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 § 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)(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.
Claims 1-6, 8-10, 12, 13, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Pub. 20250090947 Khaira et al (Khaira).
Claims 1 and 18. Khaira discloses a video game controller comprising:
a body (Figs. 1-4A);
at least one analog stick, at least two trigger buttons, at least one action button, and at least one directional pad operatively installed to the body (Figs. 1-4A);
one or more processors (¶40) disposed in the body operatively connected to the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons, the at least one action button, and the at least one directional pad to receive user input via the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons; and
first and second communication ports (Fig. 2, elements 11 and 20, ¶¶43-44) operatively connected to the one or more processors;
wherein the first communication port is disposed in or on the body and is configured to receive power from an external power source (¶¶44, 130), and
wherein the second communication port is disposed in or on the body and is configured to output power to an external connectable device (¶¶132, 134, 144);
(as required by claim 18) connecting a second communication port of the video game controller to the external device such that power supplied from the power source or power supplied from a battery of the video game controller powers the external device (¶134).
Claim 2. Khaira discloses comprising:
a rechargeable battery operably installed to the body and configured to output power to the external connectable device via the second communication port when the video game controller is not receiving power via the first communication port (¶¶49, 115, 134 “charging of the mobile phone's battery from charge supplied by the game controller 100 and/or of the game controller's battery/batteries”).
Claim 3. Khaira discloses wherein the second communication port is a universal serial bus (USB) Type-C port (¶44).
Claim 4. Khaira discloses wherein the second communication port charges the external connectable device (¶¶132, 134, 144).
Claim 5. Khaira discloses wherein the external connectable device is a wireless headset (¶109 Bluetooth communication channel, headphones).
Claim 6. Khaira discloses wherein the external connectable device is a mobile phone (¶40).
Claim 8. Khaira discloses further comprising:
a rechargeable battery operably installed to the body and configured to output power to the external connectable device via the second communication port when the video game controller is not receiving power via the first communication port (¶¶49, 115, 134 “charging of the mobile phone's battery from charge supplied by the game controller 100 and/or of the game controller's battery/batteries”).
Claim 9. Khaira discloses comprising:
a rechargeable battery operably installed to the body and configured to output power to the external connectable device via the second communication port, wherein the power received from the first communication port charges the rechargeable battery (¶¶132, 134, 144).
Claim 10. Khaira discloses wherein the external connectable device is a wired headset (¶44 “headphone jack”).
Claims 12 and 19. Khaira discloses wherein the external power source is a game console (¶115).
Claims 13 and 20. Khaira discloses wherein the power source is a power supply (¶115).
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 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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. 20250090947 Khaira et al (Khaira) in view of US Pub. 20250352888 to Mellergard.
Claim 11. Khaira fails to explicitly disclose a volume wheel disposed in or on the body, operatively connected to the one or more processors, and is configured to adjust the volume of the audio sent to the wired headset.
Mellergard teaches a volume wheel disposed in or on the body, operatively connected to the one or more processors, and is configured to adjust the volume of the audio sent to the wired headset (Figs. 3A and 4A, elements 202-206, ¶¶36, 44, “user may be able to increase or decrease their microphones headset volume by using volume control keys 202, 204 or mute key 206 of the accessory 108, to control their headsets volume settings”). The gaming controller of Khaira would have motivation to use the teachings of Mellergard in order to provide a mechanism for a game player to easily and conveniently change audio settings while concurrently playing a video game.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming controller of Khaira with the teachings of Mellergard in order to provide a mechanism for a game player to easily and conveniently change audio settings.
Claims 7 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. 20250090947 Khaira et al (Khaira) in view of US Pub. 20250319390 to Biheller.
Claim 7. Khaira fails to explicitly disclose wherein the external connectable device is a second game controller.
Biheller teaches wherein the external connectable device is a second game controller (Fig. 4, ¶¶27-28). The gaming controller of Khaira would have motivation to use the teachings of Biheller in order to allow a game player to connect specialized control devices specific to the particular game being played a given time, which would make game play easier and more enjoyable for game players.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming controller of Khaira with the teachings of Biheller in order to allow a game player to use specialized control devices specific to the particular game being played at the time.
Claim 14. Khaira discloses a video game controller comprising:
a body (Figs. 1-4A);
at least one analog stick, at least two trigger buttons, at least one action button, and at least one directional pad operatively installed to the body (Figs. 1-4A);
one or more processors (¶40) disposed in the body operatively connected to the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons, the at least one action button, and the at least one directional pad to receive user input via the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons;
a first communication port (Fig. 2, element 20) disposed in or on the body and configured to receive power from an external power source (¶¶44, 130).
However, Khaira fails to explicitly disclose (as required by claim 14) a communication port hub disposed in or on the body and having a plurality of communication ports which are configured to connect to and provide power to a plurality of external connectable devices.
Biheller teaches (as required by claim 14) a communication port hub disposed in or on the body and having a plurality of communication ports which are configured to connect to and provide power to a plurality of external connectable devices (Figs. 1 and 3-5, ¶¶26-29). The gaming controller of Khaira would have motivation to use the teachings of Biheller in order to allow a game player to connect specialized control devices specific to the particular game being played a given time, which would make game play easier and more enjoyable for game players.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the gaming controller of Khaira with the teachings of Biheller in order to allow a game player to use specialized control devices specific to the particular game being played at the time.
Claim 15. Khaira in view Biheller teaches wherein at least some of the plurality of communication ports are configured to receive input from controller-input-generating devices (see Biheller Figs. 3-5, ¶¶26-29).
Claim 16. Khaira in view Biheller teaches wherein the controller-input-generating devices include at least one of a trigger button, an action button, or an analog stick (see Biheller Figs. 3-5, ¶¶26-29).
Claim 17. Khaira in view Biheller teaches wherein the plurality of communication ports (see Biheller Figs. 3-5, ¶¶26-29) include at least one of USB Type-C ports and 3.5mm jacks (see Khaira ¶¶44, 49).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAMON J PIERCE whose telephone number is (571)270-1997. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kang Hu can be reached at 571-270-1344. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAMON J PIERCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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