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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “terminal part” and “ground part” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1 – 5 and 13 – 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KOO et al. (US 20220151067 A1, “KOO”).
Regarding claim 1, KOO discloses (Figs. 3, 5, 7, 15) an electronic device (200) with a storage medium installed thereon (331), the storage medium having a first end (See annotated figure below) with a terminal part (electrical connection of 331a, para [0074]) formed thereon and a second end opposite to the first end with a ground part (See para [0089], [0091]) formed on the second end (See annotated figure below), the electronic device comprising: a circuit board (203) having a first surface (F2) and a second surface (F1); a connector (333) mounted on the first surface, the first end of the storage medium being connectable to the connector (See annotated figure below); a support structure (411a) that is positioned in a first direction along the circuit board with respect to the connector, that supports the second end (See fig. 7), and that is to be connected to the ground part provided on the second end; and a member different from the circuit board (211a, 335, 415) and electrically connected to the ground part of the storage medium through the support structure (See para [0089], [0091]).
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Regarding claim 2, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the member different from the circuit board is a circuit board shield covering the second surface of the circuit board (See para [0066], [0089], fig. 7).
Regarding claim 3, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the circuit board shield has a wall standing along a side portion of the storage medium (See fig. 15).
Regarding claim 4, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the member different from the circuit board has an outer region located outside of an outer edge of the circuit board (See annotated figure below).
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Regarding claim 5, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the support structure includes a spacer (411a, fig. 7).
Regarding claim 13, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the support structure (411a) is provided in the outer region (See fig. 7).
Regarding claim 14, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the spacer secures a distance between the member different from the circuit board and the second end of the storage medium (See fig. 7).
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.
Claim(s) 6 – 12 and 15 – 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KOO et al. (US 20220151067 A1, “KOO”) in view of CHEN et al. (US 20190174618 A1, “Chen”).
Regarding claim 6, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 5,
KOO is silent on wherein the member different from the circuit board has a mounting hole defined therein.
However, Chen discloses (Figs. 1 – 4) wherein the member different from the circuit board has a mounting hole defined therein (505a).
KOO and Chen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of electronic device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified KOO to incorporate the teachings of Chen and provide wherein the member different from the circuit board has a mounting hole defined therein (505a). Doing so would provide a mean to fix the second end of the storage medium (para [0026]).
Regarding claim 7, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 5, wherein Chen further discloses the member different from the circuit board has at least one positioning portion formed {(504), figs. 1 – 2}.
Regarding claim 8, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 7, wherein Chen further discloses the member different from the circuit board has a plurality of positioning portions formed thereon (See para [0026]).
Regarding claim 9, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 8, wherein Chen further discloses the at least one positioning portion (504) includes one or a plurality of protrusions (505, see figure 3) surrounding a region in which the spacer is disposed {(521), fig. 3 and para [0026]}.
Regarding claim 10, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, wherein Chen further discloses the member different from the circuit board has a protrusion formed thereon (see figs. 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 11, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 1,
KOO is silent on wherein the member different from the circuit board has a hole defined therein that is open in a direction along the circuit board.
However, Chen discloses (Figs. 1 – 4) wherein the member different from the circuit board has a hole defined therein that is open in a direction along the circuit board.
(505a).
KOO and Chen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of electronic device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified KOO to incorporate the teachings of Chen and provide wherein the member different from the circuit board has a hole defined therein that is open in a direction along the circuit board (505a). Doing so would Doing so would provide a mean to fix the second end of the storage medium (para [0026]).
Regarding claim 12, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 7, wherein KOO further discloses the member different from the circuit board is a circuit board shield covering the second surface of the circuit board (See fig. 15).
Regarding claim 15, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 6, wherein Chen further discloses the support structure has a fixture {(522). Fig. 3} that fixes the second end of the storage medium to the mounting hole {(521). Fig. 3}.
Regarding claim 16, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the fixture {(522), Chen, as per the combination of KOO in view of Chen} is held in contact with the ground part of the storage medium (para [0091], KOO).
Regarding claim 17, KOO discloses the electronic device according to claim 5,
KOO is silent on wherein the at least one positioning portion defines a position of the spacer.
However, Chen discloses (Figs. 1 – 4) wherein the at least one positioning portion {(504), Chen, as per the combination of KOO in view of Chen} defines a position of the spacer {(411a), fig. 7, KOO}.
KOO and Chen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of electronic device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified KOO to incorporate the teachings of Chen and provide wherein the at least one positioning portion {(504), Chen, as per the combination of KOO in view of Chen} defines a position of the spacer {(411a), fig. 7, KOO}. Doing so would support the second end of the medium.
Regarding claim 18, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 8, wherein Chen further discloses the plurality of positioning portions are arranged in the first direction, as the at least one positioning portion (See fig. 1 – 3).
Regarding claim 19, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 10, wherein Chen further discloses the protrusion extends in the first direction (see figs. 1 and 3).
Regarding claim 20, KOO in view of Chen discloses the electronic device according to claim 12, wherein Chen further discloses the at least one positioning portion is integrally formed with a surface of the circuit board shield {(504), figs. 1 – 2, para [0026]}.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIDI MOHAMED MAIGA whose telephone number is (703)756-1870. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached on 571-272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SIDI M MAIGA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/TIMOTHY J THOMPSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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