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 .
Response to Amendment
Amendment to claims of 11/25/2025 is acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Amended claim 1 is rejected as given below. Applicant's argument is not persuasive.
Claim(s) that depend(s) from the rejected claim(s), that is, claim(s) 2-20 is/are rejected.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because the specification is silent about claim 1 limitation “wherein the position setting part is configured to set a position of the pressing member in both a width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator and a direction intersecting with the width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because specification does not disclose the limitation “wherein the position setting part is configured to set a position of the pressing member in both a width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator and a direction intersecting with the width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator.” Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Testa et al. (WO 2017 168341).
For claim 1, Testa et al. discloses, in Figures 1-16, an electronic key operation device comprising:
an accommodator (1) configured to accommodate an electronic key (100);
a pressing member (16, Figure 4, and 49, 50 in Figure 11) configured to press a button (103, 104) of the electronic key (100) accommodated in the accommodator;
an actuator configured to apply power for pressing the button to the pressing member (7, 8; P8, para. [2]. Figures 2 and 4. Actuator 40. Figure 11.); and
a position setting part (13, 14 in Figure 4, and 47, 48 in Figure 11) configured to set a relative position between the actuator (7, 8, or 40) and the pressing member (16, or 49, 50) and set a position of the pressing member so as to correspond to a position of the button (Movement of the position setting part 13, 14 or 47, 48 set a position of the pressing member 16 or 49, 50 corresponds to the respective button 103, 104. Figures 1-5, and 11. In Figure 11, the pressing members 49, 50 can slide with respect to 47, 48 to facilitate a setting position so as to correspond to the button 103, 104. P9, para. [1].),
wherein the position setting part (47, 48 in Figure 11) is configured to set a position of the pressing member (49, 50) in both a width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator and a direction intersecting with the width direction of the electronic key when accommodated in the accommodator (The position of the leverages 43,44 with respect to the rotating shaft 42 and the positioning of the touch probes 49, 50 with respect to the transverse portions 47, 48 of the leverages 43, 44 can be manually done by the user, who is then able to adapt the device to any key type [p9, 1st paragraph]. That is, the 43, and 44 can be moved along the axial direction of 42, and 47, and 48 can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of 42, see Figure 11. In other words, the position setting part 47, 48 is configured to set a position of the pressing member (49, 50) in both a width direction and a direction intersecting with the width direction of the electronic key.)
For claim 2, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, wherein the position setting part (13, 14) includes a plurality of receiving portions for accommodating the pressing member (The entire length of 13, 14 or 47, 48 has plurality of portions, defining receiving portions, for accommodating the pressing member 16. Figure 4.)
For claim 3, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing member (49, 50, Figure 11) is slidable in the receiving portion of the position setting part (P9, Para. [1].), the button (103, 104) is capable of being pressed at one end of the pressing member, and the power for pressing the button is applied at the other end thereof (Figure 11.)
For claim 4, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claims 1, further comprising: an intermediate member (12) for transmitting the power from the actuator (7, 8) to the pressing member (16, Figures 2-3.)
For claim 5, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate member (12) has a rotary shaft (Shafts between 12 and actuators 7, 8 define the rotary shaft. Figure 2.), and power from the actuator (7, 8) is transmitted to the pressing member (16) by a movement of the intermediate member (12) in a circumferential direction (Figures 2-4.)
For claim 6, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 4, wherein the position setting part (13, 14) is a member separate from the intermediate member (12, Figures 4-5.)
For claim 7, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, wherein the accommodator (1) includes an electronic key (100) accommodation case (11’) configured to accommodate the electronic key in a state of being fixed (Figure 2.)
For claim 9, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, wherein the position setting part comprises a front portion and a rear portion (Figures 4 and 11.)
For claim 10, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 9, wherein the pressing member (16, Figure 4, and 49, 50 in Figure 11) is held in a space defined between the front portion and the rear portion (Figures 4 and 11.)
For claim 13, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, further comprising a return mechanism configured to return the pressing member (16) to an original position after pressing the button (Pressing member 16 is attached to levers 13, 14, which are operated by a cam 12. After pressing the button, the levers 13 and 14 are returned to the disengaged position by the cam 12 rotation. The return mechanism includes cam 12 and actuators 7 and 8. Figures 3-5.)
For claim 16, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 9, wherein the front portion and the rear portion are configured to be assembled to sandwich and hold the pressing member (16, Figures 4.)
For claim 17, Testa et al. disclose the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member (16, 16) is a first pressing member, and the electronic key operation device further comprises a second pressing member accommodated in the position setting part (Figure 4.)
For claim 18, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 7, further comprising a housing (11’, 11’, 12), wherein the accommodator, the pressing member, the actuator, and the position setting part are all situated within the housing, and the electronic key accommodation case is removable with respect to the accommodator (Figures 4 and 11.)
For claim 19, Testa et al. discloses the electronic key operation device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member (49, 50) is slidable within the position setting part (47, 48) in a direction to press the button (Figure 11. P9, first paragraph.)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 11-12, 14-15, and 20 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.
Conclusion
Prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and provides examples of similar inventions. There are no suggestions in the prior art of record for combining any of the references to arrive at as claimed. A few of the prior art cited but not applied includes McGinn (U.S. 2013-0106569), and Jonely (U.S. Pub. App. 2021-0241552).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN CUMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3112. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, 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, KRISTINA FULTON can be reached at 571-272-7376. 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.
/NATHAN CUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3675