DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the AIA first to file provisions. 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 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.
Application Status
This office action is in response to the claims filed 3/27/2025.
Claims 1-8 are currently pending and being examined.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The 2 filed IDS documents have been considered. See the attached PTO 1449 forms.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Degner et al. US 2014/0042406.
Regarding claim 1:
Degner teaches a job-site tool (e.g., [0037], last sentence lists various tools that may be used at a “job-site”) comprising:
a housing (12);
a display (14) on the housing (see FIGS. 1-3) and including first and second organic light-emitting materials (pixels 24, OLEDs 32), the first organic light-emitting being configured to emit light in a first single color from surfaces thereof, the second organic light-emitting being configured to emit light in a second single color distinct from the first single color from surfaces thereof (pixels/OLEDs are configured to be controlled to emit chosen colors, which may be single colors and colors different from other pixels);
a flexible printed circuit (62/64) inside the housing and including conductive traces ([0055], traces 51/59), the flexible printed circuit having mounted thereon the first and second organic light-emitting materials (see FIG. 5; [0056]), the first and second organic light-emitting materials electrically connected to the conductive traces; and
a control board (101) housed in the housing (In view of [0080] and FIG. 13, FIGS. 1-3 show that the controller is housed in the housing; cf. [0083]), the control board including a controller (101/105/28/26) electrically connected to the first and second organic light-emitting materials via the conductive traces ([0046]).
Regarding claim 2:
Degner teaches a job-site tool (e.g., [0037], last sentence lists various tools that may be used at a “job-site”) comprising: a display (14) visible from outside (FIGS. 1-3) and including at least one surface light emitter (24/32); a flexible printed circuit (62/64) including conductive traces ([0055], 51/59), the flexible printed circuit having mounted thereon the at least one surface light emitter (see FIG. 5; [0056]), the at least one surface light emitter electrically connected to the conductive traces; and a control circuit (101/105/28/26) electrically connected to the display via the conductive traces ([0046]).
Regarding claim 3:
Degner teaches the job-site tool according to claim 2, as discussed above, wherein the control circuit is configured to control turning on or off of the at least one surface light emitter (i.e., the emitter can only be powered or turned off via the control circuit).
Regarding claim 4:
Degner teaches the job-site tool according to claim 2, as discussed above, wherein the at least one surface light emitter includes an organic light-emitting material ([0039], [0041]).
Regarding claim 5:
Degner teaches the job-site tool according to claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the at least one surface light emitter is configured to emit light in a single color (pixels/OLEDs are designed to be controlled to emit chosen colors).
Regarding claim 6:
Degner teaches the job-site tool according to claim 5, as discussed above, wherein the at least one surface light emitter includes: a first surface light emitter configured to emit light in the first single color; and a second surface light emitter configured to emit light in a second single color distinct from the first single color (pixels/OLEDs are designed to be controlled to emit chosen colors, which may be single colors and colors different from other pixels).
Regarding claim 7:
Degner teaches the job-site tool according to claim 1, as discussed above, wherein the flexible printed circuit includes: a first end (FIG. 5, upper side end comprising 14); and a second end (lower side comprising 62) opposite the first end, wherein the conductive traces each includes an exposed portion configured to be directly or indirectly connected to the control circuit ([0055], e.g., see FIG. 5, where 51 is “coupled” to 59, meaning traces 51 were exposed enough to be able to electrically couple to 59), wherein the at least one surface light emitter is arranged on the flexible printed circuit to be closer to the first end than the second end (shown in FIG. 5), and wherein the exposed portion is arranged on the flexible printed circuit to be closer to the second end than the first end (shown in FIG. 5).
Regarding claim 8:
Degner teaches a connection method in a job-site tool (e.g., [0037], last sentence lists various tools that may be used at a “job-site”), the method comprising: arranging a display (14) including a surface light emitter (24/32) on an outer surface of the job-site tool ([0003]), the surface light emitter being mounted on a flexible printed circuit (62/64) and electrically connected to conductive traces (51/59) included in the flexible printed circuit; arranging the flexible printed circuit inside the job-site tool (see FIGS. 1-3; [0003]); and electrically connecting the surface light emitter to a control circuit (101/105/28/26) in the job-site tool via the conductive traces ([0055]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARIUSH SEIF whose telephone number is (408) 918-7542. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:30 AM-6:00 PM PST.
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/DARIUSH SEIF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731