DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-3, 7-8 and 10-13 are pending.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ response to the last Office Action, dated Apr. 1, 2026 has been entered and made of record. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office Action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, dated Apr. 1, 2026 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to all of the references being used in the current rejection. Please see the following claim rejections for detailed analysis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Claims 1-3, 7-8 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hung et al. (US 2022/0357771 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0004228 A1, hereinafter Kim 1), Palomino et al. (EP 2 418 559 A2) and Kim (KR 200364677 Y1, hereinafter Kim 2).
As to claim 1, Hung teaches an electronic device (Hung, Abs., a “portable electronic device”) comprising:
a first body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], Examiner interprets the body including “first body 110” and “second body 120” as the 1st body) including:
a first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”);
a second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) rotating relative to the first sub-body (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “the first display area 101 and the second display area 102 are connected to each other, and as the first body 110 is rotated relative to the second body 120, a section in the flexible display 10 corresponding to the first hinge 140a (i.e., the section located in the first display area 101 and the second display area 102) may be bent accordingly”); and
a flexible screen (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “flexible display 10” comprising “first display area 101” and “second display area 102”) including:
a first member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], the longer member of “flexible display 10”, i.e., “first display area 101”) arranged at (Hung, see FIG. 4A, [0065], “disposed on”) the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”), a second member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], the shorter member of “flexible display 10”, i.e., “second display area 102”) arranged at (Hung, see FIG. 4A, [0065], “disposed on”) the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”), and a connection member (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “first hinge 140a”) arranged between (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D) the first member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first display area 101”) and the second member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second display area 102”), the first member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first display area 101”) and the second member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second display area 102”) rotating through (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D) the connection member (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “first hinge 140a”) as the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) rotate relative to each other (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D); and
a second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], Examiner interprets “third body 130” as the 2nd body) rotatably connected to an end of (Hung, see FIG. 4C, [0045], “is pivotally connected to”) the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4C, [0045], “second body 120”) away from (Hung, see FIG. 4C) the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”), the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”) rotating relative to (Hung, see FIG. 4C) the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4C, [0045], “second body 120”) to a position meeting a coplanar condition with (Hung, see FIG. 4D) the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4C, [0045], “second body 120”), and an outer contour of a coplanar structure formed by the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) meeting a symmetrical condition with an outer contour of (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D) the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”);
wherein the electronic device (Hung, Abs., the “portable electronic device”) is selectively placed in one of at least a first open pose (Hung, see FIG. 1F) and a second open pose (Hung, see FIG. 3A);
in the first open pose (Hung, see FIG. 1F), the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) meet the coplanar condition (Hung, see FIG. 1F), the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”) forms a first angle with (Hung, see FIG. 1F) the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”);
in the second open pose (Hung, see FIG. 3A), the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) form a second angle (Hung, see FIG. 3A), the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) meet the coplanar condition (Hung, see FIG. 3A).
Hung does not teach the second body further “detachably connected to an end of the second sub-body away from the first sub-body”; “wherein the second body and the second sub-body have a detached state and a connected state, and in the connected state, the second body rotates relative to the second sub-body”.
However, Kim 1 teaches the concept of the second body (Kim 1, FIG. 7A, [0078], “”) further detachably (Kim 1, FIGS. 7A-7B, [0077]-[0078], “third housing 300 may be detachably connected to the second housing 200”; “attaching/detaching the third housing 300”; “keyboard 320” in “third housing 300”) connected to an end of the second sub-body away from the first sub-body (Kim 1, see FIGS. 7A-7B, [0079], “third housing 300 may be rotatably coupled to one side of the second housing 20”);
wherein the second body (Kim 1, FIGS. 7A-7B, [0077]-[0079], “keyboard 320” in “third housing 300”) and the second sub-body (Kim 1, FIGS. 7A-7B, [0077]-[0079], “second housing 200”) have a detached state and a connected state (Kim 1, FIGS. 7A-7B, [0077]-[0079], “attaching/detaching the third housing 300”), and in the connected state, the second body rotates relative to the second sub-body (Kim 1, see FIGS. 7A-7B, [0079], “third housing 300 may be rotatably coupled to at least a part of a fourth side surface 204b of the second housing 200”).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the “third body 130” and the “second body 120” with the “third housing 300” and the “second housing 200” connected by “hinge structure 500 in FIG. 7B” (Kim 1, [0062]), as taught by Kim 1, in order to provide that “third housing 300 may be received in the second housing 200 as needed, and used separately from the second housing 200 according to another need, so that various conveniences can be provided to a user” (Kim 1, FIGS. 7A-7B, [0077]).
Hung in view of Kim 1 does not explicitly teach “a support part moveably arranged on a side of the second sub-body facing away from the second member”; in the first open pose, “the support part and the second body abut against a support surface to support the first body, wherein the second body lies flat on the support surface”; and in the second open pose, “the support port and the second body abut against the support surface to support the first body, wherein the second sub-body is lifted by the support part to form a gap between the second sub-body and the support surface and to cause a coplanar structure formed by the second sub-body and the second body to be in an inclined state relative to the support surface”.
However, Palomino teaches the concept of a support part (Palomino, see FIGS. 3-6, “folded support”) moveably arranged on a side of the second sub-body (Palomino, see FIGS. 3-6, “computer base”) facing away from the second member (Palomino, see FIGS. 3-6, “keyboard”);
in the first open pose, the support part and the second body abut against a support surface to support the first body, wherein the second body lies flat on the support surface; and
in the second open pose, the support port and the second body abut against the support surface to support the first body, wherein the second sub-body is lifted by the support part to form a gap between the second sub-body and the support surface and to cause a coplanar structure formed by the second sub-body and the second body to be in an inclined state relative to the support surface (see below).
PNG
media_image1.png
619
1084
media_image1.png
Greyscale
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace “bottom plate 180” taught by Hung with the “folded support”, as taught by Palomino, in order to “adapt the elevation of the screen to the necessities of the user” (Palomino, [0005]).
Hung in view of Kim 1 and Palomino does not explicitly teach “the second sub-body includes a groove on the side of the second sub-body facing away from the second member, and the support part is configured to move relative to the second sub-body into the groove such that an outer surface of the support part is flush with or recessed relative to an outer surface of the second sub-body”.
However, Kim 2 teaches the concept that the second sub-body (Kim 2, FIGS. 3-4, “rear cover 30”) includes a groove (Kim 2, see FIGS. 3-4, the groove containing, e.g., “support plate 77”) on the side of the second sub-body (Kim 2, FIGS. 3-4, “rear cover 30”) facing away from the second member (Kim 2, see FIGS. 3-4, i.e., rear side), and the support part (Kim 2, FIGS. 3-4, “support plate 77”) is configured to move relative to the second sub-body (Kim 2, see FIGS. 3-4) into the groove such that an outer surface of the support part is flush with (Kim 2, see FIGS. 3-4, “the first support plate recess 72 is formed on the rear surface of the rear cover 30 so that the first support plate 77 constituting the support means is recessed to be flush with the rear surface of the rear cover 30”) or recessed relative to an outer surface of the second sub-body (Kim, see FIG. 5).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the “folded support” taught by Palomino to be recessed in the groove, as taught by Kim 2, in order to provide that “the support means is recessed to be flush with the rear surface of the second-sub body”, as a routine engineering and/or design choice.
As to claim 2, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”), the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”), and the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) meet the coplanar condition (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D).
As to claim 3, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a closed pose, in the closed pose, the coplanar structure formed by the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) being neighboring to (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D) the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”), and the flexible screen (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “flexible display 10”) being in a hidden state (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, [0049], “the first body 110 is adapted to be unfolded or closed to the second body 120 via the first hinge 140a, and the second body 120 is adapted to be unfolded or closed to the third body 130 via the second hinge 140b”); and
a third open pose (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D), in the third open pose, the second body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0045], “third body 130”), the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”), and the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) meeting the coplanar condition (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, the “coplanar condition” is reasonably inferred from FIGS. 4A-4D).
As to claim 7, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) rotates relative to the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) to a position neighboring to a front surface (Hung, FIGS. 1A-1D, [0049], “the first body 110 is adapted to be unfolded or closed to the second body 120 via the first hinge 140a”) or a back surface of the second sub-body; and
the second body (Hung, FIG. 4D, [0059], “third body 130”) rotates relative to the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) to a position neighboring to the front surface (Hung, FIGS. 1A-1D, [0049], “the second body 120 is adapted to be unfolded or closed to the third body 130 via the second hinge 140b”) or the back surface of the second sub-body.
As to claim 8, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a processor (Hung, FIGS. 5-6, [0071], a processor performing the steps in FIG. 5) configured to control the first member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first display area 101”) and the second member (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second display area 102”) to display different portions of first image data or different pieces of image data (Hung, FIGS. 6A-6D, [0071], e.g., “In the first display mode, the first display area 101 displays a first screen S1 (e.g., a portrait of a participant), and the second display area 102 displays a second screen S2 (e.g., information such as text, image, or video), as shown in FIG. 6A”); and
an input apparatus (Hung, e.g., see FIG. 4E, [0046], “input module 150”) arranged at the second body (Hung, FIG. 4D, [0059], “third body 130”), the flexible screen (Hung, e.g., see FIG. 4E, [0065], “flexible display 10”) being neighboring to the input apparatus (Hung, e.g., see FIG. 4E, [0046], “input module 150”).
As to claim 10, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein:
the second body (Hung, FIG. 4D, [0059], “third body 130”) and the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) rotate about a first axis (Hung, FIG. 4D-4E, [0045], an axis in association with “second hinge 140b”);
the second sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “second body 120”) and the first sub-body (Hung, FIG. 4A, [0065], “first body 110”) rotate about a second axis (Hung, FIG. 4D-4E, [0045], an axis in association with “second hinge 140a”); and
the first axis (Hung, FIG. 4D-4E, [0045], the axis in association with “second hinge 140b”) and the second axis (Hung, FIG. 4D-4E, [0045], the axis in association with “second hinge 140a”) meet a parallel condition (Hung, see FIGS. 4D-4E).
As to claim 11, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the input apparatus (Hung, e.g., see FIG. 1B, [0049], “input module 150”) is fixedly arranged at the second body (Hung, see FIG. 1B, [0049], “third body 130”).
As to new claim 12, Hung teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second sub-body (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “second body 120”) rotates relative to the first sub-body (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “ first body 110”) through a first connection apparatus (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “hinge 140a”), the connection member is arranged at the first connection apparatus (Hung, FIGS. 4A-4D, [0065], “the flexible display 10 covers the first hinge 140a and has a first display area 101 corresponding to the first body 110 and a second display area 102 corresponding to the second body 120”; the portions of the “1st and 2nd display areas 101 and 102” covering the “hinge 140a” corresponds to the “connection member”), and the connection member is comprised in the flexible screen (Hung, see FIGS. 4A-4D, the “connection member” is comprised in the “flexible display 10” covering the “hinge 140a”, by definition).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hung et al. (US 2022/0357771 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0004228 A1, Kim 1), Palomino et al. (EP 2 418 559 A2), Kim (KR 200364677 Y1, Kim 2) and Zhang et al. (WO 2020216041 A1).
As to new claim 13, Kim 1 teaches the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second body (Kim 1, FIG. 7B, [0062], “third housing 300”) is connected to the end of the second sub-body (Kim 1, [0062], “second housing 200”) away from the first sub-body (Kim 1, FIG) through a second connection apparatus (Kim 1, FIG. 7B, [0062], “hinge structure 500”).
Hung in view of Kim 1, Palomino, and Kim 2 does not explicitly teach “the second connection apparatus comprises a slot, the end of the second sub-body is inserted into the slot in the connected state such that the second sub-body is rotatable relative to the second body, and the end of the second sub-body is detachable from the second body by being pulled out from the slot”.
However, Zhang teaches the concept that the second connection apparatus (Zhang, FIG. 8, “connector 250” to be inserted into “interface 150”) comprises a slot (Zhang, FIG. 8, “interface 150”), the end of the second sub-body is inserted into the slot in the connected state (Zhang, FIG. 8, “The third interface 150 is adapted to the second sub-connector 252”) such that the second sub-body is rotatable relative to the second body (Zhang, FIG. 8, “the second housing 210 and the first housing 110 respectively connected to the first sub-joint 251 and the second sub-joint 252 can rotate relatively, Furthermore, the included angle between the first body 100 and the second body 200 can be adjusted”), and the end of the second sub-body is detachable from the second body by being pulled out from the slot (Zhang, FIG. 8, “the second body 200 and the first body 100 are detachably connected to the second sub-connector 252 through the third interface 150”).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the “hinge structure 500” taught by Kim 1 with the “connector 250” and “interface 150”, as taught by Zhang, in order to provide that “it is convenient for the user to flexibly adjust the included angle between the first display screen 120 and the second display screen 220” (Zhang, FIG. 8).
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: Wang (CN 110879634 A) teaches the concept of “foldable terminal” (e.g., see FIGS. 2-6).
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 RICHARD J HONG whose telephone number is (571) 270-7765. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, 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, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-7772. 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.
May 6, 2026
/RICHARD J HONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
***
Prosecution Insights