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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on applications filed in Korea on 6/03/2022 and 6/20/2022. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Korean applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 8/06/2024 and 2/03/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by EMW (KR 101735370) – of record, hereinafter EMW.
Regarding claim 1 EMW discloses an electronic device comprising: a housing (paragraphs 0017-0018) configured to form an exterior of the electronic device (paragraphs 0017-0018); and an antenna structure (paragraphs 0017-0018) provided inside the housing, wherein the antenna structure comprises: a first coil (Fig. 3, at 220); a second coil (Fig. 3, at 204) positioned adjacent to the first coil so as to overlap the first coil within an area of the first coil; and a first shielding member (Fig. 3, at 208) positioned between the first coil and the second coil.
Regarding claim 2 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a center of the first coil overlaps a center of the second coil (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a maximum diameter of the second coil is less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the first coil (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first shielding member is formed along a circumferential direction of the first coil or a circumferential direction of the second coil (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 4, wherein an outer diameter of the first shielding member is equal to or greater than an outer diameter of the first coil and an outer diameter of the second coil (shown in Fig. 3); and/or wherein an inner diameter of the first shielding member is less than or equal to an inner diameter of the first coil and an inner diameter of the second coil (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the antenna structure further comprises a second shielding member (Fig. 3, at 206), and the second coil is positioned between the first coil and the second shielding member (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15 EMW further discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first coil and the second coil are any two of a wireless power consortium (WPC) coil, a near field communication (NFC) coil, and a magnetic secure transmission (MST) coil (paragraphs 0035 and 0058-0059).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EMW in view of Kubo (US 2009/0121955), hereinafter Kubo.
Regarding claim 13 EMW does not explicitly disclose the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first shielding member is adhered to the first coil or the second coil by an adhesive member.
Kubo discloses wherein the first shielding member is adhered to the first coil or the second coil by an adhesive member (paragraph 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the electronic device having an antenna structure disclosed by EMW in accordance with the teaching of Kubo regarding an antenna device with coils that use an adhesive in order to prevent continuity between the coils and shield (Kubo, paragraph 0063).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EMW in view of Huawei (CN 113452160) – of record, hereinafter Huawei.
Regarding claim 14 EMW does not explicitly disclose the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a display provided inside the housing; and a printed circuit board positioned in a rear direction of the display, wherein the antenna structure is positioned in a rear direction of the printed circuit board.
Huawei discloses further comprising: a display (as shown in Figs. 2 and 11) provided inside the housing; and a printed circuit board (as shown in Figs. 2 and 11) positioned in a rear direction of the display, wherein the antenna structure is positioned in a rear direction of the printed circuit board (as shown in Figs. 2 and 11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the electronic device having an antenna structure disclosed by EMW in accordance with the teaching of Huawei regarding an antenna device with coils that use a display and PCB in order to provide a compact electronic device that displays information.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-12 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding dependent claim 7, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of wherein the second shielding member is positioned so as to not overlap the first shielding member.
EMW and Kubo are both cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including an electronic device having an antenna structure including a first coil, a second coil overlapping the first coil, and a shielding member positioned between the first coil and the second coil.
However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E LOTTER whose telephone number is (571)270-7422. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dameon Levi can be reached at 571-272-2105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DAVID E. LOTTER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
/DAVID E LOTTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845