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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/4/26 has been entered.
2. Claims 1 and 4-17 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
3. Regarding Claim 17, Claim recites “wherein the USB-C connector is configured to provide the power output to the device physically connected thereto at the same as the HDMI is configured to provide the video output to the device physically connected to thereto” is not clear to examiner how providing power to a (USB-C) device is same as an HDMI device providing video output to a connected device. Examiner interprets the limitation as “wherein the USB-C connector is configured to provide the power output to the device physically connected thereto where as the HDMI is configured to provide the video output to the device physically connected to thereto” for the purpose of examination.
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.
4. Claim(s) 1, 4-7 and 9-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (“Sun”), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0198248 and Yuanzhi Li (“Li”), U.S. patent Publication No. 2021/0165755.
Regarding Claims 1, 10 and 11, Sun teaches a system for transferring power and data from a USB-C PD connection [Fig-9], comprising:
a USB-C power delivery (PD) port configured to provide an output voltage [Para: 0036 (“module 100 can also be configured to power and/or charge the host device 310” via cable 312 where “cable 312 having a first type of connectors (e.g., USB Type-C connectors” see para: 0035]; and
a cable (cable 312) including a housing (housing for 100), a first end (connects to host device 310) and a second end (connects to based module 100) [Fig-9], the first end of the cable including a USB-C connector configured to provide a power output to a device physically connected thereto [Para: 0036(“module 100 can also be configured to power and/or charge the host device 310 “)], a second cable (cable 322) having a USB type C connector having an HDMI connector [Para: 0035(“second cable 322 having a second type of connectors (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA connectors”)],
wherein the HDMI connector configured to provide a video output to a device physically connected thereto [Para: 0035(as A/V device 320 receives “audio and/or visual data to A/V device 320”)], the second end of the cable(s) configured for connection with the USB-C PD port [Para: 0035(“electrically coupled to the base module 100 via a first cable 312 having a first type of connectors (e.g., USB Type-C connectors”)],
wherein the USB-PD port is configured to provide a plurality of output voltages, wherein a controller (412, 422 or 432) is configured to negotiate an output voltage of the plurality of output voltages between the device physically connected to the USB-C connector and the USBC-C PD port [Para: 0038(“a controller (e.g., controllers 412, 422, and 432, respectively … configured to negotiate power delivery” where the power delivery is “negotiated indirectly and voltages at the nodes” see 0042)].
Sun is not clear about a cable includes a control assembly and does not disclose expressly the first end of the cable including a first branch having a USB-C connector and a second branch having an HDMI connector,
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., OAM implementation in data routing network), Li teaches a cable including a first end (200 and 400) and a second end (100) [Fig-1] which includes a control assembly [ Para: 0015(cable having an “electronic drawing board system, including: a USB-type-C socket, an analog switch, an electromagnetic screen module and a three-in-one multimedia cable” where the switch can perform a control mechanism as “analog switch, which is used to detect a 5V power input of the HDMI interface, and determine to switch the internal connection relationship of the electronic drawing board according to the position of the 5V power input pin of the HDMI plug” see para 0035)]; and
wherein the first end of the cable including a first branch having a USB-C connector (USB power supply 400) and a second branch having an HDMI connector [Para: 0032(HDMI 200)].
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Sun’s teachings of a first cable having a USB-C connector configured output power to a device and a second cable having a HDMI connector providing a video output to a device with Li’s teachings of a single USB-C cable with a first end a first branch having USB type connector providing power and second branch providing HDMI connector proving video data and second end connect with USB-C PD port for the purpose of providing “three-in-one multimedia cable” including USB-C connector, HDMI connector and a USB-C type PD port in a single cable [Li, Para: 0030] which provide user with more options and flexibility connecting devices.
Regarding Claims 4 and 16, Li teaches wherein the cable is configured to transmit power, data, and video substantially simultaneously between the USB-C PD port to at least one device engaged with the cable [Para: 0035-0037].
Regarding Claims 5, 14 and 15, Sun teaches wherein the control circuit assembly is configured to negotiate an output voltage of the plurality of output voltages between the device engaged with the USB-C connector and the USB-C PD port, and between the device engaged with the HDMI connector and the USB-C PD port [Para: 0018 and 0038(“controllers 412, 422, and 432, respectively … are configured to negotiate power delivery”)-044].
Regarding Claim 6, Sun teaches a battery pack, wherein the USB- C PD port is included on the battery pack [Para: 0029 and 0036].
Regarding Claim 7, Sun teaches a cinematography battery pack, wherein the USB-C PD port is included on the cinematography battery pack [Para: 0019(“Type-C (USB-C) travel adapter including a base module with video connectors (e.g., VGA, HDMI DispalyPort) as well as a USB-C power port … can include a battery pack”)].
Regarding Claim 9, Sun teaches wherein the device engaged with the USB-C connector (host device 310) is different than the device engaged with the HDMI connector (A/V device 320) [Fig-9(“the host device 310 can be a laptop computer and the A/V device 320 can be a projector or display device”)].
Regarding Claim 12, Li teaches wherein the second end of the cable includes an electrical connector [Fig-1(400)].
Regarding Claim 13, Sun teaches wherein the control circuit assembly is configured to negotiate an output voltage of the plurality of output voltages between the at least one device physically connected to the USB-C connector and the port engaged with the second end of the cable [Para: [0038(negotiate voltage), 0041 (“negotiate and manage to deliver power …”) and 0042].
Regarding Claim 17, Since it is directly related to Claim 1 (according to the Examiner’s interpretation), the supporting rationale of the rejection to Claim 1 applies equally as well to Claim 17 and Li furthermore teaches wherein the device physically connected to the USB-C connector is the same device as the device physically connected to the HDMI connector [Para: 0016(“The three-in-one multimedia cable of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the three-in-one multimedia cable includes a USB-type-C plug, an HDMI plug, … a power supply plug, and integrates three connecting cables with respective functions of video data transmission, data control transmission and power supply into a USB-type-C plug, so that users do not need to use multiple cables when using …” suggests that the USB-C and the HDMI connections are used in a same device also see para: 0035 “analog switch, which is used to detect a 5V power input of the HDMI interface, and determine to switch the internal connection … according to the position of the 5V power input pin of the HDMI plug. For example, when the 5V power input pin is connected to the B5 pin, the analog switch only needs to detect which of the A5 pin and the B5 pin of the USB-type-C plug is 5V to know the insertion direction of the USB-type-C plug”)].
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claim 8 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant's arguments filed on 5/4/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues regarding Claims 1 and 10 that neither Sun or Li teaches “control circuit assembly connected to the housing of the cable” as amended. However, Sun and Li teach the argued feature as set forth above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED H REHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1412. The examiner can normally be reached 8.00 - 5.00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jaweed Abbaszadeh can be reached at 571-270-1640. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMED H REHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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