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 of group I in the reply filed on 2025-12-01 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “and a second tool access panel that covers the second set of hinge mount features” of claim 4 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Regarding claim 4: the second tool access panel, while described in the specification has no drawing number and does not appear to be present in the drawings currently of record.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura et al. (US 2014/0307380).
Regarding claim 1, Nakamura discloses:
A computing device comprising:
a processor (e.g. described paragraph [0031]);
memory (e.g. described paragraph [0031]) accessible to the processor;
a display housing (e.g. 11 FIG.1) assembly that comprises a display panel (e.g. 25 FIG.1) and display housing hinge mount features (e.g. 11 side of 12 FIG.2);
a keyboard housing assembly (e.g. 10 FIG.1) that comprises a keyboard (e.g. 16 FIG.1), keyboard housing hinge mount features (e.g. 10 side of 12 FIG.2), and one or more tool access panels (e.g. 29/34 FIG.4); and
a hinge assembly (e.g. 12/13 FIG.2) that rotatably couples the display housing assembly and the keyboard housing assembly via the display housing hinge mount features (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.1), the keyboard housing hinge mount features, and one or more fasteners (e.g. described paragraph [0023]), wherein the display housing assembly is attachable to and detachable from the keyboard housing assembly via opening of the one or more tool access panels for tool-based access to and operation of the one or more fasteners (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.4).
Regarding claim 2, Nakamura discloses:
the hinge assembly comprises a first hinge and a second hinge (e.g. 12/13 FIG.4), and wherein the display housing hinge mount features comprise a first set of hinge mount features for the first hinge (e.g. shown Fig.4) and a second set of hinge mount features for the second hinge (e.g. shown Fig.4).
Regarding claim 3, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panels comprise a single tool access panel that covers the first set of hinge mount features and the second set of hinge mount features (e.g. 29 covering as shown FIG.4).
Regarding claim 4, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panels comprise a first tool access panel (e.g. 29 FIG.5) that covers the first set of hinge mount features and a second tool access panel (e.g. 34 FIG.5) that covers the second set of hinge mount features.
Regarding claim 5, Nakamura discloses:
the keyboard housing assembly comprises a front edge and a back edge (e.g. shown FIG.3) and wherein the one or more tool access panels are located adjacent to the back edge (e.g. in 19 FIG.3).
Regarding claim 6, Nakamura discloses:
the keyboard housing assembly comprises a keyboard side (e.g. shown FIG.1) and a base side (e.g. shown FIG.3) and wherein the one or more tool access panels are located on the keyboard side (e.g. shown FIG.1).
Regarding claim 7, Nakamura discloses:
the keyboard housing assembly comprises a front edge and a back edge (e.g. shown FIG.1) and wherein the one or more tool access panels are located adjacent to the back edge (e.g. shown FIG.1).
Regarding claim 8, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panels are transitionable to an open position in a substantially 180-degree orientation of the display housing assembly to the keyboard housing assembly (e.g. read as inherent in the angle of attachment shown FIG.4).
Regarding claim 9, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panels are only transitionable to the open position in the substantially 180-degree orientation of the display housing assembly to the keyboard housing assembly (e.g. read as inherent in the angle of attachment shown FIG.4).
Regarding claim 10, Nakamura discloses:
one or more tool access panel latches (e.g. attached to 34 FIG.5).
Regarding claim 11, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panel latches are released responsive to rotation of the display housing assembly to a predefined open angle with respect to the keyboard housing assembly (e.g. read as inherent in the angle of attachment shown FIG.4). (drawing objection)
Regarding claim 12, Nakamura discloses:
the predefined open angle is approximately 180 degrees (e.g. read as inherent in the angle of attachment shown FIG.4 with keyboard housing shown FIG.1).
Regarding claim 13, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more tool access panels comprise one or more notches (e.g. attached to 34 FIG.5).
Regarding claim 14, Nakamura discloses:
the one or more notches are accessibly exposed responsive to rotation of the display housing assembly to a predefined open angle with respect to the keyboard housing assembly (e.g. as shown with removal of 29 FIG.4).
Regarding claim 15, Nakamura discloses:
the predefined open angle is approximately 180 degrees (e.g. read as inherent in the angle of attachment shown FIG.4 with keyboard housing shown FIG.1).
Regarding claim 16, Nakamura discloses:
the display housing assembly and the hinge assembly are a field replaceable unit (FRU) (e.g. via screws shown FIG.3/FIG.4 and latches FIG.4).
Claim(s) 1, 16, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Morrison et al. (US 2023/0185343).
Regarding claim 1, Morrison discloses:
A computing device comprising:
a processor (e.g. 78 FIG.4);
memory (e.g. 76 FIG.4) accessible to the processor;
a display housing assembly (e.g. 170 FIG.9) that comprises a display panel (e.g. 82 FIG.9) and display housing hinge mount features (e.g. 172 FIG.9);
a keyboard housing assembly (e.g. 168 FIG.9) that comprises a keyboard (e.g. 110 FIG.9), keyboard housing hinge mount features (e.g. described paragraph [0072]), and one or more tool access panels (e.g. described paragraph [0086]); and
a hinge assembly that rotatably couples the display housing assembly and the keyboard housing assembly via the display housing hinge mount features (e.g. described paragraph [0072]), the keyboard housing hinge mount features, and one or more fasteners (e.g. 304 FIG.20A), wherein the display housing assembly is attachable to and detachable from the keyboard housing assembly via opening of the one or more tool access panels for tool-based access to and operation of the one or more fasteners (e.g. described paragraph [0086]).
Regarding claim 16, Morrison discloses:
the display housing assembly and the hinge assembly are a field replaceable unit (FRU) (e.g. described paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 17, Morrison discloses:
the display housing assembly comprises a camera and a microphone (e.g. on 190 FIG.10, paragraph [0076]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional references cited on the PTO-892 disclose/teach similar circuit board housing devices with hinges and displays as those disclosed in the present application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERON S MILLISER whose telephone number is (571)270-1800. The examiner can normally be reached 9-6.
Limited examiner interviews are available.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani N. Hayman can be reached at (571) 270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THERON S MILLISER/Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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