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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 05/19/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362; hereinafter Huang) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916; hereinafter Priyantha) further in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838).
Regarding claim 1, Huang disclose a wearable device (110; Fig. 1) comprising: a ring, a band or a necklace (e.g. wristband) comprising:
a receiver portion (HMIs; ¶ [0006]) configured to receive an input from a user to modify a parameter of a smart device (a user may perform an air gesture as a gesture command such that apparatus 110 may wirelessly communicate with a smartphone to trigger the smartphone to send at least one of the one or more photos and/or video clips to one or more other devices, e.g., smartphones and/or computers of family and friends of the user; ¶ [0026]). Huang do not disclose the receiver portion includes a pressure sensitive mechanism that receives input from the user in a form of pressure applied thereto. In the same field of endeavor, Priyantha disclose the receiver portion includes a pressure sensitive mechanism that receives input from the user in a form of pressure applied thereto (pressure sensors receiving input from user and to identify individual actions performed by the user's finger; ¶ [0004]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to improve user experience (Priyantha; ¶ [0003]). Huang and Priyantha do not disclose a control component configured to implement an alarm system, the alarm system comprising a sensor in communication with an electronic device, the alarm system is configured to send a notification to a display of an electronic device during activation. In the same field of endeavor, Yalamachili disclose a control component configured to implement an alarm system, the alarm system comprising a sensor in communication with an electronic device, the alarm system is configured to send a notification to a display of an electronic device during activation (the processor P activates the security/alarm module 18A-C in the wearable device 10 and the security module may communicate with linked portable device 50, the security module send a notification to the cellular device 50, and the screen of the user's cellular device 50 and the display screen 19 of the personal security device 10 may display a corresponding notification, e.g., “Alarm Activated”, to alert the user that the security features have successfully activated; paras. [0040]-[0044], [0051-[0052]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide visual alerts/indications to an electronic device when the alarm is activated in case of e.g. emergency/panic mode.
Regarding claim 2, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 1, wherein the wearable device is a ring (Huang; ¶ [0020]).
Regarding claim 3, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 2, wherein the control component comprises processing circuitry, a microprocessor or processor, and a computer-readable medium that stores computer- readable program code executable by the microprocessor or processor, logic gates, switches, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic controller, or an embedded microcontroller (memory 520 may be configured to store multiple sets of processor-executable instructions corresponding to multiple applications, memory 520 may include one or more computer-readable mediums, processor 510 may be implemented in the form of a single integrated-circuit (IC) chip or a chipset of multiple IC chips, e.g., processor 510 may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); Huang; paras. [0074]-[0079]).
Regarding claim 5, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, a control component configured to: implement an authentication system (the wearable device 110 may start an authentication process 440A-440E with a remote application or device; Huang; paras. [0027], [0037], [0039], [0065]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Manuel (US 2016/0,350,581).
Regarding claim 4, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein the control component comprises switches (inherent transistors in ASIC can provide switching functions; para. [0079]). Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili do not explicitly disclose the control component comprises switches. In the same field of endeavor, Manuel disclose a control component comprises switches (¶ [0026]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to perform various computing functions (Manuel, paras. [0001], [0026]-[0027]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Jones (US 2018/0,050,268).
Regarding claim 6, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to implement an interaction with a virtual reality (VR) system. In the same field of endeavor, Jones disclose a control component configured to implement an interaction with a virtual reality (VR) system (¶ [0046]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to allow the user of the wearable device to communicate with other systems, e.g. virtual reality, which simulate a user’s presence in the environment allowing the user to interact with the environment (Jones; ¶ [0002]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Sergott et al (US 2016/0,334,949; hereinafter Sergott).
Regarding claim 7, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to: implement an activity tracking system. In the same field of endeavor, Sergott disclose a control component configured to implement an activity tracking system (daily activities tracker; paras. [0010], [0023]-[0024], [0065]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order for the user of the wearable device to manage and keep up-to-date daily activities efficiently (Sergott; paras. [0010], [0065]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Wright et al (US 10,409,443; hereinafter Wright).
Regarding claim 8, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to: draw an image on a surface of an object. In the same field of endeavor, Wright disclose a wearable device having a control component configured to: draw an image on a surface of an object (col 11, lines 27-33). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide the wearable device an auxiliary option that allow the user to use hand gestures to form and design a unique image on the surface of the recognized object.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Andrei (US 2015/0,301,606).
Regarding claim 9, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to: implement a gesture training mode. In the same field of endeavor, Andrei disclose a control component configured to: implement a gesture training mode (gesture training mode; paras. [0071]-[0072]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide improved gesture based interactions for a wearable computing device (Andrei; ¶ [0002]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Lyman (US 2015/0,378,938).
Regarding claim 10, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to: implement a fitness tracking system. In the same field of endeavor, Lyman disclose a wearable device having a control component (102) configured to implement a fitness tracking system (paras. [0026], [0030]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide an auxiliary function that allows the wearable device’s user to monitor his/her exercise routine.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Macours (US 2017/0,169,674).
Regarding claim 11, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not disclose a control component configured to: implement haptic feedback customization. In the same field of endeavor, Macours disclose a wearable device having a control component configured to implement haptic feedback customization (¶ [0072]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to customize the wearable device with an extra feature that provides haptic feedback control for use, e.g. in gaming or therapeutic applications.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2016/0,203,362) in view of Priyantha et al (US 2015/0,338,916) in view of Yalamachili (US 2020/0,074,838) further in view of Jeong (CN 107,005,096).
Regarding claim 12, Huang, Priyantha, and Yalamachili disclose the wearable device of claim 3, wherein they do not explicitly disclose a control component configured to: implement health monitoring. In the same field of endeavor, Jeong disclose a wearable device having a control component configured to implement health monitoring (pg. 4, lines 16-17; pg. 10, lines 28-30). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide the wearable device with an enhanced function of tracking the wearable device’s user health or act as a human body sensor (Jeong, pg. 10, lines 28-30).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
- Huttunen et al (US 2023/0,190,197) disclose a wearable device e.g. wearable ring device, for collecting physiological data from users which has sensor component for measuring physiological data from user based on contact surface interfacing with skin of user and sensor adjustment mechanism for moving sensor component with respect to contact surface.
- Fang et al (CN 204,636,333) disclose a wrist health monitoring device which has health monitoring main body connected with power supply, a control module connected with bluetooth communication module, and wrist belt connected with chute that is connected with control button by spring.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LANA N LE whose telephone number is (571)272-7891. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LANA N LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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