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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
1. In the event that 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-7, 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoover et al. US2021/0080732.
Per claim 1 Hoover et al. teaches an arm (300, see fig.3A-4) of a head-mountable display ([0071]), comprising: an arm hinge (324; [0092]); an enclosure (302A,B,C, see fig.3A) connected to the arm hinge (see fig.3A-4), the enclosure comprising a first surface (see fig.3A), and a second surface (see fig.3B) opposing the first surface, the enclosure defining an arm tip (see fig.3A, “portion of 302A”) and an internal volume spanning between the arm tip and the arm hinge (302A-30C, see fig.3A); a printed circuit board (PCB) (308) positioned inside the internal volume (see fig.3A-3B); a heat source ([0075], [0004], “processing components”) attached to the PCB ([0074]); a thermal interfacing material and a thermal spreader material disposed between the heat source and the first surface ([0088]); and a thermal path directed from the heat source, through the thermal interfacing material, through the thermal spreader material (304; [0083]), through the first surface, and towards an ambient environment (see fig.3A-3B; [0075], [0078]-[0090]).
Per claim 2 Hoover et al. teaches the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 1, further comprising: a chassis (302A,B,C, see fig.3A) connecting the PCB to the arm hinge (324; [0090], [0092] see fig.3A-4); and an additional thermal path directed from the heat source, through the PCB, through the chassis ([0090]), through the arm hinge, and towards the ambient environment ([0089]-[0092]).
Per claim 3 Hoover et al. teaches the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink (316B, see fig.3A) positioned between the PCB (308) and the second surface (see fig.3A-4; [0084]-[0090]); wherein the heat sink and the PCB define an air gap within the internal volume (see fig.3A, “the air gap are the spaces between the components”).
Per claim 4 Hoover et al. teaches the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 3, further comprising an additional thermal path directed from the heat source, through the PCB, through the air gap, and to the heat sink ([0084]-[0090]).
Per claim 6 Hoover et al. teaches the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 1, wherein the heat source ([0075], [0004], “processing components”) is oriented towards the first surface (see fig.3A).
Per claim 7 Hoover et al. teaches the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 1, further comprising a battery (306) positioned between the PCB (308) and the second surface (see fig.3A-3B, “the battery 306 is shown to be between the PCB (308) on one end and the second surface (i.e. the end tip of the arm surfaces 316A,B on the other end”), wherein the PCB, the battery, and the second surface are spatially separated by respective air gaps (see fig.3A-3B, “spaces between the components are the airgap”).
Per claim 15 Hoover et al. teaches a thermal flow apparatus of an augmented reality glasses arm ([0026], [0037]-[[0040], see fig.3A-4), comprising: a printed circuit board (PCB) (308); a heat source ([0075], [0004], “processing components”) attached to the PCB )[0074]); a heat dissipation surface (316A,B, see fig.3A-3C) oriented towards an ambient environment ([0087]-[0090]), the heat dissipation surface extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the augmented reality glasses arm (see fig.3A-4); and a thermal spreader material (304) disposed adjacent to the heat source (see fig.3A-4), the thermal spreader material lining an inner portion of the heat dissipation surface between the proximal end and the distal end (see fig.3A-4; [0075]-[0090]).
Per claim 16 Hoover et al. teaches the thermal flow apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: a thermal interfacing material positioned between the thermal spreader material and the heat source ([0088]).
Per claim 17 Hoover et al. teaches the thermal flow apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the thermal interfacing material or the thermal spreader material directs thermal energy away from the heat source and towards an ambient environment via at least one of natural conduction ([0087]-[0090]) or non-force convection.
Per claim 18 Hoover et al. teaches the thermal flow apparatus of claim 15, wherein the thermal spreader material (304) comprises at least one of a pitch-based carbon fiber material, a graphite material, or a copper material ([0081]).
Per claim 19 Hoover et al. teaches the thermal flow apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an insulator (322) disposed adjacent to the heat source opposite the thermal spreader material ([0090], see fig.3A-4).
Per claim 20 Hoover et al. teaches the thermal flow apparatus of claim 15, wherein the thermal spreader material spreads a thermal load from the heat source across the heat dissipation surface ([0077]-[0084]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. In the event that 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 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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoover et al. US2021/0080732.
Per claim 5 Hoover et al. discloses all the limitations of the claims except for the arm of the head-mountable display of claim 1, wherein the heat source is positioned closer to the first surface than the second surface.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to make the heat source positioned closer to the first surface than the second surface because it ensure effective thermal dissipation of heat to the ambient environment via the first surface. In reJapikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950); n re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975).
Claim(s) 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoover et al. US2021/0080732 in view of Yang et al. US10701480.
Per claim 8 Hoover et al. teaches a head-mountable device ([0071], “HMD”), comprising: a display (310); an arm housing (302A,B,C, see fig.3A) connected to the display (see fig.3A-4), the arm housing comprising a heat dissipation surface (316A,B and/or 304, see fig.3A-3C) oriented towards an ambient environment ([0087]-[0090]); and an arm subassembly (see fig.3A-3C, “components within 302A,B,C) disposed in the arm housing (see fig.3A,B,C), the arm subassembly comprising: a chassis (see fig.3A, “the enclosure is also the chassis”); a printed circuit board (PCB) (308) affixed to the chassis (see fig.3A-4); and a heat source ([0075], [0004], “processing components”) mounted onto the PCB ([0074]) and oriented towards the heat dissipation surface (see fig.3A-4); an arm hinge (324) connected to the arm subassembly (see fig.4); and a conductive path from the heat source, through the PCB, and through the arm hinge ([0089]-[0092]).
Hoover et al. does not explicitly teach a system on chip (SOC).
Yang et al. however discloses a system on chip (SOC) (col.13, line 15-28).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have a system on chip as taught by Yang et al. to be the heat source in the head-mountable device of Hoover et al., because the SOC enables more computing efficiency by integrating multiple essential components onto the single chip, thus ensuring a high performance and better power efficient head mountable device.
Per claim 9 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 8, wherein the arm housing comprises: a uni-body enclosure connected to the arm hinge, the uni-body enclosure defining an arm tip and an internal volume between the arm tip and the arm hinge (see fig.1D-4).
Per claim 10 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 9, wherein the arm housing defines an assembly access into the internal volume, the assembly access being positioned proximate to the arm hinge (see fig.3A-4).
Per claim 11 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 8, wherein the heat dissipation surface (316A) inside the arm housing comprises a thermal lining (322) that abuts the arm subassembly ([0090]).
Per claim 12 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 11, wherein the thermal lining draws heat away from the arm subassembly and towards the heat dissipation surface ([0090]).
Per claim 13 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 8, wherein the arm subassembly further comprises thermal insulation (322) disposed between the PCB and a surface of the arm housing opposite the heat dissipation surface ([0090]).
Per claim 14 Hoover et al. in view of Yang et al. teaches the head-mountable device of claim 8, wherein the arm subassembly further comprises a thermal interfacing material and an epoxy molding compound ([0088], “epoxy molding compound is standard in electronic assemblies”).
Email Communication
3. Applicant is encouraged to authorize the Examiner to communicate via email by filing form PTO/SB/439 either via USPS, Central Fax, or EFS-Web. See MPEP 502.01, 502, 502.05.
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mack et al. US2016/0252727 discloses and augmented reality eyewear.
Silfvast et al. US2020/0089008 discloses A head-mounted display system, comprising: a housing; a visual system associated with the housing to facilitate image and/or video display; a wearable support connectable to the housing.
Applicants are directed to consider additional pertinent prior are included on the Notice of References Cited (PTOL 892) attached herewith. The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A MATEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5648. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8-5 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, JAYPRAKASH GANDHI can be reached at 5712723740. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL A MATEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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