DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-9 and 18-22 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on January 20, 2026.
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 § 102
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 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, and.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 10, 13, 15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2017/0196327 to MA et (i.e., Ref. 1 hereafter).
Referring to claim 10, Ref. 1 discloses a protective and tamper resistant structure (Figs. 1-4) for a computer dongle (202, Figs. 2A) comprising:
a protective enclosure (102) providing a chamber (124) for enclosing a computer dongle (202) therein including a dongle interface (126) for insertion of a dongle plug (not shown) therein;
a computer interface plug (within 126) extending from the protective enclosure and adapted to be plugged into an interface port (e.g., on wall 108) on a computer; and
an electrical connection inherently provided between the dongle interface (126) and the computer interface plug, the electrical connection configured to provide data and power connection between the computer dongle and the computer interface plug, when the computer dongle is plugged into the dongle interface (see Fig. 2A and the corresponding specification), wherein the protective enclosure (102) is at least one of: (a) a separate structure (see [0014]) mounted to the computer (100) in a tamper-resistant manner (Fig. 2A, Fig. 3A and [0019]), (b) fixed to or integrated with a protective computer cover, and (c) fixed to or integrated with a computer stand.
Referring to claim 13, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 10, further comprising a connector enclosure (326) adapted to be mounted over the computer interface plug and computer port in a tamper-resistant manner. See Figs. 1 and 4.
Referring to claim 15, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 10, further comprising a cover plate (106) for enclosing the computer dongle (202) within the protective enclosure (102) that is secured in place in a tamper-resistant manner. See ([0023-0024]).
Referring to claim 17, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 10, further comprising circuitry within the protective enclosure for converting the dongle interface from a first interface type to a second interface type (i.e., for use with a variety of connectors provided on computer wall 108).
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.
Claims 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ref. 1.
Ref. 1 discloses the device as substantially claimed, except for the tamper- resistant mounting or securing is accomplished using secure screws.
It is well-known in the field of anti-disassembly structures to use screws for tamper- resistant mounting or securing. As such, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to further modify the device by utilizing secure screws, since this would provide a simple, cost-effective means for the same.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 12 and 14 are allowable. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 11 is 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 specific limitations of “a circuitry within the protective enclosure for splitting the dongle interface into (a) a data interface electrically connected to the computer interface plug and (b) a charging interface electrically connected to a separate connector or port,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested.
Claim 12 is 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 specific limitations of “a cable extending from the protective enclosure terminating at the computer interface plug; wherein the computer interface plug structure provides an interface for insertion into the computer port that is directed about 180° with respect to the direction of the cable extent,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested.
Claim 14 is 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 specific limitations of “the charging interface is provided on the protective enclosure adjacent to the cable,” in combination with the remaining elements, is not taught or adequately suggested.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY Q EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani 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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/Anthony Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
February 4, 2026