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 Invention I in the reply filed on 11/21/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-12 & 16-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Olson et al. US Patent Application Publication 2023/0300313 and Samardzija et al. US Patent Application Publication 2015/0311960 (cited by applicant) and Ha et al. US Patent Application Publication 2021/0318715.
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding Claim 1, Olson et al. teaches an electronic device (10 Figs. 1-5b Par. 0023), comprising:
a dielectric layer (130 seen in Figs. 5a, 5b Par. 0062) having a first surface of compound curvature (“the inner and outer surfaces of polymer layer 130 may have compound curvature” Par. 0062);
a flexible printed circuit (flexible substrate of display 14P Figs. 4-5b Par. 0060); and
adhesive between the first and second surfaces that attaches the flexible printed circuit to the dielectric layer (“Panel 14P of FIG. 5A may be attached to the inner surface of layer 92 (e.g., with adhesive)” Par. 0061).
Olson et al. is silent on a flexible printed circuit antenna having a second surface of compound curvature.
However, Samardzija et al. teaches a flexible printed circuit antenna (“inverted-F antenna resonating element 76 and a conductive structure such as antenna ground 88. Antenna resonating element 76 and antenna ground 88 may be formed from metal traces on a flexible printed circuit, metal traces on a rigid printed circuit board, metal traces on other dielectric carriers, portions of an electronic device housing such as a metal midplate structure or internal frame structures, metal housing walls or other portions of housing 12, conductive structures such as metal portions of electrical components in device 10, or other conductive structures” Par. 0069).
Additionally, Ha et al. teaches a flexible printed circuit having a second surface of compound curvature (“The interconnect substrate may be flexible and may be characterized by curved surfaces such as surface areas exhibiting compound curvature” Par. 0005; “The interconnect substrate may be sufficiently flexible to allow the surfaces of the interconnect substrate to exhibit compound curvature when mounted on a support structure of compound curvature and/or when mounted against the inner surface of a display cover layer having compound curvature” Par. 0007).
In this particular case, providing a flexible printed circuit with an antenna and having a second surface of compound curvature is common and well known in the antenna art as evident by Samardzija et al. and Ha et al. in order to implement wireless communications in the electronic device (Samardzija et al. Par. 0003) and enable it to have a curved display (Ha et al. Par. 0005).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the flexible printed circuit of Olson et al. with an antenna and having a second surface of compound curvature based on the teachings of Samardzija et al. and Ha et al. as a result effect in order to implement wireless communications in the electronic device and enable it to have a curved display.
Regarding Claim 2, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising: a head-mounted housing (26M Figs. 1, 4 Par. 0025); a display (14P Figs. 1, 4-5B Par. 0060); and a display cover layer (92 Figs. 4-5B Par. 0060) overlapping the display and overlapping the dielectric layer (Figs. 4-5B).
Regarding Claim 3, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising: a glass layer (14F glass Par. 0047, 0067) having an inwardly facing third surface of compound curvature (Par. 0047, 0067), wherein the dielectric layer is between the third surface and the second surface (130 between glass of 14F and flexible substrate of 14P as modified in claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 4, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising: a radio-frequency transceiver configured to transmit and receive wireless signals using the flexible printed circuit antenna (“radio-frequency transceiver circuitry” Par. 0028), wherein the flexible printed circuit antenna has a metal trace configured to form an inverted-F antenna resonator (Samardzija et al. “inverted-F antenna resonating element 76 and a conductive structure such as antenna ground 88. Antenna resonating element 76 and antenna ground 88 may be formed from metal traces on a flexible printed circuit, metal traces on a rigid printed circuit board, metal traces on other dielectric carriers, portions of an electronic device housing such as a metal midplate structure or internal frame structures, metal housing walls or other portions of housing 12, conductive structures such as metal portions of electrical components in device 10, or other conductive structures” Par. 0069 as modified in claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 5, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising a metal chassis that serves as an antenna ground, wherein the inverted-F antenna resonator is coupled to the metal chassis (Samardzija et al. Par. 0069 as modified in claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 6, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising: a head-mounted housing (26M Figs. 1, 4 Par. 0025); left and right displays (displays 14R Fig. 1 Par. 0053) configured to display respective left and right images to left and right eye boxes (eye boxes 34 Fig. 1 Par. 0053); and a publicly viewable display that faces away from the left and right eye boxes (14F Fig. 1 Par. 0036).
Regarding Claim 7, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising a display cover layer (92 Figs. 4-5B Par. 0060) overlapping the publicly viewable display (Figs. 4-5B).
Regarding Claim 8, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the display cover layer has an edge portion that overlaps the dielectric layer and the flexible printed circuit antenna (Figs. 4-5B).
Regarding Claim 9, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the display cover layer is a glass layer (glass Par. 0067) and wherein the edge portion has an inner edge surface of compound curvature (compound curvature Par. 0067).
Regarding Claim 10, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the dielectric layer comprises a polymer layer with an outer surface facing the inner edge surface (polymer layer Par. 0062 Figs. 5A, 5B).
Regarding Claim 11, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the first surface is a concave surface of compound curvature (Figs. 4-5B).
Regarding Claim 12, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising a glass layer (14F glass Par. 0047, 0067), wherein the dielectric layer is between the glass layer and the flexible printed circuit antenna (130 between glass of 14F and flexible substrate of 14P as modified in claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 16, Olson et al. teaches a head-mounted device, comprising:
left and right rear-facing displays (displays 14R Fig. 1 Par. 0053) configured to display respective left and right images to eye boxes (eye boxes 34 Fig. 1 Par. 0053);
a publicly viewable display facing away from the eye boxes (14F Fig. 1 Par. 0036);
a dielectric layer (130 seen in Figs. 5a, 5b Par. 0062); and
a flexible printed circuit (flexible substrate of display 14P Figs. 4-5b Par. 0060)
Olson et al. is silent on a flexible printed circuit antenna having a surface of compound curvature that is attached to the dielectric layer.
However, Samardzija et al. teaches a flexible printed circuit antenna (“inverted-F antenna resonating element 76 and a conductive structure such as antenna ground 88. Antenna resonating element 76 and antenna ground 88 may be formed from metal traces on a flexible printed circuit, metal traces on a rigid printed circuit board, metal traces on other dielectric carriers, portions of an electronic device housing such as a metal midplate structure or internal frame structures, metal housing walls or other portions of housing 12, conductive structures such as metal portions of electrical components in device 10, or other conductive structures” Par. 0069).
Additionally, Ha et al. teaches a flexible printed circuit having a surface of compound curvature (“The interconnect substrate may be flexible and may be characterized by curved surfaces such as surface areas exhibiting compound curvature” Par. 0005; “The interconnect substrate may be sufficiently flexible to allow the surfaces of the interconnect substrate to exhibit compound curvature when mounted on a support structure of compound curvature and/or when mounted against the inner surface of a display cover layer having compound curvature” Par. 0007).
In this particular case, providing a flexible printed circuit with an antenna and having a surface of compound curvature is common and well known in the antenna art as evident by Samardzija et al. and Ha et al. in order to implement wireless communications in the electronic device (Samardzija et al. Par. 0003) and enable it to have a curved display (Ha et al. Par. 0005).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the flexible printed circuit of Olson et al. with an antenna and having a second surface of compound curvature based on the teachings of Samardzija et al. and Ha et al. as a result effect in order to implement wireless communications in the head-mounted device and enable it to have a curved display.
Regarding Claim 17, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the dielectric layer has a portion surrounding the publicly viewable display (Figs. 5A, 5B) and wherein the flexible printed circuit antenna is attached to the portion with adhesive (adhesive Par. 0061, 0073, 0075, 0077 as modified in claim 16 above).
Regarding Claim 18, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the portion has an inner surface of compound curvature to which the flexible printed circuit antenna is attached with the adhesive (Figs. 5A, 5B Par. 0061, 0073, 0075, 0077 as modified above).
Regarding Claim 19, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the head-mounted device comprises a head-mounted housing (26M Figs. 1, 4 Par. 0025) that supports the left and right rear-facing displays (Fig. 1) and that has a metal chassis (metal housing wall Par. 0073) that forms an antenna ground for the flexible printed circuit antenna (Samardzija et al. “inverted-F antenna resonating element 76 and a conductive structure such as antenna ground 88. Antenna resonating element 76 and antenna ground 88 may be formed from metal traces on a flexible printed circuit, metal traces on a rigid printed circuit board, metal traces on other dielectric carriers, portions of an electronic device housing such as a metal midplate structure or internal frame structures, metal housing walls or other portions of housing 12, conductive structures such as metal portions of electrical components in device 10, or other conductive structures” Par. 0069 as modified in claim 16 above).
Regarding Claim 20, Olson et al. as modified teaches further comprising a display cover layer (92 Figs. 4-5B Par. 0060) having an outer surface of compound curvature (compound curvature Par. 0067) that overlaps the publicly viewable display and having an edge portion that overlaps the portion of the dielectric layer and overlaps the flexible printed circuit antenna (Figs. 4-5B).
Regarding Claim 21, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the flexible printed circuit antenna comprises an antenna resonator formed from a metal trace on a flexible printed circuit substrate (Samardzija et al. “inverted-F antenna resonating element 76 and a conductive structure such as antenna ground 88. Antenna resonating element 76 and antenna ground 88 may be formed from metal traces on a flexible printed circuit, metal traces on a rigid printed circuit board, metal traces on other dielectric carriers, portions of an electronic device housing such as a metal midplate structure or internal frame structures, metal housing walls or other portions of housing 12, conductive structures such as metal portions of electrical components in device 10, or other conductive structures” Par. 0069 as modified in claim 1 above) of compound curvature (Ha et al. “The interconnect substrate may be flexible and may be characterized by curved surfaces such as surface areas exhibiting compound curvature” Par. 0005 as modified in claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 22, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the flexible printed circuit antenna comprises an antenna ground formed from metal chassis and comprises an antenna feed having a first terminal coupled to the metal trace and a second trace coupled to the antenna ground (Samardzija et al. Fig. 9 as modified in claim 1 above shows antenna feed and ground 82 and 80).
Regarding Claim 23, Olson et al. as modified teaches wherein the adhesive attaches the flexible printed circuit substrate to the first surface of compound curvature of the dielectric layer (implied as modified in claim 1 above).
Conclusion
The cited art in PTO-892 was found during the examiner's search, but was not relied upon for this office action. However it is still considered pertinent to the applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL M BOUIZZA whose telephone number is (571)272-6124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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/MICHAEL M BOUIZZA/Examiner, Art Unit 2845