DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 have been considered for examination.
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) 1-5, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US Publication 2016/0302320).
In re Claim 1, Kim discloses a stacking structure using a direct current (DC) power supply 127a (paragraph 0039), comprising: a first stack layer 102a (Figure 12) or 102 (Figure 1) having a first connection port 125 including at least two electric power conductors (See Figure 9 showing multiple power conductors, paragraphs 0038-0039, 0053, 0060); a first connection member 123 (Figure 1) configured on the first stack layer and having a first engagement portion 123a; and a second stack layer 102b (Figure 12) or 101 (Figure 1) having a second connection port 117 (Figures 4, 6-9), and a second engagement portion 133a (Figure 4), wherein the second connection port 117 includes at least two electric power conductors (paragraph 0060), the second connection port 117 of the second stack layer 102b or 101 is used to electrically connect thereto the first connection port 125 of the first stack, and the second engagement portion 133a is used to connect thereto the first engagement portion 123a.
In re Claim 2, Kim discloses a second connection member 133 and a third stack layer 101 (Figures 1 or 12) or 102c (Figure 12), wherein the third stack is stacked on the second stack layer through the second connection member 133 (note each of the layers as disclosed in Figures 1 and/or 12 and associated description are redundant to be stackable with layers above as desired).
In re Claim 3, Kim discloses wherein the second stack layer 101 has a plurality of third positioning pillars 113 for locking the second connection member 133.
In re Claims 4 and 20, Kim discloses wherein the second stack layer 101/102 or the third stack layer 101/102 is a DisplayPort (paragraph 0038), a network camera (paragraphs 0010 and 0084), a speaker (paragraph 0040 and 0084), an uninterruptible power system (UPS) (paragraph 0039), or a storage table (Figure 1 or Figure 12 the top layer is capable of functioning as a table). Note that Claim 4 only requires any one of these functional layers claimed.
In re Claim 5, Kim discloses wherein the second stack layer 101 or 102 has an independent use when separated from the first stack layer (paragraph 0084 disclosing any of the optional module types being independent and can be coupled to other electronic devices); and the first stack layer 102 (Figure 1) or 102a (Figure 12) is a docking station (as shown in Figure 5 as the power source).
In re Claim 18, Kim discloses a stackable docking station using a direct current (DC) power supply 127a (paragraph 0039), comprising: a first stack layer 102 (Figure 1) having a first engagement portion 123c (Figure 5); a first connection member 123 (Figure 5) configured on the first stack layer 102 and having a first connection portion 123a (Figure 5) and a second engagement portion 125a (Figure 5), wherein the second engagement portion 125a of the first connection member 123 is engaged with the first engagement portion 123c of the first stack layer; and a second stack layer 102 or 101 (Figure 1) having a second connection portion 133 (Figure 4), wherein the second connection portion 133 is engaged with the first connection portion 123a.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US Publication 2016/0302320) in view of Lei (WO 2017107311).
In re Claim 19, Kim discloses wherein the second stack layer 101 or 102 has an independent use when separated from the first stack layer (paragraph 0084 disclosing any of the optional module types being independent and can be coupled to other electronic devices); and the first stack layer 102 (Figure 1) or 102a (Figure 12) is a docking station (as shown in Figure 5 as the power source). Kim further discloses a plurality of ports 111a-d wherein at least one of which is a USB port 111d. However, Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the USB port is a USB-C port. However, providing such was not new in the art. For example, Lei discloses a USB type C port 110, 130 in a stacked layer. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art of modular electronics at a time before the effective filing date of this application to have provided a USB Type C port, as disclosed in Lei, in place of or in addition to the ports as otherwise disclosed in Kim. The addition of a USB Type C port would modernize the apparatus since USB Type C ports replaced older USB Type A/B ports. USB Type C ports had become the standardize connection type of choice due to their increased versatility and improved data and power delivery capabilities.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-17 are allowable over the prior art of record.
The specific limitations of “a first locking plate configured on the extension base and having a first positioning piece; a locking piece configured on the first locking plate, wherein the locking piece has a first surface, a second surface, a central hole and a plurality of engaging media extending from an edge of the central hole, the first surface faces the first locking plate and has a positioning medium, and the first positioning piece is accommodated in the positioning medium so that the locking piece is rotated on the first locking plate; and a second locking plate configured on the second surface of the locking piece and having a second positioning piece and a plurality of engaging pieces, wherein the second positioning piece is accommodated in the central hole so that the locking piece is operable with respect to the second locking plate; and a stack layer detachably connected to the first connection member and having a plurality of positioning members, each of which has an engagement piece, wherein the plurality of engaging media are accommodated in the plurality of engaging pieces after the plurality of positioning members pass through the plurality of engaging pieces, so that the stack layer is installed on the extension base” in Claim 6 are not anticipated or made obvious by the prior art of record in the examiner’s opinion.
For example, Kim et al. (US Publication 2016/0302320) discloses a stackable docking station using a direct current (DC) power supply 127a (paragraph 0039), comprising: an extension base 102; the extension base comprising a member 123 on a top surface thereof further comprising a cylindrical extension 123c with a plurality of engaging media 123a located thereon; a stack layer 102 or 101 detachably connected to the member 123 and a plurality of engagement pieces 133a, wherein the plurality of engaging media 123a are accommodated in the plurality of engaging pieces 133a so that the stack layer is installed on the extension base.
However, Kim does not disclose a first locking plate configured on the extension base and having a first positioning piece; a locking piece configured on the first locking plate, wherein the locking piece has a first surface, a second surface, a central hole and a plurality of engaging media extending from an edge of the central hole, the first surface faces the first locking plate and has a positioning medium, and the first positioning piece is accommodated in the positioning medium so that the locking piece is rotated on the first locking plate; and a second locking plate configured on the second surface of the locking piece and having a second positioning piece and a plurality of engaging pieces, wherein the second positioning piece is accommodated in the central hole so that the locking piece is operable with respect to the second locking plate; and a stack layer detachably connected to the first connection member and having a plurality of positioning members, each of which has an engagement piece, wherein the plurality of engaging media are accommodated in the plurality of engaging pieces after the plurality of positioning members pass through the plurality of engaging pieces, so that the stack layer is installed on the extension base.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Adrian S Wilson whose telephone number is (571)270-3907. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 303-297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ADRIAN S WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841