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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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) 1-4, 6, 8-9, 15-17, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Farkas (US 20210326551)
Farkas discloses
1. An electronic device system (machine vision system 100) comprising:
an electronic device (handheld reader 102) comprising a head portion (head end 102A);
a docking device (base station 104) for releasably securing the electronic device to the locking device ([0056] ... the base station 104 can retain the reader 102, when the reader 102 is engaged with (i.e., docked on) the base station 104), wherein the docking device is operable in at least two coupling modes ([0082] ... latch system 120 is configured to provide three distinct latching configurations);
the docking device comprising:
a latch (latch portions 146, 162) movable between a first latch configuration corresponding to a first coupling mode of the at least two coupling modes ([0087] Referring now to FIGS. 12A through 12C, when the latch system 120 is in the third (least retention) latching configuration ... ) and a second latch configuration corresponding to a second coupling mode of the at least two coupling modes ([0085] Referring in particular to FIGS. 10A through 10C, when the latch system 120 is in the first (highest retention) latching configuration), wherein the latch and the head portion are spaced apart when the docking device is in the first coupling mode ([0087] ... as the reader 102 is seated on the base station 104, the reader 102 can be slid into both of the wells 106, 108 without necessarily displacing ay of the latch members 140, 142 and the latch members 140, 142 may generally not act to retain the reader 102 on the base station 104), and wherein the latch engages the head portion when the docking device is in the second coupling mode ([0085] ... the biasing force of the spring 148 causes the latch portions 146 of the latch member 140 to extend fully into the head-end well 106 (see FIG. 10B) to engage the docked reader 102 (see also FIG. 13)); and
a switch assembly (adjustment body 126) coupled to the latch, wherein the latch is configured for being moved between the first latch configuration and the second latch configuration via operation of the switch assembly ([0080] ... rotation of the adjustment body 126 from outside of the housing 112 can translate the control body 152 within the housing 112 in order to dispose the latches 122, 124 in different orientations).
2.1, wherein the electronic device is a handheld scanner, and wherein the electronic device further comprises a handle portion extending between the head portion and a bottom portion of the electronic device (Fig. 1, par. 3).
3.1, wherein the latch comprises a head coupling portion, and wherein the electronic device defines an opening configured to receive the head coupling portion when in the second coupling mode (Figs. 13-14: head coupling portion of latch 146 is received in the well opening).
4.3, wherein the head coupling portion is configured to extend a first length within the opening defined by the electronic device when the latch is in the second latch configuration (Figs. 13-14: head coupling portion of latch 146 is extended and received in the well opening)
6.3, wherein the switch assembly comprises a latch switch and a switch cover mounted on the latch switch, wherein the latch switch defines an outer facing portion of the switch assembly accessible to a user and the switch cover defines an inner facing portion of the switch assembly (Fig. 7, par. 62, 80: mode selector is configured as a rotatable adjustment body 126 that is exposed for engagement at the bottom of the base end 104B of the base station 104. In particular, the adjustment body 126 includes a Phillips-head engagement feature, although other features are possible, including knobs or tabs for finger-engagement, engagement features for other tools … the pin 132 on the adjustment body 126 is configured to align with a slot 174 on the control body 152, so that the pin 132 extends into the slot 174).
8.6, wherein the docking device comprises a head receiving portion (well 106) and a bottom receiving portion (well 108), wherein the head receiving portion is configured to receive the head portion of the electronic device and the bottom receiving portion is configured to receive a bottom portion of the electronic device (Fig. 1).
9.8, wherein at least one of the head receiving portion or the bottom receiving portion comprises one or more alignment features configured to facilitate gravity drop-in of the electronic device with respect to the docking device (Fig. 1, par. 57).
15. A docking device for releasably securing an electronic device (handheld reader 102) to the docking device, the docking device comprising:
a latch (latch portions 146, 162) movable between a first latch configuration corresponding to a first coupling mode of the docking device and a second latch configuration corresponding to a second coupling mode of the docking device (par. 56, 82, 85-87),
wherein the latch and the electronic device are spaced apart when the docking device is in the first coupling mode (par. 87), and
wherein the latch engages the electronic device when the docking device is in the second coupling mode (Fig. 10-13, par. 85); and
a switch assembly (adjustment body 126) coupled to the latch, wherein the latch is configured for being moved between the first latch configuration and the second latch configuration via operation of the switch assembly (par. 80: rotation of the adjustment body 126 from outside of the housing 112 can translate the control body 152 within the housing 112 in order to dispose the latches 122, 124 in different orientations).
Re claims 16-17, 19-20, see discussion regarding claims above.
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) 5, 7, 10-14, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farkas (US 20210326551)
5.4, wherein the head coupling portion is configured to extend a second length within the opening defined by the electronic device when the latch is in a third latch configuration, wherein the second length is longer than the first length (Farkas is silent to a second length longer than the first length; however, Farkas also discloses that a control profile 170 are symmetrically contoured to engage and actuate the latch members 142 as the control body 152 is moved … other configurations are possible , including non-symmetrical configurations and configurations in which control members are configured to separately actuate different latch members of a particular latch for independent movement thereof …; par. 77-79+; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to extend the teachings of Farkas by providing a control profile such that the head coupling portion can extend to a second longer length so that the scanner device can more stably docked in a vertical configuration; it is noted that lengthening the head coupling would have been also an obvious extension of the prior art’s teachings as recognized by the Courts; see MPEP 2144.04)
7.6, wherein the switch cover is substantially oval (Farkas discloses the switch cover is cylindrical; Fig. 7; Farkas is silent to oval shape; however, it has been recognized that changing size and shape is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. MPEP 2144.04.
10.8, wherein the latch further comprises a pivot portion configured to cause the latch to rotate when the pivot portion is engaged (Farkas is silent to the latch to rotate when the pivot is engaged in the embodiment of Figs. 1-15; however, Farkas also discloses embodiments in which the base includes pivots 210, 214, 220 that can be a pin enabling a latch; i.e. contact 216, holder 218, hinge 206; to rotate about; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to combine the teachings of Farkas so that the latch can utilize a hinge system as desirable)
11.10, wherein the latch switch (i.e. hinge 238, arm 226, arm 246) is configured for being moved between at least a first position corresponding to the first coupling mode and a second position corresponding to the second coupling mode, wherein the switch cover (i.e. arm of hinge 206, holder 218, spring 244) engages the pivot portion when the latch switch is in the first position, and wherein the head coupling portion of the latch is configured to be positioned outside of an interior of the head receiving portion of the docking device (Farkas, Fig. 17-22: the head coupling portion can be outside of an interior of the head receiving portion of the docking device).
12.11, wherein the switch cover and the pivot portion are spaced apart when the latch switch is in the second coupling mode, wherein the head coupling portion of the latch is configured to extend within the interior of the docking device (Fig. 16-20).
13.12, wherein the first coupling mode is configured for a horizontal application of the docking device, and wherein the second coupling mode is configured for a vertical application or a mobile application of the docking device (Figs. 1-2).
14.11, wherein the switch cover comprises at least a first locking portion corresponding to the first position of the latch switch and a second locking portion corresponding to the second position of the latch switch (Figs. 16-20: hinge 206, holder 218 rotate as the reader engages with the base).
Re claims 18, see discussion regarding claims above.
Conclusion
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/THIEN T MAI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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