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 § 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 22-34 and 36-41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Muller (2018/0069359).
Regarding Claim 22: Muller teaches an electronic device comprising a housing (FIG. 1) having at least two plug-in receptacles (11a and 11b in FIG. 1), each plug-in receptacle intended for an additional module (shown in FIG. 8) having a module housing (fig. 8) wherein the plug-in receptacles (fig. 1) are each arranged in a corner region of the device housing (fig. 1) so that when the relevant module housing of each additional module is connected with the housing it expands the device housing on three outer sides to form a corner (fig. 8), the plug-in slots and the module housings being designed such that each module housing fits into a plug-in slot (figs. 1 and 8), wherein when the relevant module housing of each additional module is connected with the housing to form corners (figs. 8-9), the electronic device has a cuboid configuration (figs. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 23: Muller teaches wherein guides (on edges of receptacles in fig. 1) are provided on the housing to linearly guide the additional module in the corner region, are provided on the housing (fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 24: Muller teaches wherein the module housing includes at least a longitudinal side (fig. 8-9), at least one transverse side (fig. 8-9) and a front side (fig. 8-9) that are adjacent one another in a corner of the module housing (fig. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 25: Muller teaches wherein at least one of connection, operating and signaling elements are arranged on the module front side (fig. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 26: Muller teaches wherein the module housing includes two transverse sides oriented parallel to one another (fig. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 27: Muller teaches wherein the module housing has a rear side arranged parallel to the longitudinal side (fig. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 28: The electronic device according to claim 627, wherein the rear side is partly formed (fig. 8-9).
Regarding Claim 29: wherein the module housing and the device housing have a locking mechanism (fig. 2-7) to fix the additional module in the plug-in receptacle (fig. 2-9).
Regarding Claim 30: wherein the locking mechanism has a locking tab (fig. 1-7) and a latching tab (fig. 1-7) which engages the locking tab (fig. 1-7).
Regarding Claim 31: wherein a lever (top edge of locking mechanism in figs. 2-7) is pivotably mounted on the module housing (pivots around curved portion shown in figs. 2-7) to release the locking mechanism when in a pivoted-up position (fig. 2-7).
Regarding Claim 32: wherein the lever is downwardly pivotable on both sides to lock the module housing in the plug-in receptacle (fig. 2-7).
Regarding Claim 33: wherein the locking tab is resiliently arranged on the module housing (fig. 2-7) and is pushed back depending on the position of the lever to release the locking mechanism (fig. 2-7).
Regarding Claim 34: wherein the device housing has a main circuit board (paragraph [0007]), the main circuit board having at least one plug-in base arranged thereon and into which the additional module is plugged (paragraph [0007] and figs. 1-9).
Regarding Claim 36: wherein a plug-in direction of the additional module runs parallel to the main circuit board (fig. 1-8).
Regarding Claim 37: and further comprising a connecting module inserted into a push-in shaft of the device housing (fig. 1-8).
Regarding Claim 38: wherein the connecting module has a circuit board edge connector (fig. 1-2).
Regarding Claim 39: wherein the device housing includes a pivotably mounted ejection lever (fig. 1-8) having a first lever arm that protrudes from the device housing (fig. 1-8) and a second lever arm that adjoins a lower side of the connecting module (fig. 1-8).
Regarding Claim 40: wherein the two device housing corner regions are arranged adjacent to the at least two plug-in receptacles for the additional modules (fig. 1-9).
Regarding Claim 41: and further comprising a mounting rail receptacle for placing the electronic device onto a mounting rail (fig. 1-8).
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) 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muller (2018/0069359) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Formwalt (6,655,017).
Regarding Claim 35: Muller lacks a specific teaching of the at least one plug-in base is arranged in a part of the main circuit board angled by a flexible section.
Formwalt teaches wherein the at least one plug-in base is arranged in a part of the main circuit board angled by a flexible section (col. 2 lines 35-65).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Muller by having the at least one plug-in base is arranged in a part of the main circuit board angled by a flexible section as disclosed by Formwalt in order to allow for a better more secure connection between the components and decrease the chances of misconnection between the components.
Claim(s) 42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muller (2018/0069359) as applied to the claims above, and further in view of Muller (12,381,757).
Regarding Claim 42: Muller lacks a specific teaching of configured as an Internet of Things gateway, wherein the at least one additional module is a radio module.
Muller (‘757) configured as an Internet of Things gateway, wherein the at least one additional module is a radio module (col. 4 lines 23-47).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the apparatus of Muller by having configured as an Internet of Things gateway, wherein the at least one additional module is a radio module as disclosed by Muller (‘757) in order to allow for a better more secure connection between the components and decrease the chances of misconnection between the components.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 22-42 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 ANTHONY MICHAEL HAUGHTON whose telephone number is (571)272-9087. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a-5p.
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/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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