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 .
Status of Claims
In response to the Amendment filed on June 30th, 2026, claims 1, 6, 20, and 21 have been amended. Claim 5 has been cancelled. Claim 22 is newly added. Claims 1-4, 6-18, and 20-22 are currently pending.
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 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) 1-4, 7-11, and 13-18, 21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naghi et al. (US 2007/0093292 A1) in view of Duncan et al. (US 2021/0093950 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 20, and 21, Naghi discloses a controller comprising:
an exterior case comprising a handle configured to be held by a user (see fig. 1 and par. [0010], a housing having an external surface); and
a heat transfer module that is configured to transfer heat from a cooling region that is arranged at a first region of the handle to a heating region that is arranged at a second region of the handle (see par. [0030], One or more radiators 104 are also disposed on the video game controller 100, and functions as a heat sink. The radiators 104 can be mounted on the sides of the controller 100 and/or at the back (or rear) of the controller 100 and/or on any suitable location on the controller 100 for radiation of heat generated by the hand and/or by the cooling system (e.g., a thermoelectric cooling device). By way of example, in other embodiments, video game controllers may include one or more radiators located at front, sides and/or rear of the video game controller). With respect to claim 20, Naghi discloses a base unit (see par. [0029], The video game controller 100 is coupled to a game console).
However, Naghi does not explicitly disclose wherein the heat transfer module is housed entirely within the exterior case.
Duncan teaches an input device for an electronic system where a heat transfer element is housed entirely within the exterior case (see figs 1A, 11, and par. [0063], In some implementations, bracket 190 acts a heat spreader for dissipating heat from battery pack 180). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the controller of Naghi to have the heat transfer element housed within the exterior case as taught by Duncan as this is merely rearranging parts (i.e. putting the module within the case) and an obvious matter of design choice (see MPEP 2144.04, Section VI, C. Rearrangement of Parts, “In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) (Claims to a hydraulic power press which read on the prior art except with regard to the position of the starting switch were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device.); In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975) (the particular placement of a contact in a conductivity measuring device was held to be an obvious matter of design choice)).
Regarding claim 2, Naghi discloses wherein the first region of the handle at which the cooling region of the heat transfer module is arranged is a palm region where a palm of the user contacts the controller when the controller is held (see par. [0047], In addition to the heat conducting surfaces 602 for carrying heat away from the palms of the player's hands).
Regarding claim 3, Naghi discloses wherein the second region of the handle at which the heating region of the heat transfer module is arranged is a finger region where at least one finger of the user contacts the controller when the controller is held (see par. [0030], The radiators 104 can be mounted on the sides of the controller 100 and/or at the back (or rear) of the controller 100 and/or on any suitable location on the controller 100 for radiation of heat generated by the hand and/or by the cooling system (e.g., a thermoelectric cooling device); the rear of the controller would be a finger region).
Regarding claim 4, Naghi discloses wherein the heat transfer module is configured to transfer heat from the palm region to the finger region (see par. [0023], When the player's hand touches the hand grip, heat from the hand is conducted through the heat conductor on the surface of the hand grip to the TEC device and further to the radiator; also see par. [0030], The radiators 104 can be mounted on the sides of the controller 100 and/or at the back (or rear) of the controller 100 and/or on any suitable location on the controller 100 for radiation of heat generated by the hand and/or by the cooling system (e.g., a thermoelectric cooling device)).
Regarding claim 7, Naghi discloses wherein the cooling region and the heating region of the heat transfer module are arranged on an exterior region of the controller and the heat transfer module extends through the controller between the cooling region and the heating region (see par. [0039, A number of heat conductive surfaces or materials 302 (e.g., made of metal such as aluminum or copper) are formed on the surface of the hand grips 301 so as to conduct heat from the palms of the player's hands; also see par. [0041], By way of example, the conductive rods 309 and the Peltier device 306 may be located internally to the video game controller 300, and are shown for illustrative purposes only for ease of description. The cooling fins of the radiator 304 may be disposed on the external surface of the video game controller 300).
Regarding claim 8, Naghi discloses wherein the heat transfer module comprises a thermoelectric cooler (see par. [0020], By way of example, the hand-held video game controller may have a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) system using a Peltier junction).
Regarding claim 9, Naghi discloses wherein the heat transfer module comprises a passive heat exchanger that has a higher heat transfer coefficient than the handle of the controller (see par. [0020], The cooling may be provided by a passive element such as a heat sink).
Regarding claim 10, Naghi discloses wherein the passive heat exchanger comprises a solid heat conductor extending between the heating region and the cooling region (see par. [0029], A heat conductor 102 is disposed on the surface of the grips 101 at one or more locations. The heat conductor 102 may be in the form of one or more metal plates made of a suitable heat conducting metal (or other suitable material) such as copper, aluminum or even a liquid to take the heat away for transfer).
Regarding claim 11, Naghi discloses wherein the passive heat exchanger comprises a sealed reservoir extending between the heating region and the cooling region, the sealed reservoir containing a heat transfer liquid having a higher heat transfer coefficient than the handle of the controller (see par. [0037], The liquid may be filled within the shell or housing of the video game controller 200, and the electronic components within the video game controller 200 may be isolated from the liquid through any suitable “water proofing” methods. Alternatively, the video game controller 200 may include a reservoir having a separate housing within the external housing of the video game controller 200, such that the liquid does not create a short or any other problems for the electronic components of the video game controller 200).
Regarding claim 13, Naghi discloses wherein the handle is a first handle and the exterior case further comprises a second handle configured to be held by the user at the same time as the first handle (see fig. 1, left and right handles);
the heat transfer module is further configured to transfer heat from a second cooling region that is arranged at a third region of the second handle to a second heating region that is arranged at a fourth region of the second handle (see fig. 2 and par. [0030], The heat conductor 102 is disposed on the surface of the grips 101 at one or more locations. One or more radiators 104 are also disposed on the video game controller 100, and functions as a heat sink. The radiators 104 can be mounted on the sides of the controller 100 and/or at the back (or rear) of the controller 100 and/or on any suitable location on the controller 100 for radiation of heat generated by the hand and/or by the cooling system (e.g., a thermoelectric cooling device)).
Regarding claim 14, Naghi discloses wherein the heat transfer module is configured to transfer heat from the cooling region and the second cooling region to the heating region and the second heating region (see fig. 2 and par. [0030], The heat conductor 102 is disposed on the surface of the grips 101 at one or more locations. One or more radiators 104 are also disposed on the video game controller 100, and functions as a heat sink. The radiators 104 can be mounted on the sides of the controller 100 and/or at the back (or rear) of the controller 100 and/or on any suitable location on the controller 100 for radiation of heat generated by the hand and/or by the cooling system (e.g., a thermoelectric cooling device)).
Regarding claim 15, Naghi discloses a printed circuit board (PCB) housed within the exterior case; and a thermal insulator arranged between the heat transfer module and the PCB (see par. [0037], The liquid may be filled within the shell or housing of the video game controller 200, and the electronic components within the video game controller 200 may be isolated from the liquid through any suitable “water proofing” methods; thus the liquid acts as an insulation layer between the heat from the player’s hands and the electronic components).
Regarding claim 16, Naghi discloses wherein the PCB comprises circuitry for operation of the controller (see par. [0037], the electronic components within the video game controller 200).
Regarding claim 17, Naghi discloses wherein the thermal insulator is arranged to protect the circuitry from temperature variations caused by the heat transfer module (see par. [0037], The liquid may be filled within the shell or housing of the video game controller 200; thus the liquid acts as an insulation layer between the heat from the player’s hands and the electronic components).
Regarding claim 18, Naghi discloses wherein the controller is at least one of a gamepad, a joystick, a steering wheel, a yoke, or a remote (see fig. 1).
Claim(s) 6 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naghi et al. (US 2007/0093292 A1) in view of Duncan et al. (US 2021/0093950 A1) and further in view of Yasuda et al. (US 2013/0281211 A1).
Regarding claims 6 and 22, the combination of Naghi and Duncan discloses the controller as discussed above. However, the combination of Naghi and Duncan does not explicitly disclose wherein a thickness of the exterior case at at least one of the first region or the second region is lower than an average thickness of the exterior case.
Yasuda teaches a game system and game controller wherein a thickness of the exterior case at at least one of the first region or the second region is lower than an average thickness of the exterior case (see par. [0082], In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the left stick 111 and the right stick 112 are provided outward when viewed from the back surface (near the both ends of the front surface), the thickness of the center area is reduced). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the controller of Naghi and Duncan to have a reduced thickness in parts of the controller case as taught by Yasuda in order to allow the player to easily hold the housing (see Yasuda, par. [0082]).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naghi et al. (US 2007/0093292 A1) in view of Duncan et al. (US 2021/0093950 A1) and further in view of Mikhailov (US 2012/0258800 A1).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Naghi and Duncan discloses the controller as discussed above. However, the combination of Naghi and Duncan does not explicitly disclose a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the first region or the second region of the handle.
Mikhailov teaches a temperature feedback motion controller including a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the first region or the second region of the handle (see par. [0122], In another embodiment, the controller may include a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the user's hand as it holds the controller). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the controller of Naghi and Duncan with the temperature sensor of Mikhailov so that when the user's hand is cold, then the controller surface may be heated, whereas when the user's hand is hot, then the controller surface may be cooled (see Mikhailov, par. [0122]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4, 6-18, and 20-22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 ALLEN CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5529. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 11:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST.
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/ALLEN CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715 9/2/2026
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