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)(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.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bae (US 2017.0243705).
Regarding claim 11, Bae disclose:
An electronic device comprising: a housing comprising an opening formed on one surface; and a key assembly formed to be at least partially exposed through the opening, wherein the key assembly comprises: a first plate, a second plate disposed on the first plate, the second plate comprising a first hole formed in a position corresponding to the opening, a key, at least a portion of which passes through the first hole (see Fig. 4, 8; electronic device 200; housing 210; key assembly 220 partly exposed through opening 211; first plate 241; second plate 250 with a hole formed in position corresponding to opening 211; key 220 partly passing through hole 211)
a printed circuit board, one end of which is connected to the key, comprising a withdrawal region formed to be withdrawn outward from the key assembly, a sealing member which is disposed between the first plate and the second plate, is disposed along an edge of the key assembly, and comprises a third hole corresponding to the first hole, and a bonding member applied to one surface of the withdrawal region of the printed circuit board (see Fig. 4-5, 8; [0085]; printed circuit board 290 one end connected to key 220, with a withdrawal region formed outwardly from and connected to 222; sealing member 270 disposed along edge of key 222 with third hole corresponding to first hole; bonding member 280 applied thereto)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1-10 are allowed.
Claims 12-15 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH BUKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-7913. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday // 0730-1530.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amr Awad can be reached at 571.272.7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/kenneth bukowski/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
Prosecution Insights