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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5-6 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. 11,862,414 by Zeng.
Regarding claim 1, Zeng discloses a joystick mechanism (abstract; fig. 1), comprising: a mounting base (300); a circuit board (fig. 3 – see board 400); a first rocker assembly (220); and a second rocker assembly (210); wherein the circuit board is disposed in the mounting base (fig. 3- see the board mounting in the base), and the circuit board comprises a first sensor and a second sensor (fig. 3 – see the two hall effect sensor 910); the first rocker assembly comprises a first rocker and a first sensing component (fig. 3 – see rocker 220 and sensors 910), the first rocker is disposed in the mounting base (fig. 3 – see the location of the rocker with respect to the mounting base 300), the first sensing component is connected to the first rocker and is disposed corresponding to the first sensor (fig. 3 – see the magnet 920 associated with the first rocker 220), and the first rocker assembly is capable of swinging around a first direction to drive the first sensing component to swing with respect to the first sensor (fig. 3; col. 4, ln. 26-65 – see the rocker motion); the second rocker assembly comprises a second rocker and a second sensing component (fig. 3 – see rocker 210 and sensors 910), the second rocker is disposed in the mounting base (fig. 3 – see the location of the rocker with respect to the mounting base 300), the second sensing component is connected to the second rocker and is disposed corresponding to the second sensor (fig. 3 – see the magnet 920 associated with the first rocker 220), the second rocker assembly is capable of swinging around a second direction to drive the second sensing component to swing with respect to the second sensor (fig. 3; col. 4, ln. 26-65 – see the rocker motion), the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction (fig. 1-3 see the two different rocker directions).
Regarding claim 2, Zeng discloses the joystick mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the joystick mechanism further comprises a main shaft disposed in the mounting base (100); the first rocker passes through the main shaft and is rotatably engaged in the main shaft in the second direction, the second rocker is sleeved on the main shaft, the main shaft is configured to drive the first rocker and the second rocker to swing (fig. 1-3; col. 4, ln. 10-65 – see the operation of the joystick).
Regarding claim 5, Zeng discloses the joystick mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the second rocker comprises a main body (Annotated Fig. 3 – M1), a first supporting portion (Annotated Fig. 3 – S1), a second supporting portion (Annotated Fig. 3 – S2), and a second mounting portion (Annotated Fig. 3 – MP); the main body, the first supporting portion, the second supporting portion, and the second mounting portion are integrally formed (fig. 3 - see one piece construction); the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion are respectively connected to two opposite ends of the main body along the second direction (Annotated Fig. 3 – see the relative position of the elements), the second mounting portion is connected to an end, away from the main body, of the second supporting portion, and is disposed corresponding to the second sensor (Annotated Fig. 3 – see the relative position of the elements), the main body is sleeved on the main shaft, and the main shaft drives the main body to swing, so as to drive the second mounting portion to swing with respect to the second sensor (fig. 1-3 – see relative position of the elements); the second mounting portion defines a second mounting groove for accommodating the second sensing component (Fig. 3 – see the relative position of the sensing elements 920 and 910).
Regarding claim 6, Zeng discloses the joystick mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the main body defines a through hole for the main shaft to pass through, and the through hole forms two notches for limiting the main shaft in the second direction (fig. 3 – see the through hole in the main body for the shaft).
Regarding claim 8, Zeng discloses the joystick mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mounting base comprises an upper housing and a lower housing, protrusions are disposed on peripheral sides of one of the upper housing and the lower housing, and clamping grooves are defined on another one of the upper housing and the lower housing, the protrusions are respectively clamped in the clamping grooves (fig. 3; col. 4, ln. 11-25 - see the mounting posts 302 and respective mating clamps in the upper shell cover 500).
Regarding claim 9, Zeng discloses the joystick mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the rocker mechanism comprises a reset component, the reset component is disposed in the mounting base, the first rocker and the second rocker respectively abut against the reset component (col. 6, ln. 32-47 – see spring loaded mechanism).
Regarding claim 10, Zeng discloses a gamepad, comprising: an outer housing; and a joystick mechanism according to claim 1; wherein the joystick mechanism is connected to the outer housing (col. 1, ln. 20-37 – see game-pads).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4 and 7 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 3 requires “wherein the main shaft defines a first limiting groove along the first direction and defines a second limiting groove along the second direction; the first rocker comprises a limiting portion, a first extending portion, a second extending portion, a first rotating shaft, and a second rotating shaft … the first extending portion and the second extending portion are respectively connected to two opposite ends of the limiting portion along the first direction … the limiting portion passes through the first limiting groove and is driven by the main shaft to swing around the first direction; the first sensing component is connected to an end, away from the limiting portion, of the first extending portion.” These features are not disclosed in the prior and no prior art renders them obvious.
Claim 7 requires “wherein the main body comprises a spherical fitting surface, the spherical fitting surface is located at a side, facing away from the first rocker, of the main body; the mounting base defines a spherical groove, and the spherical fitting surface is slidably engaged in the spherical groove” These features are not disclosed in the prior and no prior art renders them obvious.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER J IANNUZZI whose telephone number is (571)272-5793. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM EST.
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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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/PETER J IANNUZZI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715