance matching circuit is further disposed on the PCB (para [0092]: the wireless communication circuit 102 comprises the impedance matching circuit and the wireless communication circuit 102 is disposed on the PCB 160, fig. 2), and the impedance matching circuit is connected between the metal middle frame (112) and the ground port or the radio frequency circuit (102, para [0092]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhao as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Wu.
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses the spring (1011, 1013, fig. 10) comprises a protrusion (C3, C4) close to the second end, the protrusion is away from a direction of the body (fig. 10), and the protrusion protrudes from the mounting groove to press against the housing (112, 120).
Kim does not disclose wherein the body comprises a limiting mechanism located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring, the body is fastened in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame.
Zhao suggests the body is fastened in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to fasten the body of the connection mechanism taught in Kim in a mounting groove of the metal middle frame as suggested in Zhao as claimed for the purpose of fixing connection mechanism to the middle frame in order to form electrical connection to the housing to improve the antenna’s performance (Zhao, para [0043]).
The combination of Kim and Zhao does not disclose wherein the body comprises a limiting mechanism located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring.
Wu suggests wherein the body (40, fig. 3) comprises a limiting mechanism (81) located at the second end of the spring, the limiting mechanism limits a camber angle of the second end of the spring (22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a limiting mechanism as suggested in Wu to the connection mechanism taught in Kim and Zhao as claimed for the purpose of limiting the bending angle of the second end of the spring depending on the requirements of the application.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhao as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Ruaro et al, US-20190074586-A1 (hereinafter Ruaro).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Kim and Zhao does not disclose wherein the wearable electronic device further comprises a conductive adhesive or a conductive fabric, the conductive adhesive or the conductive fabric is located between the housing and a metal middle frame, and the housing is electrically connected to the metal middle frame through the conductive adhesive or the conductive fabric.
Ruaro suggests wherein the wearable electronic device further comprises a conductive adhesive or a conductive fabric (154, para [0066], 172, 174, para [0071]), the conductive adhesive or the conductive fabric is located between the conductive layers (142-3, 156, fig. 7) and a metal middle frame (12W), and the housing is electrically connected to the metal middle frame through the conductive adhesive or the conductive fabric (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the conductive adhesive as suggested in Ruaro to the wearable electronic device taught in Kim and Zhao as claimed for the purpose of forming the electrical connection between the housing and the metal middle frame in order to improve the consistency and performance of the antenna (Zhao, para [0043]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhao as applied to claim 14 above, and in view of Chen et al, CN-106506028-A (hereinafter Chen).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Kim and Zhao does not disclose wherein the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal in response to a selection signal triggered by a user based on a material of the housing.
Chen suggests wherein the controller (control unit, Abstract) is configured to generate the switch control signal in response to a selection signal triggered by a user based on a material of the housing (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to generate the switch control signal taught in Kim and Zhao based on a material of the housing as suggested in Chen as claimed for the purpose of improving the performance of the antenna in order to improve the wireless communication of the wearable electronic device (Chen, Abstract).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Zhao as applied to claim 14 above, and in view of Di Nallo et al, US-20180248811-A1 (hereinafter Di Nallo).
Regarding claim 17, Kim does not disclose the wearable electronic device according to claim 14, further comprising: a proximity sensor chip, wherein the proximity sensor chip is coupled to the metal middle frame; the proximity sensor chip is configured to detect a capacitance value of the metal middle frame; and the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal based on the capacitance value.
Di Nallo suggests the wearable electronic device movement according to claim 1, further comprising: a proximity sensor chip (para [0069]), wherein the proximity sensor chip is coupled to the antennas (40L, 40U); the proximity sensor chip is configured to detect a capacitance value of the metal middle frame (para [0069]); and the controller is configured to generate the switch control signal based on the capacitance value (para [0069]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a proximity sensor chip as suggested in Di Nallo to the wearable electronic device movement taught in Kim as claimed for the purpose of using the antenna not being block by an external object in order to improve the antenna’s performance (Di Nallo, para [0069]).
Citation of Pertinent Art
Yoo et al, US-20210057819-A1, fig. 7A could read on claim 1
Hanshew et al, US-20190131696-A1, fig. 15 could read on claim 1
Zhang et al, CN-205723918-U, fig. 5 could read on claim 1
Lombardi et al, US-20160248401-A1 – adjust antenna tuners to optimize antenna’s performance when a second device is attached to the first device (material change)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH N HO whose telephone number is (571)272-4657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ANH HO/Examiner, Art Unit 2845