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 .
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)(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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liang (US 20230408984 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Liang discloses:
1. A portable device, comprising: a frame (fig. 3 102); a button fixed relative to the frame (fig. 3 110); a connection member fixedly connecting the button to the frame (fig. 4A 310); a sensor for detecting a pressing state of the button (paragraph 4); and a vibration motor fixed below the button (fig. 4 406, paragraph 8), wherein the frame is provided with a mounting hole penetrating through the frame (fig. 3 304), the frame comprises an outer side surface and an inner side surface opposite to the outer side surface (fig. 3), the mounting hole penetrates through both the outer side surface and the inner side surface(fig. 3), the button is mounted on the outer side surface (fig. 3), the vibration motor is suspended in the mounting hole (fig. 4A 406 as part of 110, see fig. 3 110 goes inside mounting hole)., and the connection member is of a hollow ring structure (fig. 4A 310 and is fitted and fixed to an edge of the button (paragraph 86).
Regarding claim 2, Liang discloses:
2. The portable device as described in claim 1, wherein the connection member is an elastic piece or a silicone pad (paragraph 64 elastomer or silicone)
Regarding claim 3, Liang discloses:
3. The portable device as described in claim 1, wherein the connection member comprises a pair of long axial edges and a pair of short axial edges, and a width of each of the pair of short axial edges is greater than a width of each of the pair of long axial edges (fig. 4A 310 different widths in x and y dimensions).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang (US 20230408984 A1) in view of Kim (US 20210159815 A1).
Regarding claims 4-6, Liang fails to clearly disclose and Kim discloses:
4. The portable device as described in claim 1, wherein the vibration motor comprises a housing fixed relative to the button (fig. 5 31), a coil fixed to the housing (fig. 5 316), a vibrator suspended in the housing (fig. 5 314), and an elastic connection part elastically connecting the vibrator to the housing (fig. 5 313).
5. The portable device as described in claim 4, wherein an end of the elastic connection part carries the vibrator (fig. 5), another end of the elastic connection part is connected to the housing (fig. 5), and a vibrating direction of the vibrator is parallel to a direction of a pressing force for pressing the button (paragraph 63, paragraph 71).
6. The portable device as described in claim 5, wherein the vibrator comprises a mass block (fig. 5 314) and a magnet assembly fixed to the mass block (fig. 5 3141), and the magnet assembly partially extends into the coil (fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these teachings with those of Liang by using a vibration unit to provide haptic feedback. The motivation for the combination is improved usefulness and functionality of devices (paragraph 38, 39).
Regarding claim 7, Liang discloses a vibrating direction of the vibrator is perpendicular to a pressing force for pressing the button (paragraph 3). Liang fails to disclose and Kim discloses, wherein a side of the elastic connection part is fixedly connected to the vibrator, another side of the elastic connection part is fixedly connected to the housing (fig. 5)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these teachings with those of Liang by using a vibration unit to provide haptic feedback. The motivation for the combination is improved usefulness and functionality of devices (paragraph 38, 39).
Regarding claim 8, Liang as modified fails to disclose and Kim discloses: wherein the vibrator comprises a mass block (fig. 5 314) and a magnet assembly fixed to the mass block (fig. 5 3141), the coil comprises a pair of flat coils (fig. 5 316), and the magnet assembly is arranged above the coil (fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these teachings with those of Liang by using a vibration unit to provide haptic feedback. The motivation for the combination is improved usefulness and functionality of devices (paragraph 38, 39).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang (US 20230408984 A1) in view of Ostdiek (US 11024135 B1).
Regarding claim 9, Liang fails to disclose and Ostdiek discloses 9. The portable device as described in claim 1, wherein the sensor is of a sheet structure and is clamped between the vibration motor and the button (fig. 6B 616). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine these teachigns with Liang by detecting a compressive force on an input sensor. The motivation for the combination is to provide user feedback (column 1 15-25).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Takahashi (US 10610892 B2) discloses a haptic actuator for portable devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN A MITCHELL whose telephone number is (571)270-3117. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/NATHAN A MITCHELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627