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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/14/2024 and 05/27/2025 is being
considered by the examiner. A signed IDS is hereby attached.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, and 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furujiku et al. WIPO Publication Number WO2020246252A1(hereinafter Furujiku) in view of Kaczeus U.S. Patent Publication Number US20040255313A1(hereinafter Kaczeus). The rejection is based on the English translation of WO2020246252A1 provided in WO2020246252A1_translated_US.Pdf (Google machine translation).
Regarding Claim 1, Furujiku discloses a storage medium module comprising: a board (Fig. 8 i.e., circuit board 26; para. [0027] i.e, circuit board 26 ) including a first surface (Fig. 8 the surface of the circuit board 26 on which element 28 is mounted; para. [0027] i.e, circuit board 26) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (Fig. 8 the opposite surface of the first surface; para. [0027] i.e, circuit board 26); a first connector mounted on the first surface of the board (Fig. 8 i.e., connector 30; para. [0031] i.e., ...connectors 30 ... mounted on the circuit board 26.) and detachably connected to an electronic device (para. [0032] i.e., ... connector 30 ...can be attached to and detached...of the main body 12 ); and a second connector (Fig. 8 i.e., connector 32; para. [0027] i.e., connectors ...32 ) mounted on the first surface separately from the first connector in a longitudinal direction of the board and connected to a storage medium (Fig. 8 i.e., "30", "32", "26", and "storage device 28"; para. [0027] i.e., storage device 28) but fails to explicitly disclose the board including a first part extending between the first connector and the second connector and having flexibility, and the first part being curved.
In an analogous art, Kaczeus teaches a storage medium module comprising the board (Fig. 6D i.e., printed circuit board 150; para. [0044] i.e., printed circuit board 150 ) including a first part (Fig. 6D i.e., flex circuit 140′; para [0044] i.e., flex circuit 140′) extending between the first connector (Fig. 6D i.e., connector 152; para. [0050] i.e., connector 152) and the second connector (Fig. 6D i.e., IDE connector 142; para. [0044] i.e., AT/IDE connector 142) and having flexibility (Fig. 6D i.e., flex circuit 140′; para [0044] i.e., flex circuit 140′), and the first part being curved (para.[0044] i.e., ...flex circuit 140 is bent... ).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the flexible circuit of Reference Kaczeus into a storage medium of Furujiku in order to permit motion in many different directions(Kaczeus, para. 11), thereby improving flexibility and accommodating movement during operation.
Regarding Claim 7, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above. Kaczeus further teaches the storage medium module wherein the longitudinal direction of the board is a direction in which the storage medium module is detachable from the electronic device (Fig. 1 ; para. [0043] i.e., The alignment holes 160 may be used to properly position the data storage device 100 when inserting the device into a docking module.; The storage device is inserted into and removed from the docking module along its longitudinal direction.), and
the first part is curved in the thickness direction of the board (para.[0044] i.e.,The flex circuit 140 is bent ... For example,... a flex circuit 140′ may have an “M” shape configuration...; The element 140' is bent in the thickness direction of the board.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the flexible circuit of Reference Kaczeus into a storage medium of Furujiku in order to permit motion in many different directions(Kaczeus, para. 11), thereby improving flexibility and accommodating movement during operation.
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Regarding Claim 8, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above. Kaczeus further teaches the storage medium module wherein the first part (See annotated Fig. 6D above, i.e., flex circuit 140′; para [0044] i.e., flex circuit 140′) includes:
a first curved part curved in a direction from the second surface toward the first surface (See annotated Fig. 6D above, first curved part; para. [0044] i.e., , a flex circuit 140′ may have an “M” shape configuration) ; a second curved part connected to the first curved part and curved in a direction from the second connector toward the first connector (See annotated Fig. 6D above, second curved part ; para. [0044] i.e., , a flex circuit 140′ may have an “M” shape configuration); and a third curved part connected to the second curved part and curved in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface (See annotated Fig. 6D above, third curved part; para. [0044] i.e., , a flex circuit 140′ may have an “M” shape configuration)) .
Regarding Claim 9, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above. Kaczeus further teaches the storage medium module further comprising a module housing that supports the board (Fig. 1 i.e., housing 103; para. [0035] i.e., A plurality of pads 108 supports and protects the disk drive 104 within housing 103.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the module housing of Reference Kaczeus into a storage medium of Furujiku in order to protects the disk drive (Kaczeus, para. 35), thereby accommodating movement during operation.
Regarding Claim 10, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above. Furujiku further discloses an electronic device (para. [0016] i.e., information processing device 10 ) comprising: a module connection terminal connected to the first connector of the storage medium module (para. [0036] i.e., ... information processing device 10 … attachment of the storage unit 20 to the main body 12, that is, an appropriate electrical connection between the main body 12 and the storage device 28.).
Claim(s) 2-3 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furujiku in view of Kaczeus as applied to claim 1, and 7-10 above, and further in view of SHIN et al. U.S. Patent Publication Number US20230164255A1(hereinafter SHIN). The rejection is based on the English translation of WO2020246252A1 provided in WO2020246252A1_translated_US.Pdf (Google machine translation).
Regarding Claim 2, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above but fails to explicitly disclose the storage medium module further comprising a buffer member disposed on the second surface and at a position overlapping the second connector when viewed from a thickness direction of the board.
In an analogous art, SHIN teaches the storage medium module further comprising a buffer member (Fig. 6A i.e., buffer member 470; para. [0123] i.e., buffer member 470) disposed on the second surface and at a position overlapping the second connector when viewed from a thickness direction of the board (para. [0139] i.e., ...the buffer member 470 may be disposed between the first flat part 461 a and the second flat part 461 c).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the buffer member of Reference SHIN into the storage medium module in order to limit a direct collision(SHIN, para. 139), thereby reducing damage.
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Regarding Claim 3, Furujiku discloses the storage medium module in claim 2 as discussed above, however Furujiku fails to explicitly disclose “the board includes a first end and a second end facing each other in the longitudinal direction, the first connector and the second connector are each disposed apart from the first end and the second end, the second connector is disposed at a position closer to the second end than the first connector, the board includes a second part extending between the first end and the first connector, at least a part of the first part and at least a part of the second part are disposed at respective positions overlapping each other as viewed in the thickness direction of the board, and the board is bent with the second part including the second surface disposed on the buffer member”. In an analogous art, SHIN further teaches the storage medium module wherein the board includes a first end (See annotated Fig. 6A above, first end; para. [0137] i.e., flexible printed circuit board 460) and a second end facing each other in the longitudinal direction (See annotated Fig. 6A above, second end; para. [0137] i.e., flexible printed circuit board 460), the first connector (See annotated Fig. 6A i.e., first connector 461 a-1; para. [0131] i.e., first connector 461 a-1 ) and the second connector (See annotated Fig. 6A i.e., third connector 441 a; para. [0127] i.e., third connector 441 a ) are each disposed apart from the first end and the second end (See annotated Fig. 6A above; The elements 461 a-1 and 441 a are disposed apart from the first end and the second end. ), the second connector is disposed at a position closer to the second end than the first connector (See annotated Fig. 6A above; The element 441 a is disposed at a position closer to the second end than the element 461 a-1.), the board includes a second part (See annotated Fig. 6A above, second part) extending between the first end and the first connector (See annotated Fig. 6A above, the portion that extends between the first end and the element 461 a-1), at least a part of the first part (See annotated Fig. 6A above, the portion extending from the first end to the end of the bent portion; para. [0133] i.e., bent part 461 b) and at least a part of the second part (See annotated Fig. 6A above, second part) are disposed at respective positions overlapping each other as viewed in the thickness direction of the board (See annotated Fig. 6A above; The portion extending from the first end to the end of the bent portion and the second part overlap.), and the board is bent with the second part including the second surface disposed on the buffer member (para. [0139] i.e., ... buffer member 470 may be disposed inside the bent part...).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the bent structure of Reference SHIN into the storage medium module in order to be suitable for use in an electronic device that has become compact (SHIN, para. 5-8).
Regarding Claim 6, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above but fails to explicitly disclose the storage medium module wherein the board is a flexible printed circuit board, the storage medium module further comprising a reinforcement plate disposed on the second surface at a position overlapping the storage medium and the second connector when viewed from the thickness direction of the board.
SHIN teaches the storage medium module wherein the board is a flexible printed circuit board (para. [0137] i.e., flexible printed circuit board 460), the storage medium module further comprising a reinforcement plate (Fig. 6A i.e.,reinforcing member 490; para. [0123] i.e., reinforcing member 490, ) disposed on the second surface at a position overlapping the storage medium and the second connector when viewed from the thickness direction of the board (See annotated Fig. 6A above, The element 490 is disposed on the second surface and overlaps a portion of the element 101 and element 441 a.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the circuit board configuration of Reference SHIN into the storage medium module in order to be suitable for use in an electronic device that has become compact (SHIN, para. 5-8).
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Furujiku in view of Kaczeus as applied to claim 1 and 7-10 above, and further in view of Choi U.S. Patent Publication Number US20110299316A1(hereinafter Choi). The rejection is based on the English translation of WO2020246252A1 provided in WO2020246252A1_translated_US.Pdf (Google machine translation).
Regarding Claim 4, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above but fails to explicitly disclose the storage medium module wherein the first surface of the first part is provided with wiring for transmitting a high-speed signal.
In an analogous art, Choi teaches the first surface of the first part is provided with wiring for transmitting a high-speed signal (para. [0036] i.e., transmission line 33 for transmitting high-speed signals).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the structure for transmitting a high-speed signal of Reference Choi into the storage medium module in order for a path for transmitting high-speed data and a path for transmitting low-speed data are separate, such that interference and crosstalk among transmission lines for transmitting data may be reduced (Choi, para. 67-69).
Regarding Claim 5, Furujiku as modified by Kaczeus discloses the storage medium module in claim 1 as discussed above but fails to explicitly disclose the storage medium module wherein the first connector includes a low-speed signal pin and a high-speed signal pin disposed at a position closer to the second connector than the low-speed signal pin.
Choi teaches the first connector includes a low-speed signal pin and a high-speed signal pin disposed at a position closer to the second connector than the low-speed signal pin (para. [0012] i.e., The first connector is configured to carry low-speed signals for the memory devices. The second connector is disposed at a second position on the memory module, different from the first position. The second connector is configured to carry high-speed signals).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the connector structure of Reference Choi into the storage medium module in order for a path for transmitting high-speed data and a path for transmitting low-speed data are separate, such that interference and crosstalk among transmission lines for transmitting data may be reduced (Choi, para. 67-69).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHELLE J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-5571. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 11am-5pm.
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/MICHELLE J. KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2688
/STEVEN LIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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