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 without traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 02/02/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 17-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02/02/2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 1 recites, “a first electronic connector disposed in the docking bay and configured to mate with a second electronic connector of the console to electronically connect the controller to the handheld videogame console” in line 5 respectively. However, to remain consistent throughout the claim, line 5 should state, “a first electronic connector disposed in the docking bay and configured to mate with a second electronic connector of the handheld videogame console to electronically connect the handheld videogame controller to the handheld videogame console.”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gobeil (US 2014/0111912 A1) (henceforth, “Gobeil”).
Regarding claim 1, Gobeil teaches a handheld videogame controller (Figs. 2-3) comprising:
a housing including a docking bay (e.g., portable docking station 100 comprises a frame 104 in Figs. 1 & 3) configured to selectively receive a handheld videogame console (e.g., portable electronic device 102 in Fig. 1);
a first electronic connector disposed in the docking bay (e.g., power and data interface 404 & 406 in Fig. 4) and configured to mate with a second electronic connector of the console (e.g., power and data interface 400 & 402 in Fig. 4) to electronically connect the controller to the handheld videogame console (e.g., the portable docking station 100 may include a portable docking station data interface 406 that can physically mate with the portable electronic device 102 via the portable electronic device data interface 402 in Para. 42); and
a locking mechanism (e.g., securing the portable electronic device 102 in the frame 104 in Para. 26) including:
at least one latch biased toward an inward position in which the at least one latch is configured to retain the console in the docking bay, such that the first electronic connector remains mated with the second electronic connector (e.g., latches for securing the portable electronic device 102 in the frame 104 in Para. 26); and
a release actuator configured to be actuated by a user to release the at least one latch from the handheld videogame console, such that the console is permitted to move with respect to the docking bay (e.g., enabling the user to readily dock and undock the portable electronic device 102 in Para. 26).
Regarding claim 2, Gobeil teaches the docking bay is configured to securely hold three sides of the console (Figs. 1-4, Para. 26, and Para. 37).
Regarding claim 3, Gobeil teaches the docking bay comprises a bottom channel extending horizontally across the controller, a left-side channel extending vertically from a left end of the bottom channel, and a right-side channel extending vertically from a right end of the bottom channel (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 4, Gobeil teaches the first electronic connector is disposed in the bottom channel (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 5, Gobeil teaches the at least one latch includes a first latch disposed in the left-side channel and a second latch disposed in the right-side channel (e.g., latches and securing features including 300L & 300R of the frame in Para. 26 and Para. 37).
Regarding claim 6, Gobeil teaches the right-side channel is configured to receive a right side of the console, the left-side channel is configured to receive a left side of the console, and the bottom channel is configured to receive a bottom side of the console (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 7, Gobeil teaches the left-side channel and the right-side channel each have an open upper end configured to receive the console (Figs. 1-4).
Regarding claim 8, Gobeil teaches the first electronic connector comprises a USB-C connector and the second electronic connector comprises a USB-C port configured to mate with the USB-C connector (e.g., single physical connector in Para. 40).
Regarding claim 9, Gobeil teaches the locking mechanism is configured to allow the console to be received in the docking bay and to prevent the console from being removed from the docking bay (Para. 26).
Regarding claim 10, Gobeil teaches the locking mechanism is configured to permit the console to move with respect to the docking bay only in response to actuation of the release actuator (Para. 26).
Regarding claim 11, Gobeil teaches the locking mechanism further comprises an elastic member configured to bias the at least one latch toward the inward position in which the at least one latch is disposed within the docking bay, and wherein the elastic member is further configured to permit the at least one latch to be transitioned to an outward position in which the at least one latch is disposed outside of the docking bay (e.g., the portable electronic device 102 may be secured in the frame 104 in any of several ways, such as by a friction fit or with the aid of fasteners or securing features such as straps, bands, hasps, magnets, latches, and the like, including elastic in Paras. 24-26 & 37).
Regarding claim 12, Gobeil teaches the at least one latch is configured to engage the console and retain the console in the docking bay when in the inward position, and wherein the at least one latch is configured to permit the console to move with respect to the docking bay when the latch is disposed in the outward position (Para. 26).
Regarding claim 13, Gobeil teaches the release actuator is configured to transition the at least one latch to an outward position in which the at least one latch is disengaged from the console and the console is removable from the docking bay (Para. 26).
Regarding claim 14, Gobeil teaches the release actuator comprises a wedge configured to be actuated by the user to transition the at least one latch to the outward position (Para. 26).
Regarding claim 15, Gobeil teaches further comprising one or more buttons, thumbsticks, triggers, and/or directional pads coupled to the housing, wherein actuation of the one or more buttons, thumbsticks, triggers, and/or directional pads causes electrical signals to be transmitted from the controller to the handheld videogame console through the first electronic connector (e.g., the input device 110G may include one or more joysticks, directional buttons, indicator lamps, vibrators, levers and the like in Para. 20).
Regarding claim 16, Gobeil teaches a charging port configured to receive a charge connector to charge a battery of the controller (e.g., a charging interface on the portable docking station 100 may receive a charger to supply electric power to the portable electronic device 102 or the portable docking station 100 or both in Para. 48).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure and is listed on the attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHASE E LEICHLITER whose telephone number is (571)270-7109. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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/CHASE E LEICHLITER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715