DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/14/23 was considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-7, 9-13 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (Lee), US publication no. 2023/0122743 in view of Cooper et al. (Cooper), US patent no. US 10261555 and Kim et al, US patent No. RE40512E.
As per claim 1, Lee discloses a heat management system for a wearable device [figures 2, 8A], the system comprising:
at least one heat rejection surface [500, figure 7B] to expel heat from the wearable device; and determine at least one internal parameter and external
parameter associated with the wearable device; determine at least one operational parameter for the at least one heat rejection surface based on the at least one internal parameter and external parameter [para 62, 90-92].
Lee fails to discloses a vibration enhanced convection heat transfer means; a controller coupled to the at least one heat rejection surface, the controller to: activate the at least one heat rejection surface using the at least one operational parameter through vibration enhanced convection heat transfer.
Kim discloses a vibration enhanced convection heat transfer means [abstract all; col. 5, lines 23-40, claim 8].
Copper discloses a controller coupled to the at least one heat rejection surface, the controller to: activate the at least one heat rejection surface using the at least one operational parameter through vibration enhanced convection heat transfer [figure 3; col. 3, lines 40-63, col. 6, line 52-col. 7, lines 37].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention to combine the teachings of Lee and Kim and Copper because they disclose a thermal cooling system, the specify teachings of Kim and Copper stated above would have further enhanced the performance and functionality of Lee system to obtain predictable results.
Lee teaches:
[0062] According to various embodiments, the wearable electronic device 200 may include a sensor module ( e.g., the sensor module 176 in FIG. 1). The sensor module may generate an electrical signal or a data value corresponding to an internal operating state of the wearable electronic device 200 or an external environmental state. The sensor modules may further include, for example, at least one of a gesture
sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a color sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, a biometric sensor module (e.g., an HRM sensor), a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, or an illuminance sensor. In an embodiment, the sensor module may recognize biometric information of a user using various biometric sensors ( or, biometric recognition sensors) such as an e-nose sensor, an electromyography (EMG) sensor, an electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, or an iris sensor. In an embodiment, the sensor module may further include at least one control circuit for controlling at least one sensor included therein.
[0092] The heat generated by the operation of the heat emitting component arranged on the printed circuit board 390 may be transferred to the heat radiating member 500.
The heat capacity is increased by the heat dissipation member 500, and the temperature rise can be partially suppressed.
Kim discloses:
8. A convection apparatus to enhance a convective flow of a heat-absorbing medium in a housing thereof, the convection apparatus comprising: a heat-generating component disposed in the housing; a signal detector that detects a flow signal within the heat absorbing medium; a heat dissipating opening provided through a portion of a
wall of the housing to dissipate heat therein; and a driver to generate a driving signal having a frequency signal synchronized with a characteristic frequency of the flow signal of the heat-absorbing medium based on the flow signal, to generate a driving signal in response to the generated frequency signal, the driving signal being synchronized with the characteristic frequency detected, and including an amplifier to amplify the driving signal and to drive an acoustic member using the amplified driving signal; and an acoustic vibrator to provide acoustic waves to the heat-absorbing medium within the housing in response to the drive signal to the driver to induce a uniform distribution of heat generated by the heat-generating component to the heat-absorbing medium, the acoustic waves activating heat transfer from the heat-absorbing
medium to ambient atmosphere through the heat dissipating opening.
Copper discloses:
As shown in FIG. 5B, in some implementations, the processor 500 may be positioned on a plate 480. The processor 500 may be positioned on the plate 480 so that one or more heat pipes 470, for example, a first heat pipe 470A and a second heat pipe 470B, may absorb heat from the processor 500 and draw heat away from the processor 500 to the first and second heat sinks 460A, 460B. In some implementations, the first and second heat pipes 470A, 470B may be in thermal contact with the housing 110. This may allow the heat pipes 470A, 470B to transfer thermal energy, or heat, from components such as the processor 500 to an outside of the HMD 100 via the housing 110. This may spread heat out, across a relatively large area of this portion of the HMD 100, allowing natural convection and radiation to assist in heat dissipation. This may allow the system to make use of natural convection and radiation through the exterior surface of the housing 110 for heat dissipation, as well as the forced convection cooling provided by the fan(s) 410.
In some implementations, the one or more fans may operate substantially continuously. In some implementations, the one or more fans may operate intermittently, for example, based on a schedule that is set by the manufacturer and/or on a schedule that is set by the user. In some implementations, the one or more fans may operate based on temperature and/or humidity levels in the user-facing cavity sensed by temperature and/or humidity sensors in the HMD, and/or based on temperature levels associated with electronic components of the HMD sensed by temperature sensors associated with the components. For example, operation of the one or more fans may be triggered in response to a sensed temperature and/or humidity level that is greater than or equal to a threshold temperature and/or humidity level. In some implementations, operation of the one or more fans may be synchronized with audio content associated with the immersive virtual experience. For example, in some implementations, operation of the one or more fans may be triggered when acoustic levels associated with the content (audio and visual) presented to the user by the HMD are greater than or equal to a threshold acoustic level. In this manner, noise associated with the operation of the one or more fans may be less perceptible to the user.
As per claim 2, Kim discloses of activation of the at least one heat rejection surface causes the at least one heat rejection surface to vibrate [abstract all; claim 8].
As per claim 3, Lee discloses the at least one internal parameter comprises at least one of an electronic component temperature, a power consumption level, or an available power from an on-board battery of the wearable device [para 37, 62].
As per claim 4, Lee discloses the at least one external parameter comprises at least one of an ambient temperature or a wearer's body temperature [para 37, 62].
As per claim 5, Kim discloses the at least one operational parameter comprises at least one of a direction of vibration, a frequency of the vibration, an amplitude of the vibration, or a duration of the vibration [col. 5, lines 55-59].
As per claim 6, Lee discloses the at least one heat rejection surface comprises a texture [para 90-91].
As per claim 7, Lee discloses the texture comprises a plurality of three-dimensional shapes [figure 8b; para 90-91].
As per claim 9, Lee discloses the at least one heat rejection surface comprises a thermal conductor [para 90-91].
As per claim 10, Lee discloses an augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR) wearable device [figure 2; para 53], comprising: a frame comprising a display;
two temples coupled to the frame; and a heat management system [figure 2; para 35, 52, 53] comprising:
at least one heat rejection surface positioned on an outward-facing surface of at least one of the two temples or the frame, the at least one heat rejection surface to expel heat from the wearable device; and determine at least one internal parameter and external parameter associated with the wearable device; determine at least one operational parameter for the at least one heat rejection surface based on the at least one internal parameter and external parameter [para 62, 90-92].
Lee fails to discloses a vibration enhanced convection heat transfer means; a controller coupled to the at least one heat rejection surface, the controller to: activate the at least one heat rejection surface using the at least one operational parameter through vibration enhanced convection heat transfer.
Kim discloses a vibration enhanced convection heat transfer means [abstract all; claim 8].
Copper discloses a controller coupled to the at least one heat rejection surface, the controller to: activate the at least one heat rejection surface using the at least one operational parameter through vibration enhanced convection heat transfer [figure 3; col. 3, lines 40-63, col. 6, line 52-col. 7, lines 37].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at time the invention to combine the teachings of Lee and Kim and Copper because they disclose a thermal cooling system, the specify teachings of Kim and Copper stated above would have further enhanced the performance and functionality of Lee system to obtain predictable results.
As per claim 11, Lee discloses the at least one internal parameter comprises at least one of an electronic component temperature, a power consumption level, or an available power from an on-board battery of the wearable device, and the at least one external parameter comprises at least one of an ambient temperature or a wearer's body temperature [para 37, 62].
As per claim 12, Kim discloses the at least one operational parameter comprises at least one of a direction of vibration, a frequency of the vibration, an amplitude of the vibration, or a duration of the vibration [col. 5, lines 55-59].
As per claim 13, Kim discloses the direction of vibration comprises vertical or horizontal vibration, or vibration along any direction between vertical and horizontal,
the frequency of the vibration is at least 200 rad/s, and the amplitude of the vibration is at least 0.1 mm [col. 5, lines 27-29, 55-59].
As per claim 15, Lee discloses the at least one heat rejection surface comprises a texture comprises a plurality of three-dimensional shapes [figure 8b; para 90-91].
As per claim 16, Lee discloses the texture is fabricated through chemical etching, plasma etching, machining, three-dimensional printing, or sanding [para 90].
As per claim 17, Lee discloses the at least one heat rejection surface comprises a thermal conductor [para 90-91].
As to claims 18-19, claims 10-11 basically are the corresponding elements that are carried out the method of operating step in claims 18-19. Accordingly, claims 18-19 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 10-11.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 8, 14 and 20 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.
7. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of records do not teach of the controller is to determine the at least one operational parameter further based on at least one of a shape of the at least one
heat rejection surface, a size of the at least one heat rejection surface, a location of the at least one heat rejection surface on the wearable device, a texture of the at least one heat rejection surface, or a shape of a portion of the wearable device surrounding the at least one heat rejection surface.
8. Examiner's note: Examiner has cited particular paragraphs and columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. MPEP 2141.02 VI: “PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS."
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Qiu et al., US publication no. 2023/0269903, teaches a heat dissipation method for a head-mounted device, activating a heat dissipation fan when it is determined that the head-mounted device satisfies a heat dissipation condition according to the temperature.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUN CAO whose telephone number is (571)272-3664. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:00 am-3:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Lee can be reached on 571-272-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Nov. 7, 2025
/CHUN CAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115