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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 25 March 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 25 March 2026 have been fully considered. However, the newly amended limitations presented will be addressed below.
The Applicant argues the prior art, specifically US 2023/0105636 by Haverinen et al., fails to disclose the amended claim language of “a housing configured to be worn on a finger of a user, the housing comprising an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, wherein the inner curved surface is configured to contact the finger of the user when the wearable ring device is worn by the user” and “wherein the load coil is disposed alone a curved edge of the wearable ring device between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface” added to independent claims 1 and 20. The Examiner believes that Haverinen presents these limitations. However, the prior art reference US 2020/0233452 by von Badinski et al. was not addressed within the arguments. This reference will be used for the amendments below.
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.
Claims 1-13 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0229163 by Hatanaka et al. (Hatanaka hereinafter) in view of US 2023/0105636 by Haverinen et al. (Haverinen hereinafter) in further view of US 2020/0233452 by von Badinski et al. (Badinski hereinafter).
Regarding claim 1, Hatanaka discloses a charging system, comprising: a charging station [see at least Figure 1, (2)] comprising: a resonant coil [see at least Figure 1, (211)] coupled with an oscillator [see at least Figure 1, (22)], wherein the oscillator is configured to generate a first alternating current [see at least paragraph 0043] on the resonant coil or on a source coil [see at least Figure 1, (212)], and wherein the resonant coil is configured to generate an electromagnetic field based at least in part on the first alternating current [see at least paragraph 0026]; and a wearable device [see at least Figure 1, (1); paragraph 0027] comprising: a load coil [see at least Figure 1, (112)] inductively coupled with the resonant coil of the charging station [see at least paragraph 0023], wherein the load coil is configured to have a same resonant frequency as the resonant coil [see at least Abstract, “using a resonance phenomenon”; paragraph 0068, “when the power-supplying coil 212, the power-supplying resonance coil 211, the power-receiving resonance coil 111, and the power-receiving coil 112 are resonated at a resonance frequency of 950 kHz”], and wherein the load coil is configured to generate a second alternating current based at least in part on the electromagnetic field generated by the resonant coil [see at least paragraph 0041]; and a rectifier physically coupled with the load coil and configured to rectify the second alternating current [see at least Figure 1, (131)].
Hatanaka discloses the system in a wearable device [see at least paragraph 0027], but fails to explicitly disclose the wearable device is a ring with a housing configured to be worn on a finger of a user. However, Haverinen discloses a powered ring [see at least Abstract; Figure 1, (104-a)] which is worn on a user’s finger [see at least paragraph 0014].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to incorporate the system of Hatanaka to be used within a ring, as disclosed by Haverinen, as a wearable device as it is a commonly worn item. Thus, expanding the marketability of the system and increasing consumer attraction.
Haverinen clearly discloses a ring for wearing on a finger with what can be considered an inner and outer curved surface. For clarity, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen fails to explicitly teach the housing comprising an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, wherein the inner curved surface is configured to contact the finger of the user when the wearable ring device is worn by the user and wherein the load coil is disposed along a curved edge of the wearable ring device between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface. However, Badinski discloses an electronic ring [see at least Abstract; Figure 6; Figure 8] which has an inner curved surface [see at least Figure 6, inner surface; Figure 8, (812b)], an outer surface [see at least Figure 6, outer surface; Figure 8, (812a)] wherein the electronic components are disposed between the inner and outer surface [see at least Figure 6, (615); Figure 8, (815); paragraph 0140, “to avoid multiple sized coils mounted to the edge of the ring, the coil can be laced on the inner or outer sides of the ring by positioning the coil beneath a window in the metal housing of the ring”; the “window” is shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B and the coil would be between the inner and outer surface].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to modify the system of Hatanaka in view of Haverinen to include the inner curved surface and outer curved surface with a coil in between the inner and outer curved surface, as disclosed by Badinski, in order to protect the coil from physical damage. Thus, ensuring the system maintains function and extend the life of the electrical components.
Regarding claim 2, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Hatanaka discloses wherein the charging station comprises the source coil, wherein the source coil is physically coupled with the oscillator [see at least Figure 1, (22) to (212); paragraph 0043], and wherein the resonant coil is inductively coupled with the source coil [see at least paragraph 0026].
Regarding claim 3, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the outer curved surface comprises a metallic outer surface opposite the inner curved surface [see at least paragraph 0038].
Badinski discloses wherein the wearable ring device further comprises: a trench through the metallic outer surface of the wearable ring device, the trench spanning from the outer curved surface of the wearable ring device to the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 3A].
Regarding claim 4, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 3.
Haverinen discloses wherein the inner surface comprises a metallic inner curved surface [see at least paragraphs 0038-0040].
Regarding claim 5, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 4.
Haverinen discloses wherein the metallic inner surface, the metallic outer surface, or both comprises the load coil [see at least paragraph 0123].
Regarding claim 6, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 3.
Haverinen discloses wherein the wearable ring device comprises a flexible printed circuit board positioned between the metallic outer surface and the inner curved surface [see at least paragraph 0014].
Regarding claim 7, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 6.
Haverinen discloses wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises the load coil [see at least paragraphs 0014 and 0123].
Regarding claim 8, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the inner curved surface comprises a metallic inner surface [see at least paragraphs 0038-0040].
Badinski discloses the wearable ring device further comprising: a trench through the metallic inner surface of the wearable ring device, the trench spanning from the outer curved surface of the wearable ring device to the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device Badinski discloses a trench in a ring [see at least Figure 3A].
Regarding claim 9, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the outer curved surface comprises a metallic outer surface [see at least paragraph 0038, “metal outer housing”], and wherein the inner curved surface comprises a non-metallic curved surface [see at least paragraph 0038, “may include one or more insulating layers that electrically insulate the device”].
Regarding claim 10, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the outer curved surface comprises a non-metallic outer surface [see at least paragraph 0039, “may be fabricated from other materials, such polymers”], and wherein the inner curved surface comprises a non-metallic inner surface [see at least paragraph 0040, “may be formed from a polymer”].
Regarding claim 11, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the load coil comprises at least one contiguous loop having a first radial dimension that is between a second radial dimension of the outer cured surface of the wearable ring device and a third radial dimension of the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device [see at least paragraph 0123].
Regarding claim 12, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 11.
Badinski discloses wherein the at least one contiguous loop of the load coil spans 360 degrees around the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 6, (640)].
Regarding claim 13, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 12.
Haverinen discloses wherein the wearable ring device comprises a load coil that is disposed along a second curved edge of the wearable ring device between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface, the second load coil configured to inductively couple with the resonant coil of the charging station [see at least paragraph 0123].
Hatanaka discloses the load coil physically coupled with the rectifier and configured to have the same resonant frequency as the resonant coil [see at least Figure 1, (112) to (131)].
Hatanaka in view of Haverinen fails to teach a second load coil. However, this is merely a duplication of parts.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to modify the system to utilize a second load coil to allow the receiver to receive energy from multiple points. Thus, allowing for forgiveness in positioning of the receiver relative to the transmitter and increasing the likelihood of charging. Further, it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 16, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the charging station comprises a surface configured to support the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 7, (705)] and an outer wall [see at least Figure 8, (805)] configured to at least partially surround the wearable ring device, and wherein the resonant coil is disposed within the outer wall [see at least Figure 8, (815)].
Regarding claim 17, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 16.
Haverinen discloses a flexible printed circuit [see at least paragraph 0041] and the source coil within the outer wall[see at least Figure 8, (815)], but fails to explicitly disclose wherein the charging station comprises a flexible printed circuit board disposed within the outer wall, and wherein the flexible printed circuit board comprises the source coil. However, this is merely a substitute part.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to utilize a flexible printed circuit board as it is a common circuit board for electronics. Thus, allowing for an inexpensive and widely available component that would reduce manufacturing costs.
Regarding claim 18, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 16.
Haverinen in light of Hatanaka discloses wherein the resonant coil has a first radial dimension that is between a second radial dimension of an outer surface of the outer wall and a third radial dimension of an inner surface of the outer wall [see at least Figure 8, (815); paragraph 0122].
Regarding claim 19, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the charging station comprises a surface configured to support the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 4] and a pillar which the wearable ring device is configured to at least partially surround [see at least Figure 4, (405)], and wherein the resonant coil is disposed within the pillar [see at least paragraph 0101].
Regarding claim 20, Hatanaka discloses a method, comprising: generating, by an oscillator of a charging station [see at least Figure 1, (22)], a first alternating electrical current [see at least paragraph 0043] on a resonant coil or a source coil [see at least Figure 1, (21)]; generating, by the resonant coil of the charging station, an electromagnetic field based at least in part on the first alternating electrical current [see at least paragraph 0026]; generating, by a load coil inductively coupled with the resonant coil of the charging station [see at least Figure 1, (112)], a second alternating current based at least in part on the electromagnetic field generated by the resonant coil [see at least paragraph 0041], the load coil included in a wearable device [see at least paragraph 0027] and configured to have a same resonant frequency as the resonant coil of the charging station [see at least Abstract, “using a resonance phenomenon”; paragraph 0068, “when the power-supplying coil 212, the power-supplying resonance coil 211, the power-receiving resonance coil 111, and the power-receiving coil 112 are resonated at a resonance frequency of 950 kHz”]; and rectifying, by a rectifier physically coupled with the load coil, the second alternating current [see at least Figure 1, (131)].
Hatanaka discloses the system in a wearable device [see at least paragraph 0027], but fails to explicitly disclose the wearable device is a ring with a housing configured to be worn on a finger of a user. However, Haverinen discloses a powered ring [see at least Abstract; Figure 1, (104-a)] which is worn on a user’s finger [see at least paragraph 0014].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to incorporate the system of Hatanaka to be used within a ring, as disclosed by Haverinen, as a wearable device as it is a commonly worn item. Thus, expanding the marketability of the system and increasing consumer attraction.
Haverinen clearly discloses a ring for wearing on a finger with what can be considered an inner and outer curved surface. For clarity, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen fails to explicitly teach the housing comprising an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, wherein the inner curved surface is configured to contact the finger of the user when the wearable ring device is worn by the user and wherein the load coil is disposed along a curved edge of the wearable ring device between the inner curved surface and the outer curved surface. However, Badinski discloses an electronic ring [see at least Abstract; Figure 6; Figure 8] which has an inner curved surface [see at least Figure 6, inner surface; Figure 8, (812b)], an outer surface [see at least Figure 6, outer surface; Figure 8, (812a)] wherein the electronic components are disposed between the inner and outer surface [see at least Figure 6, (615); Figure 8, (815); paragraph 0140, “to avoid multiple sized coils mounted to the edge of the ring, the coil can be laced on the inner or outer sides of the ring by positioning the coil beneath a window in the metal housing of the ring”; the “window” is shown in Figure 1A and Figure 1B and the coil would be between the inner and outer surface].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to modify the system of Hatanaka in view of Haverinen to include the inner curved surface and outer curved surface with a coil in between the inner and outer curved surface, as disclosed by Badinski, in order to protect the coil from physical damage. Thus, ensuring the system maintains function and extend the life of the electrical components.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0229163 by Hatanaka et al. (Hatanaka hereinafter) in view of US 2023/0105636 by Haverinen et al. (Haverinen hereinafter) in further view of US 2020/0233452 by von Badinski et al. (Badinski hereinafter) and US 2018/0309327 by Miyamoto et al. (Miyamoto hereinafter).
Regarding claim 14, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the charging station comprises a surface configured to support the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 8, (805)].
Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski fails to teach wherein the resonant coil comprises a planar spiral coil and is disposed between the source coil and the surface of the charging station. However, Miyamoto discloses this limitation [see at least paragraph 0231].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to utilize a planar spiral coil in the system as these are well-known and common coils. Thus, allowing for increased availability reduced manufacturing coast.
Regarding claim 15, Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski teaches the charging system of claim 1.
Haverinen discloses wherein the charging station comprises a surface configured to support the wearable ring device [see at least Figure 8, (805)].
Hatanaka in view of Haverinen in further view of Badinski fails to teach wherein the resonant coil comprises: a planar coil portion that is parallel to the surface, and a cylindrical coil portion configured to at least partially surround the wearable ring device. However, Miyamoto discloses both [see at least paragraph 0231].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the Applicant's invention to utilize a planar coil and a helically wound coil (cylindrical) in the system as these are well-known and common coils. Thus, allowing for increased availability reduced manufacturing coast.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joel Barnett whose telephone number is (571)272-2879. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
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/JOEL BARNETT/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REGIS J BETSCH/SPE, Art Unit 2836
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