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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 07/07/2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of 12399597 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
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, 2-4, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al. (US 2022/0043481) in view of Baek et al. (US 2020/0236826).
As to Claim 1, Shin et al. discloses An input apparatus, comprising: a position detection sensor operable by electromagnetic induction coupling (fig.7, touch panel 210; para.0114); and
an external casing member including a hinge configured to transform the position detection sensor between a folded state and an unfolded state (fig.7, housing 310, 320; hinge 510; para.0122);
wherein the position detection sensor includes: a digitizer including an electrode configured to be coupled with a position indicator by electromagnetic induction coupling, the digitizer having an input surface for receiving input form the position indicator (fig.7, touch panel 210; para.0114),
electromagnetic sheets disposed to cover a surface of the digitizer opposite from the input surface (fig.7-9, magnetic shielding member 220; para.0116, 0135), the electromagnetic sheets including a first electromagnetic sheet (fig.7-9, right side magnetic shield member 220) and a second electromagnetic sheet (fig.7-9, right side magnetic shield member 220) being spaced apart from one another by a distance when the digitizer is in an unfolded state at a bending location where the digitizer is bent (fig.7-9, right and left magnetic shield members 220 are spaced apart when in an unfolded state), and
a third electromagnetic sheet that covers across, when the digitizer is in the unfolded state, the distance between the first electromagnetic sheet and the second electromagnetic sheet, and that overlaps with the first electromagnetic sheet and with the second electromagnetic sheet in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the digitizer (fig.7, hinge 510 covers across the distance between right and left magnetic shield member 220 and overlaps with the magnetic shield members 220 in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the touch panel 210); and
the external casing member includes: a protection portion including an upper surface configured to support the third electromagnetic sheet (fig.7, hinge cover 513; para.0129).
Shin et al. discloses where the hinge structure 530 covers across the distance between the right and left side magnetic shield members 220 and overlaps the right and left side magnetic shield members 220 in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the touch panel 210, and where the hinge may be covered by a hinge cover 513.
Shin et al. does not expressly disclose a third electromagnetic sheet that covers across, when the digitizer is in the unfolded state, the distance between the first electromagnetic sheet and the second electromagnetic sheet, and that overlaps with the first electromagnetic sheet and with the second electromagnetic sheet in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the digitizer; and
the external casing member includes: a protection portion including an upper surface configured to support the third electromagnetic sheet.
Baek et al. discloses a magnetic shield member 880 that may be coupled to the hinge structure 830 and covers across the distance between support members 814 and 824 of housing 810, 820 respectively) and overlaps with the first and second support members 814, 824 in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the digitizer 860, which may be disposed on the first and second support members 814, 824 (para.0196-0197, 0201, 0212, 0221).
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 device of Shin et al. with the teachings of Baek et al., such that hinge (of Shin) is coupled to a magnetic shield member (as disclosed by Baek), thereby covering the distance between the first and second magnetic shield members (of Shin) and overlapping with the first and second magnetic shield member in a direction perpendicular to the input surface of the digitizer and covered by the hinge cover (Shin). The motivation being to block magnetic force.
As to Claim 2, Shin et al. in view Baek et al. disclose wherein the protection portion is a protection plate, and the third electromagnetic sheet is disposed on the upper surface of the protection plate (Shin-fig.7, hinge 510 on upper surface of cover 513; Baek-fig.8, magnetic shield member 880).
As to Claim 3, Shin et al. in view of Baek et al. disclose wherein, the hinge includes at least a first hinge part and a second hinge part, and the protection portion is provided between the first hinge part and the second hinge part (Shin-fig.7, hinge 510; Baek-fig.8, para.0200-hinge structure 830 includes hinge plate 831, hinge plate 832 and hinge 834 and hinge 833 is provided between hinge plate 831 and 832).
As to Claim 4, Shin et al. in view of Baek et al. disclose wherein the protection portion extends between the first hinge part and the second hinge part (Shin-fig.7, hinge cover 513; Baek-fig.8, hinge cover 833).
As to Claim 13, Shin et al. in view of Baek et al. disclose wherein the third electromagnetic sheet is not bent and remains flat on the upper surface of the protection portion irrespective of a holding motion of the external casing (Baek-para.0221).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-12 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 5 is allowable over the prior art of record since the cited references alone or in combination do not teach or suggest “wherein the external casing member includes a first frame member and a second frame member, which are coupled with each other by the first hinge part and the second hinge part, the first frame member includes a first coupling holding part between the first hinge part and the second hinge part, and the second frame member includes a second coupling holding part between the first hinge part and the second hinge part” along with the other limitations in the claim.
Response to Arguments
After further search and consideration the indicated allowability of claims 2-4 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) as set forth above. Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DISMERY E. MERCEDES whose telephone number is (571)272-7558. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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/DISMERY MERCEDES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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