www.uspto.gov
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`
`15/633,272
`
`06/26/2017
`
`Kenichi SHINDO
`
`20296.0105USW1
`
`9058
`
`53148
`
`759°
`
`11/02/2018
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
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`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
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`CHOWDHURY' ROCKSHANAD
`
`ART UNIT
`2835
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`11/02/2018
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
`PTOMai1@hsm1.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/633,272
`Examiner
`ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY
`
`Applicant(s)
`SHINDO et al.
`Art Unit
`2835
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 7/17/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a). This action is FINAL.
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`2b) C] This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)[:] The drawing(s) filed on
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`is/are: a)D accepted or b)l:] objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12):] Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)D All
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`b)I:J Some”
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.[:]
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:]
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`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3.[:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
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`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`2) E] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20181012
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Objections
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`All of the claim objections for claim 1 and claim 3 sent on office action 02/23/2018 have
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`not been corrected in the claim amendments dated 07/17/2018. Therefore, some part of
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`the claim objections for claims 1 and 3 sent on office action 02/23/2018 have been
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`maintained and therefore stated below because of the following informalities:
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`0 Claim 1
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`in line 10 recite “the second side" and should instead recite “the
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`second side of the second housing” to maintain consistency and to avoid
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`ambiguity.
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`0 Claim 3 in lines 10-11 recite “the one end" and should instead recite “the one
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`end of each of the pair of the link members" to maintain consistency and to
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`avoid ambiguity.
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`0 Claim 3 in line 10 recite “the link member” should recite “each of the pair of link
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`members” to maintain consistency and to avoid ambiguity.
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`0 Claim 3 in line 13 recite “a mounted face of the second housing” should recite
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`“the mounted face of the second housing” as previously recited in claim 3 in
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`line 5.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 3
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`In the interest of compact prosecution, Examiner interpretation above in light of
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`drawing and specification is to be confirmed in the next Office communication by
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`the Applicant and also appropriate correction is required.
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`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:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless -
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`(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or
`othenNise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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`Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Hosoi et al.
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`(US Patent No. 4,951,241 and Hosoi hereinafter)
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`Regarding claim 1I Hosoi discloses (figs. 2-9 and see annotated fig. 7 below) an
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`electronic device comprising:
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`a first housing (300, fig. 9) provided with a display (310);
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`a second housing (100) provided with an operating portion (keyboard, 150); and
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`a hinge (not shown, col 2, lines 40-42) that connects a first side (F1) on a rear of the
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`first housing in a length direction and a second side (81) of the second housing such
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`that the first housing and the second housing are capable of relative rotation (shows in
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`fig. 7),
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`wherein the second housing has a leg (400, fig. 5) capable of protruding rearward of the
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`second side,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 4
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`the leg, when protruding, provides a handle (401) configured to be gripped by a user for
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`carrying the electronic device (col 3, lines 60-65), and
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`a shape of a section in the second side connected to the leg is set such that, when the
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`leg is protruded rearward (fig. 6) of the second side of the second housing,
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`
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`a rear end of the leg protrudes downward (see annotated fig. 7 above) from a vertical
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`position of a mounted face (M1) which is a main face of the second housing opposite to
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`a main face (M2) on which the operating portion is provided.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 5
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness
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`rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`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.
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`Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosoi et
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`al in view of Nagamura et al. (US Patent No. 7936562 B2 and Nagamura
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`hereinafter)
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`Regarding claim 2I Hosoi discloses the electronic device according to claim 1. Hosoi
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`further teaches wherein the leg includes: a rod-shaped leg member (401 ); and a pair of
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`link members (402) which connects the rod-shaped leg member and the second side of
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`the second housing to each other, wherein the pair of link members is connected
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`(elements 402 connected with element 401 ), on one end of each of the pair of link
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`members, to the second side of the second housing so as to be rotatable with a
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`predetermined space formed (elements 402 are rotatable with predetermined space)
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`between the pair of link members in a longer direction (length wise direction) of the
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`second side of the second housing.
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`Hosoi does not explicitly disclose another end of one of the pair of link members is
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`connected to one end of the rod-shaped leg member so as to be slidable in a longer
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`direction of the rod-shaped leg member, and another end of another link member is
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 6
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`connected to another end of the rod-shaped leg member so as to be slidable in the
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`longer direction of the rod-shaped leg member.
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`However, Nagamura teaches (figs. 6A-6C) another end of one of the pair of link
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`members (43) is connected to one end of the rod-shaped leg member (4) so as to be
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`slid able (fig. 6B) in a longer direction (direction G) of the rod-shaped leg member, and
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`another end of another link member (44) is connected to another end of the rod-
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`shaped leg member so as to be slidable (fig.6C) in the longer direction of the rod-
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`shaped leg member.
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
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`date of the claimed invention to combine one end of the rod-shaped leg member
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`slidable in a longer direction of the rod-shaped leg member of Nagamura to the
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`electronic device of Hosoi in order to provide smooth movement of the handle, when the
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`handle is moved from the extended position to the retracted position.
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`Regarding claim 3: Hosoi/ Nagamura discloses the electronic device according to
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`claim 2. Hosoi further teaches wherein the second housing has: a first main wall (M1)
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`constituting the main face of the second housing; a second main wall (M2) disposed
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`parallel to the first main wall with a predetermined space and constituting a mounted
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`face of the second housing; and a rotation shaft (700) projecting at least from one of
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`the first main wall and the second main wall toward the other (fig. 7), and each of the
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`pair of link members is configured such that: a through-hole (403) formed on the one
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`end of each of the pair of link members is engaged with the rotation shaft so that the link
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`member is rotatable about the one end; the one end is sandwiched so as to be slidable
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`between a first face (F1) of the first main wall around the rotation shaft and a second
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 7
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`
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`face (F2) of the second main wall around the rotation shaft, and the first face and the
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`second face tilt (tilting the keyboard, stated in claim 1 and fig. 7) relative to a mounted
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`face of the second housing such that a rear end of the leg protrudes downward (fig. 7)
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`from the vertical position of a mounted face.
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`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosoi et al in
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`view of Staats et al. (US Pub No. 2011/0222238 A1 and Staats hereinafter)
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`Regarding Claim 4: Hosoi discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
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`Hosoi does not explicitly disclose the first housing is a tablet computer configured to be
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`detachable from the hinge.
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`However, Staats further teaches the first housing is a tablet computer (101, fig.4)
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`configured to be detachable (fig. 8) from the hinge (130 and 128).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
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`date of the claimed invention to combine a tablet computer configured to be detachable
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 8
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`from the hinge of Staats to the electronic device of Hosoi in order to provide a
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`counterbalance armature that used as a handle to carry the slate tablet computer when
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`it is housed in the slate tablet computer housing.
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant's arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot
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`because the arguments do not apply to the new grounds of rejection being used in the
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`current Office action.
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`Conclusion
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this
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`Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
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`Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed within
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`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the
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`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
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`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
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`the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 9
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone
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`number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8 AM - 4:30
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`PM.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
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`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, JINHEE LEE can be reached on 571-272—1977. The fax phone number for
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`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
`
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`
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`
`/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2835
`
`