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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al. (US 2016/0274752) in view of Zhang (US 2023/0308800).
Regarding claim 1 Zhu discloses an apparatus comprising:
a housing unit configured to be coupled to a head-mounted display (housing 156 in Figure 10A); and
at least one electronic port (port 182 in Figure 10A) that is:
mechanically coupled to the housing unit (Figure 10A shows port 182 being mechanically coupled to housing 156); and
electrically coupled to an electronic subsystem of the head-mounted display (Figure 6 shows port 182 being electrically coupled to head mounted display 150).
However, fails to explicitly disclose a rotatable housing unit such that the rotatable housing is configured to rotate relative to the head-mounted display.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches a rotatable housing unit such that the rotatable housing is configured to rotate relative to the head-mounted display (Figures 1 and 2 show rotatable housing 62 which rotates relative to the head-mounted display).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the head-mounted display of Zhu to have the housing attached to the head-mounted display to be rotatable as in Zhang because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Regarding claim 2 Zhu discloses the apparatus of claim 1. Zhu further discloses, wiring positioned within a cavity of the housing unit, wherein: the wiring electrically couples the electronic port to the electronic subsystem (Figure 6 shows wiring that allows communication between port 182 and the rest of the head-mounted display device).
However, fails to explicitly disclose a rotatable housing unit and the wiring is configured to deform as the rotatable housing unit rotates.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches a rotatable housing unit (refer to rejection of claim 1) and the wiring is configured to deform as the rotatable housing unit rotates (Zhang presents a speaker 63 in Figure 2 attached to an engaging member 62 which is connected to a rotary member that allows it to rotate; a person with ordinary skill in the art would know that connecting wires for the speaker would deform as the engaging member rotates).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the head-mounted display of Zhu to have the housing attached to the head-mounted display to be rotatable as in Zhang because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Regarding claim 5 Zhu discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic port comprises at least one of: a data port; and an audio port (Figure 6 shows data lines at USB port 182).
Regarding claim 6 Zhu discloses the apparatus of claim 1. However, fails to explicitly disclose further comprising an audio subsystem coupled to the rotatable housing unit such that the audio subsystem is configured to rotate as the rotatable housing unit rotates.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches an audio subsystem coupled to the rotatable housing unit such that the audio subsystem is configured to rotate as the rotatable housing unit rotates (speaker 63 in Figures 1-4).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the head-mounted display of Zhu to have an audio subsystem to be rotatable as in Zhang because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Regarding claim 7 Zhu discloses the apparatus of claim 6. However, fails to explicitly disclose the audio subsystem comprises a speaker positioned within a cavity of the rotatable housing unit; and the cavity is dimensioned to direct sound from the speaker toward an ear of a user of the apparatus.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches a speaker positioned within a cavity of the rotatable housing unit; and the cavity is dimensioned to direct sound from the speaker toward an ear of a user of the apparatus (Speaker in Figures 1-2).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the head-mounted display of Zhu to have an audio subsystem to be rotatable as in Zhang because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Claim 8 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 1. It is noted that Zhu shows a head mounted display 150 in Figures 5A and 10A.
Claim 9 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 2. It is noted Zhang discloses VR data being displayed in the HMD.
Regarding claim 10 Zhu discloses the system of claim 8. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the electronic port comprises at least one of: a data port configured to transmit video data associated with augmented reality; and an audio port configured to transmit audio data associated with the augmented reality.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches an audio port configured to transmit audio data associated with the augmented reality (speaker 63 in Figures 1-4 in place).
It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the head-mounted display of Zhu to have an audio subsystem as in Zhang because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Regarding claim 11 Zhu discloses the system of claim 8, further comprising a battery, wherein: the electronic port comprises a charging port; and the electronic port is configured to charge the battery (USB port 182 may also be used for other purposes, such as to recharge the OHMD 150 battery – [0038]).
Regarding claim 12 Zhu discloses the system of claim 8. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the rotatable housing unit is configured to connect to a strap that holds the head-mounted display on a head of a user.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches the rotatable housing unit is configured to connect to a strap that holds the head-mounted display on a head of a user (Figure 1 shows earphone body 62 being connected to a strap of the HMD).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Zhang into the teachings of Zhu because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Regarding claim 13 Zhu discloses the system of claim 12. However, fails to explicitly disclose further comprising an additional rotatable housing unit coupled to a first side of the head-mounted display, wherein: the rotatable housing unit is coupled to an opposite side of the head-mounted display that is opposite the first side of the head-mounted display; and the rotatable housing unit is coupled to the additional rotatable housing unit via the strap.
In his disclosure Zhang teaches an additional rotatable housing unit coupled to a first side of the head-mounted display, wherein: the rotatable housing unit is coupled to an opposite side of the head-mounted display that is opposite the first side of the head-mounted display; and the rotatable housing unit is coupled to the additional rotatable housing unit via the strap (Figure 1).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teachings of Zhang into the teachings of Zhu because such incorporation yields the expected result of effectively improving the operating comfort of the user.
Claim 14 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 6.
Claim 15 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 7.
Claim 17 corresponds to the method performed by the apparatus of claim 1. Therefore, claim 17 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 1.
Claim 18 corresponds to the method performed by the apparatus of claim 6. Therefore, claim 18 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 6.
Claim 19 corresponds to the method performed by the apparatus of claim 2. Therefore, claim 19 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 2.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al. (US 2016/0274752) in view of Zhang (US 2023/0308800) further in view of Guo (US 2017/0090201).
Regarding claim 3 Zhu discloses the apparatus of claim 2. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the wiring comprises a flexible printed circuit.
In his disclosure Guo teaches it is known in the art to have wiring comprising flexible printed circuits (a head mounted display is provided that includes earphone bodies that are electrically connected to the display module via flexible printed circuit (abstract, [0010]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the usage of flexible printed circuit boards as in Guo into the teachings of Zhu because such incorporation helps the connectivity maintain electrical integrity.
Claim 20 corresponds to the method performed by the apparatus of claim 3. Therefore, claim 20 is being rejected on the same basis as claim 3.
Claim(s) 4 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al. (US 2016/0274752) in view of Zhang (US 2023/0308800) further in view of Guo (US 2017/0090201) further in view of Barrera et al. (US 2023/0395984).
Regarding claim 4 Zhu as modified discloses the apparatus of claim 3. However, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the flexible printed circuit comprises at least two layers of electronic traces, at least one of the electronic traces electrically coupling the electronic subsystem to the head-mounted display.
In his disclosure Guo teaches at least one of the electronic traces electrically coupling the electronic subsystem to the head-mounted display (a head mounted display is provided that includes earphone bodies that are electrically connected to the display module via flexible printed circuit (abstract, [0010]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the usage of flexible printed circuit boards as in Guo into the teachings of Zhu because such incorporation helps the connectivity maintain electrical integrity.
However, fails to explicitly disclose the flexible printed circuit comprises at least two layers of electronic traces.
In his disclosure Barrera teaches the flexible printed circuit comprises at least two layers of electronic traces (Flexible printed circuit may contain one or more sheets of flexible dielectric substrate material such as a layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymers – [0039]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to incorporate a flexible printed circuit that comprises multiple layers of electronic traces as taught by Barrera into the teachings of Zhu as modified because the usage of multiple layers of electronic traces in a flexible printed circuit is a well-known technique used in the field.
Regarding claim 16 Zhu discloses the system of claim 8. However, fails to explicitly disclose a three-layer flexible printed circuit positioned within a cavity of the rotatable housing unit, wherein: the three-layer flexible printed circuit electrically couples the electronic port to the electronic subsystem; and the three-layer flexible printed circuit is configured to deform as the housing unit rotates.
In his disclosure Guo teaches a flexible printed circuit positioned within a cavity of the rotatable housing unit, wherein: the flexible printed circuit electrically couples the electronic port to the electronic subsystem; and the flexible printed circuit is configured to deform as the housing unit rotates (a head mounted display is provided that includes earphone bodies that are electrically connected to the display module via flexible printed circuit (abstract, [0010]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the usage of flexible printed circuit boards as in Guo into the teachings of Zhu because such incorporation helps the connectivity maintain electrical integrity.
However, fails to explicitly disclose a three-layer flexible printed circuit.
In his disclosure Barrera teaches a three-layer flexible printed circuit (Flexible printed circuit may contain one or more sheets of flexible dielectric substrate material such as a layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymers – [0039]).
It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to incorporate a flexible printed circuit that comprises multiple layers of electronic traces as taught by Barrera into the teachings of Zhu as modified because the usage of multiple layers of electronic traces in a flexible printed circuit is a well-known technique used in the field.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIA E VAZQUEZ COLON whose telephone number is (571)270-1103. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30 AM-3:30 PM.
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/MARIA E VAZQUEZ COLON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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