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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites “wherein the stand panel is electrically connectable to the display.” No additional structure has been added to the claimed invention so it is unclear how the stand panel would be electrically connectable to the display. The claim should be amended to provide structure that could achieve such a function. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 11 recites “wherein the stand panel is configured to wirelessly charge at least one electronic device placed on the stand panel.” No additional structure has been added to the claimed invention so it is unclear how the stand panel would wirelessly charge at least one electronic device placed on the stand. The claim should be amended to provide structure that could achieve such a function. Appropriate correction is required.
The remaining dependent claims are rejected by virtue of their dependencies.
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(s) 1-4, 15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 8,534,934 to Carney (Carney).
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Regarding Claim 1: Carney discloses a display apparatus comprising: a display (camera display); and a stand (See Annotated Fig. A) on which the display is mountable, the stand including: a stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) couplable to the display; and a plurality of legs (See Annotated Fig. A) couplable to the stand panel; wherein the stand [has] . . . a first state (See Col. 6, lines 40-42) which each of four legs (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of legs is coupled to the stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) and is configured to support the stand panel so that the display is supported in four directions of the four legs (See Annotated Fig. A), respectively; and a second state (See Annotated Fig. A) which each of three legs (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of legs is coupled to the stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) and is configured to support the stand panel so that the display is supported in three directions of the three legs (See Annotated Fig. A), respectively.
A person having ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective date of the claimed invention would understand that cameras have viewfinder displays that can be adjustable with respect to the camera body. And therefore, it would have been obvious to such a person that a camera includes such a display. Moreover, having such a display viewfinder enables the user to see what the camera is aimed at without having to use the optical viewfinder.
Carney discloses the first and second states but does not disclose that the stand is configured to be switchable between the two states. However, such switchability would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill. Carney discloses the stand having a front clamp (140) that couples two legs thereto (See Annotated Fig. A and Figure 1). Using a second front clamp (140) instead of rear clamp (150) would enable the stand of Carney to achieve the disclosed four support legs discussed in Col. 6, lines 40-42. As such, the swapping of clamp 150 for a second clamp 140 amounts to a stand that “is configured to be switchable between” the two states. Such switchability would been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective date of the claimed invention. Moreover, such switchability enables the user to adapt the stand to the environment it is being used for while out in the field.
Regarding Claim 2: Carney discloses a display apparatus of claim 1, wherein, while the stand is in the first state (Col. 6, lines 40-42), first ends of the four legs of the plurality of legs are each coupled to a lower side (See Annotated Fig. A) of the stand panel, and second ends of the four legs of the plurality of legs form a quadrangle.
Regarding Claim 3: Carney discloses a display apparatus of claim 1, wherein, while the stand is in in the second state (See Annotated Fig. A), first ends of the three legs (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of legs are each coupled to a lower side (See Annotated Fig. A) of the stand panel, and second ends of the three legs of the plurality of legs form a triangle (See Annotated Fig. A).
Regarding Claim 4: Carney discloses a display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stand is switchable from the first state (Col. 6, lines 40-42) to a third state (a state in which any one of the legs of Carney is extended to a different length, see also Col. 3, lines 22-24) or the second state (See Annotated Fig. A) to the third state, and is switchable from the third state to the first state or the third state to the second state, while the stand (See Annotated Fig. A) is in the second state, the display is positioned in a first position (the general position of Figure 1), and while the stand is in the third state, each of three legs (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of legs is coupled to the stand panel and is configured to support the stand panel so that the display is supported in three directions of the three legs, respectively, and the display is positioned in a second position which is higher than the first position (a state in which any one of the legs of Carney is extended to a longer length than shown in Figure 1, see also Col. 3, lines 22-24).
Regarding Claim 15: Notably this claim discuss the orientation of the display with respect to the stand but does not focus on how the stand is attached to the display. A person or ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective date of invention would understand that cameras have displays that are sometimes rectangularly shaped and thus have a pair of short sides and a pair of long sides. Moreover, such display viewfinders are adjustable and flip out from the camera thus enabling the display to be positioned such that the stand panel extends along a long side direction of the display. Moreover, the stand of Carney allows the camera to be attached an any position along a 360 rotation which would also permit the camera to be coupled to the stand in such a manner that the stand panel extends along a long side direction of the display.
Regarding Claim 17: Carney discloses a stand on which a display is mountable, comprising: a stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) couplable to the display; and a plurality of supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A) couplable to the stand panel; wherein the stand [has] . . . a first state (See Col. 6, lines 40-42) which each of four supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of supporting bars is coupled to the stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) and is configured to support the stand panel so that the display is supported in four directions of the four supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A), respectively; and a second state (See Annotated Fig. A) which each of three supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A) of the plurality of supporting bars is coupled to the stand panel (See Annotated Fig. A) and is configured to support the stand panel so that the display is supported in three directions of the three supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A), respectively.
A person having ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective date of the claimed invention would understand that cameras have viewfinder displays that can be adjustable with respect to the camera body. And therefore, it would have been obvious to such a person that a camera includes such a display. Moreover, having such a display viewfinder enables the user to see what the camera is aimed at without having to use the optical viewfinder.
Carney discloses the first and second states but does not disclose that the stand is configured to be switchable between the two states. However, such switchability would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill. Carney discloses the stand having a front clamp (140) that couples two supporting bars thereto (See Annotated Fig. A and Figure 1). Using a second front clamp (140) instead of rear clamp (150) would enable the stand of Carney to achieve the disclosed four supporting bars discussed in Col. 6, lines 40-42. As such, the swapping of clamp 150 for a second clamp 140 amounts to a stand that “is configured to be switchable between” the two states. Such switchability would been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at a time before the effective date of the claimed invention. Moreover, such switchability enables the user to adapt the stand to the environment it is being used for while out in the field.
Regarding Claim 18: Carney discloses a stand of claim 17, further comprising a hub (See Annotated Fig. A) connectable to any one of the four supporting bars (See Annotated Fig. A) and remaining three supporting bars of the four supporting bars.
Regarding Claim 19: Carney discloses a stand of claim 17, further comprising a hub (See Annotated Fig. A) connectable to the stand panel and the three supporting bars of the four supporting bars.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7, 9, 10, 12-14 and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 8 and 11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Reasons for Allowable Subject Matter
None of the cited prior art, considered alone or in combination, discloses or teaches:
from claim 5: when the stand is in the third state one of the legs is coupled to a lower side of the stand while three legs support the one leg;
from Claim 8, wherein the stand is electronically connectable to the display using some form of structure (See the 112 rejection above);
from Claim 12, where the display comprises a panel, a cover, a first coupling portion protruding from the cover and the stand panel comprises a coupling portion to receive a portion of the first coupling portion; and
from Claim 16, where the stand panel is couplable to a rear side of the display.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the references used in this rejection and those cited in the PTO-892, the following references are very relevant to the claimed invention: US 11460147 and WO 2022071921.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERET C MCNICHOLS whose telephone number is (571)270-7363. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 9:00 - 5:00 (Eastern).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ERET C. MCNICHOLS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/ERET C MCNICHOLS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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