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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 2-3, 5-6, 9-11, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pandya et al. (US 2019/0072912 A1), hereinafter Pandya.
Regarding claim 2, Pandya teaches an electronic device (electronic watch 200 and 400) comprising:
a circuit board (substrate 456);
a cover (back side housing member 402); and
a sensor package (carrier 404, optical sensor subsystem 416, lens 436, light filter 438, adhesives 440 and 442, processing subsystem 444, and magnet 446) attached to the circuit board (456) and an interior surface of the cover (see Fig. 4C), the sensor package (404, 416, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, and 446) comprising:
a plurality of light emitters (from paragraph 0096: “The optical sensor subsystem 416 may include a substrate 452 on which the set of one or more light emitters (e.g., LEDs) … are attached.”);
a plurality of photodiodes (from paragraph 0096: “The optical sensor subsystem 416 may include a substrate 452 on which … the set of one or more light receivers (e.g., photodetectors, such as photodiodes) are attached.”); and
a magnet (magnet 446), wherein the plurality of photodiodes is positioned in a radial array around the magnet (the photodiodes positions correspond to the positions of openings 420, which are positioned in a radial array around the magnet; see Fig. 4C).
Regarding claim 3, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above.
Pandya further teaches the electronic device of claim 2, comprising:
a housing member (housing 206);
a front cover (transparent cover 208) coupled to the housing member (206); and
a display positioned under the front cover (from paragraph 0055: “[A] transparent cover 208 may be attached to a front side of the watch body 202 (i.e., facing away from a user’s skin), over or within an opening in the housing 206, and may protect a display positioned at least partially within the housing 206.”), wherein:
the cover (402) is a rear cover (see Fig. 4A).
Regarding claim 5, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above.
Pandya further teaches the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of light emitters comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (from paragraph 0096: “The optical sensor subsystem 416 may include a substrate 452 on which the set of one or more light emitters (e.g., LEDs) … are attached.”).
Regarding claim 6, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above. Pandya further teaches the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the magnet defines a hole extending through a body of the magnet (see Fig. 4C showing a hole extending through the center of magnet 446).
Regarding claim 9, Pandya teaches a wearable electronic device (200 and 400) comprising:
a housing member (206) at least partially defining an internal volume of the wearable electronic device (200 and 400);
a front cover (208) coupled to the housing member (206);
a rear cover (402) coupled to the housing member (206); and
a sensor package (404, 416, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, and 446) within the internal volume of the wearable electronic device (200 and 400) and attached to an interior surface of the rear cover (402; see Fig. 4C), the sensor package (404, 416, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, and 446) comprising:
an array of light emitting diodes (see paragraph 0096);
an array of photodiodes (see paragraph 0096);
a magnet (446); and
an opaque mask (masks 422, first mask 500, and second mask 508) on a surface of the sensor package (interior surface 406), the opaque mask (422, 500, and 508) positioned over the magnet (446; see Fig. 4C) and defining holes (openings 418 and 420) positioned over the array of light emitting diodes (from paragraph 0102: “The central first opening 418 may be positioned over light emitters of the optical sensor subsystem 416 described with reference to FIG. 4C.”).
Regarding claim 10, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above.
Pandya further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the mask (422, 500, and 508) defines additional holes (420) positioned over the array of photodiodes (from paragraph 0103: “The second mask 508 may define a plurality of visible light openings 420 above respective light receivers.”).
Regarding claim 11, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above.
Pandya further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the magnet defines a hole extending through a body of the magnet (see Fig. 4C showing a hole extending through the center of magnet 446).
Regarding claim 14, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above.
Pandya further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 9, comprising a display positioned under the front cover (from paragraph 0055: “[A] transparent cover 208 may be attached to a front side of the watch body 202 (i.e., facing away from a user’s skin), over or within an opening in the housing 206, and may protect a display positioned at least partially within the housing 206.”).
Regarding claim 20, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above. Pandya further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the magnet defines a hole extending through a body of the magnet (see Fig. 4C showing a hole extending through the center of magnet 446).
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.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Han et al. (US 2020/0260972 A1), hereinafter Han.
Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above. Pandya lacks a specific teaching that the electronic device comprises an inductive coil that is positioned around an outer periphery of the sensor package.
Han teaches an electronic device (electronic device 500) comprising an inductive coil (wireless charging module 530; from paragraph 0084: “The wireless charging module 530 may be configured as a flat plate-type coil, and may generate an electric current by means of electromagnetic induction caused by an external electronic device (for example, wireless charging pad).”) that is positioned around an outer periphery of a sensor package (biometric sensor module 520; from paragraph 0082: “[T]he battery charging module 530 … may be arranged around the biometric sensor module 520.”; see also, Fig. 5).
Pandya and Han are considered to be analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to include an inductive coil around an outer periphery of the sensor package. Doing so would allow for the device to charge wirelessly.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Han.
Regarding claim 7, Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 6 as stated above. Pandya lacks a specific teaching that an electronic component is positioned at least partially within the hole defined in the magnet.
Han teaches an electronic device comprising an electronic component (light source 623) positioned at least partially within a hole (cylindrical recess R) defined in a magnet (magnetic substance 640; from paragraph 0106: “The magnetic substance 640 may be shaped to surround the periphery of the light source 623. According to an embodiment, the magnetic substance 640 may have the shape of an octagonal column having a cylindrical recess R therein, as illustrated in FIG. 7.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to position a light emitter within the hole defined in the magnet. Doing so allows the magnet to be used as a wall structure (from paragraph 0105: “By using the magnetic substance 640 as a wall structure, it is possible to block the direct path, along which the light emitted by the light source 623 is received by the light detector 624 without being transmitted out of the electronic device 600, thereby preventing interference of light other than the reflected light from reaching the light detector 624.”).
Regarding claim 8, Pandya in view of Han teaches all of the limitations of claim 7 as stated above. Pandya in view of Han further teaches the electronic device of claim 7, wherein the electronic component comprises a light emitter of the plurality of light emitters (Han: light source 623 is a light emitter).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Han.
Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 11 as stated above. Pandya lacks a specific teaching that an electronic component is positioned at least partially within the hole defined in the magnet.
Han teaches an electronic device comprising an electronic component (623) positioned at least partially within a hole (R) defined in a magnet (640; from paragraph 0106: “The magnetic substance 640 may be shaped to surround the periphery of the light source 623. According to an embodiment, the magnetic substance 640 may have the shape of an octagonal column having a cylindrical recess R therein, as illustrated in FIG. 7.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to position a light emitter within the hole defined in the magnet. Doing so allows the magnet to be used as a wall structure (from paragraph 0105: “By using the magnetic substance 640 as a wall structure, it is possible to block the direct path, along which the light emitted by the light source 623 is received by the light detector 624 without being transmitted out of the electronic device 600, thereby preventing interference of light other than the reflected light from reaching the light detector 624.”).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Han.
Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above. Pandya lacks a specific teaching that the electronic device comprises an inductive coil that is positioned around an outer periphery of the sensor package.
Han teaches an electronic device (500) comprising an inductive coil (530; from paragraph 0084: “The wireless charging module 530 may be configured as a flat plate-type coil, and may generate an electric current by means of electromagnetic induction caused by an external electronic device (for example, wireless charging pad).”) that is positioned around an outer periphery of a sensor package (520; from paragraph 0082: “[T]he battery charging module 530 … may be arranged around the biometric sensor module 520.”; see also, Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to include an inductive coil around an outer periphery of the sensor package. Doing so would allow for the device to charge wirelessly.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Choi et al. (KR 10-2019-0006359 A), hereinafter Choi.
Pandya teaches all of the limitations of claim 9 as stated above. Pandya lacks a specific teaching that the magnet is conductively coupled to a ground plane of the wearable electronic device.
Choi teaches an electronic device comprising a magnet (magnet portion 212) conductively coupled (via base portion 211) to the device’s ground plane (ground layer 182; see Fig. 3b).
Choi is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to conductively couple the magnet to a ground plane of the wearable electronic device. Doing so would help to prevent electrical charge from accumulating in the magnet.
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pandya in view of Han.
Regarding claim 16, Pandya teaches a wearable electronic device (200 and 400) comprising:
a housing member (206) at least partially defining an internal volume of the wearable electronic device (200 and 400);
a front cover (208) coupled to the housing member (206);
a rear cover (402) coupled to the housing member (206);
a circuit board (456); and
a sensor package (404, 416, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, and 446) within the internal volume of the wearable electronic device (200 and 400) between the circuit board (456) and the rear cover (402), the sensor package (404, 416, 436, 438, 440, 442, 444, and 446) comprising:
an array of light emitters (see paragraph 0096);
an array of photodiodes (see paragraph 0096); and
a magnet (446).
Pandya lacks a specific teaching that the array of light emitters is positioned in a radial
array around the magnet.
Han teaches an electronic device (500) including a sensor package (biometric sensor module 720) comprising an array of light emitters (light source 723) positioned in a radial array around a magnet (magnetic substance 740; see Fig. 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to position the light emitters in a radial array around the magnet, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 8 USPQ 70. Doing so would allow for the sensor package to accommodate more light emitters.
Regarding claim 17, Pandya in view of Han teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 as stated above. Pandya in view of Han further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the array of light photodiodes is positioned in a radial array around the magnet (Pandya: the photodiodes positions correspond to the positions of openings 420, which are positioned in a radial array around the magnet; see Fig. 4C).
Regarding claim 18, Pandya in view of Han teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 as stated above. Pandya in view of Han further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 16, comprising an inductive coil (Han: wireless charging module 730) that is positioned around an outer periphery of the sensor package (Han: 720; see Fig. 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to include an inductive coil around an outer periphery of the sensor package. Doing so would allow for the device to charge wirelessly.
Regarding claim 19, Pandya in view of Han teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 as stated above. Pandya in view of Han further teaches the wearable electronic device of claim 16, comprising a display positioned under the front cover (Pandya: from paragraph 0055: “[A] transparent cover 208 may be attached to a front side of the watch body 202 (i.e., facing away from a user’s skin), over or within an opening in the housing 206, and may protect a display positioned at least partially within the housing 206.”).
Conclusion
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/R.T.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841