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
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Jol et al (US 20210099031) in view of Garrett et al (US20200394370).
Re 1 and 13, Jol discloses an accessory (7900, Fig 79) removably attachable to a portable electronic device (6900) including a charging coil (6913), a ferromagnetic component (6916) disposed about the charging coil, and a ferromagnetic alignment component (6908) (Fig 69A, 69B, par 366-370), the accessory (7900) comprising: a substrate (Fig 80) body comprising a first printed layer (7902), a second printed layer (7904), and a core layer (7910) between the first printed layer and the second printed layer; and a magnet (8070) embedded in the substrate to magnetically couple to the ferromagnetic component disposed about the charging coil (par 396-397).
Jol fails to disclose the accessory is a card.
However, Garrett teaches a transaction card (14) magnetically coupled to a portable electronic device (11) by magnets (22, 24, 33, 34, par 35, 36, 41). The device includes an induction charging coil (44) and magnetic contact points (25, 36, 39, 40, par 46) holding the card and device together (Fig 2, 4, 5, par 41-42).
Given the teachings of Garrett, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the accessory of Jol with a transaction card.
Doing so would produce a compact structure to keep the card attached to the electronic device. This also allows a transaction card and electronic device to operate as stand-alone devices uncoupled and communicate bidirectionally when coupled.
RE 2 and 14, Jol as modified by Garrett teaches wherein the card further comprises: an alignment magnet (8022) embedded in the substrate to magnetically couple to the ferromagnetic alignment component (6908) to align the card relative to the portable electronic device (par 396-397).
Re 3 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the substrate defines a first surface (7902) and a second surface (7904) opposite the first surface, and wherein the magnet and the alignment magnet are embedded between the first surface and the second surface (Fig 80).
RE 4 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a magnetic stripe, an integrated chip, or a near field communication (NFC) antenna (G: Fig 3A, 4A, par 35, 40, 41), this allows for the card to conduct transactions with a POS.
RE 5 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet (8070) comprises a magnet array (8072).
RE 6 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet array defines a ring (Fig 80).
Re 7 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet array defines a linear configuration (G: Fig 4).
Re 8 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet array defines a polygonal configuration (G: Fig 4).
Re 9 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the substrate comprises a mass in a range of 3g to 25g (par 115-117).
RE 10 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a polymeric material or a metallic material (par 381, 399).
RE 11 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet defines a profile that compliments the ferromagnetic component disposed about the charging coil of the portable electronic device (par 399-400).
RE 12 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet is fully embedded within the substrate (7910, par 398-399).
RE 15 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet is embedded between the first printed layer and the second printed layer (Fig 80).
RE 16 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet is molded in the core layer (Fig 80-81).
Re 17 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet is embedded in a cavity formed in the core layer (Fig 80-81).
RE 18 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet is embedded in a cavity formed in the first printed layer and the core layer (Fig 80-81).
RE 19 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the card body further comprises a near field communication (NFC) antenna layer between the first printed layer and the second printed layer, and wherein the magnet is embedded in the NFC antenna layer (par 403).
Re 20 Jol as modified by Garrett teaches, wherein the magnet comprises a magnet array that defines at least one of a ring, a linear configuration, or a polygonal configuration (fig 80).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christle I. Marshall whose telephone number is (571) 270-3086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached on (571) 272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Christle I Marshall/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876