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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 1-7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsai (U.S. Patent No. 10,797,442). Regarding Claim 1, Tsai discloses a Universal Serial Bus (USB) socket structure (1) configured for duplex connection, the USB socket structure comprising: a housing (11); a movable tongue (12) disposed within the housing and configured to be moved between a default position (Fig. 10), a first connected position (Fig. 12), and a second connected position (Fig. 43); a plurality of first contacts (13a-d) disposed on a first surface (Fig. 9) of the tongue; and a plurality of second contacts )14a-d) disposed on a second surface (Fig. 9) of the tongue, the second surface opposite to the first surface; wherein the plurality of first contacts and the plurality of second contacts comprise a curved shape (Fig. 9).
Regarding Claim 2, Tsai discloses the curved shape being a curved shape in accordance with USB standard specifications for a Type-A USB receptacle (Column 6, Lines 26-54).
Regarding Claim 3, Tsai discloses the movable tongue being configured to be moved to the first connected position responsive to a USB plug (10, 60) being inserted into the housing in a first configuration wherein contacts of the USB plug make an electrical connection with the plurality of first contacts; and the movable tongue is configured to be moved to the second connected position responsive to the USB plug being inserted into the housing in a second configuration wherein the contacts of the USB plug make an electrical connection with the plurality of second contacts.
Regarding Claim 4, Tsai discloses an insertion stopper (Fig 12) of the USB plug being configured to cause the movable tongue to be moved to the first connected position responsive to the USB plug being inserted into the housing in the first configuration; and the insertion stopper of the USB plug is configured to cause the movable tongue to be moved to the second connected position responsive to the USB plug being inserted into the housing in the second configuration.
Regarding Claim 5, Tsai discloses the USB socket structure being configured such that the plurality of second contacts float while the movable tongue is in the first connected position; and the USB socket structure is configured such that the plurality of first contacts float while the movable tongue is in the second connected position (Figs. 12 and 43).
Regarding Claim 6, Tsai discloses the plurality of second contacts having no electrical connection to a USB plug (10, 60) inserted into the housing responsive to the plurality of second contacts floating as the movable tongue is in the first connected position; and the plurality of first contacts have no electrical connection to the USB plug inserted into the housing responsive to the plurality of first contacts floating as the movable tongue is in the second connected position (Figs. 12 and 43).
Regarding Claim 7, Tsai discloses the USB socket structure being configured such that the plurality of first contacts and the plurality of second contacts float while the movable tongue is in the default position (Fig. 10).
Regarding Claim 17, Tsai discloses a printed circuit board (PCB) footprint (Fig. 15) that is substantially the same as a footprint for a standard USB connector (Column 6, Lines 26-54) such that the USB socket structure is a drop-in replacement for the standard USB connector on a PCB (27).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 are allowed.
Claims 8-16 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.
The references fail to teach, disclose, or suggest, either alone or in combination, regarding Claim 8, the housing comprising a rear cover configured to mate with the metal shield and enclose an end portion of the movable tongue not enclosed by the metal shield; regarding Claim 18, a non-volatile memory (NVM); and one or more processors coupled to the NVM and at least one contact of the plurality of first contacts or the plurality of second contacts, the one or more processors, individually or in combination, configured to: receive data via the USB socket structure; and store at least a portion of received data in the NVM and in combination with the rest of the limitations of the base and intermediate claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses USB socket structures, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having movable tongues and first and second contacts.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2833