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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/10/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 9, 10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng US Pub 2008/0183933 in view of Yang et al. US Pub 2009/0043936.
Regarding claim 1, Peng teaches,
An external box (figure 1-2, element 30), adapted for installing an interface card (element 70, interface card) and a mainboard (element 70), and adapted for connecting to a computer device (figure 1) to operate, wherein the external box comprises:
a shell (housing of element 30, such as where element 30 is indicated); and
a circuit board (element 50), arranged at a bottom of the shell, and comprising:
an external connector (element 51), arranged at an edge of the circuit board (figure 2), and adapted for connecting to the computer device (figure 1);
a first connector (one of the element 52), arranged on an upper surface of the circuit board and electrically connected to the external connector (element 52s are connected to the circuit board 50 and likewise with connector 51 thus data transfer from 70 to 51 occurs), wherein the first connector is adapted for installing the interface card (one of element 70); and
a second connector (the other one of element 52), arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected to the first connector (element 52s are connected to the circuit board 50 and likewise with connector 51 thus data transfer from 70 to 51 occurs), wherein the second connector is adapted for installing the mainboard (the other one of element 70).
Peng does not explicitly disclose a graphics card.
Yang in similar field teaches a common interface card is a graphic card (paragraph 29).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the specific graphic card as taught by Yang as the interface card of choice for Peng such that the external box of Peng adapter for installing the graphic card and the mainboard, such modification will provide the desired interface card based on the desired usability to the user, such as external graphic cards to provide better video graphics.
Regarding claim 2, Peng as modified by Yang teaches,
Wherein the second connector is a socket (figure 2, element 52 is a socket).
Regarding claim 3, Peng as modified by Yang teaches,
Peng teaches the second connector is a socket (figure 2, element 52).
Peng does not teach the second connector is a gold finger connector. However, the connection of the mainboard (70) is a gold finger connector.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made reverse the connector means such that the socket is provided with the mainboard and the gold finger connector is provided on the circuit board, such modification will render the device of Peng to be operable but provide two different connector in the case different interface cards need to be installed. Furthermore, it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art (MPEP2144.04§(VI)(A)).
Regarding claim 5, Peng as modified by Yang teaches,
Wherein the second connector is a socket (figure 2, element 52 is a socket).
Regarding claim 9, Peng as modified by Yang teaches,
Wherein a transmission interface of the first connector is the same as that of the second connector (figure 2, elements 52 are the same, thus transmission interface being the same for both first and second connector).
Regarding claim 10, Peng as modified by Yang teaches,
wherein a transmission interface of the first connector is different from that of the external connector (figure 2, first connector one of element 52 and element 51 (bus socket, paragraph 30) are different thus transmission interface different; but supports the external connector in a sense they communicate), but supports the external connector.
Regarding claim 13, Peng teaches,
An external device (figure 1-2, element 30), adapted for connecting to a computer device (figure 1) to operate, wherein the external device comprises:
an interface card (element 70, interface card);
a mainboard (element 70), and;
an external box (element 30), comprising:
a shell (housing of element 30, such as where element 30 is indicated); and
a circuit board (element 50), arranged at a bottom of the shell, and comprising:
an external connector (element 51), arranged at an edge of the circuit board (figure 2), and adapted for connecting to the computer device (figure 1);
a first connector (one of the element 52), arranged on an upper surface of the circuit board and electrically connected to the external connector (element 52s are connected to the circuit board 50 and likewise with connector 51 thus data transfer from 70 to 51 occurs), wherein the first connector is adapted for installing the interface card (one of element 70); and
a second connector (the other one of element 52), arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected to the first connector (element 52s are connected to the circuit board 50 and likewise with connector 51 thus data transfer from 70 to 51 occurs), wherein the second connector is adapted for installing the mainboard (the other one of element 70).
Peng does not explicitly disclose a graphics card.
Yang in similar field teaches a common interface card is a graphic card (paragraph 29).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the specific graphic card as taught by Yang as the interface card of choice for Peng such that the external box of Peng adapter for installing the graphic card and the mainboard, such modification will provide the desired interface card based on the desired usability to the user, such as external graphic cards to provide better video graphics.
Claim(s) 4, 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng US Pub 2008/0183933 in view of Yang et al. US Pub 2009/0043936 further in view of Chen et al. US Pub 2010/0199011
Regarding claim 4,
Peng as modified by Yang teaches the external box including the circuit board and the second connector as described in claim 1.
Peng as modified by Yang does not teach the circuit board provided with an opening, and the opening surrounds the second connector to accommodate the mainboard.
Chen in similar field teaches a circuit board (Figures 1-3, element 1) comprising a second connector (12, element 12 second connector is gold finger connector), such that the circuit board is provided with an opening (opening being the slots adjacent to element 12 such that the edge of the socket 21 of the mainboard (2) is inserted), and the opening surrounds the second connector (as seen in figures 1-2) to accommodate the mainboard (figure 3 assembled version of figure 1 such that mainboard 2 is accommodated in the opening as described above).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide the opening such that the surrounds the second connector to accommodate the mainboard as taught by Chen such that this opening is provided surround the second connector to accommodate the mainboard of Peng as modified by Yang such modification will ensure the socket connector of the mainboard provides proper connection and mechanically secures to the second connector (gold finger connector) of the circuit board, since it will have abutting means as seen in figures 3-4 of Chen.
Regarding claim 6,
Peng as modified by Yang teaches the first connector is an interface card connector (figure 1-2, element 52).
Peng as modified by Yang does not explicitly teach wherein the first connector is a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) connector. However, using a specific type of connector is not new.
Chen in similar field teaches a connector (121, figure 2, paragraph 25) is a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) connector (paragraph 25; claim 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to make the first connector of Peng as modified by Yang as the PCI-E connector as taught by Chen, such modification will enabled various cards that accepts (i.e. broad hardware compatibility) PCI-E connector.
Regarding claim 7,
Peng as modified by Yang teaches the second connector is an interface card connector (figure 1-2, element 52).
Peng as modified by Yang does not explicitly teach wherein the second connector is a PIC-E connector. However, using a specific type of connector is not new.
Chen in similar field teaches a connector (121, figure 2, paragraph 25) is a peripheral component interconnect express (PCI-E) connector (paragraph 25; claim 10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to make the second connector of Peng as modified by Yang as the PCI-E connector as taught by Chen, such modification will enabled various cards that accepts (i.e. broad hardware compatibility) PCI-E connector.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng US Pub 2008/0183933 in view of Yang et al. US Pub 2009/0043936 further in view of NPL: Tanous - "ASUS Announces XG Station Pro, a Thunderbolt 3 External GPU Enclosure for Windows and Mac".
Regarding claim 8,
Peng as modified by Yang teaches the external connector (51, Bus socket).
Peng as modified does not explicitly teach the external connector is a thunderbolt connector. However, using a specific type of connector is not new.
Tanous in similar field of external GPU (title GPU external GPU enclosure) teaches external connector being a thunderbolt connector (title and see page 4 of Tanous annotation).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the thunderbolt connector as taught by Tanous as the external connector of Peng as modified by Yang, since providing thunderbolt port will provide faster data, video and sufficient power transfer.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng US Pub 2008/0183933 in view of Yang et al. US Pub 2009/0043936 further in view Feng et al. US Pub 2012/0114080.
Regarding claim 11,
Peng as modified teaches the external box including the circuit board as described in claim 1.
Peng as modified does not teach a multiplexer , wherein the multiplexer is arranged on the circuit board, electrically connected to the external connector, the first connector, and the second connector, and adapted to selectively electrically connect the first connector to the external connector or the second connector.
Feng in similar field of electronic device including circuit board teaches a multiplexer(figure 2, multiplexer, paragraphs 30, 32 and 33), wherein the multiplexer is arranged on the circuit board (element 100, figure 2), electrically connected to the external connector (paragraphs 30, 32-33, output port), the first connector (P1), and the second connector (P2), and adapted to selectively electrically connect the first connector to the external connector or the second connector (as described in paragraphs 32 and 33, the multiplexer electrically connects the output port to either P1 (paragraph 33) or P2 (paragraph 32)).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to include the multiplexer of Feng such that the multiplexer is provided on the circuit board of Peng such that the multiplexer is electrically connected to the external connector, the first connector, and the second connector, and adapted to selectively electrically connect the first connector to the external connector or the second connector, such modification will enable the switching between the graphic card and the main board occur quickly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 is 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.
Primary reasons for indicating allowable subject matter for claim 12 is at least the following limitation in combination with the intervening claim(s) limitation is not taught. The specific details of the electrical contact groups are recited with respect to the multiplexer and the external connector, such that “wherein the first connector comprises a first electrical contact group and a second electrical contact group, and the second connector comprises a third electrical contact group and a fourth electrical contact group, wherein the second electrical contact group is electrically connected to the fourth electrical contact group, and the multiplexer is adapted to selectively electrically connect the first electrical contact group to the external connector or the third electrical contact group.
In examiners opinion the pertinent prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting all of the elements and features of the claimed inventions as arranged, disposed or provided in the manner as claimed by the applicant.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABHISHEK M RATHOD whose telephone number is (571)270-3947. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30AM-5:00PM ET.
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ABHISHEK M. RATHOD
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/ABHISHEK M RATHOD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
Prosecution Insights