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 . 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 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. There are a total of 15 claims and claims 1-15 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/30/2024, 05/28/2025 and 04/24/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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, 8 and 11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al. (US 2017/0153672 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 2023/0194373 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Shin discloses an electronic device comprising([abstract]- an electronic device): a main body([009]- a sensor module disposed in the body and configured to obtain sensing information); a driving device configured to move the main body([009]- ]- a sensor module disposed in the body and configured to obtain sensing information); and a sensor module comprising([abstract]-sensor module): at least one sensor([0010]-sensor); a support that supports the at least one sensor; a sensor module body fixing the sensor module to the main body([009]- a sensor module disposed in the body and configured to obtain sensing information); a hinge part that rotatably connects the support and the sensor module body([0084]- the moving member 511 may be implemented by a separate hinge module. A hinge module may have a cam or serration structure, and the extension part 550 may be rotated or folded with respect to the body 510 through the above-mentioned structure), wherein the hinge part comprises: a first hinge rotatably supporting the support on sides of the support with respect to a front direction of the main body([0084]- the moving member 511 may be implemented by a separate hinge module. A hinge module may have a cam or serration structure, and the extension part 550 may be rotated or folded with respect to the body 510 through the above-mentioned structure); and a second hinge rotatably supporting the support on a rear side of the support with respect to the front direction of the main body([0084]- the moving member 511 may be implemented by a separate hinge module. A hinge module may have a cam or serration structure, and the extension part 550 may be rotated or folded with respect to the body 510 through the above-mentioned structure).
However, Shin does not exclusively disclose a balance element that is disposed on a lower side of the support, and configured to maintain a balance of the support while the main body is moved by the driving device.
In an analogous art, Li discloses a balance element that is disposed on a lower side of the support, and configured to maintain a balance of the support while the main body is moved by the driving device([see in Fig. 5]- in FIG. 5 to FIG. 10, the sensor assembly is configured to be mounted on a drill collar base body 5. The sensor assembly includes a sensor module 1, a balance module 2 connected to the first end of the sensor module 1, and a data transmission module 3 connected to the second end of the sensor module 1. The balance module 2 is configured to balance the pressure of insulating fluid inside the sensor module 1 and pressure of mud outside a drill collar (including the drill collar base body 5)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Li to the modified system of Shin a sensor module, a sensor assembly and an acoustic logging instrument in order to prevent the acoustic sensor from being damaged during logging while drilling, a commonly used process is to encapsulate the piezoelectric ceramic crystal with damping rubber (or epoxy resin, etc.). Currently, there are three relatively mature packaging technologies for acoustic sensors: button-typed, belt-typed and strip-typed [Li; 0003].
Regarding claim 8, Shin discloses a method of controlling an electronic device comprising a sensor module([abstract]- input signal for controlling a function of the electronic device, a sensor module disposed in the body and configured to obtain sensing information in accordance with a movement of the auxiliary input device), the method comprising: detecting a tilt of the sensor module based on a sensing value of a tilt detection sensor disposed in the sensor module during moving of the electronic device([see in Fig. 9]- FIG. 9, the auxiliary input device 500 may include a control part 910 (or a control circuit), a first connection part 920, a second connection part 930, a power management part 940, a sensor part 950 (or a sensor module), and an input part 960 (or an input module)); a hinge part that rotatably connects the support and the sensor module body([0084]- the moving member 511 may be implemented by a separate hinge module. A hinge module may have a cam or serration structure, and the extension part 550 may be rotated or folded with respect to the body 510 through the above-mentioned structure).
However, Shin does not explicitly disclose maintaining a balance of the sensor module by applying an electric signal to at least one of a plurality of electromagnets comprised in the sensor module, wherein the sensor module comprises: a support supporting at least one sensor comprising the tilt detection sensor; a sensor module body fixing the sensor module to a main body of the electronic device; a hinge part that rotatably connects the support and the sensor module body; and a balance element that is disposed on a lower side of the support, and is configured to maintain a balance of the support while the main body is moving by the driving device.
In an analogous art, Lin discloses maintaining a balance of the sensor module by applying an electric signal to at least one of a plurality of electromagnets comprised in the sensor module, wherein the sensor module comprises: a support supporting at least one sensor comprising the tilt detection sensor([0007;0043 and 0051]- a sensor assembly which is configured to be mounted on a drill collar base body, the sensor assembly includes the sensor module described and further includes a balance module connected to a first end of the sensor module, and a data transmission module connected to a second end of the sensor module; and the balance module is configured to balance a pressure of insulating fluid inside the sensor module with a pressure of mud outside the drill collar; [ 0021]- 2- balance module); a sensor module body fixing the sensor module to a main body of the electronic device([abstract]- A sensor module, including a main body shell and a sensing device provided in the main body shell; the sensing device includes a sensor, an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate and a circuit plate; the sensor is mounted on the circuit plate; the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate are respectively mounted on the upper and lower sides of the circuit plate, and are configured to support the main body shell and fix the circuit plate), and a balance element that is disposed on a lower side of the support, and is configured to maintain a balance of the support while the main body is moving by the driving device([see in Fig. 5]- in FIG. 5 to FIG. 10, the sensor assembly is configured to be mounted on a drill collar base body 5. The sensor assembly includes a sensor module 1, a balance module 2 connected to the first end of the sensor module 1, and a data transmission module 3 connected to the second end of the sensor module 1. The balance module 2 is configured to balance the pressure of insulating fluid inside the sensor module 1 and pressure of mud outside a drill collar (including the drill collar base body 5)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Li to the modified system of Shin a sensor module, a sensor assembly and an acoustic logging instrument in order to prevent the acoustic sensor from being damaged during logging while drilling, a commonly used process is to encapsulate the piezoelectric ceramic crystal with damping rubber (or epoxy resin, etc.). Currently, there are three relatively mature packaging technologies for acoustic sensors: button-typed, belt-typed and strip-typed [Li; 0003].
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1. Hence; all limitations for claim 11 have been met in claim 1.
Claims 7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin in view of Li as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Roszko et al.(US 2024/0045033).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Shin and Li do not exclusively disclose a LiDAR sensor; and a projector part, and wherein the balance element comprises a balance weight configured to maintain a center of gravity of the sensor module by being heavier than weights of the LiDAR sensor and the projector part disposed on an upper side of the support.
In an analogous art, Roszko discloses a LiDAR sensor; and a projector part, and wherein the balance element comprises a balance weight configured to maintain a center of gravity of the sensor module by being heavier than weights of the LiDAR sensor and the projector part disposed on an upper side of the support([0034 and 0050]- provide solutions that enable the transmission of a received signal from a rotating lidar to a fixed detector and/or controller using less complex mechanisms and to maintain a stationary image in a scanning lidar assembly that includes a rotating emitter and/or detector. For example, the present disclosure provides an inversion prism that rotates at a different rate than a scanning mirror of the lidar assembly to receive a light pulse signal (indicative of one or more points of a scanned scene, e.g., image), and project the image onto a detector of the lidar sensor with corrected orientation changes. According to some aspects, the proposed systems and methods provide for the ability to receive a correctly oriented image at a detector for all of the 360 degree scanned environment with no blind spots). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Roszko to the modified system of Shin and Li provide solutions that place emitter and/or detector arrays in a non-rotating base of the lidar assembly to, among other things, reduce lidar assembly complexities and weight, simplify sensor assembly, and improve sensor balance [Rozko; 0033 ].
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6,9-10 and 13-15 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:
Regarding claim 2, The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor module further comprises a projector part, the electronic device further comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: control the driving device such that the electronic device moves to a location spaced from a projection surface by a predetermined distance; and based on the main body moving to the location, reproduce content data stored in the memory, and control the projector part to project the reproduced content data.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art are made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
1. REGEV; Amit, US 2026/0054864 A1, discloses a device and a method for facilitating flight mode control of muti-rotor aircrafts and in particular, to such a device and method that facilitate quick and safe switching between vertical and horizontal flight modes.
2. Jung et. al., US 2023/0114950 A1, discloses an electronic device including a flexible display and an operation method in the electronic device.
3. CHO et al., US 2023/0007114 A1, discloses an electronic device including a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB).
4. EOM et al., US 2021/0041912 A1, discloses a foldable electronic device for detecting a folding angle and an operating method thereof.
5. Kim et al., US 20140041972 A1, a volumetric braking device, and in particular, to a volumetric braking device in which a compression resistance within a cylinder generated between a piston and a disk vane and a vacuum resistance within the cylinder generated between the piston and the disk vane are applied to a brake disk as a braking load, thereby conducting decelerating and braking operations.
6. SU; Tie, US 2021/0107146, discloses a gimbal control method and a gimbal, some examples of which can be used to eliminate the posture drifting of the gimbal in the yaw direction caused by a detection error of a directional device, such as a gyroscope.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MD NAZMUL HAQUE whose telephone number is (571)272-5328. The examiner can normally be reached IFW.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Czekaj can be reached at 5712727327. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MD N HAQUE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2487
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