DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-10 are pending.
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies or papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/17/2025 and 11/07/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Claims 1 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by King (US Pub. No. 2011/0119409 A1 hereinafter “King” – IDS Submission).
Referring to claim 1, King discloses an extensions device for an electronic device having a first hot shoe, the electronic device being adapted to transmit a first control signal through the first hot shoe, the first control signal having a first communication protocol corresponding to the first hot shoe, and the extensions device (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0060], a photographic communication system 50) comprising:
a transfer assembly, having a first hot shoe head (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0058] disclose an intermediate device 30 having an intermediate device hot shoe connector 31.) and a first connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0063] disclose the intermediate device 30 may also include one or more circuits, integrated circuits ("IC"), or interfaces ("USB interface") 54, which may be capable of interfacing with a USB device via one or more of the USB ports 36.) and comprising a signal converting circuit (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0058] disclose MCU 52.), wherein the first hot shoe head is adapted to be electrically connected to the first hot shoe (King – Fig. 4 discloses the intermediate device hot shoe connector 31 is adapted to be electrically connected to a hot shoe connector 14.), and the signal converting circuit is electrically connected to the first hot shoe head and the first connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 discloses MCU 52 is electrically connected to the intermediate device hot shoe connector 31 and USB interface 54 connected to USB port 36.); and
an electronic assembly, having a second connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0058] disclose a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) 38 having a USB port 40.) and comprising a processing circuit (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0027] disclose the PDA 38 may be configured with one or more computer processor executable programs to perform various components of the actions and/or functions which implies the PDA 38 has a processor installed.), wherein the second connecting portion is adapted to be electrically connected to the first connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 discloses the USB port 40 is adapted to be electrically connected to the USB port 36.), the processing circuit (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0027] disclose the PDA 38 may be configured with one or more computer processor executable programs to perform various components of the actions and/or functions which implies the PDA 38 has a processor installed.) is electrically connected to the second connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0058] disclose a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) 38 having a USB port 40.), and the second connecting portion has a second communication protocol (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0066] disclose a USB port 40 using a USB communication protocol.);
wherein the first hot shoe head is adapted to receive the first control signal through the first hot shoe (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0058] disclose the intermediate device hot shoe connector 31 may include electrical contacts which may electrically connect to appropriate electrical contacts which may be present on the hot shoe connector 14 of the camera 12 such that signals from the camera 12 or data signals such as but not limited to SPI data signals may be communicated between circuitry of the camera 12 and an MCU (discussed more later) of the intermediate device 30.), the signal converting circuit is adapted to convert the first control signal to a second control signal complying with the second communication protocol and transmit the second control signal to the first connecting portion, the second connecting portion is adapted to receive the second control signal through the first connecting portion (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0080, 0081] disclose MCU 52 of the intermediate device 30 can be used to convert signals between PDA 38 and camera 12 and perform appropriate functions.), and the processing circuit is adapted to trigger a function of the electronic assembly according to the second control signal (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0027] disclose the PDA 38 may be configured with one or more computer processor executable programs to perform various components of the actions and/or functions which implies the PDA 38 has a processor installed.). Par. [0069] discloses the PDA software may be able to cause the PDA 38 to send and/or receive signals to and/or from a data connector 40 of the PDA 38.).
Referring to claim 5, King discloses the extensions device according to claim 1, wherein the first connecting portion comprises a second hot shoe, and the second connecting portion comprises a second hot shoe head (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0097] disclose it may be possible to electrically connect a PDA to an intermediate device via the additional accessory hot shoe connector.).
Referring to claim 6, King discloses the extensions device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic assembly comprises a display assembly (King – Fig. 4 & par. [0078] disclose the PDA 38 having a graphic display 74.).
Referring to claim 7, note the rejections of claim 1 above. The Instant Claim recites substantially same limitations as the above-rejected and is therefore rejected under same prior-art teachings.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
9. Claims 2 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King in view of Frank et al. (US Patent No. 7,050,107 B1 hereinafter “Frank”).
Referring to claim 2, King discloses the extensions device according to claim 1, however, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first hot shoe head is adapted to convert a first pin assignment of the first control signal to a second pin assignment and transmit the first control signal having the second pin assignment to the signal converting circuit, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion comply with the second pin assignment.
Frank discloses wherein the first hot shoe head is adapted to convert a first pin assignment of the first control signal to a second pin assignment and transmit the first control signal having the second pin assignment to the signal converting circuit, and the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion comply with the second pin assignment (Frank – See col. 7, line 59 – col. 8, line 24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Frank’s teachings with King’s techniques for the benefit of the camera and camcorder are connected securely, such that an operator can easily transport and utilize the portable system formed by the combination of the camera and camcorder (Frank – Col. 1, lines 52-58).
Referring to claim 8, note the rejections of claim 2 above. The Instant Claim recites substantially same limitations as the above-rejected and is therefore rejected under same prior-art teachings.
10. Claims 3 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King in view of Fritchman et al. (US Pub. No. 2014/0075061 A1 hereinafter “Fritchman”).
Referring to claim 3, King discloses the extensions device according to claim 1, however, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the signal converting circuit is adapted to convert the first control signal having a first voltage level to the second control signal having a second voltage level.
Fritchman discloses wherein the signal converting circuit is adapted to convert the first control signal having a first voltage level to the second control signal having a second voltage level (Fritchman – See par. [0010, 0033]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Fritchman’s teachings with King’s techniques for the benefit of an adapter for providing connectivity between a host connector of a host device and an accessory connector of an accessory that is incompatible with the host connector (Fritchman – Abstract).
Referring to claim 9, note the rejections of claim 3 above. The Instant Claim recites substantially same limitations as the above-rejected and is therefore rejected under same prior-art teachings.
11. Claims 4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over King in view of Miyazaki (US Pub. No. 2021/0373083 A1 hereinafter “Miyazaki”).
Referring to claim 4, King discloses the extensions device according to claim 1, however, fails to explicitly disclose wherein the electronic assembly further comprises a voltage divider circuit and a function-executing element, the voltage divider circuit is electrically connected to the second connecting portion and the processing circuit, the function-executing element is electrically connected to the processing circuit, the voltage divider circuit is adapted to transmit an executing signal to the processing circuit after the processing circuit receives the second control signal, and the processing circuit is adapted to transmit the executing signal to the function-executing element.
Miyazaki discloses wherein the electronic assembly further comprises a voltage divider circuit and a function-executing element, the voltage divider circuit is electrically connected to the second connecting portion and the processing circuit, the function-executing element is electrically connected to the processing circuit, the voltage divider circuit is adapted to transmit an executing signal to the processing circuit after the processing circuit receives the second control signal, and the processing circuit is adapted to transmit the executing signal to the function-executing element (Miyazaki – See par. [0020, 0027-0029]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include Miyazaki’s teachings with King’s techniques for the benefit of an electronic device can be controlled depending on whether predetermined information has been obtained from a battery (Miyazaki – Par. [0004]).
Referring to claim 10, note the rejections of claim 4 above. The Instant Claim recites substantially same limitations as the above-rejected and is therefore rejected under same prior-art teachings.
Conclusion
The examiner requests, in response to this office action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line number(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application. When responding to this office action, applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37 C.F.R.I .Ill(c).
In amending in reply to a rejection of claims in an application or patent under reexamination, the applicant or patent owner must clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. The applicant or patent owner must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAYTON LEWIS-TAYLOR whose telephone number is (571) 2707754. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday, 8AM TO 4PM, EASTERN TIME.
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, Idriss Alrobaye, can be reached on (571) 270-1023. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Dayton Lewis-Taylor/
Examiner, Art Unit 2181
Prosecution Insights