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 an applications filed in KR. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the KR10-2022-0030999 and KR10-2022-0091933 applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2022.00226954)
Regarding claim 1, Choi disclose:
An electronic device comprising: a first housing; a second housing coupled to the first housing so as to slide in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction; a printed circuit board disposed in the second housing; a rear cover disposed in the second housing and configured to support the printed circuit board (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; electronic device 100; first housing 102; second housing 101 to slide in first direction D1 and second direction D2, opposite the first direction; circuit board 181; rear cover 1015).
a rollable display comprising: a display area exposed to the outside of the electronic device, an accommodation area accommodated inside the electronic device, a bending area connecting the display area and the accommodation area and configured to be bent, and having a display area that is reduced or expanded based on a sliding-in or sliding-out operation of the second housing (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; rollable display 151 with 151a outside of 100; accommodation area 151b inside device and bending area 151c, connecting 151a and 151b; where display 141 area is reduced or expanded depending on D1/D2 directional change)
a driving motor disposed in the housing and configured to drive the second housing to slide in or slide out; and a battery disposed in a space provided in the first housing and the second housing, wherein the rear cover is formed so as not to overlap the accommodation area of the rollable display when the rollable display is viewed vertically and when the second housing is in a full slide-in state in the second direction (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; driving motor 201 to drive second housing in or out; battery 91 with in housing, where ear cover 1015 has no overlap with accommodation area when viewed vertically in full slide-in state).
While Choi discloses the driving motor disposed within the housing, it is not explicit as to a driving motor disposed in the first housing. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of applicant’s invention, to place the driving motor in the first housing rather than second housing, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involved only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)
Regarding claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
an expansion space is provided between the rear cover and the rollable display, and wherein at least a portion of the battery is configured to occupy at least a portion of the expansion space in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 3, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
the battery, in a slide-in state, is disposed in a position not facing the rear cover and is disposed between the display area and the accommodation area of the rollable display (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 4, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
a first distance corresponding to a distance between the display area of the rollable display and the rear cover in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is less than a second distance corresponding to a distance between the display area of the rollable display and one surface of the first housing in the third direction (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
the accommodation area of the rollable display is substantially flat in the first direction and the second direction (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 6, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
the accommodation area of the rollable display is disposed to not face the rear cover so that the accommodation area is further spaced from the display area by a distance corresponding to a difference between the second distance and the first distance and so that a curvature radius of the bending area is increased (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 7, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
the accommodation area of the rollable display is disposed between the battery and the first housing (see Fig. 8)
Regarding claim 8, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
a support member configured to support the bending area of the rollable display, and a guide rail configured to guide movement of the support member according to sliding of the second housing, wherein the support member comprises a plurality of bar-shaped support portions segmented from each other, and wherein both ends of the support portion are inserted into the guide rail (see Fig. 8-9; plurality of bar shaped support members 1041; guide rail 1043/1044 where 1041 is inserted into 1043/1044 at 1042).
Regarding claim 10, Choi disclose:
An electronic device comprising: a first housing; a second housing coupled to the first housing so as to slide in a first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction; a printed circuit board disposed in the second housing; a rear cover disposed in the second housing to cover the printed circuit board and configured to be covered by the first housing or exposed to the outside of the electronic device according to sliding of the second housing relative to the first housing (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; electronic device 100; first housing 102; second housing 101 to slide in first direction D1 and second direction D2, opposite the first direction; circuit board 181; rear cover 1015 where 1015 is exposed to outside of 100 according to sliding position)
a rollable display comprising: a display area exposed to the outside of the electronic device, an accommodation area accommodated inside the electronic device, a bending area connecting the display area and the accommodation area and configured to be bent, and having a display area that is reduced or expanded based on a sliding-in or sliding-out operation of the second housing (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; rollable display 151 with 151a outside of 100; accommodation area 151b inside device and bending area 151c, connecting 151a and 151b; where display 141 area is reduced or expanded depending on D1/D2 directional change)
a moving part comprising a driving motor disposed in the first housing and configured to drive the second housing to slide in or slide out, wherein the rear cover is formed so as not to overlap the accommodation area of the rollable display when the rollable display is viewed vertically when the second housing is in a full slide-in state in the second direction, wherein an expansion space is provided between the rear cover and the rollable display, and wherein at least a portion of the driving motor of the moving part is configured to occupy the expansion space (see Fig. 2-3, 7-8; [0073, 0092-0096, 0103, 0121]; a moving part comprising driving motor 201 to drive second housing in or out; battery 91 with in housing, where ear cover 1015 has no overlap with accommodation area when viewed vertically in full slide-in state; where the expansion space is between the rear cover and rollable display, such that when the motor is incorporated therein).
While Choi discloses the driving motor disposed within the housing, it is not explicit as to a driving motor disposed in the first housing. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of applicant’s invention, to place the driving motor in the first housing rather than second housing, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involved only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950)
Regarding claim 11, the rejection of claim 10 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
the moving part comprises a pinion gear connected to the driving motor and a rack gear formed to extend in the first direction and the second direction and meshed with the pinion gear (see Fig. 12-14; [0124]).
Regarding claims 12-13 and 15, claims 12-13 and 15 are rejected under the same rationale s claims 4, 6, and 8, respectively .
Regarding claim 14, the rejection of claim 10 is incorporated herein. Choi further disclose:
a battery disposed in a space provided between the first housing and the second housing, wherein the accommodation area of the rollable display is disposed between the battery and the first housing (see Fig. 8).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2022.00226954) in view of Lee (US 2020.0358887)
Regarding claim 9, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated herein. While Choi disclose:
the cover member is formed so as not to face the rollable display having slid into the electronic device when the second housing is in a full slide-in state in the first direction (see Fig. 8; where rear cover does not face rollable display 151 when in full slide-in state)
Choi is not explicit as to, but Lee disclose:
a cover glass member coupled to the rear cover (see Fig. 2; [0066]; rear cover glass 204)
Therefore, prior to the effective fling date of applicants invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the known techniques of Lee to that of Choi to predictably provide a stylish/colored protective surface for the slidable device ([0066]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH BUKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-7913. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday // 0730-1530.
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/kenneth bukowski/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621