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 with traverse of species A in the reply filed on 2025-11-24 is acknowledged. The traversal was addressed in the prior office action and so will not be repeated here.
The requirement is still deemed proper and therefore remains FINAL.
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) 1-7, 16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HO et al. (US 2021/0181805).
Regarding claim 1 HO discloses:
An electronic device, comprising:
a first body (e.g. 314 Fig.3A);
a second body (e.g. 312 Fig.3A); and
a hinge module (e.g. 308 Fig.3A), arranged on one side of the first body, wherein the hinge module comprises:
a main shaft member (e.g. 206a, 208 Fig.2D), pivotally connected to the first body and the second body;
a transmission assembly (e.g. 202, 206, 210 Fig.2D), rotatably connected to the main shaft member; and
a multimedia assembly (e.g. 204 Fig.2D), connected to the transmission assembly, wherein a rotation direction of the multimedia assembly is opposite to a rotation direction of the main shaft member, and the multimedia assembly is rotated relative to the first body and the second body through the main shaft member (e.g. described paragraph [0021], [0034]).
Regarding claim 2 HO discloses:
the main shaft member comprises a rotating rod (e.g. 206a Fig.2D), a first fixing plate (e.g. 224 Fig.2A), and a second fixing plate (e.g. 226 Fig.2A), the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate being located at one end of the rotating rod (e.g. shown/indicated Fig.2C), and the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate being respectively connected to the first body and the second body (e.g. shown Fig.2A, described paragraph [0023]).
Regarding claim 3 HO discloses:
the rotating rod comprises a first transmission member (e.g. 206 Fig.3A), the transmission assembly comprises a second transmission member (e.g. 210 Fig.2D), the multimedia assembly comprises a third transmission member (e.g. 202 Fig.2D), and the first transmission member is linked to the third transmission member through the second transmission member (e.g. shown Fig.2D).
Regarding claim 4 HO discloses:
the second body comprises a first housing (e.g. shown Fig.2A), the rotating rod is sleeved in the first housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D, described paragraph [0023]), the transmission assembly comprises a second housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), the second transmission member is arranged in the second housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), the multimedia assembly comprises a third housing (e.g. 204 Fig.2D), the third transmission member is arranged in the third housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), and the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are sequentially arranged in a direction (e.g. shown Fig.2D).
Regarding claim 5 HO discloses:
the first transmission member and the third transmission member respectively protrude toward the second transmission member and are engaged with the second transmission member (e.g. shown Fig.2D).
Regarding claim 6 HO discloses:
the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the third transmission member are bevel gears (e.g. described paragraph [0021]).
Regarding claim 7 HO discloses:
the multimedia assembly comprises a multimedia element (e.g. described paragraph [0017]), the multimedia element is fixedly arranged in a housing (e.g. shown/indicated Fig.2D), the third transmission member is located at one end of the multimedia element (e.g. shown Fig.2D), and the multimedia element is rotated relative to the first body and the second body through the third transmission member (e.g. indicated via arrows Fig.2D).
Regarding claim 16 HO discloses:
A hinge module with a multimedia assembly, comprising:
a main shaft member (e.g. 206a, 208 Fig.2D), comprising a first transmission member (e.g. 106 FIG.1);
a transmission assembly (e.g. 202, 206, 210 Fig.2D), connected to the first transmission member of the main shaft member through a second transmission member (e.g. 210 Fig.2D); and
a multimedia assembly (e.g. 204 Fig.2D), comprising a third transmission member (e.g. 202 Fig.2D) and connected to the second transmission member, the third transmission member being linked to the first transmission member through the second transmission member (e.g. shown Fig.2D), wherein a rotation direction of the third transmission member is different from a rotation direction of the first transmission member (e.g. described paragraph [0021], [0034]).
Regarding claim 20 HO discloses:
the first transmission member and the third transmission member respectively protrude toward the second transmission member and are engaged with the second transmission member (e.g. shown FIG.2D).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 8, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HO et al. (US 2021/0181805) in view of Ent et al. (US 2018/0184185).
Regarding claim 8 HO discloses:
The electronic device according to claim 7
HO does not disclose:
a plurality of sound emission holes are provided on an outer surface of the housing, and the multimedia element comprises a sound emission portion and faces the sound emission holes
Ent teaches:
a plurality of sound emission holes (e.g. in 383 FIG.3) are provided on an outer surface of the housing (e.g. 381 FIG.3), and the multimedia element comprises a sound emission portion (e.g. 384 FIG.3) and faces the sound emission holes (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.3/FIG.4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teachings of Ent as pointed out above, in HO, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have would have recognized the teaching, suggestion, and motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings (as pointed out above) to arrive at the claimed invention, and would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification would have allowed for: “such that acoustic energy can pass through the one or more openings” (paragraph [0038]) (e.g. less muffled sound), “they may distribute sound less directly toward a user's head where, for example, a user's ears may be at about 40 degrees as shown in the ergonomic diagram 201. Depending on arrangement of a user with respect to a system, a user's ears may be at an angle in a range of about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees as measured from horizontal.” (paragraph [0032]) (e.g. better adaptability to the user moving their heads within the sound cone).
Regarding claim 15 HO discloses:
the main shaft member comprises a rotating rod (e.g. 206a Fig.2D), a first fixing plate (e.g. 224 Fig.2A), and a second fixing plate (e.g. 226 Fig.2A), the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate being located at one end of the rotating rod (e.g. shown/indicated Fig.2C), and the first fixing plate and the second fixing plate being respectively connected to the first body and the second body (e.g. shown Fig.2A, described paragraph [0023]);
the rotating rod comprises a first transmission member (e.g. 206 Fig.3A), the transmission assembly comprises a second transmission member (e.g. 210 Fig.2D), the multimedia assembly comprises a third transmission member (e.g. 202 Fig.2D), and the first transmission member is linked to the third transmission member through the second transmission member (e.g. shown Fig.2D);
the second body comprises a first housing (e.g. shown Fig.2A), the rotating rod is sleeved in the first housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D, described paragraph [0023]), the transmission assembly comprises a second housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), the second transmission member is arranged in the second housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), the multimedia assembly comprises a third housing (e.g. 204 Fig.2D), the third transmission member is arranged in the third housing (e.g. shown Fig.2D), and the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are sequentially arranged in a direction (e.g. shown Fig.2D);
the first transmission member and the third transmission member respectively protrude toward the second transmission member and are engaged with the second transmission member (e.g. shown Fig.2D);
the first transmission member, the second transmission member, and the third transmission member are bevel gears (e.g. described paragraph [0021]);
the multimedia assembly comprises a multimedia element (e.g. described paragraph [0017]), the multimedia element is fixedly arranged in a housing (e.g. shown/indicated Fig.2D), the third transmission member is located at one end of the multimedia element (e.g. shown Fig.2D), and the multimedia element is rotated relative to the first body and the second body through the third transmission member (e.g. indicated via arrows Fig.2D)
HO does not disclose:
a plurality of sound emission holes are provided on an outer surface of the housing, and the multimedia element comprises a sound emission portion and faces the sound emission holes
Ent teaches:
a plurality of sound emission holes (e.g. in 383 FIG.3) are provided on an outer surface of the housing (e.g. 381 FIG.3), and the multimedia element comprises a sound emission portion (e.g. 384 FIG.3) and faces the sound emission holes (e.g. shown/indicated FIG.3/FIG.4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have utilized the teachings of Ent as pointed out above, in HO, as one having ordinary skill in the art would have would have recognized the teaching, suggestion, and motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings (as pointed out above) to arrive at the claimed invention, and would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because such a combination and/or modification would have allowed for: “such that acoustic energy can pass through the one or more openings” (paragraph [0038]) (e.g. less muffled sound), “they may distribute sound less directly toward a user's head where, for example, a user's ears may be at about 40 degrees as shown in the ergonomic diagram 201. Depending on arrangement of a user with respect to a system, a user's ears may be at an angle in a range of about 20 degrees to about 70 degrees as measured from horizontal.” (paragraph [0032]) (e.g. better adaptability to the user moving their heads within the sound cone).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2026-03-21 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that because accessory 204, drive shaft 206a, and hinge 208 of the cited figures of HO rotate the same direction HO does not disclose the argued limitations.
Applicant has not considered the rejection of record in its entirety and directed to the final element cited by the office in the rejection of (e.g.) claim 1: “e.g. described paragraph [0021], [0034]”. Indeed in their arguments applicant at no point acknowledges either of the cited paragraphs.
In relevant part paragraph [0021] states: “In yet further implementations, the hinge gear 106, the driven gear 102, and the transfer bar 110 may all be bevel gears with complementary geometries to each other. Complementary geometries may refer to a physical structure (e.g., bevel angle, number of teeth, diameter) of each of the bevel gears that may enable the bevel gears to operate with one another.” One of ordinary skill in the art would have understood at the time the invention was made that the “bevel gears” described in paragraph [0021] applied to the structures utilized in the rejection of record (as applied from paragraph [0021] via paragraph [0022] to Fig.2A-Fig.2D and paragraph [0031] to Fig.3A-Fig.3B) results in the opposite rotation direction as claimed, even if the cited figures don’t show the bevel gears disclosed in paragraph [0021].
Via paragraph [0021], which was properly cited in the office action dated 2026-01-13, HO discloses the argued “opposite” rotation limitations.
The remaining arguments repeat the argument(s) addressed above, either in the rejection of record, or in the response to arguments, and so will not be repeated here.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 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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