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
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`15/633,272
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`06/26/2017
`
`Kenichi SHINDO
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`20296.0105USW1
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`9058
`
`53148
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`759°
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`08/23/20”
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`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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`08/23/2019
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`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):
`PTOMail@hsml.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`0/7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/633,272
`Examiner
`ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY
`
`Applicant(s)
`SHINDO et al.
`Art Unit
`2835
`
`AIA (FITF) 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 8/9/2019.
`[: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)
`Claim(s)
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`1—2 and 4—5 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) 1—2 and 4—5 is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. 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.
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`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`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:l Some**
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:] 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.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail DateW.
`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
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190820
`
`

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`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
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`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form
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`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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`Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by
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`Yamaguchi et al. (US Patent No. 4895231 A and Yamaguchi hereinafter)
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`Regarding Claim 1I Yamaguchi discloses an electronic device comprising:
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`a first housing provided with a display (4, fig.1);
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`a second housing provided with an operating portion (2, fig.1); and
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`a hinge (col 4, lines 53-55) that connects the first housing and the second
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`housing at a rear relative to a length direction of the first housing and the second
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`housing (fig. 3),
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 3
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`the first housing and the second housing being capable of relative rotation (fig. 1
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`and col 4, lines 53-55),
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`wherein the second housing has a recess (21 a) substantially centered
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`at the rear of the second housing relative to the length direction and
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`a leg (20) mounted at the rear of the second housing and removably (fig. 4)
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`housed in the recess,
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`wherein when the leg protrudes rearward from the rear of the second housing
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`(see annotated fig.7 below),
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`the leg is configured to support the second housing by abutting a surface on
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`which the electronic device rests, at a location rearward of the second housing (see
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`annotated fig. 7 below), and
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`
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`wherein when the leg protrudes rearward from the rear of the second housing,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 4
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`a bottom of the second housing at the rear is spaced from the surface on which
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`the electronic device rests (see annotated fig. 7 above).
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`Regarding Claim 5, Yamaguchi discloses the electronic device according to
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`claim 1, wherein the leg provides a handle configured to be gripped (24, fig. 4) by a user
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`for carrying the electronic device.
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`Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi et
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`al in view of Chen et al (US Pub No. 20090147469 A1 and Chen hereinafter)
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`Regarding Claim 2, Yamaguchi discloses the electronic device according to
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`claim 1.
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`Yamaguchi further teaches wherein the leg includes: a rod-shaped leg member
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`(24); and a pair of link members (23, 23) which connects the rod-shaped leg member
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`and the recess of the rear of the second housing to each other.
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`Yamaguchi does not explicitly disclose wherein the pair of link members is
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`connected, on one end of each of the pair of link members, to the recess of the rear of
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`the second housing so as to be rotatable with a predetermined space formed between
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`the pair of link members in a longer direction of the rear of the second housing.
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`However, Chen teaches (see annotated fig. 4) wherein the pair of link members
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`(44, 44 and fig. 4) is connected, on one end of each of the pair of link members, to the
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 5
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`recess of the rear of the second housing so as to be rotatable with a predetermined
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`space formed between the pair of link members in a longer direction of the rear of the
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`second housing.
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`
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
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`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the leg with the link members of Chen to
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 6
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`the electronic device of Yamaguchi in order to provide a handle structure that is
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`retractably disposed in the housing and includes an engaging module and a handle
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`module.
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`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamaguchi et
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`al in view of Staats et al. (US Pub No. 2011/0222238 A1 and Staats hereinafter)
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`Regarding Claim 4: Yamaguchi discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
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`Yamaguchi does not explicitly disclose the first housing is a tablet computer
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`configured to be 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
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`filing date of the claimed invention to combine a tablet computer configured to be
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`detachable from the hinge of Staats to the electronic device of Yamaguchi in order to
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`provide a counterbalance armature that used as a handle to carry the slate tablet
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`computer when it is housed in the slate tablet computer housing.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
`
`Page 7
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 has been considered but are moot
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`because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current
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`rejection.
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`Conclusion
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
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`this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR1.136(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 8
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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.
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`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
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`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
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`(AIR) at
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`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.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/633,272
`Art Unit: 2835
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`Page 9
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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2835
`
`