DETAILED ACTION
1. Applicant's amendments and remarks submitted on December 23, 2025 have been entered. Claims 1, 16 and 21 have been amended. Claims 1, 3 and 5-21 are still pending on this application, with claims 1, 3 and 5-21 being rejected. No new rejections are set forth herein; accordingly, this action is made final.
2. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Double Patenting
3. Claims 1, 3, and 5-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 11985476 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other.
4. Applicant’s remarks on the nonstatutory double patenting rejection are acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. Claims 1, 5-19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub No 2022/0046345 A1 to Mai in view of US Patent Pub No 2017/0134545 A1 to Lee et al. (“Lee”).
As to claim 1, Mai discloses an electronic device, comprising: a housing including a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and a side surface structure at least partially surrounding a space formed between the first surface and the second surface (see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016; pg. 4, ¶ 0067); an acoustic hole formed in the housing and configured to emit a sound in a direction the first surface faces (see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016; pg. 3, ¶ 0047); a speaker disposed in the housing (see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016 - ¶ 0017); a first acoustic waveguide and a second acoustic waveguide together providing an acoustic path between the speaker and the acoustic hole, wherein the second acoustic waveguide is different from the first acoustic waveguide (channels 4 and 5, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016); a display (see pg. 1, ¶ 0016); and a supporting member (body structure and/or bracket, see pg. 3, ¶ 0044, ¶ 0053), wherein the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide are at least partially disposed between the display and the supporting member, wherein the supporting member includes a recessed portion formed in a front surface facing the first surface, and wherein the recessed portion surrounds at least a portion of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide, wherein each one of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide comprises a common waveguide portion (via earpiece speaker sound cavity, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0017; pg. 2, ¶ 0023), and wherein the display is coupled to the supporting member to conceal at least a portion of the recessed portion, wherein as the display is coupled to the supporting member, a space provided by the recessed portion forms at least a part of the first acoustic waveguide or the second acoustic waveguide (recessed portion of body structure and bracket communicate with screen to form outlets and/or sound guides, see figures 1 and 6; pg. 3, ¶ 0044 - ¶ 0045; pg. 4, ¶ 0057 - ¶ 0059).
Mai discloses the display (see pg. 1, ¶ 0016), and recessed portions of the housing forming the first and second waveguides with the display (see pg. 4, ¶ 0057 - ¶ 0059), but does not expressly disclose the display being disposed between the first surface and the second surface, nor the supporting member disposed between the display and the second surface, wherein the display is coupled to the front surface of the supporting member.20As to claim aAs aS
However such features are known in the art of electronic devices, as taught by Lee, which discloses a similar electronic device with a display (see figures 1B-2), and further discloses the display being located between front and rear surfaces of the device (display 151b, see figures 1B-3A; pg. 4, ¶ 0068; pg. 6, ¶ 0109), the device housing further including a supporting portion between the display and the rear surface, the display being coupled to the front surface of the supporting portion (case 101 with frame portion 101’, see figures 1B-3A, 4-5 and 12A-13B; pg. 4, ¶ 0067).
It would therefore have been an obvious choice before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the display and supporting member arrangement as taught by Lee in the device as taught by Mai, as such elements and their arrangements within a display device are known in the art. The motivation being to provide housing support elements for the components arranged between front and rear surfaces of the device, including the display (Lee pg. 4, ¶ 0067 - ¶ 0068).
As to claim 5, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising an electronic component disposed in the housing, wherein the electronic component is configured to receive or detect information on an external environment of the electronic device through at least a portion of an area between the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide (Mai camera 9, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0048, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 6, Mai in view of Lee does not expressly disclose wherein a portion of the first acoustic 10waveguide or a portion of the second acoustic waveguide is disposed between the display and the electronic component. However it does disclose the camera component as being fixed within the housing in the same general area as first and second channels, with the camera fixing bracket forming part of the channels (Mai figure 6; pg. 3, ¶ 0053; pg. 4, ¶ 0058 - ¶ 0059). Forming the waveguide channels between the display and the electronic component is therefore considered merely a straightforward possibility given the teachings of Mai in view of Lee, depending on the specifics of the bracket and which side of the bracket the camera is mounted on relative to the display, and further depending on various other factors including the shape and size of the channels, and the overall internal layout of the electronic device, as long as the functionality of the bracket and the camera is maintained (Mai pg. 4, ¶ 0058 - ¶ 0060).
As to claim 7, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising a notch area formed inside an active area of the display, or an optical hole at least partially surrounded by the active area of the display, wherein the electronic component is disposed to align with the notch area or the optical hole (Mai camera in water-drop area of screen; pg. 1, ¶ 0004; pg. 3, ¶ 0048; Lee figures 1B, 3A and 5; pg. 6, ¶ 0109).
As to claim 8, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the electronic component includes at least one of a camera, an infrared projector, a proximity sensor, an illuminance sensor, an iris sensor, a gesture sensor, an infrared sensor, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an atmospheric pressure sensor (Mai see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0048, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 9, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the acoustic hole includes a slit extending along a length or a width of the housing (Mai pg. 3, ¶ 0047 - ¶ 0048).
As to claim 10, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the first acoustic waveguide is coupled 25to a first portion of the slit, and the second acoustic waveguide is coupled to a second portion of the slit (Mai outlet portions 2 and 3, see figures 1 and 4-6), and wherein the first portion and the second portion are positioned symmetrically around a central portion of the slit (Mai output as slit, see pg. 3, ¶ 0047 - ¶ 0048).
As to claim 11, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising an electronic component disposed in the housing (Mai camera 9, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0053), wherein the first acoustic waveguide is coupled to a first portion of the slit, and the second acoustic waveguide is coupled to a second portion of the slit (Mai figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0047 - ¶ 0048), and 5wherein the electronic component is configured to receive or detect information on an external environment of the electronic device through an area between the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide (Mai figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0048, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 12, Mai in view of Lee does not expressly disclose wherein a portion of the first acoustic 10waveguide or a portion of the second acoustic waveguide is disposed between the first surface and the electronic component. However it does disclose the camera component as being fixed within the housing in the same general area as first and second channels, with the camera fixing bracket forming part of the channels (Mai figure 6; pg. 3, ¶ 0053; pg. 4, ¶ 0058 - ¶ 0059). Forming the waveguide channels between the first surface and the electronic component is therefore considered merely a straightforward possibility given the teachings of Mai in view of Lee, depending on the specifics of the bracket and which side of the bracket the camera is mounted on relative to the first surface of the device, and further depending on various other factors including the shape and size of the channels, and the overall internal layout of the electronic device, as long as the functionality of the bracket and the camera is maintained (Mai pg. 4, ¶ 0058 - ¶ 0060).
As to claim 13, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the side surface structure surrounds at least a portion of the slit (Mai figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 3, ¶ 0047 - ¶ 0048).
As to claim 14, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising a front plate coupled to the side surface structure forming the first surface, wherein the front plate surrounds at least a portion of the slit (Lee window 151a, see figures 2-3A and 4-5; pg. 4, ¶ 0068).
As to claim 15, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the side surface structure surrounds a remaining portion of the slit different from the at least the portion of the slit surrounded by the front plate (Lee figures 4-5).
As to claim 16, Mai discloses an electronic device, comprising: a housing including a first surface, a second surface facing away from the first surface, and a side surface structure at least partially surrounding a space formed between the first surface and the second surface ((see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016; pg. 4, ¶ 0067); a display (see pg. 1, ¶ 0016); a supporting member (body structure and/or bracket, see pg. 3, ¶ 0044, ¶ 0053), an acoustic hole formed in the housing and configured to emit a sound in a direction the first surface faces (see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016; pg. 3, ¶ 0047); a speaker disposed in the housing (earpiece 1, see figures 1-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016 - ¶ 0017); an electronic component disposed between the acoustic hole and the speaker inside the housing (camera 9, see figure 1; pg. 3, ¶ 0053); and a first acoustic waveguide and a second acoustic wave guide bypassing the electronic component, the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic wave guide providing an acoustic path between the speaker and the acoustic hole, wherein, the second acoustic waveguide is different from the first acoustic waveguide (channels 4 and 5, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0016), wherein the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide are at least partially disposed between the display and the supporting member, wherein the supporting member includes a recessed portion formed in a front surface facing the first surface, and wherein the recessed portion surrounds at least a portion of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide, wherein each one of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide comprises a common waveguide portion (via earpiece speaker sound cavity, see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0017; pg. 2, ¶ 0023), and wherein the display is coupled to the supporting member to conceal at least a portion of the recessed portion, wherein as the display is coupled to the supporting member, a space provided by the recessed portion forms at least a part of the first acoustic waveguide or the second acoustic waveguide (recessed portion of body structure and bracket communicate with screen to form outlets and/or sound guides, see figures 1 and 6; pg. 3, ¶ 0044 - ¶ 0045; pg. 4, ¶ 0057 - ¶ 0059).
Mai discloses the display (see pg. 1, ¶ 0016), and recessed portions of the housing forming the first and second waveguides with the display (see pg. 4, ¶ 0057 - ¶ 0059), but does not expressly disclose the display being disposed between the first surface and the second surface, nor the supporting member disposed between the display and the second surface, wherein the display is coupled to the front surface of the supporting member.20As to claim aAs aS
However such features are known in the art of electronic devices, as taught by Lee, which discloses a similar electronic device with a display (see figures 1B-2), and further discloses the display being located between front and rear surfaces of the device (display 151b, see figures 1B-3A; pg. 4, ¶ 0068; pg. 6, ¶ 0109), the device housing further including a supporting portion between the display and the rear surface, the display being coupled to the front surface of the supporting portion (case 101 with frame portion 101’, see figures 1B-3A, 4-5 and 12A-13B; pg. 4, ¶ 0067).
It would therefore have been an obvious choice before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the display and supporting member arrangement as taught by Lee in the device as taught by Mai, as such elements and their arrangements within a display device are known in the art. The motivation being to provide housing support elements for the components arranged between front and rear surfaces of the device, including the display (Lee pg. 4, ¶ 0067 - ¶ 0068).
As to claim 17, Mai in view of Lee further discloses wherein the electronic component is configured to receive or detect information on an external environment of the electronic device through an area between the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide (Mai figure 1; pg. 3, ¶ 0048, ¶ 0053).
As to claim 18, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising a notch area formed inside an active area of a display, or an optical hole at least partially surrounded by the active area of the display, wherein the electronic component is aligned to the notch area or the optical hole (Mai camera in water-drop area of screen; pg. 1, ¶ 0004; pg. 3, ¶ 0048). 15 As to cla
20 As to cla As to claim 20, Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising a mesh member mounted on 39the acoustic hole and exposed to the first surface (Lee deco-receiver 155a and acoustic filter 155b, see figures 4-6B; pg. 8, ¶ 0127).
6. Claims 3, 19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mai in view of Lee, and further in view of US Patent Pub No 2011/0223975 A1 to Matsushima et al. (“Matsushima”).
As to claims 3 and 19, Mai in view of Lee discloses the electronic device of respective claims 1 and 16.
Mai in view of Lee further discloses further comprising an adhesive member attaching the display to the supporting member (Lee pg. 9, ¶ 0140), but does not expressly disclose wherein the adhesive member surrounds at least a portion of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide. However such a configuration is known in the art, as taught by Matsushima, which discloses a similar electronic device with an adhesive member in the form of a double-sided tape attaching a touch panel to a supporting member (see figures 1A-4; pg. 1, ¶ 0021), and further discloses the adhesive and supporting member having cut outs or openings that form a passageway for outputting sound from a receiver (see figure 4; pg. 2, ¶ 0028). The proposed modification is therefore considered obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the motivation being as a matter of design, to provide the passageway or sound guides to output speaker sound via components already present in the electronic component, and specifically via cutouts or openings that create the space necessary for sound to pass through (Matsushima figure 4; pg. 2, ¶ 0028).
As to claim 21, Mai in view of Lee and Matsushima further discloses wherein the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide have a depth in a direction from the first surface to the second surface (Mai depth formed by recessed structure, see figures 1 and 6; pg. 4, ¶ 0057 - ¶ 0059; Matsushima figure 4; pg. 2, ¶ 0028), and wherein a portion of the depth of the first acoustic waveguide and the second acoustic waveguide are defined by the adhesive layer (Matsushima figure 4; pg. 2, ¶ 0028).
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed December 23, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 16, Applicant argues in Mai “sound guide channels 4 and 5 are connected to the speaker sound cavity 1,” whereas Applicant’s specification “shows a first acoustic waveguide 313a and a second acoustic waveguide 313b that have a common acoustic waveguide portion as shown in the box.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Firstly it is noted that Applicant’s remarks make reference to the common waveguide portion “as shown in the box,” and this appears to refer to the box at the top left corner of figure 5 provided by Applicant in the remarks, however the box appears to be blank. Examiner has interpreted the common acoustic waveguide portion as referring to the bottom portion of figure 5 in Applicant’s remarks, which includes through hole 211a (corresponding to the speaker) and where waveguide recessed portions 315a and 315b meet in a single cavity or space corresponding to the speaker. As noted by Applicant, Mai also discloses sound guide channels 4 and 5 that are connected to the speaker sound cavity 1, in order to provide the same sound emitted from the speaker via two independent paths (see figures 1 and 4-6; pg. 1, ¶ 0017). That is, Mai discloses the speaker having a front sound cavity, and the sound guide channels being connected with the speaker front sound cavity, so that a sound that is emitted from the speaker can propagate via the sound guide channels and be output through corresponding front cavity sound outlets (see pg. 1, ¶ 0016; pg. 2, ¶ 0023). Mai is therefore considered to teach the first and second sound guide channels as having a common waveguide portion, as both channels are connected to each other via the same speaker sound cavity, as similarly disclosed in Applicant’s specification.
Conclusion
8. 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.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SABRINA DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1621. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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, Ahmad Matar can be reached at 5712727488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SABRINA DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2693
/AHMAD F. MATAR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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