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
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.
Claims 1, 10-11 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 20210149272).
With respect to claim 1 and 10 Li teaches a switch, comprising: a fixed member (see area of bezel where shutter rests or slides upon), comprising a sensor module (see hall effect sensor / magneto resistive sensor paragraph 0072); a sliding member (see shutter), spaced apart from the fixed member and movable along a preset direction (see arrows seen for example in Fig. 11) relative to the fixed member; wherein the sliding member comprises a magnetic head (see for example 1241), and the magnetic head at least partially overlaps (see Fig. 12-13) with the sensor module, so that the sensor module is able to determine a position of the sliding member relative to the fixed member; and a processor (paragraph 0085), electrically connected to the sensor module; wherein the processor makes (paragraph 0084) the switch be in a corresponding operating mode according to the position of the sliding member relative to the fixed member.
With respect to claim 11, 19 Li teaches the electronics device as detailed above and further teaches middle frame (see 327 and 310), comprising: a middle plate (327); and a side frame (310), wherein the side frame extends from an edge (see left edge seen in Fig. 3) of the middle plate, the side frame and the middle plate are enclosed to define an accommodating chamber (see between cover 380 and base 225), the fixed member and the processor of the switch are accommodated (see Fig. 2 and 3) in the accommodating chamber (between cover and base), and the sliding member of the switch is disposed (see in physical contact with) on the side frame.
With respect to claim 20 Li teaches a surface of the side frame away (for example when computing device is hinged open) from the accommodating chamber is recessed to define a sliding groove (see formed with opening 317 and space between bezel/camera module and surface 312), and the sliding member is accommodated and slidable in the sliding groove, so that the sliding member slides along the preset direction relative to the fixed member.
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.
Claims 2-5 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. in view of Bezinge et al. (US 6,332,278).
With respect to claims 2 and 12 Li teaches the use of a magnetoresistive sensor the magnetic head magnetizes the at least one magnetoresistive sensor (1280-1/2) that is passed by the magnetic head (1241) and changes a resistance value of the at least one magnetoresistive sensor that is passed by the magnetic head, so that a total resistance value of the sensor module changes; and the processor determines the position of the sliding member relative to the fixed member according to the total resistance value of the sensor module, and makes the switch be in the corresponding operating mode. Li, however, does not detail the structural implementation of the magnetoresistive sensor. Bezinge teaches a plurality of magnetoresistive sensors (paragraph 0089) disposed along the preset direction, and the plurality of magnetoresistive sensors (1121) are sequentially connected in series; the sliding member moves relative to the fixed member along the preset direction (X direction), so that the magnetic head sequentially passes by at least one magnetoresistive sensor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to apply the know structural arrangement of a magnetoresistive elements and measurement therewith for the benefit of accurately determining the switch position.
With respect to claims 3 and 13 Bezinge teaches the plurality of magnetoresistive sensors are disposed at equal intervals (see Fig. 2).
With respect to claims 4 and 14 Li teaches (see Fig. 9 and 10) the sliding member is located at a first position of the fixed member, the switch is in a first operating mode (for example mute); when the sliding member is located at a second position of the fixed member, the switch is in a second operating mode (mute and camera off); and when the sliding member is located at a third position of the fixed member, the switch is in a third operating mode (camera off mic on).
With respect to claim 5 and 15 Li teaches the first position, the second position, and the third position are disposed at equal intervals along the preset direction (see Fig. 9 and 10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 and 16-18 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claims 6-9 and 16-18 Li as modified above teaches a magnetoresistive sensor however does not teach each of the plurality of magnetoresistive sensors comprises a barrier layer, a first magnetic layer, and a second magnetic layer; the barrier layer comprises two opposite side surfaces, the first magnetic layer is located on one of the two opposite side surfaces, and the second magnetic layer is located on the other of the two opposite side surfaces; the magnetic head is configured to magnetize the second magnetic layer, and a magnetic field strength of the magnetic head is greater than a preset magnetic field strength. At least this further limitation is not taught or rendered obvious by the prior art of record.
Conclusion
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MICHAEL FIN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/MICHAEL R. FIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836