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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li [CN 201610453803] in view of Nanz [US 2021/0265996].
Claim 1, Li discloses a rotation control component comprising: a housing [11], a rotation device [2/3], a magnetic parameter detection device [4] and a preset number of magnets [3a], wherein a target surface of the housing is provided with a groove for accommodating the rotation device [see figure 2, 2/3 rotates in a groove defined by 11b], wherein the rotation device provided in the groove at least partially protrudes from the target surface [figure 2], and a rotating axis of the rotation device is parallel to the target surface [figure 2], wherein the magnets [3a] are arranged at intervals in a circumference direction of the rotation device [figure 2], and the magnetic parameter detection device [4] is provided in the housing at a position corresponding to the rotation device, for detecting magnetic parameters corresponding to respective target rotating positions where the rotation device is rotated to [abs], and wherein the target rotation positions are rotation positions of the magnets corresponding to the magnetic parameter detection device [figure 2].
Li fails to teach wherein the magnetic parameter detection device detects magnetic parameters of a pressing position corresponding to the target rotation position of the rotation device during the process of pressing down the rotation device, to determine the pressing position of the rotation device.
Nanz teaches a rotary switch [102] comprising an operating element [210] with a magnetic device [210] and a Hall sensor [220] wherein the Hall sensor detects both rotation [214] and longitudinal movement [216] of the operating element [210; paragraphs 0009, 0018, and 0042].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a means of allowing and measuring the longitudinal movement of the rotation device of Li by the magnetic parameter detection device as taught by Nanz in order to include additional input without need of separate sensor detection means [Nanz paragraph 0018].
Claim 2, Li as modified discloses the rotation control component according to claim 1, wherein Li further discloses that the preset number is greater than or equal to 3 [36 magnets], and magnetic parameters corresponding to two adjacent target rotation positions detected by the magnetic parameter detection device are different, and magnetic parameters corresponding to two target rotation positions adjacent to the same target rotation position are different [see highlighted portion at bottom of page 3 to top of page 4].
Claim 3, Li as modified discloses the rotation control component according to claim 1, Li further discloses comprising: a limiting part [2b/5/100] provided in the housing, for positioning a rotation of the rotation device when the rotation device is rotated to the respective target rotating positions.
Claim 4, Li as modified discloses the rotation control component according to claim 1, Li further discloses comprising: an elastic restoring assembly [5] corresponding to the rotation device provided in the housing, wherein the rotation device can be pressed and disposed into the groove by the elastic restoring assembly [figure 2].
Claims 5-8, Li as modified discloses the rotation control method applied to the rotation control component according to claim 1 is inherent in the product structure as outlined by Li in claims 1-4 above.
Claim 9, Li as modified discloses a rotation control device applied to the rotation control component of claim 1, Li further discloses comprising: an acquisition module [13] for acquiring magnetic parameters detected by a magnetic parameter detection device in the rotation control component; a position determination module [13] for determining a control position of a rotation device in the rotation control component according to the magnetic parameters, wherein the control position comprises target rotation positions corresponding to respective magnets in the rotation control component; and an operation determination module for determining a control operation of the rotation device according to the control position, wherein the control operation comprises a rotation operation [the circuit board performs all the claimed functions, see highlighted portion of page 3].
Claim 10, Li as modified discloses an electronic apparatus comprising: the rotation control component according to claim 1; a memory for storing computer program; and a processor for implementing steps of the rotation control method according to claim 5 when executing the computer program [as disclosed by Li, the memory and processor are inherent in the product structure of the electronic apparatus of Li as disclosed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/31/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-10 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Nanz [US 2021/0265996] wherein Nanz teaches a rotary switch [102] comprising an operating element [210] with a magnetic device [210] and a Hall sensor [220] wherein the Hall sensor detects both rotation [214] and longitudinal movement [216] of the operating element [210; paragraphs 0009, 0018, and 0042].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bernard Rojas whose telephone number is (571)272-1998. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. thru Fri. 7:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S Ismail can be reached at (571) 272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERNARD ROJAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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