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
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 12, 14, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chao (U.S. PGPUB 2014139437).
Re claims 1, 7, and 12: Chao discloses an input device for a simulator environment, the device comprising:
a frame (see Fig. 1: USB Keyboard);
a switch configured for generating a signal (see Fig. 1 and Abstract, keys);
a controller that is operatively connected to the switch and is configured for generating an input, wherein the controller/subcontroller (see paragraph [0021]: control module) is provided with:
a switch time interval defining a time interval before a new input can be generated after generating a first function input by activating the switch (see Abstract, Paragraph [0019] & Claim 1: repeat rate, as applies to claim 7); and
a continuity time interval defining a time interval before a second function input is generated while keeping the switch activated (see Abstract, Paragraph [0019] & Claim 1: repeat delay, as also applies to claim 7);
Re claim 2: Chao discloses with respect the input device according to claim 1, wherein the switch time interval and/or the continuity time interval are adjustable (see paragraph [0028]).
Re claims 4 and 14: Chao discloses with respect to the input device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second functions are different (the two different functions can include inputting two different input signals for separate keys).
Re claims 6 and 16: Chao discloses the input device according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or second function are selected from a function table, and wherein preferably the third function is also selected from the function table (inherently, functions relating to buttons and functions are stored in memory, i.e. tables, to produce specific functions when buttons are pressed).
Re claim 18: Chao discloses with respect to the majority of the language of claim 18 is encompassed within the language of claim 1. Claim 18 further discloses selecting a switch from a switch table; and selecting a function from a function table. However, it is inherent that both switch information and function information are stored in memory databases, i.e. tables.
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 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chao in view Mahlmeister (U.S. PGPUB 2010/50297991).
Re claims 8 and 20: Chao fails to disclose with respect to the input device according to claim 1, wherein the controller further comprising a profile table. However, Mahlmeister teaches input configuration software for configuring input devices including a repeat delay and repeat rate. Mahlmeister also discloses selecting profiles from a displayed profile table wherein such is related to users (see paragraph [0057, 0062]). Mahlmeister also discloses selecting profiles wherein each one of the following screen represents a particular profile (‘Subscriber Groupings,” “Selection of Gamers,” “UI Device Configurations,” “Selection of Games”). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the input configuration system of Chao with the profile selection of Mahlmeister for the purpose of allowing users to better associate actions with specific game scenarios.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chao in view of (U.S. PGPUB 2017/0169967).
Re claim 9: Chao fails to disclose with respect to the input device according to claim 1, wherein the switch comprises an optical sensor. Chen teaches a keyboard similar to that of Chao, however Chen further teaches that the keyboard is an optical keyboard wherein the switches contain an optical sensor for sensing input (Abstract & claim 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to simply substitute the keyboard of Chao with the optical sensors of Chen as such would have produced predictable results of an optical keyboard that defines a repeat rate and repeat delay.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REGINALD A RENWICK whose telephone number is (571)270-1913. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kang Hu can be reached at (571)270-1344. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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REGINALD A. RENWICK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3714
/REGINALD A RENWICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715