CTNF 19/050,168 CTNF 86521 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 1-19 are pending. Priority 3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). 02-26 AIA 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 01/27/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA 5. Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Lines 8-9 state “the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin” and should be replaced “the first SBU1 pin or on the second SBU2 pin” . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA 6. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 7. Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. 07-34-05 AIA Claim 2 recites the limitation " the mode " in line 2 . There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Double Patenting 08-33 AIA 8. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA/25, or PTO/AIA/26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. 08-34 AIA Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 in view of Bodnaruk et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,381,787 B1 hereinafter “Bodnaruk”) . Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims perform the same function with different terminology. Limitations that conflict are bolded below and underlined limitations are addressed as follows . In the interest of time, the examiner is selecting only one of the independent claims from the instant application and U.S. Patent for the table below. Instant Application U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 Claim 1. A method, comprising: detecting a received signal on a first sideband use (SBU1) pin or on a second sideband use (SBU2) pin of a device that also has a first configuration channel (CC1) pin and a second configuration channel (CC2) pin; determining an orientation of a connector responsive to the received signal on the SBU1 pin or the SBU2 pin; and transmitting a transmission based on the determined orientation of the connector; wherein detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin. Claim 1. A method, comprising: detecting a received signal on a first sideband use (SBU1) pin or on a second sideband use (SBU2) pin of a device that also has a first configuration channel (CC1) pin and a second configuration channel (CC2) pin; determining an orientation of a connector responsive to the received signal on the SBU1 pin or the SBU2 pin; and transmitting a transmission based on the determined orientation of the connector. Claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 does not explicitly disclose wherein detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin. However, Bodnaruk discloses detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin (Bodnaruk – Col. 12, line 66 to col. 13, line 38.) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention was made/before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to include Bodnaruk’s teachings into the teachings of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 for the benefit of implementing voltage protection for USB Type-C connector subsystems (Bodnaruk – Col. 1, lines 15-18) . 08-36 AIA Claim 2 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim 3 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim 4 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim s 5-19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 6-20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,762,801 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-34 AIA 9. Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 in view of Bodnaruk et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,381,787 B1 hereinafter “Bodnaruk”) . Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims perform the same function with different terminology. Limitations that conflict are bolded below and underlined limitations are addressed as follows . In the interest of time, the examiner is selecting only one of the independent claims from the instant application and U.S. Patent for the table below. Instant Application U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 Claim 1. A method, comprising: detecting a received signal on a first sideband use (SBU1) pin or on a second sideband use (SBU2) pin of a device that also has a first configuration channel (CC1) pin and a second configuration channel (CC2) pin; determining an orientation of a connector responsive to the received signal on the SBU1 pin or the SBU2 pin; and transmitting a transmission based on the determined orientation of the connector; wherein detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin. Claim 1. A system, comprising: a first device configured to: detect a received signal on a first sideband use (SBU1) pin or on a second sideband use (SBU2) pin of the device that also has a first configuration channel (CC1) pin and a second configuration channel (CC2) pin; determine an orientation of a connector responsive to the received signal on the SBU1 pin or the SBU2 pin; and transmit a transmission based on the determined orientation of the connector. Claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 does not explicitly disclose wherein detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin. However, Bodnaruk discloses detecting the received signal on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin is determined by detecting a pull up voltage on the first SUB1 pin or on the second SUB2 pin (Bodnaruk – Col. 12, line 66 to col. 13, line 38.) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention was made/before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to include Bodnaruk’s teachings into the teachings of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 for the benefit of implementing voltage protection for USB Type-C connector subsystems (Bodnaruk – Col. 1, lines 15-18) . 08-36 AIA Claim 2 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 3 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim 3 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim 4 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . 08-36 AIA Claim s 5-19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 6-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,253,965 B2 in view of Bodnaruk . Related Prior Art 07-96 AIA 10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. a. Kolsrud et al. (US Pub. No. 2019/0058617 A1 hereinafter “Kolsrud”) discloses apparatuses, methods, and electronic devices are disclosed for antenna and cabling unification. In an example aspect, an electronic device includes a cabling connector, a digital interface, and a radio. The cabling connector includes multiple pins configured to couple the electronic device to a device connector of an external cabling apparatus. The multiple pins include a positive digital pin, a negative digital pin, and a first other pin. The digital interface includes a positive interface node and a negative interface node. The positive interface node is coupled to the positive digital pin, and the negative interface node is coupled to the negative digital pin. The radio includes an antenna node coupled to at least the first other pin. b. Dunstan et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0293335 A1 hereinafter “Dunstan”) discloses a Power Provider is described which comprises a pull-up resistive device to pull-up a sideband unit (SBU) pin; and logic to adjust voltage level on a power supply node (VBUS) according to the voltage and/or current condition on the SBU pin. A Power Consumer is described which comprises: logic to modulate voltage and/or current on SBU pin; and logic to receive a power supply on a power supply node (VBUS) according to the modulated voltage and/or current on the SBU pin. A USB system is described which comprises: a power provider having a first SBU pin which is pulled high; a power consumer having a second SBU pin, wherein the power consumer is operable to modulate voltage/current on the second SBU pin; and a USB Type-C cable coupled to the power provider and the power consumer such that the first and second SBU pins are electrically connected. c. Zhao et al. (US Pub. No. 2017/0277650 A1 hereinafter “Zhao”) discloses user equipment and a method for data transmission, and the user equipment includes: a USB Type-C interface, a USB physical layer, an audio codec and an analog switch device. A left channel terminal and a right channel terminal of the audio codec and a data transmission terminal of the USB physical layer multiplex D+ and D− pins of the USB Type-C interface. The first analog switch device is configured to, when detecting that an analog audio cable is inserted into the USB Type-C interface, switch the D+ and D− pins of the USB Type-C interface to connect the left channel terminal and the right channel terminal of the audio codec, respectively . 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. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Dayton Lewis-Taylor/ Examiner, Art Unit 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 2 Art Unit: 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 3 Art Unit: 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 4 Art Unit: 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 5 Art Unit: 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 6 Art Unit: 2181 Application/Control Number: 19/050,168 Page 7 Art Unit: 2181
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