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
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim (s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lin (US 2026/0086601 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses a protective case (1;Fig.1) for an electronic device, adapted for a keyboard (30), comprising: a housing (10 and 13), provided with a receiving groove (19), wherein the receiving groove is configured to receive the electronic device (19 receives tablet); a movable arm (135;Fig.3), movably connected to the housing (13); and a conductive member (conductive cable within 135 that connects to 131), integrated with the housing and the movable arm; wherein the conductive member is built in the housing and the movable arm ( cable is within 135 to connect to connector 131), wherein the conductive member is provided with a first conductive end (136 that connects to keyboard and a second conductive end (first end of cable that connects to 131), the first conductive end is provided on the housing and configured to be electrically connected to an external object (see 136 provided on bottom of housing 10 which connects to keyboard 30;Fig.4a); and the second conductive end is provided on the movable arm ( end with 131), and the second conductive end is electrically connected to or disconnected from the electronic device with a movement of the movable arm ( moving arm 135 disconnects the connector 131 from the tablet device).
Regarding claim 2, Lin discloses , wherein the conductive member is further provided with a conductive portion (15 and conductive cable within 135 that connects to 131) for passing through the housing and the movable arm and being built in the housing and the movable arm ( conductor wire 15 is built within frame 13 and also moving arm 135) ; and two ends of the conductive portion ( top end of conductor within 135 and 13 and bottom end of connector which is within 135 and 13) are electrically connected to the first conductive end and the second conductive end respectively ( conductor within 135 that connects between 131 and the keyboard).
Regarding claim 3, Lin discloses wherein the conductive portion is at least one of a conductive wire (see 15 and wire within 135 that connects to usb-c connector 131)
Regarding claim 4, Lin discloses wherein when the movable arm (135) moves relative to the housing (13), a position of a part of the conductive portion (cable within 135) corresponding to the movable arm is adjusted with the movement of the movable arm and maintain an electrical connection state with the second conductive end (135 is movable to maintain a connection between 131 and the tablet).
Regarding claim 5, Lin discloses wherein the movable arm is flexibly connected to the housing and is swingable relative to the housing, and the movable arm and the housing are integrated in a single monolithic piece (see Fig.2 and Fig.3) or, the movable arm is pivotably connected to the housing and is swingable relative to the housing (see Fig.3), the movable arm (135A) is connected to the housing through a swinging member (see bottom end of 135;Fig.3), and the swinging member is an articulation member (see 135).
Regarding claim 6, Lin discloses wherein the second conductive end (131) is connected to the movable arm and exposed on an outer side of the movable arm (see 131 exposed on outer surface of 135a and 15), and the second conductive end is configured to be interfaced with an interface end of the electronic device (131 is a usb-c interface with the tablet).
Regarding claim 7, Lin discloses wherein the first conductive end is connected to the housing and exposed on an outer side of the housing (see 136 on bottom outer surface of 10;Fig.4a), the first conductive end is configured to interface with an interface end of the external object (136 interfaces with 33 of the keyboard;Fig.4a); the external object is a keyboard main body (see 30;Fig.4a); and an interface structure between the first conductive end and the interface end of the external object is a contact-type interface structure (see 136 that comes into contact with 33 in Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 8, Lin discloses wherein when the second conductive end is electrically connected to the electronic device and the first conductive end is electrically connected to the external object, the electronic device is electrically connected to the external object, and data transmission or power supply is performed between the electronic device and the external object (when 136 is connected to 33, keyboard 30 is connected to tablet 90 with power and data transmission; Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 9, Lin discloses, in Fig.1, wherein the housing comprises a first plate (11) and at least one side plate (13), the receiving groove is defined by the first plate and the at least one side plate in an enclosing manner (see groove within 11 and 13 that receives the tablet); and the conductive member is configured to passe through the first plate and the at least one side plate (see conductive member 15 that passed through 11 and 13).
Regarding claim 10, Lin discloses a keyboard main body (30); the keyboard main body is electrically connected to an external power supply (90 is the external power supply for keyboard 30); and the keyboard main body is connected to the protective case for the electronic device (90), and the protective case for the electronic device is configured to receive the electronic device and electrically connect the electronic device and the keyboard main body ( see Fig.1-Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 11, Lin discloses a protective case (1;Fig.1) for an electronic device, adapted for a keyboard, comprising: a housing (10) , provided with a receiving groove (19), wherein the receiving groove is configured to receive the electronic device (90;Fig.4A); a movable arm (135 and 135a;Fig.2), movably connected to the housing (10); and a conductive member (15), integrated with the housing (13) and the movable arm (135); wherein the conductive member is provided with a first conductive end (see 136 in Fig.4a) and a second conductive end (131), the first conductive end (see 136 on bottom of 10 in Fig.4a) is provided on the housing and configured to be electrically connected to an external object (30) ; and the second conductive end (131) is provided on the movable arm (135a) , and the second conductive end is electrically connected to or disconnected from the electronic device with a movement of the movable arm (movement of 135 connects or disconnects 131 to 90).
Regarding claim 12, Lin discloses wherein the movable arm (135) is movably connected to the housing (10), and the movable arm approaches or moves away from the electronic device (135 approaches or moves away from 90).
Regarding claim 13, Lin discloses wherein a position of the movable arm is adjustable relative to the housing (see Fig.3), and a position of the conductive member is adjusted along with a movement of the movable arm (see part 135 of 15 adjusted with movement of 135a); and the conductive member is electrically connected to the electronic device located in the receiving groove and an external object (see 15 and bottom of 135 connecting between 90 and keyboard 30).
Regarding claim 14, Lin discloses wherein the movable arm is flexibly connected to the housing and is swingable relative to the housing, and the movable arm and the housing are integrated in a single monolithic piece (see Fig.2 and Fig.3) or, the movable arm is pivotably connected to the housing and is swingable relative to the housing (see Fig.3), the movable arm (135A) is connected to the housing through a swinging member (see bottom end of 135;Fig.3), and the swinging member is an articulation member (see 135).
Regarding claim 15, Lin discloses , wherein the conductive member is further provided with a conductive portion (15 and conductive cable within 135 that connects to 131) for passing through the housing and the movable arm and being built in the housing and the movable arm ( conductor wire 15 is built within frame 13 and also moving arm 135) ; and two ends of the conductive portion ( top end of conductor within 135 and 13 and bottom end of connector which is within 135 and 13) are electrically connected to the first conductive end and the second conductive end respectively ( conductor within 135 that connects between 131 and the keyboard).
Regarding claim 16, Lin discloses wherein when the movable arm (135) moves relative to the housing (13), a position of a part of the conductive portion (cable within 135) corresponding to the movable arm is adjusted with the movement of the movable arm and maintain an electrical connection state with the second conductive end (135 is movable to maintain a connection between 131 and the tablet).
Regarding claim 17, Lin discloses wherein the first conductive end is connected to the housing and exposed on an outer side of the housing (see 136 on bottom outer surface of 10;Fig.4a), the first conductive end is configured to interface with an interface end of the external object (136 interfaces with 33 of the keyboard;Fig.4a); the external object is a keyboard main body (see 30;Fig.4a); and an interface structure between the first conductive end and the interface end of the external object is a contact-type interface structure (see 136 that comes into contact with 33 in Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 18, Lin discloses wherein the conductive member is built in the housing ( see 15 built within the frame of 10) and the movable arm (135a) ; wherein the first conductive end is connected to the housing and exposed on an outer side of the housing (see 136 on bottom outer surface of 10;Fig.4a), the first conductive end is configured to interface with an interface end of the external object (136 interfaces with 33 of the keyboard;Fig.4a); the external object is a keyboard main body (see 30;Fig.4a); and an interface structure between the first conductive end and the interface end of the external object is a contact-type interface structure (see 136 that comes into contact with 33 in Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 19, Lin discloses wherein when the second conductive end is electrically connected to the electronic device and the first conductive end is electrically connected to the external object, the electronic device is electrically connected to the external object, and data transmission or power supply is performed between the electronic device and the external object (when 136 is connected to 33, keyboard 30 is connected to tablet 90 with power and data transmission; Fig.4a).
Regarding claim 20, Lin discloses, in Fig.1, wherein the housing comprises a first plate (11) and at least one side plate (13), the receiving groove is defined by the first plate and the at least one side plate in an enclosing manner (see groove within 11 and 13 that receives the tablet); and the conductive member is configured to passe through the first plate and the at least one side plate (see conductive member 15 that passed through 11 and 13).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETE LEE whose telephone number is (571) 270-5921. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday (2nd & 4th Friday Off). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at (571) 272-2229 The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/PETE T LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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