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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on February 2, 2024 is acknowledged. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 3-4, 6-7, 9, 14, and 16-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.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 May 6, 2026. In that same reply, applicant argues that Claims 1, 2, 5, 8, 10-13, 15, and 18 are generic to the elected species (the elected species being that of Figs. 2, 3A, and 5). However, examiner disagrees with respect to Claim 18, which in part claims a “second reservoir” in lines 4 and 6. Support for a “second reservoir” is not found in the Drawings or the Specification in association with the elected species, each which only illustrate and describe a single reservoir ([226], [310a] and [510] respectively). As such, only Claims 1-2, 5, 8, 10-13, and 15 will be examined.
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, 8, 10-13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being taught by US 20220043402 A1 (Roach et al.).
Regarding Claim 1, Roach teaches:
an electronic watch [100] comprising: a housing [102] comprising a sidewall [101], the sidewall defining an opening (see Fig. 1);
a crown [112] defining a user input surface and extending through the opening, the crown configured to receive a least one of a rotational input or a translational input (see para. 0039), the crown comprising: a knob [208] defining the user input surface (see Fig. 2);
and a shaft [206] extending from the knob, the shaft defining: a first end coupled to the knob, and a second end opposite the first end (see Fig. 2);
and a sensing system [232] configured to receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal from the user input surface (see Fig. 2; see also para. 0059);
a dome switch [216] configured to produce haptic feedback in response to the translational input at the user input surface (see para. 0039 and 0052; see also Fig. 2);
a conductive member [226] conductively coupling the shaft to the sensing system (see e.g., conductive path [220] in Fig. 2), the conductive member positioned between the dome switch and the second end of the shaft (see Fig. 2);
and a conductive viscous material positioned in a reservoir defined between the second end of the shaft and the conductive member (e.g., the reservoir can be defined by the area between [210] and [226] in Fig. 2), the conductive viscous material configured to conductively couple the user input surface to the conductive member (see para. 0056, “a conductive lubricant (e.g., a conductive grease) may be applied at the interface between the end of the optical encoder component 210 and the shear plate 226”).
Regarding Claim 2, Roach teaches the shaft [206] defines a central axis around which the crown rotates, and the reservoir is centered about the central axis (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5, Roach teaches the conductive member [226] is configured to apply a biasing force to the first end of the shaft, the biasing force biasing the crown towards an undepressed position (see Fig. 2; see also para. 0055, “the support legs 224 may bias the shear plate 226 against the end of the optical encoder component 210”).
Regarding Claim 8, Roach teaches an electronic watch comprising:
a processor (see para. 0059, “the sensing component 232 may be coupled to or associated with other components that together form a sensor or sensing system, such as a processor, circuitry, a power source, or the like”);
a housing [102] comprising a sidewall [101], the sidewall defining an opening (see Fig. 1);
a front cover [108] coupled to the housing (see Fig. 1);
a display [109] positioned below the front cover (see Fig. 1);
a flexible circuit element within the housing (see para. 0057, “The contact portion 230 may be conductively coupled to the sensing component 232 (e.g., by a conductive trace, wire, flexible circuit component, or the like”);
a dome switch [216] positioned within the housing (see Fig. 2);
a crown [112] positioned along the sidewall of the housing and defining a user input surface configured to receive a translational input (see para. 0039), the crown comprising a shaft [206] configured to actuate the dome switch, the shaft extending through the opening and defining an interface surface (the surface of [210] facing [226]) opposite the user input surface) (see Fig. 2);
a conductive member [226] configured to conduct an electrical signal from the user input surface to the processor (see e.g., conductive path [220] in Fig. 2), the conductive member positioned between the dome switch and the crown and conductively coupling the crown to the flexible circuit element (see Fig. 2);
and a conductive viscous material positioned in a reservoir defined between the conductive member and the interface surface of the shaft (e.g., the reservoir can be defined by the area between [210] and [226] in Fig. 2), the conductive viscous material conductively coupling the shaft to the conductive member (see para. 0056, “a conductive lubricant (e.g., a conductive grease) may be applied at the interface between the end of the optical encoder component 210 and the shear plate 226”).
Regarding Claim 10, Roach teaches the conductive viscous material is an electrically conductive grease (see para. 0056).
Regarding Claim 11, Roach teaches the interface surface of the crown is configured to, in response to a rotational input applied to the crown, rotate with respect to the conductive member, thereby applying a shear force to the conductive viscous material (see para. 0047, 0053, and 0056).
Regarding Claim 12, Roach teaches the crown, the conductive viscous material, the conductive member, and the flexible circuit element define a conductive path [220] from the user input surface to the flexible circuit element (see Fig. 2); and the electrical signal is a physiological signal from a user’s skin (see para. 0025).
Regarding Claim 13, Roach teaches:
the conductive member is in contact with the interface surface (see Fig. 2);
the conductive member is configured to deform in response to the translational input (see Fig. 2; see also para. 0055, “the support legs 224 are flexible and act as springs that allow the shear plate 226 to deflect (relative to the bracket 218) in response to an axial force applied to the crown assembly, and then return the shear plate 226 to a neutral or rest position after the axial force is removed”);
and the conductive viscous material is configured to flow during the deformation of the conductive member (the force from the crown assembly against the conductive member would inherently cause some flow of the conductive grease in between them due to its viscosity).
Regarding Claim 15, Roach teaches:
a housing [102] comprising a sidewall [101], the sidewall defining an opening (see Fig. 1);
a sensing system configured to receive an electrocardiogram (ECG) signa (see para. 0059, “the sensing component 232 may be coupled to or associated with other components that together form a sensor or sensing system”;
a crown assembly [203] comprising:
a crown [112] defining a user input surface configured to receive the ECG signal, the crown extending through the opening (see Fig. 1) and comprising:
a shaft [206] defining: a first end portion conductively coupled (see conductive path [220]) to the user input surface (the surface of [204]) (see Fig. 2);
and a second end portion opposite the first end portion (the surface of [210] facing [226]) opposite the user input surface);
and a conductive member configured to apply a biasing force against the second end portion of the shaft (see Fig. 2; see also para. 0055, “the support legs 224 may bias the shear plate 226 against the end of the optical encoder component 210”);
and a conductive viscous material between the conductive member and the second end portion of the shaft, the conductive viscous material configured to conductively couple the conductive member and the shaft, the conductive viscous material conforming to the second end portion of the shaft (see para. 0056, “a conductive lubricant (e.g., a conductive grease) may be applied at the interface between the end of the optical encoder component 210 and the shear plate 226”), wherein:
the crown assembly has a reservoir defined by at least one of the conductive member or the second end portion of the shaft (e.g., the reservoir can be defined by the area between [210] and [226] in Fig. 2);
and the conductive viscous material fills the reservoir (see para. 0056).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTIAN M SARCENO ROBLES whose telephone number is (571)272-8786. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30AM - 5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Stoklosa can be reached at (571) 272-1213. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3794
/JOSEPH A STOKLOSA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3794
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