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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 11-15, and 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US. Pub. No. 2018/0063981 A1; hereinafter “PARK”) in view of Crowley et al. (US. Pub. No. 2021/0392422 A1; hereinafter “CROWLEY”).
Regarding claim 1, PARK teaches a wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing including a front housing, a rear housing opposite to the front housing (see PARK, fig. 11A, rear casing 122, display 130), and a side housing surrounding an inner space between the front housing and the rear housing (see PARK, fig. 11A, housings 110,120);
a circuit board disposed in the housing (see PARK, para. [0046]);
a speaker module comprising a speaker disposed at one side of the rear housing (see PARK, fig. 11B, para. [0081], speaker 190); and
a support configured to support the speaker module (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150, member 500, para. [0081-83]) and comprising a conductive material (see PARK, para. [0084], metallic material support 510).
PARK is silent to teaching that wherein
a circuit board including at least one ground portion;
a speaker module connected to the circuit board; and
wherein the support is electrically connected to the ground portion of the circuit board.
In the same field of endeavor, CROWLEY teaches a device wherein
a circuit board including at least one ground portion (see CROWLEY, fig. 7A, para. [0108], board 940, electrical grounding, fig. 8A, grounding plane 1060, para. [0118-9]);
a speaker module connected to the circuit board (see CROWLEY, fig. 4D,E, para. [0093-4], connection point 656); and
wherein the support (see CROWLEY, fig. 4, support 632,642, para. [0086-90]) is electrically connected to the ground portion of the circuit board (see CROWLEY, fig. 4E, connection, para. [0094], fig. 9, 1100, para. [0126]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of PARK with the teaching of CROWLEY in order to improve electronic device performance and reduce form factor (see CROWLEY, para. [0004]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the support includes a base portion supporting one side of the speaker module, a first extension portion extending vertically from an upper end of the base portion, and a second extension portion extending vertically from a lower end of the base portion, the first extension portion and the second extension portion extend in opposite directions from the base portion, and at least a portion of the second extension portion faces the circuit board (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150,151,501,500).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of the wearable electronic device of wherein the circuit board includes a first surface facing the rear housing and a second surface facing the front housing (see CROWLEY, fig. 7A, board 940), and the second extension portion is disposed to face the first surface of the circuit board and at least partially contacts a first connector disposed on the first surface (see CROWLEY, fig. 4E, point 656).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 3, wherein the first connector is electrically connected to the ground portion of the circuit board, and the support is electrically connected to the ground portion of the circuit board through the first connector (see CROWLEY, fig. 9, grounding 1100, para. [0126]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the support is coupled to the rear housing to partially wrap around the speaker module, and contacts a portion of the speaker module to bring the speaker module into close contact with an inner side of the rear member (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150, rear casing 122, lower housing 120).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 2, wherein the rear housing includes a coupling portion to which the speaker module and the support member are coupled, an accommodation space in which at least a portion of the speaker module is accommodated is formed in the coupling portion (See PARK, fig. 11B, 505), and the speaker module is supported by the support to closely contact an edge portion of the accommodation space (see PARK, fig. 11B, 500).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the rear housing includes a hooking structure in which the support is hooked, the hooking structure includes a hooking protrusion protruding from the coupling portion, and a hooking hole into which the hooking protrusion is inserted is provided in the first extension portion of the support (see PARK, fig. 11A, 530, para. [0087]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the hooking structure further includes a hooking groove recessed on one side of the rear housing, and at least a portion of the second extension portion of the support is accommodated in the hooking groove to contact a step of the hooking groove (see PARK, fig. 7, 8, para. [0071-2]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
a connector configured to connect the speaker module and the circuit board (see CROWLEY, fig. 4D,E, connector 650); and
a processor comprising processing circuitry disposed on the circuit board and operatively connected to the speaker module through the connector, wherein the connector includes at least one signal line for operating the speaker module (see CROWLEY, fig. 7A, 940, para. [0108]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the connector is connected to one side surface of the speaker module and positioned spaced apart from the support at a specified interval, wherein the support is spaced apart from the connector to avoid an electrical short (see CROWLEY, fig. 4D,E, connector 650, para. [0093-4]).
Regarding claim 13. The wearable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication circuit disposed on the circuit board, wherein the wireless communication circuit is electrically connected to the side housing and configured to use at least a portion of the side housing as an antenna element (See CROWLEY, para. [0072]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the side housing includes a first portion and a second portion extending from a sidewall of the side housing to face at least a portion of the circuit board (See PARK, fig. 11B, housings 110, 120), the side housing is configured such that the first portion is electrically connected to the wireless communication circuit and the second portion is electrically connected to the ground portion (see CROWLEY, para. [0116]), wherein the wireless communication circuit is configured to feed electric power to the side housing through the first portion (See CROWLEY, para. [0114]).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the circuit board includes a first surface facing the rear housing and a second surface facing the front housing, the first portion and the second portion are disposed to face the second surface of the circuit board, the first portion contacts a second connector disposed on the second surface, and the second portion contacts a third connector disposed on the second surface (see CROWLEY, fig. 7A, para. [0109]).
Regarding claim 17, PARK teaches a wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing including a front housing facing a first direction, a rear housing facing a second direction opposite to the first direction (see PARK, fig. 11A, rear casing 122, display 130), and a side frame surrounding an inner space between the front housing and the rear housing, the rear housing including a rear case coupled to the side frame and a cover coupled to the rear case (see PARK, fig. 11A, housings 110,120);
a display disposed inside the housing and visible in the first direction through the front housing (see PARK, fig. 11A, display 130);
a circuit board disposed inside the housing (see PARK, para. [0046]);
a bracket disposed between the display and the rear case and on which the circuit board is seated (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150, member 500, para. [0081-83]);
a speaker module comprising a speaker coupled to one side of the rear case and positioned in a space between the bracket and the rear case (see PARK, fig. 11B, para. [0081], speaker 190); and
a support coupled to the rear case supporting the speaker module (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150, member 500, para. [0081-83]) and comprising a conductive material (see PARK, para. [0084], metallic material support 510),
wherein support member contacts at least a portion of the speaker module to bring the speaker module into close contact with an inner side of the rear case (see PARK, fig. 11B, bracket 150, rear casing 122, lower housing 120).
PARK is silent to teaching that wherein
a circuit board including at least one ground plane; and
a support member is electrically connected to the ground plane of the circuit board.
In the same field of endeavor, CROWLEY teaches a device wherein
a circuit board including at least one ground plane (see CROWLEY, fig. 7A, para. [0108], board 940, electrical grounding, fig. 8A, grounding plane 1060, para. [0118-9]); and
a support member (see CROWLEY, fig. 4, support 632,642, para. [0086-90]) is electrically connected to the ground plane of the circuit board (see CROWLEY, fig. 4E, connection, para. [0094], fig. 9, 1100, para. [0126]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of PARK with the teaching of CROWLEY in order to improve electronic device performance and reduce form factor (see CROWLEY, para. [0004]).
Regarding claims 18-20, the dependent claims are interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claims 2-4 and 13-15, respectively.
Claim(s) 10 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK and CROWLEY as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Corbin et al. (US. Pub. No. 2014/0112511 A1; hereinafter “CORBIN”)
Regarding claim 10, the combination of PARK and CROWLEY teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the speaker module includes a first side surface in close contact with an inner side of the rear housing and a second side surface facing a direction opposite to the first side surface (see CROWLEY, fig. 4, support 632,642, para. [0086-90]).
CROWLEY is silent to teaching that comprising a conductive member comprising a conductive material disposed between the support and the second side surface of the speaker module, wherein the support is electrically connected to at least a portion of the speaker module through the conductive member.
In the same field of endeavor, CORBIN teaches a device comprising a conductive member comprising a conductive material disposed between the support and the second side surface of the speaker module (see CORBIN, fig. 4, conductive foam 82, para. [0046-47]), wherein the support is electrically connected to at least a portion of the speaker module through the conductive member (see CORBIN, para. [0037,52]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of PARK and CROWLEY with the teaching of CORBIN in order to improve antenna performance and reduce interference (See CORBIN, para. [0003-4]).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of PARK, CROWLEY and CORBIN teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the conductive member may be attached to the second side surface of the speaker module, and the support may be configured to support the speaker module by closely contacting the conductive member (see CORBIN, fig. 4, para. [0047]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim (2016/0217943), Russell (2015/0349410), Mooring (8,345,414), Lee (11,405,998) teach wearable computing devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEN WU HUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7852. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WEN W HUANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648