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 § 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) 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9-13, 15-17, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0103021 A1 to Lim et al. (Lim), US 2017/0249013 A1 to Glad et al. (Glad), and US 2013/0082951 A1 to Tanaka et al. (Tanaka).
As to claim 1, Lim discloses a method of providing input to an eyewear device (Figs. 3A-6A, Par. 147), comprising: receiving on an input surface of a touch sensor (50) at least one finger contact inputted from a user (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151), the touch sensor (50) including an input surface (touch surface such as upper surface, side surface, lower surface) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151) and a sensor array (touch pattern such as 51) that is coupled to the input surface (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151) to receive the at least one finger contact inputted from the user (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151); tracking the at least one finger contact on the input surface (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, 154); detecting at least one touch event (touch gesture) on the input surface (touch surface such as upper surface, side surface, lower surface) of the touch sensor (50) based on the at least one finger contact on the input surface (touch surface such as upper surface, side surface, lower surface) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, 154); identifying a finger gesture based on the at least one detected touch event on the input surface (touch surface such as upper surface, side surface, lower surface) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, 154); and adjusting an image presented on an image display based on the identified finger gesture (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176).
Lim does not expressly disclose the touch sensor disposed on a circuit board extending substantially a length of the touch sensor; measuring at least one of capacitance or voltage changes using a sensing circuit integrated into or connected to the touch sensor to track the at least one finger contact as the at least one finger contact slides along on the input surface and causes changes in capacitance at respective sensors of the sensor
array.
However, Lim discloses a capacitance touch sensor has been used in Lim’s device (see [0071, 0086]).
Glad discloses the touch sensor (30) disposed on a circuit board (PCB) extending substantially a length of the touch sensor (30) (Figs. 2, 4, Pars. 23-24, 30); . measuring capacitance (Figs. 2, 4, Pars. 37-38) changes using a sensing circuit integrated into or connected to the touch sensor (30) to track the at least one finger contact on the input surface (Figs. 2, 4, Pars. 39-40).
Tanaka discloses measuring capacitance changes using a sensing circuit integrated into or connected to the touch sensor (112a-112f) to track the at least one finger contact as the at least one finger contact slides along on the input surface (surface of P1-P6) and causes changes in capacitance at respective sensors of the sensor array (P1-P6) (Figs. 3, 8A-8B, Pars. 75-76, 99-100).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Lim with the teaching of Glad to improve tracking and position accuracy as suggested by Glad (Par. 40) and to provide increase detecting accuracy as suggested by Tanaka (Par. 18).
As to claim 19, see claim 1 above. Lim further discloses non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor (Par. 200).
As to claim 2, Lim discloses the sensor array (touch pattern such as 51) is a capacitive array (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 71, 147, 151), further comprising: a respective location coordinate (e.g. X and Y sensing electrodes used for location coordinate, see Par. 147, see also Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176) and a respective input time of the at least one finger contact on the input surface (50) (e.g. Fig. 14 shows the user touches the touchpad with the index finger at a position before or at a time prior to scrolling/moving the index finger forward or backward to another position) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176); and tracking the respective location coordinate (e.g. X and Y sensing electrodes used for location coordinate, see Par. 147, see also Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176) and the respective input time of the at least one finger contact on the input surface (e.g. Fig. 14 shows the user touches the touchpad with the index finger at a position before or at a time prior to scrolling/moving the index finger forward or backward to another position) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176), wherein detecting the at least one touch event on the input surface of the touch sensor (50) is based on the at least one respective location coordinate (e.g. X and Y sensing electrodes used for location coordinate, see Par. 147, see also Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176) and the respective input time of the at least one finger contact (e.g. Fig. 14 shows the user touches the touchpad with the index finger at a position before or at a time prior to scrolling/moving the index finger forward or backward to another position) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176).
As to claim 20, see claims 1 and 2 above.
As to claim 4, Lim as modified discloses he circuit board is a flexible printed circuit board (Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23). See claim 1 motivation above.
As to claim 5, Lim as modified discloses forming patterned conductive traces (Lim’s 51) in the capacitive array of the touch sensor (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151), the patterned conductive traces formed of at least one metal, indium tin oxide, or a combination thereof on the flexible printed circuit board (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23). See claim 1 motivation above.
As to claim 7, Lim as modified discloses the touch sensor (Lim’s 50, Glad’s 30) includes the capacitive array (Glad’s Par. 38), the capacitive array (Lim’s 50, Glad’s 30) being formed of patterned conductive sensor electrodes connected to the flexible printed circuit board (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23) and disposed below the input surface (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23), and a sensing circuit is connected to the sensor electrodes (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23) and integrated into or connected to the touch sensor (31) via at least one respective electrical interconnect (Kimura’s Figs. 2-6, 14, Pars. 67, 79-81), further comprising: the sensing circuit measuring capacitance changes of each of the sensor electrodes of the capacitive array to track the at least one finger contact on the input surface (1a) of the touch sensor (Lim’s Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 147, 151, Glad’s Figs. 2, 4, Par. 23). See claim 1 motivation above.
As to claim 9, Lim discloses forming the capacitive array into a grid that forms a two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system to track X and Y axes location coordinates (e.g. X and Y sensing electrodes is known to be used for location coordinate, see Par. 147, see also Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176).
As to claim 10, Lim discloses the at least one detected touch event is a single tap on the input surface of the touch sensor (50) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Par. 147) and the identified finger gesture is a selection of a graphical user interface element in the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147), further comprising: adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by selecting the graphical user interface element (e.g. albums) for display or execution on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 174, 179).
As to claim 11, Lim discloses forming the capacitive array or the resistive array into a linear array and forming a one-dimensional linear coordinate system to track an X axis location coordinate (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147).
As to claim 12, Lim discloses receiving on the input surface (50) of the touch sensor the at least one finger contact inputted from the user (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176) comprises: receiving on the input surface of the touch sensor a first finger contact inputted from the user at a first input time (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176); and receiving on the input surface of the touch sensor a second finger contact inputted from the user at a second input time which is within a predetermined time period of the first input time (e.g. Fig. 14 shows the user touches the touchpad with the index finger at a position before scrolling/moving the index finger forward or backward to another position) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176).
As to claim 13, Lim discloses detecting the at least one touch event on the input surface of the touch sensor based on the at least one finger contact inputted from the user (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176) comprises: detecting a first touch event on the input surface of the touch sensor based on the first finger contact inputted from the user at the first input time (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176); and detecting a second touch event on the input surface of the touch sensor based on the second finger contact inputted from the user at the second input time within the predetermined time period of the first input time (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176), wherein identifying the finger gesture is based on the first and second detected touch events, the first input time, the second input time, and the predetermined time period (e.g. Fig. 14 shows the user touches the touchpad with the index finger at a position before scrolling/moving the index finger forward or backward to another position) (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Abstract, Pars. 145, 163, 165, see also Pars. 151, 176).
As to claim 15, Lim discloses the first and second detected touch events are finger swiping from front to back or back to front on the input surface of the touch sensor (50)(Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 174, 179), and the identified finger gesture is a scroll of the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 174, 179), further comprising: adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by scrolling the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 174, 179).
As to claim 16, Lim discloses the first and second detected touch events are finger pinching on the input surface of the touch sensor (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165), and the identified finger gesture is a zoom in of the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165), further comprising: adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by zooming in on the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165).
As to claim 17, Lim discloses the first and second detected touch events are finger unpinching on the input surface of the touch sensor (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165), and the identified finger gesture is a zoom out of the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165). further comprising: adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by zooming out of the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Pars. 141, 147, 163, 165).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0103021 A1 to Lim et al. (Lim), US 2017/0249013 A1 to Glad et al. (Glad), and US 2013/0082951 A1 to Tanaka et al. (Tanaka); in view of US 2013/0249776 A1 to Olsson et al. (Olsson).
As to claim 6, Lim does not expressly disclose surrounding the input surface of the touch sensor by a protruding ridge to indicate to the user an outside boundary of the input surface of the touch sensor.
Olsson discloses surrounding the input surface of the touch sensor by a protruding ridge to indicate to the user an outside boundary of the input surface of the touch sensor (Fig. 1, Par. 33, e.g. edges of the finger-operable touch pad 124 may be formed to have a raised, indented, or roughened surface).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Lim with the teaching of Olsson to provide tactile feedback to a user when the user's finger reaches the edge of the input surface as suggested by Olsson (Par. 33).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0103021 A1 to Lim et al. (Lim), US 2017/0249013 A1 to Glad et al. (Glad), and US 2013/0082951 A1 to Tanaka et al. (Tanaka); in view of US 2016/0334911 A1 to Kimura et al. (Kimura911).
As to claim 14, Lim discloses the first and second detected touch events are a press and hold on the input surface of the touch sensor (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Par. 16), and the identified finger gesture is a press and hold of a graphical user interface element in the image presented on the image display (Figs. 3A-6A, 7-17, Par. 16, see also Abstract, Pars. 145, 151, 163, 165, 176).
Lim does not expressly disclose adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by dragging and dropping of the graphical user interface element on the image display.
Kimura911 discloses adjusting the image presented on the image display based on the identified finger gesture by dragging and dropping of the graphical user interface element on the image display (Figs. 3-4, 23, Par. 150).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Lim with the teaching of Kimura911 to provide an intuitive and improve operability as suggested by Kimura911 (Par. 10).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0103021 A1 to Lim et al. (Lim), US 2017/0249013 A1 to Glad et al. (Glad), and US 2013/0082951 A1 to Tanaka et al. (Tanaka); in view of US 2013/0106745 A1 to Yang et al. (Yang).
Lim does not expressly disclose the first and second detected touch events are finger rotations on the input surface of the touch sensor, and the identified finger gesture is a finger rotation of the image presented on the image display, further comprising: adjusting the image presented on the display based on the identified finger gesture by rotating the image presented on the image display.
Yang discloses the first and second detected touch events (F1 and F2) are finger rotations on the input surface of the touch sensor (10) (Figs. 4A-4B, Pars. 40-41), and the identified finger gesture is a finger rotation of the image (301) presented on the image display(Figs. 4A-4B, Pars. 40-41), further comprising: adjusting the image (301) presented on the display (20) based on the identified finger gesture by rotating the image (301) presented on the image display (20) (Figs. 4A-4B, Pars. 40-41).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Lim with the teaching of Yang to provide an improved two-finger operation as suggested by Yang (Par. 9).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, and 9-20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Examiner notes that the new claim elements are now addressed by reference Tanaka as necessitated by amendments. Please see above for full basis of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2017/0131891 A1 to Novet teaches a gesture recognition using capacitive sensing with capacitive sensing electrodes electrically coupled to a capacitive sensing controller to output capacitive sensing measurements.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARURAT SUTEERAWONGSA whose telephone number is (571)270-7361. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Thursday, 8:30AM to 4:00PM, EST.
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/JARURAT SUTEERAWONGSA/Examiner, Art Unit 2623
/CHANH D NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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