Prior art

Analysis of Prior Art for U.S. Patent No. 11,921,355

This analysis examines the prior art cited during the prosecution of U.S. Patent No. 11,921,355 to assess its potential relevance to the patent's claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102 for anticipation. The following references were considered by the USPTO examiner.

U.S. Patent No. 7,163,283 B2 (Hsu)

• Full Citation: Hsu, US 7,163,283 B2, "Eyeglasses with Detachable Electronic Devices"
• Publication Date: January 16, 2007
• Filing Date: August 26, 2004
• Description: This patent describes an eyeglass frame with a detachable electronic device. The device, which can be an MP3 player, radio, or other electronic apparatus, is designed to be easily attached to and removed from the temple of the eyeglasses. The connection is facilitated by a locking mechanism, and electrical contact is established between the device and speakers integrated into the eyeglass frame.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: The Hsu patent appears to disclose many elements of claim 1. It describes a "temple arrangement" in the form of a detachable electronic device that contains electrical components and attaches to the temple of a pair of glasses. This could be interpreted as anticipating the "temple arrangement" and "electrical component" limitations of the claim.
  • Claim 11: Similarly, the detachable electronic device in Hsu could be considered a "temple adapter" as it is a separate module that attaches to the temple to provide electronic functionality. This could potentially anticipate the core elements of claim 11.
  • Claim 20: The method of providing a customer with customizable electronic eyewear by offering detachable modules, as described in Hsu, aligns with the steps outlined in claim 20. This could be seen as anticipating the claimed method.

U.S. Patent No. 7,782,234 B2 (Lin)

• Full Citation: Lin, US 7,782,234 B2, "Glasses-Type Electronic Device"
• Publication Date: August 24, 2010
• Filing Date: June 14, 2007
• Description: This invention details a glasses-type electronic device where functional modules, such as a camera or an MP3 player, can be removably attached to the temples of the glasses. The temples are designed with a receiving portion to accommodate these modules, allowing for interchangeable functionalities.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1: Lin's modular design, where electronic units are attached to the temples, could be argued to anticipate the "temple arrangement" with an "electrical component" as described in claim 1.
  • Claim 11: The removable functional modules in Lin's design function as "temple adapters," providing a means to add or change the electronic capabilities of the eyewear. This could be viewed as anticipating the "temple adapter" concept in claim 11.
  • Claim 20: The concept of providing different functional modules that a user can select and attach to their glasses, as taught by Lin, is highly relevant to the method described in claim 20.

U.S. Patent No. 8,212,859 B2 (Koppes)

• Full Citation: Koppes, US 8,212,859 B2, "Eyewear with a Removable and Replaceable Wireless Communications Module"
• Publication Date: July 3, 2012
• Filing Date: May 19, 2008
• Description: Koppes discloses eyewear with a removable and replaceable wireless communications module. This module, containing components like a Bluetooth transceiver, microphone, and speaker, can be attached to the temple of the eyeglasses. The design allows for easy upgrades or replacement of the electronics.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 1 & 11: The removable wireless communications module in Koppes directly corresponds to the "temple arrangement" or "temple adapter" with an "electrical component" as recited in claims 1 and 11.
  • Claim 20: The invention by Koppes, which allows for the replacement and upgrading of electronic modules on eyewear, supports the business method of providing customizable electronic glasses as claimed in claim 20.

U.S. Patent No. 8,630,680 B2 (Rachabathuni)

• Full Citation: Rachabathuni, US 8,630,680 B2, "Hands-Free Headset with Interchangeable Holding Mechanisms"
• Publication Date: January 14, 2014
• Filing Date: June 21, 2011
• Description: This patent describes a hands-free headset with a main body containing electronic components and interchangeable holding mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is an eyeglass clip that allows the headset to be attached to the temple of a pair of glasses.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 11: The eyeglass clip with the main body of the headset in Rachabathuni can be considered a "temple adapter" that brings electronic functionality to standard eyewear. This could be argued to anticipate the invention defined in claim 11.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0117581 A1 (Lafferty)

• Full Citation: Lafferty, US 2003/0117581 A1, "Eyeglass Mounted Portable Electronic Device"
• Publication Date: June 26, 2003
• Filing Date: December 21, 2001
• Description: Lafferty describes a system for mounting a portable electronic device, such as a music player or a communication device, onto the temple of a pair of eyeglasses. The system includes a mounting bracket that attaches to the temple and a corresponding bracket on the electronic device.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims:
  • Claim 11: The mounting system and electronic device combination in Lafferty's application functions as a "temple adapter" that provides electronic capabilities to the eyeglasses, potentially anticipating the subject matter of claim 11.

It is important to note that a final determination of anticipation requires a detailed analysis of the claim language and the specific teachings of each prior art reference. This summary provides a high-level overview of the most relevant prior art and its potential impact on the claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,921,355.