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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
the phrase "to the another groove" contains a grammatical error that detracts from the clarity of the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 4 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 4 and 17:
The claims recite that a "concave portion... is configured to fit in the convex portion." This phrasing is physically contradictory. Structurally, a convex (outwardly protruding) element fits into a concave (inwardly recessed) element. Claiming that a depression fits into a protrusion renders the physical and structural relationship of the components indefinite.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 5, and 8-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhan et al. (US 2022/0276497, hereinafter "Zhan") in view of Chi et al. (US 2021/0303025, hereinafter "Chi").
With respect to Claim 1, Zhan teaches a head-wearable electronic device comprising:
an enclosure including:
at least one display configured to be disposed in front of eyes of a user when the head-wearable electronic device is worn (Zhan: Para. [0068]-[0069], first housing assembly 10 including optical-mechanical assembly 60), and
a frame supporting the at least one display (Zhan: Para. [0072], main front housing 11 and top plate 111);
a rear cover supported by a head of the user wearing the head-wearable electronic device (Zhan: Para. [0068], second housing assembly 30 accommodating the battery 35 against the back of the head); and
a side band connecting the enclosure to the rear cover (Zhan: Para. [0068], [0075], strap assembly 20 comprising first head strap 21 connecting the first and second housing assemblies);
wherein the side band includes:
a housing, defining an exterior of the side band (Zhan: Para. [0076], [0082]-[0084], first strap cover 211 and first strap body 210 buckled together to form an accommodation cavity).
Zhan fails to expressly disclose wherein the side band includes a supporting member comprising a base portion with a protrusion extending to a groove on the housing.
However, Chi discloses a mechanical linkage for head-mounted display adjustment assemblies (Chi: Para. [0048]) teaching:
a supporting structure featuring an extension arm acting as a protrusion (Chi: Para. [0059], extension arm 201) extending into a matching groove/recess on an adjacent component (Chi: Para. [0059], receiving groove 202) configured to physically connect two components of the device together (Chi: Para. [0060]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus, as taught by Zhan, to incorporate the extension arm (protrusion) and receiving groove, as taught by Chi, in order to improve the structural integrity of the side band and stability of the HMD by preventing the housing components from shifting relative to one another during wear and adjustments (Chi: Para. [0064]).
With respect to Claims 2 and 12, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the components are coupled through an adhesive member (Zhan: Para. [0086], the flexible strip and grooves are bonded by a glue).
With respect to Claims 4, 5, 17, and 18, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein components feature complementary concave and convex portions configured to fit into one another (Chi: Para. [0070]-[0071], Fig. 10, the side walls feature a first position-limiting portion 206 and a second position-limiting portion 205 which have interlocking axial protrusions/convexities that engage one another to lock the relative position of the structural members).
With respect to Claims 8-11 and 14-16, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame and housing include aligned holes (first, second, and third holes) and are coupled via a screw/fastener passing through the holes (Chi: Para. [0059]-[0061], receiving groove 202 is provided with position-limiting holes 203, extension arm 201 is provided with through hole 204, and a rotating shaft 4 acts as a fastener passing through the aligned holes and locked tightly by fastening portion 5).
With respect to Claim 13, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first housing part includes loops, and the second includes corresponding hooks (Zhan: Para. [0079], [0084], first connector 2107 utilizes multiple hooks that engage with second connector 2117 to buckle the housing together).
With respect to Claim 19, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein an electronic component comprising circuitry is disposed within the enclosure on the supporting member (Zhan: Para. [0076], [0087]-[0088], power supply FPC 213 is accommodated inside the cavity of the strap body 210).
With respect to Claim 20, the combination of Zhan as modified by Chi teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the side band includes at least one of a speaker or an interface configured to charge the device (Zhan: Para. [0087]-[0088], the FPC 213 inside the strap routes to connect the battery 35 to the speaker assembly 91).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 6-7 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.
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 BRYAN EARLES whose telephone number is (571)272-4628. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday at 7:30am - 5:00pm.
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/BRYAN EARLES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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