DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Title
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed: INTERACTIVE DEVICE HAVING MULTIPLE FUNCTIONIONAL ELEMENTS AND MOUNTING REGIONS.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cohen et al. (US 2004/0243314 A1).
As to claim 1, Cohen discloses an interactive device (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0019], “computer 10” comprising “housing section 14 for containing and providing connection for various components”), comprising:
a supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) comprising a supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”), a bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”) and an internal space (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0023], internal space inside “housing section 14”) formed between the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) and the bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”), wherein the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) further comprising a plurality of mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”);
a first functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “numeric keypad module 26”) comprising a first functional surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], front surface of “numeric keypad module 26” comprising numeric keys) and a first mounting surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], bottom surface of “numeric keypad module 26” comprising, e.g., “module interface connectors 119”) being disposed on at least another one of the plurality of (Cohen, see FIGS. 6-7) mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”); and
a second functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) comprising a second functional surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], front surface of “keyboard 128” comprising alphabet keys) and a second mounting surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], bottom surface of “keyboard 128” comprising, e.g., “module interface connectors 119”) being disposed on at least one of the plurality of (Cohen, see FIGS. 6-7) mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”).
As to claim 2, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein the second functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) is further disposed on at least two adjacent ones of the plurality of mounting regions (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 6, 3 adjacent “separate sections 18”).
As to claim 3, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”) comprises at least one fixing portion (Cohen, FIGS. 1 and 6, [0027], e.g., “connector 120”) for fixing the first functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “numeric keypad module 26”) or/and the second functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) on the supporting base (Cohen, FIGS. 1 and 6, [0027], “when the keyboard 128 is attached or "plugged-in" to the adjacent module sections 118, the active connector 119 will mate with a connector 120 in a corresponding module section 118 for providing an interface between the keyboard and the computer processor”).
As to claim 8, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, further comprises a third functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7E, [0028], “ top smaller sections 118 are provided for accommodating various modules, such as a numeric keypad, touch pad, mouse, speakers, track ball, music player, floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, optical disk drive (e.g. CD or DVD writer and/or reader), etc.”; “touch pad”) disposed on a part of yet another one of (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 7E) the plurality of mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”).
As to claim 9, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, further comprising a third functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7E, [0028], “ top smaller sections 118 are provided for accommodating various modules, such as a numeric keypad, touch pad, mouse, speakers, track ball, music player, floppy disk drive, hard disk drive, optical disk drive (e.g. CD or DVD writer and/or reader), etc.”; e.g., a pair of stereo “speakers”) disposed on a part of at least two of the plurality of mounting regions (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], may be disposed on two of the “six separate sections 18”, i.e., left and right).
As to claim 10, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein a projected area of the second functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) on the supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) is greater than (Cohen, e.g., see FIGS. 2 and 7, the projected area of “keyboard 128” is “3 sections 18” while that of “numeric keypad module 26” is “1 section 18”) or equal to a projected area of the first functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “numeric keypad module 26”) on the supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) on the basis of the supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) and the first functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) and the second functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “numeric keypad module 26”) being all parallel to each other and being equidistant from each other (Cohen, e.g., see FIGS. 2 and 7).
As to claim 11, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) further comprises:
a circuit board (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board controlling those “connectors”) disposed in the internal space (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0023], internal space inside “housing section 14”);
a plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], “multiple module interface connectors 119”) formed on the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”), wherein the plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], “multiple module interface connectors 119”) electrically connect to the circuit board (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board controlling those “connectors”); and
a circuit control unit disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to each of the plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board & circuit control unit controlling those “connectors”).
As to claim 12, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], “multiple module interface connectors 119”) includes a positioning portion and an electrode portion, so that the first functional element or the second functional element electrically connects to the electrode portion (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], e.g., “when the keyboard 128 and numeric keypad module 26 are attached or "plugged-in" to the adjacent module sections 118, the active connector 119 will mate with a connector 120 in a corresponding module section 118 for providing respective interfaces between the keyboard and the computer processor and the numeric keypad module and the computer processor”).
As to claim 13, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 12, wherein the electrode portion further includes a plurality of electrical terminals (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”).
As to claim 14, Cohen discloses the interactive device according to claim 11, further comprising an electronic component (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], e.g., “the computer processor”) disposed in the internal space (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0023], internal space inside “housing section 14”) and electrically connected to the circuit control unit (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board & circuit control unit controlling those “connectors”), wherein the electronic component (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], e.g., “the computer processor”) is selected from one of a central processing unit (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], e.g., “the computer processor”), a bus control unit, a wireless communication unit, a microprocessor unit, a graphics processing unit, a digital signal processing unit, and a memory.
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 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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen et al. (US 2004/0243314 A1) in view of Wang et al. (US 2017/0282060 A1, hereinafter Wang 1).
As to claim 4, Cohen does not teach the interactive device according to claim 3, wherein the fixing portion is magnet or ferromagnetic.
However, Wang 1 teaches the concept that the fixing portion (Wang 1, FIGS. 1-2, [0039], “fixing mechanism 43”) is magnet (Wang 1, FIGS. 1-2, [0039], “can include four first magnet attracting members 430 and four second magnet attracting members 431”) or ferromagnetic.
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the “connector 120” taught by Cohen to further comprise the “magnet attracting members 430 431”, as taught by Wang 1, in order to provide that “the fixing mechanism 43 is able to fix the casing 40 with the housing 3” (Wang 1, [0039]).
Claims 5-7 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cohen et al. (US 2004/0243314 A1) in view of Wang et al. (US 2019/0196552 A1, hereinafter Wang 2).
As to claim 5, Cohen does not teach the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base further comprises a plurality of side surfaces formed around the outermost perimeter of the plurality of mounting regions.
However, Wang 2 teaches the concept that the supporting base (Wang 2, FIG. 3, [0029], “base casing 20”) further comprises a plurality of side surfaces (Wang 2, FIG. 3, [0029], “inner wall”) formed around the outermost perimeter of the plurality of (Wang 2, see FIG. 3) mounting regions (Wang 2, FIG. 3, [0029], “containing portion 21”).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify “cavity 16” taught by Cohen to further comprise the “inner wall(s)”, as taught by Wang 2, in order to provide, e.g., “solve the hard-to-fold and inconvenient-to-carry problem caused by a gaming keyboard which occupies more mechanical space of the laptop computer” (Wang 2, [0004]).
As to claim 6, Cohen teaches the interactive device according to claim 5, wherein the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) further comprises at least one first partitioning groove (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be grooves separating the “sections 18” because there will be no distinction otherwise, and examiner interprets the horizontal grooves as the 1st partitioning grooves) formed thereon, wherein the extension lines of both endpoints of the at least one first partitioning groove intersect with any two of the plurality of side surfaces that are opposite to each other relative to the supporting surface (Cohen, see FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”).
As to claim 7, Cohen teaches the interactive device according to claim 6, wherein the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) further comprises at least one second partitioning groove (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be grooves separating the “sections 18” because there will be no distinction otherwise, and examiner interprets the vertical grooves as the 2nd partitioning grooves) formed thereon, wherein the at least one second partitioning groove intersects perpendicularly with (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 2) the at least one first partitioning groove (Cohen, e.g., see FIG. 2, [0026], the horizontal grooves).
As to claim 15, Cohen in view of Wang 2 teaches the interactive device according to claim 1, wherein the first functional element (Wang 2, FIG. 5, [0038], “ first function assembly 32a including a plurality function keys used as a number pad”) further comprises a plurality of first side surfaces (Wang 2, see FIG. 5) that surround the first functional surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], front surface of “keyboard 128” comprising numeric keys) and the first mounting surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], bottom surface of “numeric keypad module 26” comprising, e.g., “module interface connectors 119”); and
the second functional element (Wang 2, e.g., FIG. 5, [0038], “keyboard assembly 31a”) further comprises a plurality of second side surfaces (Wang 2, e.g., see FIG. 5) that surround the second functional surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], front surface of “keyboard 128” comprising alphabet keys) and the second mounting surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], bottom surface of “keyboard 128” comprising, e.g., “module interface connectors 119”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5.
As to claim 16, Wang 2 teaches the interactive device according to claim 15, wherein a connecting slot (Wang 2, e.g., FIG. 5, [0039], “connecting portion 311a”) is formed on one of the first side surfaces or one of the second side surfaces (Wang 2, see FIG. 5).
As to claim 17, Cohen teaches an interactive device (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0019], “computer 10” comprising “housing section 14 for containing and providing connection for various components”), comprises:
a supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) comprising a supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”), a bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”) and an internal space (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0023], internal space inside “housing section 14”) formed between the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) and the bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”), wherein a plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], “multiple module interface connectors 119”) formed on the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”);
a circuit board disposed in the internal space, wherein a circuit control unit disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to each of the plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board & circuit control unit controlling those “connectors” inside “housing section 14”); and
a first functional element (Cohen, e.g., FIG. 7A, [0023], “keyboard 128”) comprising a first functional surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], front surface of “numeric keypad module 26” comprising numeric keys), a first mounting surface (Cohen, FIGS. 4 and 7A, [0023], bottom surface of “numeric keypad module 26” comprising, e.g., “module interface connectors 119”).
Cohen does not explicitly teach “a plurality of first side surfaces that surround the first functional surface and the first mounting surface”.
However, Wang 2 teaches the concept of a plurality of first side surfaces (Wang 2, see FIG. 5) that surround the first functional surface (Wang 2, FIG. 5, [0038], the surface of “ first function assembly 32a including a plurality function keys used as a number pad”) and the first mounting surface (Wang 2, FIG. 5, [0038], the bottom surface of “first function assembly 32a including a plurality function keys used as a number pad”).
Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5. Please see claim 5 for detailed analysis.
As to claim 18, Wang 2 teaches the interactive device according to claim 17, wherein a connecting slot (Wang 2, e.g., FIG. 5, [0039], “connecting portion 311a”) is formed on one of the first side surfaces (Wang 2, see FIG. 5). Please see claim 5 for detailed analysis.
As to claim 19, Cohen teaches an interactive device (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0019], “computer 10” comprising “housing section 14 for containing and providing connection for various components”), comprises:
a supporting base (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], “housing section 14”) comprising a supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”), a bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”), an internal space (Cohen, FIGS. 1-2, [0023], internal space inside “housing section 14”) formed between the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”) and the bottom surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], bottom of “housing section 14”); and
a first mounting region, a second mounting region, a third mounting region, and a fourth mounting region (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0026], e.g., “six separate sections 18”) defined on the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”).
Cohen teaches that “the connectors for the modules are arranged in a symmetrical fashion, so as to create a design having the greatest degree of flexibility of module placement. Likewise, each modular section can be the same size as or a different size than the other modular sections” (Cohen, [0036]), yet does not explicitly teach “wherein an area of the first mounting region is equal to an area of the third mounting region and smaller than an area of the second mounting region, and the area of the second mounting region is equal to an area of the fourth mounting region and larger than the area of the first mounting region”.
However, Wang 2 teaches the concept that an area of the first mounting region is equal to an area of the third mounting region and smaller than an area of the second mounting region (Wang 2, e.g., see FIG. 5, the area of the mounting region for “first function assembly 32a” is smaller than that for “first keyboard assembly 31a”), and the area of the second mounting region is equal to an area of the fourth mounting region and larger than the area of the first mounting region (Wang 2, e.g., see FIG. 5, the area of the mounting region for “first keyboard assembly 31a” is larger than those for “first function assembly 32a” and “another first function assembly 33a”).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the sizes of the “separate sections 18” taught by Cohen to be various as needed, as taught by Cohen in view of Wang 2, as a routine design choice.
As to claim 20, Cohen teaches the interactive device according to claim 19, further comprising:
a plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIGS. 1-4, [0027], “multiple module interface connectors 119”) formed on the supporting surface (Cohen, FIG. 2, [0020], surface of “housing section 14”); and
a circuit board disposed in the internal space, wherein a circuit control unit disposed on the circuit board and electrically connected to each of the plurality of electrical interfaces (Cohen, FIG. 3, [0022], “Each section 18 contains a connector interface such as a multi-pin jack, universal serial bus connector (USB or USB 2) as shown in FIG. 3”; it is reasonably inferred that there must be a circuit board & circuit control unit controlling those “connectors” inside “housing section 14”).
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: Ganthier et al. (US 5,865,546 A) teaches the concept of “modular keyboard assembly” (Abs.); Carter et al. (US 5,144,302 A) teaches the concept of “modular keyboard” (Abs.); and Patel et al. (US 2024/0094781 A1) teaches the concept of “modular keyboard system” (Abs.).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD J HONG whose telephone number is (571) 270-7765. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM 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, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Jun. 12, 2026
/RICHARD J HONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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