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 § 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 vibration
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 1-2, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hajianpour (US Patent #5,575,761), and further in view of Smith (Pub # US 2009/0312599 A1).
Consider claim 1, Hajianpour teaches a haptic device comprising: a housing (46, Fig. 3); a vibration body (motor) (47, Fig. 3) accommodated in the housing (46, Fig. 3); a control device (control knob) (14, Fig. 3) configured to present at least one of a tactile sensation and a force sensation to a user by controlling a vibration pattern of the vibration body (Column 2 lines 14-34); and a band (strap) (12, Fig. 1) including a first portion fixed to an outer surface of the housing (Column 3 lines 25-42); and the projecting portion comprising a band portion which is attached to the housing at a first end of the band portion and is curved along a same plane that the band is curved (Column 3 lines 58-65).
Hajianpour does not teach wherein a body of the user is attachable between an abutting portion of the band being a portion different from the first portion and a contact surface being a part of the outer surface of the housing. wherein a projecting portion projects from the outer surface of the housing, and a wide portion attached to the band portion at a second end of the band portion, the wide portion being curved along a different plane from the plane that the band is curved.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches wherein a body of the user is attachable between an abutting portion of the band being a portion different from the first portion and a contact surface being a part of the outer surface of the housing [0041 and 0049] for the benefit of maintain physical contact with user’s body during vibration.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein a body of the user is attachable between an abutting portion of the band being a portion different from the first portion and a contact surface being a part of the outer surface of the housing. wherein a projecting portion projects from the outer surface of the housing, and a wide portion attached to the band portion at a second end of the band portion, the wide portion being curved along a different plane from the plane that the band is curved as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour device for the benefit of maintain physical contact with user’s body during vibration.
Consider claim 2, Hajianpour clearly shown and disclose the haptic device, wherein the band includes a second portion being different from the first portion and fixed to a portion, of the outer surface of the housing, different from a portion to which the first portion is fixed, and the abutting portion extends from the first portion to the second portion of the band (Column 3 lines 43-56).
Consider claim 9, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device, wherein the housing (32, Fig. 2) includes a main body (24, Fig. 2) portion accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-65).
Hajianpour does not explicitly teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Consider claim 11, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device, wherein the housing includes a main body portion accommodating the vibration body, the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-56).
Hajianpour does not teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Claims 3-6, 10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hajianpour (US Patent #5,575,761) in view of Smith (Pub # US 2009/0312599 A1) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Jouanlanne et al. (Pub # US 2019/0190130 A1).
Consider claim 3, Hajianpour teaches the strap (12, Fig. 2) has suitable length to extend around the wrist (Column 3 lines 56-58).
Hajianpour and Smith combined reference does not specifically teach the haptic device, wherein the band has a length of equal to or more than 3 cm and equal to or less than 15 cm from the first portion to the second portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Jouanlanne et al. teaches wherein the band has a length of equal to or more than 3 cm and equal to or less than 15 cm from the first portion to the second portion (70mm to 140mm) from the first portion to the second portion [0033] for the benefit of adjusting the desire length to fit on user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the haptic device, wherein the band has a length of equal to or more than 3 cm and equal to or less than 15 cm from the first portion to the second portion as shown in Jouanlanne et al., in Hajianpour and Snith combined device for the benefit of adjusting the desire length to fit on user’s body.
Consider claim 4, Hajianpour teaches the strap portion (28 and 30, Fig. 2) are preferably made of a flexible elastic textile material (Column 2 lines 14-34).
Hajianpour does not teach wherein the housing includes a main body portion accommodating the vibration body, and the projecting portion has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches wherein the housing includes a main body portion accommodating the vibration body, and the projecting portion (5, Fig. 3) has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band [0045] for the benefit of maintaining the device orientation and provides a comfortable fit.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the housing includes a main body portion accommodating the vibration body, and the projecting portion has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band as shown in Smith, in Hajianoour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of maintain the device orientation and provides a comfortable fit.
Consider claim 5, Hajianpour teaches the first and second strap portion (28 and 30, Fig. 2) attach to the sides of case (32, Fig. 2) through loop (34, Fig. 2) and U-shaped section (36, Fig. 2) while central protrusion (26, Fig. 2) projects from the underside of the housing (Column 3 lines 43 to Column 4 lines 9).
Hajianpour does not teach the haptic device, wherein the first portion of the band is adjacent to the projecting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches wherein the first portion (3, Fig. 3) of the band is adjacent to the projecting portion (5, Fig. 3) [0048] for the benefit of maintaining the device orientation and provides a comfortable fit.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the first portion of the band is adjacent to the projecting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of maintaining the device orientation and provides a comfortable fit.
Consider claim 6, Hajianpour teaches similar invention.
Hajianpour does not teach wherein the projecting portion further includes a base end opposite the wide portion, the base end being an end on the main body portion side, and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension of the wide portion in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches wherein the housing further includes a wide portion at a leading end, of the projecting portion (5, Fig. 3), on a side opposite to a base end, the base end being an end on the main body portion side (T-shaped when viewed in end-view cross section), and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension (the stem/intermediate portion of the T-shaped projection) of the wide portion (the enlarged upper portion of the T) in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line [0040-0041] for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the projecting portion further includes a base end opposite the wide portion, the base end being an end on the main body portion side, and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension of the wide portion in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line. as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Consider claim 10, Hajianpour teaches similar invention.
Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined reference does not teach wherein the projecting portion includes a base end, the base end being an end on the main body portion side, and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension of the wide portion in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches wherein the projecting portion (5, Fig. 3) includes a base end (bulbous end), the base end being an end on the main body portion side, and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension of the wide portion in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line (the distal end has greater thickness than the proximal end) [0049] for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the projecting portion includes a base end, the base end being an end on the main body portion side, and when a virtual straight line passing through the first portion and the second portion of the band is drawn, a maximum dimension of the wide portion in a direction parallel to the virtual straight line is larger than a minimum dimension of the projecting portion in the direction parallel to the virtual straight line as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Consider claim 12, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-65).
Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined reference does not teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Consider claim 13, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-65).
Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined reference does not explicitly not teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Consider claim 14, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-63).
Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined reference does not explicitly teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Consider claim 15, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-65).
Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined reference does not explicitly teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in Hajianpour and Jouanlanne et al. combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Claims 7, 8, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hajianpour (US Patent #5,575,761) in view of Smith (Pub # US 2009/0312599 A1) and Jouanlanne et al. (Pub # US 2019/0190130 A1) as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Liberman et al. (Pub # US 2018/0116904 A1).
Consider claim 7, The combined reference teaches similar invention.
The combined reference does not teach wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion has a curved surface projecting toward a side of the main body portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Liberman et al. teaches wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion (203, Fig. 1) has a curved surface projecting toward a side of the main body portion (101, Fig. 1) for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion has a curved surface projecting toward a side of the main body portion as shown in Liberman et al., in the combined device for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Consider claim 8, the combined reference teaches similar invention.
The combined reference does not teach wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion has a curved surface projecting toward a side opposite to the main body portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Liberman et al. teaches wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion (201, Fig. 2) has a curved surface projecting toward a side opposite to the main body portion (102, Fig. 2) for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein when viewed in a direction along the virtual straight line, the wide portion has a curved surface projecting toward a side opposite to the main body portion as shown in Liberman et al., in the combined device for the benefit of improving engagement and stabilizing device orientation during use.
Consider claim 16, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-63).
The combined reference does not explicitly teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in the combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Consider claim 17, Hajianpour teaches the haptic device wherein the housing includes a main body portion (24, Fig. 2) accommodating the vibration body (26, Fig. 2), the main body portion has an outer surface, a part of the outer surface being the contact surface (Column 3 lines 43-63).
The combined reference does not explicitly teach the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion.
In the same field of endeavor, Smith teaches the contact surface (9, Fig. 2) is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion [0036] for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the contact surface is a curved surface projecting toward the abutting portion as shown in Smith, in the combined device for the benefit of contour fitting the user’s body.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hojianpour (US Patent #5,575,761), and further in view of Bruckner (US Patent #5,695,520).
Consider claim 18, Hajianpour teaches a haptic device comprising: a housing (46, Fig. 3); a vibration body (motor) (48, Fig, 3) accommodated in the housing (46, Fig. 3); a control device (control knob) (14, Fig. 3) configured to present at least one of a tactile sensation and a force sensation to a user by controlling a vibration pattern of the vibration body (Column 2 lines 14-34); and a band (12, Fig. 2) including a first portion fixed to an outer surface of the housing (Column 3 lines 25-42), wherein a body of the user is attachable between an abutting portion of the band being a portion different from the first portion and a contact surface being a part of the outer surface of the housing (Column 3 lines 43-55), wherein the housing includes a main body portion accommodating the vibration body and a projecting portion projecting from an outer surface of the main body portion (Column 3 lines 43-49).
Hajianpour does not teach the projecting portion has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band.
In the same field of endeavor, Bruknet teaches the projecting portion has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band (Column 4 lines 54-57) for the benefit maintaining the shape and position of body contacting projection.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the projecting portion has bending rigidity being larger than bending rigidity of the band as shown in Bruknet, in Hajianpour device for the benefit maintaining the shape and position of body contacting projection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection applied to the newly amended claims have been analyzed and rejected as shown in rejection set forth above.
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 JACK K WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1938. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM - 5PM.
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/JACK K WANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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