7,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.
Claim(s) 1,9-11,19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR 20220079370 A) in view of Park (US 2005/0079898), newly recited reference.
Regarding claim 1, Park et al. discloses an electronic device (fig. 1 number 101, abstract) comprising: a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part movably coupled to the first housing part relatively movable with respect to the first housing part (abstract); a driving mechanism (motor) configured to provide a driving force for moving the second housing part (abstract); memory (fig. 1 number 130) comprising one or more storage mediums which stores instructions (page 2, 6th and 7th paragraph); and a processor (fig. 1 number 120) comprising processing circuitry (page 2, 6th and 7th paragraph) , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor (page 2, 6th and 7th paragraph), cause the electronic device to: identify an external force (fingerprint recognition operation 901)(fig. 4E), which causes a relative movement of the second housing part (fig. 4 E number 213) with respect to the first housing part (fig. 4E number 211 and page 14, 4th-6th paragraph), in a stationary state in which the first housing part and the second housing part are stationary (i.e. second housing stationary to the first housing)(fig. 4E); and control the driving mechanism (motor 270), based on the identified external force, in a way such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state (i.e. The motor 270 may be controlled to move the second housing 213 in the first direction D1 to have the maximum size A3)(fig. 4E and page 13, 7th paragraph). Park et al. further teaches processor 250 and a sensor module 240 (i.e. According to various embodiments, the sensor module 240 may include a distance sensor capable of measuring a distance between the first housing 211 and the second housing 213 In the sensor module 240 including the distance sensor, as the second housing 213 slides with respect to the first housing 211 (fig. 2a, and page 6, 5th paragraph). Park differs from claim 1 of the present invention in that it does not explicit disclose based on the external force, control the motor of the driving mechanism, based on the identified external force, in a way to resist the external force such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state. Park (US 2005/0079898) teaches [0049] If the opening motion of the cover 200 is performed until the cover is transited from the status of FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B, and then the magnet 510 is located on the second magnetic sensor 530, the second magnetic sensor 530 senses magnetic energy from the magnet 510 and generates an opened position signal indicating that the cover 200 is fully opened. When the opened position signal is generated, the motor 410 stops the rotation of the screw shaft 420, so that the cover 200 is stopped in a fully opened position (i.e. stationary) (P:0049). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Park with based on the external force, control the motor of the driving mechanism, based on the identified external force, in a way to resist the external force such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state in order for the electronic device second housing to remain in the drawn out position when the swipe operation is performed to extend the display for view, as taught by Park.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Park et al. discloses the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to control the driving mechanism, based on at least one of a user input (finger input) (fig. 4E, page 14, 4th-6th paragraph and fig. 6b number 903) or an application (specified application or App) running while identifying the external force (fig, 6a-6c and page 16, 6th paragraph through page 17, 5th paragraph).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Park et al. discloses a display (fig. 6 number 221), wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to: control the display to display a first visual object (App1) and a second visual object (App2) for the user input (fig. 6b); control the driving mechanism to cause the relative movement of the second housing part with respect to the first housing part, based on identifying the user input for the first visual object (i.e. When a set one-hand operation command is executed, it may include commands, settings, and user input related to the split screen, such as in the case where it is set to display in a split screen when a specified application is executed) (fig. 6b and Page 16, 7th paragraph -page 17, 5th paragraph) ; and control the driving mechanism so that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state, based on identifying the user input for the second visual object (i.e. When a set one-hand operation command is executed, it may include commands, settings, and user input related to the split screen, such as in the case where it is set to display in a split screen when a specified application is executed) (fig. 6b and Page 16, 7th paragraph -page 17, 5th paragraph).
Regarding claim 11, Park et al. discloses a method (title, fig. 6a) of operating an electronic device (title, fig. 6a) comprising: identify an external force (fingerprint recognition operation 901)(fig. 4E), which causes a relative movement of the second housing part (fig. 4 E number 213) with respect to the first housing part (fig. 4E number 211 and page 14, 4th-6th paragraph), in a stationary state in which the first housing part and the second housing part are stationary (i.e. second housing stationary to the first housing)(fig. 4E); and control the driving mechanism (motor 270), based on the identified external force, in a way such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state (i.e. The motor 270 may be controlled to move the second housing 213 in the first direction D1 to have the maximum size A3)(fig. 4E and page 13, 7th paragraph). Park differs from claim 11 of the present invention in that it does not explicit disclose based on the external force, control the motor of the driving mechanism, based on the identified external force, in a way to resist the external force such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state. Park (US 2005/0079898) teaches [0049] If the opening motion of the cover 200 is performed until the cover is transited from the status of FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B, and then the magnet 510 is located on the second magnetic sensor 530, the second magnetic sensor 530 senses magnetic energy from the magnet 510 and generates an opened position signal indicating that the cover 200 is fully opened. When the opened position signal is generated, the motor 410 stops the rotation of the screw shaft 420, so that the cover 200 is stopped in a fully opened position (i.e. stationary) (P:0049). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Park with based on the external force, control the motor of the driving mechanism, based on the identified external force, in a way to resist the external force such that the first housing part and the second housing part remain the stationary state in order for the electronic device second housing to remain in the drawn out position when the swipe operation is performed to extend the display for view, as taught by Park.
6. Claim(s) 2 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR 20220079370 A) in view of Park (US 2005/0079898), newly recited reference as applied to claims 1 and 11 above and in further view of Mitsunaga et al. (US 2010/0255862).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, the combination of Park et al. and Park differs from claims 2 and 12 of the present invention in that they do not explicit disclose the electronic device to identify that the first housing part and the second housing part are in the stationary state when the signal provided from the first sensor is less than a reference value for more than a first reference time, or when a power provided to the driving mechanism is less than a reference value for more than the first reference time. Mitsunaga et al. teaches when the display housing 120 and the operation housing 150 are slid to a relative position, the application deciding unit 158 measures the time for which both of the housings keep a stationary state at the relative position. If the unit 158 senses that both of the housings keep the stationary state for a predetermined time or more, it activates an application corresponding to the relative position (fig. 3a-3e and P:0050). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Park et al. and Park with the electronic device to identify that the first housing part and the second housing part are in the stationary state when the signal provided from the first sensor is less than a reference value for more than a first reference time, or when a power provided to the driving mechanism is less than a reference value for more than the first reference time in order for the electronic device to manage the display stationary state based upon the finger print pressure on the display to provide the display in the retracted state or the expand state based upon the application selected, as taught by Mitsunaga et al..
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 3-8 and 13-17 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.
8. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claims 3 and 13, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest alone, or in combination identifying the relative movement based on the identified external force; and fixing the second housing part, by controlling a motor of the driving mechanism to have a holding torque having a second magnitude greater than or equal to a first magnitude of the external force identified based on the identified relative movement.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest alone, or in combination a second sensor configured to obtain data related to a temperature of at least a part of the electronic device, wherein the driving mechanism includes a motor, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to identify a second magnitude of holding torque of the motor for fixing the second housing part, based on at least a part of the data related to the temperature.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest alone, or in combination a third sensor configured to obtain data related to a posture of the electronic device, wherein the driving mechanism includes a motor, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to identify a second magnitude of holding torque of the motor for fixing the second housing part, based on at least a part of the data related to a posture of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 17, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest alone, or in combination identifying a second magnitude of holding torque of a motor for fixing the second housing part, based on at least a part of data related to temperature of at least a part of the electronic device identified through a second sensor of the electronic device.
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 KEITH FERGUSON whose telephone number is (571)272-7865. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 am -3 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley L 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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/KEITH FERGUSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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