Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 28, 2026
Application No. 18/319,076

SLIDING TYPE ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING SPEAKER

Final Rejection §103
Filed
May 17, 2023
Priority
Nov 17, 2020 — RE 10-2020-0154044 +2 more
Examiner
NEFF, MICHAEL R
Art Unit
2631
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
853 granted / 974 resolved
+25.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
992
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.7%
-37.3% vs TC avg
§103
74.9%
+34.9% vs TC avg
§102
4.3%
-35.7% vs TC avg
§112
12.5%
-27.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 974 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 13-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Regarding claims 1-12, in light of the amendments: The prior objection to claim 10 is withdrawn The prior 112(b) rejections to claims 2-9 and 12 are withdrawn Claims 1-12 are now considered allowable Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazuki (herein after Yama)(US Pub 20200402434) in view of Kim (US Pub 20170161868). Re claim 13, Yama discloses an electronic device comprising: a housing (Fig 1/15A; winder 10; Par 35); a driver disposed in the housing (Fig 1/15A; shaft 11 inside winder 10; Par 35); and one or more speakers (Fig 1/15A el 13 L/R, Par 35, 37, 94-95, 100) coaxially disposed within the driver (Fig 1/15A el 13 L/R are located inside shaft 11, Par 35, 37, 94-95, 100) and configured to use an inner space of the driver as an enclosure acoustic resonance space (Fig 1/15A el 13 L/R connected to 14 inside 11, Par 35, 37, 92, 94-95, 100, 128 – speaker control and output – speakers are inside the shaft 11); however Yama fails to explicitly disclose wherein the inner space is sealed by a sealing structure such that the inner space is used as an enclosure space for one or more speakers. This design is however disclosed by Kim. Kim discloses a design comprising wherein the inner space is sealed by a sealing structure such that the inner space is used as an enclosure space for one or more speakers (Fig 10 and 11 showing element 117 inside enclosure element 30; Par 112, 114). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosure of Yama in order to incorporate the enclosure design of Kim based on the rationale of the use of known techniques to improve similar designs in the same way, in this instance providing audio output to a user through the inclusion and consideration of the specific design parameters to incorporate a sound output to the housing design. Re claim 14, the combined disclosure of Yama and Kim as a whole discloses the electronic device of claim 13, and Yama further discloses wherein the driver comprises a cylindrical roller housing (Par 35 – roller is substantially cylindrical) comprising an enclosure space for the speakers (Fig 1/15A el 13 L/R are located inside shaft 11, Par 35, 37, 94-95, 100), and wherein the speakers are disposed in the cylindrical roller housing (Fig 1/15A el 13 L/R are located inside shaft 11, Par 35, 37, 94-95, 100). Re claim 15, the combined disclosure of Yama and Kim as a whole discloses the electronic device of claim 14, Kim further discloses wherein the housing comprises a first housing (Fig 1; winder 10; Par 34-35) and a second housing (Fig 1; unwinder 30; Par 34, 39), and wherein the speakers comprise: a first speaker disposed in the cylindrical roller housing (Fig 1/15A, el 12L; Par 35-36, 94-95) and disposed to emit sound in a first direction oriented in a direction perpendicular to a sliding direction of the second housing (Fig 1/15A depicted sound output direction from 12L is perpendicular to screen extension direction; Par 35-36, 94-95 – unwinder movement direction is perpendicular to rotational axis j10), and a second speaker disposed in the cylindrical roller housing opposite to the first speaker (Fig 1/15A el 12R is shown on the opposite side as 12L; Par 35-36, 94-95) and disposed to emit sound in a second direction opposite to the first direction (Fig 1/15A depicted sound output direction from 12R is perpendicular to screen extension direction and opposite from 12L; Par 35-36, 94-95). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-12 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record fails to anticipate or render obvious the limitations of the above cited claims. Re claim 1, the prior art fails to explicitly disclose the specific design of the conductive connections and housing component functionality. Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. 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). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 MICHAEL R NEFF whose telephone number is (571)270-1848. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 5:30am-2:00pm. 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, Hannah S. Wang can be reached at (571) 272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MICHAEL R NEFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 17, 2023
Application Filed
Nov 13, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jan 29, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jan 29, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Feb 03, 2026
Response Filed
Apr 01, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
May 22, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+14.4%)
2y 6m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 974 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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