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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/12/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/12/2026 was considered by the examiner.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 06/25/2025.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 10, 12-15 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS provided Vaananen EP 3367645 A1 in view of Eke US 20180159457 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Vaananen discloses a method for self-diagnosing a mobile device (fig. 1A, elm. 110, par. [0019]) comprising at least one or more actuators (fig. 1a, input element is from a group of a touch screen, a keyboard, a microphone, a camera, a haptic input device and a communication element, par. [0023]) one or more sensors (fig. 1, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetic field sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor and a camera, 165, par. [0032]) and a display (fig. 1, display 150, par. [0023]) the method comprising: feeding a pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) to a first actuator (the display, touch screen, stylus, keyboard, speaker and microphone may be used to interact with the user, par. [0016], fig. 2a, phase 200, par. [0028]) of the mobile device (fig. 1a, elm. 110, par. [0019]); measuring, in response to the feeding, a first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, the device may start receiving one or more signals, par. [0028]) using a first sensor (fig. 2a, phase 202, sensors in a mobile device 110, 112, 115, 118, par. [0028]) of the one or more sensors; comparing (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]) the first electric signal to one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) associated with the first actuator (fig. 2a, device may start receiving one or more signals from at least one sensor or an input element of said electronic device, par. [0028]) and the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]); and indicating, in response to the first electric signal failing to match (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) the one or more reference signals according to one or more pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) a negative diagnosis (correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, device is not able to receive such input, it may be determined that the input element is not functioning properly, par. [0016], [0017], [0037]) to a user of the mobile device using one or more of the display of the mobile device and the one or more actuators of the mobile device (the application may store data regarding the results of the tests locally on the mobile device and then determine the merit of the claim based upon this data, par. [0015]) (optically readable code may be stored on the electronic device to be readable by an optical code reader from a display of said electronic device, and the information on the condition of the electronic device may be stored on the electronic device, par. [0033])(clm. 1)
Vaananen does not disclose wherein the feeding of the pre-defined control signal to the first actuator causes activating and deactivating the first actuator following a pre-defined pattern if the first actuator is working correctly or causes producing an output having an amplitude directly proportional to an amplitude of the pre-defined control signal if the first actuator is working correctly.
Eke discloses wherein the feeding of the pre-defined control signal (fig. 1, control signal, par. [0046]) to the first actuator (fig. 1, elm. 105, par. [0046]) causes activating and deactivating the first actuator (signal to start or stop the oscillating device, par. [0054]) following a pre-defined pattern (operation signal, par. [0054]) if the first actuator is working correctly or causes producing an output having an amplitude directly proportional to an amplitude of the pre-defined control signal if the first actuator is working correctly (par. [0014], [0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an apparatus and methods for controlling an oscillating device, as taught in Eke in modifying the apparatus of Vaananen. The motivation would be to operate the haptic device at its resonance frequency using a relatively simple system. (see Eke: abs. par. [0107]).
Regarding claim 2, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses further comprising: indicating, in response to the first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, sensors in a mobile device 110, 112, 115, 118, par. [0028]) matching (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) according to the one or more pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) a positive diagnosis to a user of the mobile device using one or more of the display and the one or more actuators (signals from the accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer and other components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) (all parts appear to be functioning properly, par. [0037]).
Regarding claim 3, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses wherein the pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) specify that the first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, the device may start receiving one or more signals, par. [0028]) matches (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) if the first electric signal matches any of the one or more reference signals or the pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) specify that the first electric signal matches the one or more reference signals if the first electric signal matches all of the one or more reference signals (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]).
Regarding claim 4, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses further comprising: receiving (phase 202), after the feeding (phase 200) and before the comparing (phase 206) (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]), information on at least one of the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) measured by one or more second mobile devices (fig. 1, second device 130, par. [0030]) during the feeding of the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) to the first actuator (a second device or the electronic device may receive one or more signals from at least one sensor or an input element of said electronic device, par. [0026]) from the one or more second mobile devices.
Regarding claim 5, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 4, Vaananen discloses further comprising: transmitting, before the feeding (phase 200), a request for measuring a reference signal (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) (plurality of signals may be received from at least two sensors, par. [0028]) during the feeding of the pre-defined control signal to the first actuator to the one or more second mobile devices(fig. 1, second device 130, par. [0030]).
Regarding claim 6, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 4, Vaananen discloses further comprising: in response to the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) (clm. 6) consisting of two or more reference signals, combining said two or more reference signal to form a common reference signal and performing the comparing (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]) between the first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, the device may start receiving one or more signals, par. [0028]) and the common reference signal.
Regarding claim 7, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses further comprising performing, in response to receiving a request for measuring a reference signal (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) with one of the one or more sensors (fig. 1, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetic field sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor and a camera, 165, par. [0032]) from a requesting mobile device, the following: measuring a reference signal using said one of the one or more sensors according to the request; and transmitting information on the measured reference signal to the requesting mobile device (store data indicative of said signals to a memory, either at the electronic device or on a server 120, 125, or a second device 130, par. [0026]).
Regarding claim 10, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses wherein the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0024]-[0026]) comprise the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) or a signal calculated based on the pre-defined control signal.
Regarding claim 12, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses wherein the first actuator (the display, touch screen, stylus, keyboard, speaker and microphone may be used to interact with the user, par. [0016], fig. 2a, par. [0028]) is a first loudspeaker (fig. 1b, elm. 155, par. [0023]) and the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) is a pre-defined audio signal (the instructions in the use mode may be given by audio output, par. [0016]) and the feeding of the pre-defined control signal to the first actuator comprises feeding a pre-defined audio signal to the first loudspeaker (audio output through the speaker, par. [0016]) for producing a sound or the first actuator (microphone may be used to interact with the user, par. [0016], fig. 2a, phase 200, par. [0028]) is a first vibrator (microphone diaphragm vibrates) and the feeding of the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) to the first actuator comprises feeding the pre-defined control signal to the first vibrator for causing vibration of the first vibrator and as a consequence of the mobile device.
Regarding claim 13, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses further comprising: measuring, in response (phase 202) to the feeding (phase 200), a secondary electric signal using each of at least one secondary sensor (plurality of signals may be received from at least two sensors, par. [0028]) of the one or more sensors (fig. 1, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetic field sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor and a camera, 165, par. [0032]); comparing each secondary electric signal to a secondary reference signal associated with the first actuator and the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]); indicating, in response to one or more secondary electric signals failing to match (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) a corresponding secondary reference signal according to one or more secondary pre- defined criteria (template, par. [0028]), a negative diagnosis (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, … determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) to a user of the mobile device using one or more of the display and the one or more actuators (optically readable code may be stored on the electronic device to be readable by an optical code reader from a display of said electronic device, and the information on the condition of the electronic device may be stored on the electronic device, par. [0033])(clm. 1); and indicating a positive diagnosis to a user of the mobile device using one or more of the display and the one or more actuators only in response to the first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, the device may start receiving one or more signals, par. [0028]) (comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals ,par. [0016]) (all parts appear to be functioning properly, par. [0037]) matching the one or more reference signals according to the one or more pre-defined criteria and each of the one or more secondary electric signals matching the respective one or more secondary reference signals according to the one or more secondary pre-defined criteria (phase 206, the condition of the electronic device may be determined using the data indicative of signals stored in the memory. For example, parameters may be computed from the signals, or the signals may be compared to a template and a deviation index may be computed, par. [0028], compared to a baseline signal or parameters, par. [0017]).
Regarding claim 14, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 13, Vaananen discloses wherein at least one sensor of the at least one secondary sensor is a sensor of a different type compared to the first sensor (fig. 1, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetic field sensor, an ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, a capacitive sensor and a camera, 165, par. [0032]).
Regarding claim 15, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses wherein the one or more reference signals (signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, par. [0016]) consist of a reference signal, the comparing (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]) of the first electric signal (fig. 2a, phase 202, the device may start receiving one or more signals, par. [0028]) to the reference signal comprises calculating a value of a similarity metric quantifying correlation or similarity between the first electric signal and the reference signal and the first electric signal is determined to fail to match (components may be recorded and their correctness may be determined, e.g., by comparing the signals to earlier recorded or predefined baseline signals, the correctness of the user's interaction or the signals from these elements it may be determined that one or more of the elements is not functioning, par. [0016]) the reference signal according to the one or more pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) in response to the value of the similarity metric being below a pre-defined threshold.
Regarding claim 19, Vaananen and Eke discloses the method according to claim 1, Vaananen discloses wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of a microphone (fig. 1a, elm. 165, par. [0023]) and an accelerometer (fig. 1a, elm. 170, par. [0023]) and the one or more actuators comprise one or more of a loudspeaker (fig. 1a, elm. 155, par. [0023]) and a vibrator (vibration engine, par. [0037]).
Regarding claim 21, Vaananen discloses the mobile device of claim 20, wherein the means for the feeding, the measuring, the comparing (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028])and the indicating comprise: at least one processor (fig. 1a, elm. 140, par. [0023]); and at least one memory (fig. 1a, elm. 142, par. [0023]) including computer program code (fig. 1a, elm. 146, par. [0023]).
Regarding claim 22, a computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored (par. [0027]) thereon for performing at least the following: causing feeding a pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]) to a first actuator (fig. 1a, input element is from a group of a touch screen, a keyboard, a microphone, a camera, a haptic input device and a communication element, par. [0023]) of a mobile device (fig. 1a, elm. 110, par. [0019]); causing measuring, in response to the feeding, a first electric signal using a first sensor of the mobile device; comparing (signals may be compared to a template, par. [0028]) the first electric signal to one or more reference signals associated with the first actuator and the pre-defined control signal (application for controlling the electronic device, par. [0020]); and indicating, in response to the first electric signal failing to match (device is not able to receive such input, it may be determined that the input element is not functioning properly, par. [0017]) the one or more reference signals according to one or more pre-defined criteria (template, par. [0028]) a negative diagnosis to a user of the mobile device using one or more of a display of the mobile device and one or more actuators of the mobile device (optically readable code may be stored on the electronic device to be readable by an optical code reader from a display of said electronic device, and the information on the condition of the electronic device may be stored on the electronic device, par. [0033])(clm. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 23-26 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 23, the prior art of record does not teach alone, in response to receiving the request for measuring the reference signal, the following: demodulating, in response to the measuring of the reference signal, the reference signal; comparing the demodulated reference signal to the unique identifier of the requesting mobile device; and performing the transmitting of the information on the measured reference signal only in response to determining that the demodulated reference signal matches the unique identifier of the requesting mobile device, or in combination with all other elements in claim 23.
Regarding claim 24, the prior art of record does not teach alone, in response to at least one primary frequency of the one or more primary frequencies being determined to be occupied, a secondary frequency determined to be unoccupied for each of said at least one primary frequency determined to be occupied based on the measured background audio signal; and forming the pre-defined control signal, wherein the pre-defined control signal is formed so as to comprise one or more frequencies determined to be unoccupied, or in combination with all other elements in claim 24.
Regarding claim 25, the prior art of record does not teach alone, the first microphone is capable of detecting sound at the at least one secondary frequency; and selecting, in response to the first microphone being incapable of detecting sound at the at least one secondary frequency, another at least one secondary frequency determined to be unoccupied to replace the at least one secondary frequency, or in combination with all other elements in claim 25.
Regarding claim 26, the prior art of record does not teach alone, measuring a background vibration signal using the first accelerometer when the first vibrator is inactive; filtering, in response to the measuring of the first electric signal, the first electric signal based on the measured background vibration signal; and performing the comparing using the filtered first electric signal, or in combination with all other elements in claim 26.
Claims 8, 11 and 16-17 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 8, the prior art of record does not teach alone, in response to receiving the request for measuring the reference signal, the following: demodulating, in response to the measuring of the reference signal, the reference signal; comparing the demodulated reference signal to the unique identifier of the requesting mobile device, or in combination with all other elements in claim 8.
Claim 11, the prior art of record does not teach alone, the pre-defined control signal corresponds to a carrier signal modulated with a unique identifier of the mobile device and demodulating, in response to the measuring of the first electric signal, the first electric signal; comparing the demodulated first electric signal to the unique identifier of the mobile device, or in combination with all other elements in claim 8.
Claim 16, the prior art of record does not teach alone, determining based on the measured background audio signal whether one or more primary frequencies primarily used for transmission via the first loudspeaker and for reception via the first microphone are occupied; selecting, in response to at least one primary frequency of the one or more primary frequencies being determined to be occupied, a secondary frequency determined to be unoccupied for each of said at least one primary frequency determined to be occupied based on the measured background audio signal; and forming the pre-defined control signal, wherein the pre-defined control signal is formed so as to comprise one or more frequencies determined to be unoccupied, or in combination with all other elements in claim 16.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is allowed as it further limit allowed claim 16.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY G MCDONNOUGH whose telephone number is (571)272-6552. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am-5 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, EMAN ALKAFAWI can be reached at (571) 272-4448. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/COURTNEY G MCDONNOUGH/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/EMAN A ALKAFAWI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
7/15/2026
Prosecution Insights