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
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 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) 1-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maalouf (US Patent Application Publication 20170102423 A1).
As per claim 1, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, comprising: a housing (along 104, shown in figure 3) having walls (along 104, shown in figure 3) extending between a mating end (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3) and a terminating end (along the back of 104, shown in figure 3), the mating end (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3) configured to be mated to a mating electrical connector 102; contacts (see paragraph 33) held by the housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), each contact (see paragraph 33) extending between a mating end (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3) and a terminating end (along the back of 104, shown in figure 3), the mating end (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3) of the contact (see paragraph 33) configured to be mated to a mating contact (see paragraph 33) of the mating electrical connector 102; a latching element 106 configured to be latchably coupled to a mating latching element 106 of the mating electrical connector 102 when the housing (along 104, shown in figure 3) is fully mated to the mating electrical connector 102; and a mated verification device (see paragraph 14) coupled to the housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), the mated verification device (see paragraph 14) including a wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) configured to transmit a verification signal indicative (see paragraph 5 and 14) of the electrical connector 104 being mated with the mating electrical connector 102.
As per claim 2, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) is configured to transmit the verification signal (see paragraph 2 and 5) only when the electrical connector 104 is fully mated with the mating electrical connector 102.
As per claim 3, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) is configured to transmit the verification signal (see paragraph 2 and 5) only after the latching element 106 is latchably coupled to the mating latching element 106 of the mating electrical connector 102.
As per claim 4, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) becomes discoverable only after the electrical connector 104 is fully mated with the mating electrical connector 102 such that the verification signal (see paragraph 2 and 5) is transmitted as verification of the electrical connector 104 being fully mated with the mating electrical connector 102.
As per claim 5, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, further comprising a connector position assurance (CPA) device (see paragraph 33), the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) being coupled to the CPA device (see paragraph 33).
As per claim 6, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the CPA device (see paragraph 33) is configured to be actuated between an open position and a closed position (see paragraph 18), the CPA device (see paragraph 33) movable to the closed position (see paragraph 18) after the latching element 106 is latchably coupled to the mating latching element 106, the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) being movable with the CPA device (see paragraph 33) and configured to interface with the mating electrical connector 102 when the CPA devices (see paragraph 33) in the closed position (see paragraph 18).
As per claim 7, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes an integrated circuit element (see paragraph 26) and an antenna (see paragraph 26) coupled to the integrated circuit element (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 8, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a first antenna portion (see paragraph 26), the first antenna portion (see paragraph 26) configured to be electrically connected to a second antenna portion (see paragraph 26) of the mating electrical connector 102 to form an antenna (see paragraph 26) circuit to transmit the verification circuit only when the first antenna portion (see paragraph 26) is electrically connected to the second antenna portion (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 9, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a cable (see paragraph 33) coupled to a first contact (see paragraph 33) of the contacts (see paragraph 33), the cable (see paragraph 33) and the first contact (see paragraph 33) forming portions of a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 10, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes conductive traces (see paragraph 26) on at least one of the walls (along 104, shown in figure 3) of the housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), the conductive traces (see paragraph 26) forming at least a portion of a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 11, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes conductive traces (see paragraph 26) on the latching element 106 configured to electrically connect to a pad (see paragraph 33) on the mating electrical connector 102 when the latching element 106 is latchably coupled to the mating latching element 106.
As per claim 12, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26) and a switch 110 coupled to the wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26), the switch 110 closing when the electrical connector 104 is mated to the mating electrical connector 102 to close a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26) circuit of the wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 13, Maalouf teaches an electrical connector 104, wherein the wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes an RFID element (see paragraph 21) using electromagnetic fields for wireless communication (see paragraph 21).
As per claim 14, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, comprising: a plug connector 102 including a plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3), plug contacts (see paragraph 33) held by the plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3), and a plug latch (106, shown in figure 3) having a latching element 106; a header connector 104 including a header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), header contacts (see paragraph 33) held by the header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), and a header latch (108, shown in figure 3) having a latching element 106, the header connector 104 being mated to the plug connector 102 at a mating interface (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3); and a wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) at the mating interface (along the front of 104, shown in figure 3); wherein the plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3) is configured to be plugged into the header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3) to mate the plug contacts (see paragraph 33) with the header contacts (see paragraph 33), the latching element 106 of the header latch (108, shown in figure 3) interfacing with the latching element 106 of the plug latch (106, shown in figure 3) to latchably couple the plug connector 102 to the header connector 104; and wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) is configured to transmit a verification signal indicative (see paragraph 5 and 14) of a mated status (see paragraph 2) of the plug connector 102 and the header connector 104.
As per claim 15, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the plug connector 102 includes a first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) and the header connector 104 includes a second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51), the first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) and the second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) being coupled when the plug connector 102 is coupled to the header connector 104 to transmit the verification signal (see paragraph 2 and 5).
As per claim 16, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a first wireless communication antenna portion (see paragraph 26) and the second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a second wireless communication antenna portion (see paragraph 26), the first and second wireless communication antenna portions (see paragraph 26) coupled to form an antenna (see paragraph 26) circuit only when the plug connector 102 is fully mated to the header connector 104.
As per claim 17, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) is configured to transmit the verification signal (see paragraph 2 and 5) only when the plug connector 102 is fully mated with the header connector 104.
As per claim 18, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, further comprising a connector position assurance (CPA) device (see paragraph 33) configured to be actuated between an open position and a closed position (see paragraph 18), the CPA device (see paragraph 33) movable to the closed position (see paragraph 18) after the latching element 106 of the plug connector 102 is latchably coupled to the latching element 106 of the header connector 104, wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) is only able to transmit the validation signal when the CPA device (see paragraph 33) is in the closed position (see paragraph 18).
As per claim 19, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) includes conductive traces (see paragraph 26) on at least one of the plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3) or the header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3) forming at least a portion of a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 20, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) includes conductive traces (see paragraph 26) on at least one of the latching element 106 of the plug latch (106, shown in figure 3) or the latching element 106 of the header latch (108, shown in figure 3) forming at least a portion of a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 21, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the wireless communication assembly (see paragraph 26) includes a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26) and a switch 110 coupled to the wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26), the switch 110 closing when the plug connector 102 is fully mated to the header connector 104 to close a wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26) circuit of the wireless communication antenna (see paragraph 26).
As per claim 22, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, comprising: a plug connector 102 including a plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3), plug contacts (see paragraph 33) held by the plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3), and a plug latch (106, shown in figure 3) having a latching element 106, the plug connector 102 including a first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51); a header connector 104 including a header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), header contacts (see paragraph 33) held by the header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3), and a header latch (108, shown in figure 3) having a latching element 106, the header connector 104 including a second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51); wherein the plug housing (along 102, shown in figure 3) is configured to be plugged into the header housing (along 104, shown in figure 3) to mate the plug contacts (see paragraph 33) with the header contacts (see paragraph 33), the latching element 106 of the header latch (108, shown in figure 3) interfacing with the latching element 106 of the plug latch (106, shown in figure 3) to latchably couple the plug connector 102 to the header connector 104; and wherein the first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) and the second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) are coupled when the plug connector 102 is coupled to the header connector 104 to transmit a verification signal indicative (see paragraph 5 and 14) of the mated status (see paragraph 2) of the plug connector 102 and the header connector 104.
As per claim 23, Maalouf teaches a communication system 100, wherein the first wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a first wireless communication antenna portion (see paragraph 26) and the second wireless communication element (any module described in paragraph 51) includes a second wireless communication antenna portion (see paragraph 26), the first and second wireless communication antenna portions (see paragraph 26) coupled to form an antenna (see paragraph 26) circuit only when the plug connector 102 is fully mated to the header connector 104.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831
/ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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