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 .
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) 1-4, 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takimoto JP2017188027 in view of Seo 2015/0309691.
Regarding claim 1, Takimoto discloses an electronic device (Abstract) comprising: a foldable housing (Figs 1-4, for example) including a first housing portion (110, Fig 1) having a first surface and a second surface (top, bottom surface of 110, Fig 1), a second housing portion (120, Fig 1) having a third surface and a fourth surface (top, bottom surface of 120, Fig 1) and a third housing portion (130, Fig 1) having a fifth surface and a sixth surface (top, bottom surface of 130, Fig 1), a first length (between S1 and P1, Fig 4) between the first surface and the second surface (Fig 4) larger than each of a second length between the third surface and the fourth surface and a third length between the fifth surface and the sixth surface (see Fig 4); a flexible display (101, Fig 1) including a first display portion disposed on the first surface (Fig 1), a second display portion disposed on the third surface (portion of 101 on third surface, Fig 1) and a third display portion (104, Fig 1) disposed on the fifth surface (104 below on second surface, Fig 1).
Takimoto discloses the claimed invention except for expressly teaching at least one camera accommodated in the first housing portion and disposed at the second surface; and a memory storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are folded such that the first surface and the third surface face with each other, and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are folded such that the fourth surface and the sixth surface face with each other, deactivate the first display portion and the second display portion, and display a first screen via the third display portion.
Seo, however teaches a similar device (Abstract) including at least one camera (24, Fig 2) accommodated in a first housing portion (2, Fig 2) and disposed at a second surface (surface where 24 locates, Fig 2); and memory storing instructions (par 0080) when executed by at least one processor individually or collectively (par 0002-0007), cause an electronic device (par 0005) to: while a first housing portion (16, Fig 5A) and a second housing portion (14, Fig 5A) are folded such that a first surface and a third surface face with each other (as in Fig 5B), and the second housing portion and a third housing portion (12, Fig 5A) are folded such that a fourth surface and a sixth surface face with each other (as in Fig 5C), deactivate the first display portion and the second display portion (see Fig 5B where first, second portions are deactivated/inaccessible), and display a first screen via the third display portion (see Fig 5B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 2, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 1, Seo teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are folded such that the first surface and the third surface face with each other (as in Fig 5B), and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are at least partially unfolded (Fig 5B), maintain the deactivating of the first display portion and the second display portion (Fig 5B), and the displaying of the first screen via the third display portion (Fig 5B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 3, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 1, Seo teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are at least partially unfolded (as in Fig 5A), and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are at least partially unfolded (Fig 5A), display a second screen via the first display portion, the second display portion and the third display portion (Fig 5A).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 4, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 3, Seo teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: perform the displaying of the first screen (Fig 5A) and the displaying of the second screen (Fig 5A)such that a content included in the first screen is enlarged in the second screen (see Fig 5A).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 6, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 1, Seo teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are folded such that the first surface and the third surface face with each other (Fig 5B), and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are at least partially unfolded (Figs 5A, 5B), activate the at least one camera accommodated in the first housing portion and disposed at the second surface (see par 0024, Fig 5C), and display a content related with the at least one camera via the third display portion (Fig 5A).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 8, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 1, Takimoto teaches wherein, when the third housing portion is folded (Fig 6), the fourth surface of the second housing portion includes a protruding area to accommodate the third housing portion (Figs 5, 6), and wherein a thickness of the protruding area is substantially same to a thickness of the first housing portion (see Fig 6).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Takimoto to include a camera, and function as claimed, and, as taught by Seo, in order to provide a foldable multi-display electronic device that faces outward on one active screen while turning off the inner folded screens (the first and second display portions) to save battery power, prevents accidental touch inputs, and protects delicate inner display surface during folded or closed usage, thereby improving reliability.
Claim(s) 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takimoto JP2017188027 in view of Seo 2015/0309691 and further in view of Park 2015/0366089.
Regarding claim 5, Takimoto in view of Seo disclose the electronic device of claim 1, Seo teaches the device further comprising: a charging coil accommodated in the first housing portion (par 0094), wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are folded such that the first surface and the third surface face with each other (as in Fig 5B), and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are at least partially unfolded (Fig 5B), identify an external device disposed on a part of the first housing portion corresponding to the charging coil (see Fig 6A for example), display a content related with a charging via the third display portion (par 0077), and perform the charging with respect to the external device (par 0094).
Takimoto in view of Seo discloses the claimed invention except for expressly teaching the charging coil being wireless.
Park however teaches a similar device where the charging coil is wireless (see par 0071).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the charging coil of Takimoto in view of Seo to be wireless, as taught by Park, in order to prevent repeated plugging and unplugging of wired charging that may cause physical wear and tear, thereby improving reliability.
Regarding claim 7, Takimoto in view of Seo in view of Park disclose the electronic device of claim 5, Seo teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: while the first housing portion and the second housing portion are unfolded (Fig 5A), and the second housing portion and the third housing portion are at least partially unfolded (Fig 5A), identify an external device disposed on a part of the first housing portion corresponding to the charging coil (see Fig 6A for example), display a content related with a charging via the third display portion (par 0077), and perform the wireless charging with respect to the external device (par 0094). Park teaches the wireless charging coil (par 0071).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the charging coil of Takimoto in view of Seo to be wireless, as taught by Park, in order to prevent repeated plugging and unplugging of wired charging that may cause physical wear and tear, thereby improving reliability.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHEN E MORRISON whose telephone number is (571)272-8852. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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/RASHEN E MORRISON/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/ANTHONY M HAUGHTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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