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 § 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.
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by So U.S. Patent No. 5,565,865 (hereinafter Son).
Consider claim 19, So teaches a method of preventing simultaneous activation in a keyboard key having at least two switch activating buttons located under a keycap (column 4, lines 21-31. Figure 5 and figures 2a-c, long plunger 13 and short plunger 14), the method comprising: providing an activation prevention member located in a path of the keycap when the keycap is depressed to prevent a first switch activating button from being fully depressed (column 4, lines 21-31. Figure 5 and figures 2a-c, long plunger 13 and short plunger 14); and providing an activation enhancement member that contacts a second switch activating button prior to the surface of the keycap when the keycap is depressed during use to decrease a depression distance required to activate the second switch activating button (column 4, lines 21-31. Figure 5 and figures 2a-c, long plunger 13 and short plunger 14).
Consider claim 20, So teaches all the limitations of claim 19. In addition, So teaches wherein the first switch activating button and the second switch activating button transmit different keycodes (Figure 3 and columns 3, lines 63-67, column 4, lines 1-12, different switches 61a and respective electrical signal) to provide the same value to a display terminal when activated (Figure 2a and column 2, lines 65-67, ENTER key).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 1 is related to a system for preventing simultaneous activation in a keyboard key having at least two switch activating buttons located under a keycap, the system comprising: an activation prevention member having a first perimeter area and a first aperture surrounded by the first perimeter area, the first aperture configured to receive a first switch activating button therein such that the first perimeter area of the activation prevention member is located around the first switch activating button, wherein the first perimeter area is located in a path of the keycap when the keycap is depressed such that the depression of the keycap during use causes a surface of the keycap to contact the first perimeter area of the activation prevention member to prevent the first switch activating button from being fully depressed; and an activation enhancement member having a second perimeter area having a thickness and a second aperture surrounded by the second perimeter area, the second aperture configured to receive a post extending from the keycap such that the second perimeter area is located around the post, wherein the thickness of the second perimeter area causes the activation enhancement member to contact a second switch activating button prior to the surface of the keycap when the keycap is depressed during use to decrease a depression distance required to activate the second switch activating button.
Claim 9 is related to a method for retrofitting a keyboard key having at least two switch activating buttons located under a keycap to prevent simultaneous activation of the at least two switch activating buttons based on a depression of the keycap during use, the method comprising: removing the keycap from the keyboard key; installing an activation prevention member having a first perimeter area and a first aperture surrounded by the first perimeter area on a first switch activating button such that the first perimeter area of the activation prevention member is located around the first switch activating button, wherein the first perimeter area is located in a path of the keycap when the keycap is depressed such that the depression of the keycap during use causes a surface of the keycap to contact the first perimeter area of the activation prevention member to prevent the first switch activating button from being fully depressed; installing an activation enhancement member having a second perimeter area having a thickness and a second aperture surrounded by the second perimeter area on a post extending from the keycap such that the second perimeter area is located around the post, wherein the thickness of the second perimeter area causes the activation enhancement member to contact a second switch activating button prior to the surface of the keycap when the keycap is depressed during use to decrease a depression distance required to activate the second switch activating button; and reinstalling the keypad on the keyboard key.
So et al. U.S. Patent No. 5,565,865 teaches in column 4, lines 21-31, figures 2a-c and figure 5, If the L-shaped key switch 1 (ENTER key) is installed in the keyboard to replace three square key switches 3, only the stepped long plunger 13 will be forced to compress the respective rubber cone and to trigger the ENTER function control contact on the membrane circuit 6a when the L-shaped key switch 1 is depressed, and the other two contacts on the membrane circuit 6a corresponding to the stepped short plungers 14 of the L-shaped key switch 1 will not be triggered by the stepped short plungers 14 during the down stroke of the stepped long plunger 13. However, So does not appear to specifically disclose all the limitations of the activation enhancement member and the activation prevention member.
Skillman et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0200828 teaches figures 3a-c and abstract, a keypad includes a plurality of multi-portion keys having two or more key-portions within a common footprint. Each key-portion is independently usable with respect to any other key-portion. A plurality of switches are oriented such that insertion of any key-portion will engage a respective switch associated with a particular key-portion. However, Skillman does not appear to specifically disclose all the limitations of the activation enhancement member and the activation prevention member.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERTO W FLORES whose telephone number is (571)272-5512. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7am-4pm, EST.
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, AMR A AWAD can be reached at (571)272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ROBERTO W FLORES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
Prosecution Insights