DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5, line 24 – page 6, line 18, filed 4/16/2026, with respect to claim 1, have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that Muramatsu fails to disclose or suggest that the position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction is detected “based on the same output from the signal output unit.” However, as discussed in the rejection on the merits below, Muramatsu’s embodiment in fig. 16d arranges coil patterns La through Le in series within an output unit for detection of key movements on all three axes based on the same output from the signal output unit, marked “OUT.”
Accordingly, Muramatsu discloses the feature of “a detection unit configured to detect both a position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction and a displacement of the key in a front-rear direction based on the same output from the signal output unit,” as recited in amended claim 1. Amended claim 1 is therefore not yet in condition for allowance.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, lines 19-20, filed 4/16/2026, with respect to claim 11’s “similar features noted above with regard to claim 1,” have been fully considered but are not persuasive. See response to claim 1 arguments above and also the claim 11 rejection on the merits below.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, line 21 – page 7, line 2, filed 4/16/2026, with respect to claims 2-10, have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Claims 2-10 stand rejected below on their own merits and by virtue of their dependency from claim 1.
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.
Claims 1, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Muramatsu et al. (US 5187315 A, February 16, 1993), hereinafter Muramatsu.
Regarding claim 1, Muramatsu discloses a key operation detector (Muramatsu abstract: "a linear relationship is obtained between the key stroke and the detection output"), comprising: a conductive unit provided in a key of a keyboard device (Muramatsu col. 3, lines 48-56: "A key guide cap 7 such as shown in FIG. 3 is force inserted into the holder 1c of each key 1. The guide cap 7 has a box type configuration made of magnetic metal such as Fe and Ni or non-magnetic metal such as Al. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 3, the guide cap 7 is open downwards and provided with side air vents 7b. This key guide cap 7 acts as a key guide and as the inductance change inducing means of the present invention."); a substrate provided to face the key in a pressing and releasing direction of the key (Muramatsu col. 6, lines 12-16: "The assembled condition of the coil sheet 31 is shown in FIG. 11A and the extended condition thereof is shown in FIG. 11B. The symbols X, Y and Z indicate the moving direction of the key 1 just as in FIG. 10." Coil face section (substrate) A is provided to face the key in the Z direction (a pressing and releasing direction of the key).); a signal output unit including a coil, provided on the substrate (Muramatsu col. 6, lines 15-16: "The coil patterns La to Le are formed on the coil face sections A to E on the guide block 30." Muramatsu col. 2, lines 57-58: "FIG. 15 is a simplified plan view of the key guide block bearing coil patterns." Muramatsu fig. 15 labels coil patterns La to Le.), and configured to output a signal corresponding to a position of the conductive unit relative to the signal output unit (Muramatsu col. 5, line 62 - col. 6, line 5: "As the key 1 moves in the Z-direction, the mating surface area between each coil face section of the guide block 30 with respect to an associated inner face of the guide cap 27 as well as the gap between the coil face section 31a and the inner upper face of the guide cap 27 change. As the key moves in the X-direction, the mating surface areas between the coil face sections 31d and 31e with respect to the associated inner faces of the guide cap change. Further, movement of the key 1 in the Y-direction causes changes in the gaps between the coil face sections 31b and 31c and the associated inner faces of the guide cap 27."); and a detection unit (Muramatsu col. 8, lines 34-47: "the circuit includes, as major elements, an oscillator 100, a keying detection circuit 110 connected to the output side of the oscillator 100, a keying terminal detection circuit 120 connected to the output side of the keying detection circuit 110, a touch data formation circuit 130 connected to the output sides of the foregoing major elements, a multi-circuit 140, a data conversion table 145, a data selector 146, a musical tone signal generator 150 and a sound system 160 connected to the musical tone signal generator 150. Among those elements, the oscillator 100, the keying detection circuit 110, the keying terminal detection circuit 120 and touch data formation circuit 130 are each arranged one for each key 1.") configured to detect both a position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction and a displacement of the key in a front-rear direction (Muramatsu col. 7, lines 43-46: "In the arrangement shown in FIG. 16D, all the coil patterns La to Le are connected in series for detection of all the key movements.") based on the same output from the signal output unit (Muramatsu fig. 16d discloses that all coils are connected in series, with the same oscillator output (labeled "OUT") for all coils La to Le, which is then fed to the input of keying detection circuit 110 as discussed above.).
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Regarding claim 9, Muramatsu discloses a keyboard device comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu further discloses a plurality of keys (Muramatsu abstract: "a keyboard apparatus in which a plurality of keys are swingably mounted to a fixed key support "); and a plurality of key operation detectors according to claim 1 respectively disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of keys (Muramatsu col. 3, lines 57-66: "A print circuit board 8 including necessary circuits is attached to the top face of the frame 2 and, as best seen in FIG. 2, a number of guide blocks 10, one for each key 1, are juxtaposed on the print circuit board 8. Back to FIG. 3, each guide block 10 has a box type configuration made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin and provided, on each side face parallel to the longitudinal direction of the associated key, with a pair of guide rails 11 extending in the vertical direction at the front and rear ends of the face.").
Regarding claim 11, Muramatsu discloses a method of detecting a key operation of a key of a keyboard device (Muramatsu abstract: " a linear relationship is obtained between the key stroke and the detection output") including (i) a conductive unit provided in the key (Muramatsu col. 3, lines 48-56: "A key guide cap 7 such as shown in FIG. 3 is force inserted into the holder 1c of each key 1. The guide cap 7 has a box type configuration made of magnetic metal such as Fe and Ni or non-magnetic metal such as Al. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 3, the guide cap 7 is open downwards and provided with side air vents 7b. This key guide cap 7 acts as a key guide and as the inductance change inducing means of the present invention."), (ii) a substrate provided to face the key in a pressing and releasing direction of the key (Muramatsu col. 3, line 67 - col. 4, line 4: "When the key 1 is unoperated, only the upper section of the guide block 10 is received in the guide cap 7 as shown in FIG. 1. When the key 1 is operated, the side faces of the cap 7 are placed in vertical sliding contact with the guide rails 11 on the side faces of the guide block 10."), and (iii) a signal output unit including a coil, provided on the substrate (Muramatsu col. 6, lines 15-16: "The coil patterns La to Le are formed on the coil face sections A to E on the guide block 30." Muramatsu col. 2, lines 57-58: "FIG. 15 is a simplified plan view of the key guide block bearing coil patterns." Muramatsu fig. 15 labels coil patterns La to Le.), and configured to output a signal corresponding to a position of the conductive unit relative to the signal output unit (Muramatsu col. 5, line 62 - col. 6, line 5: "As the key 1 moves in the Z-direction, the mating surface area between each coil face section of the guide block 30 with respect to an associated inner face of the guide cap 27 as well as the gap between the coil face section 31a and the inner upper face of the guide cap 27 change. As the key moves in the X-direction, the mating surface areas between the coil face sections 31d and 31e with respect to the associated inner faces of the guide cap change. Further, movement of the key 1 in the Y-direction causes changes in the gaps between the coil face sections 31b and 31c and the associated inner faces of the guide cap 27."), the method comprising: acquiring signals output from the signal output unit (Muramatsu col. 8, lines 34-47: "the circuit includes, as major elements, an oscillator 100, a keying detection circuit 110 connected to the output side of the oscillator 100, a keying terminal detection circuit 120 connected to the output side of the keying detection circuit 110, a touch data formation circuit 130 connected to the output sides of the foregoing major elements, a multi-circuit 140, a data conversion table 145, a data selector 146, a musical tone signal generator 150 and a sound system 160 connected to the musical tone signal generator 150. Among those elements, the oscillator 100, the keying detection circuit 110, the keying terminal detection circuit 120 and touch data formation circuit 130 are each arranged one for each key 1."); and detecting, based on the same acquired signals (Muramatsu fig. 16d discloses that all coils are connected in series, with the same oscillator output (labeled "OUT") for all coils La to Le, which is then fed to the input of keying detection circuit 110 as discussed above.), both a position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction and a displacement of the key in a front-rear direction (Muramatsu col. 7, lines 43-46: "In the arrangement shown in FIG. 16D, all the coil patterns La to Le are connected in series for detection of all the key movements.").
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2-4 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Furukawa et al. (US 20120072150 A1, March 22, 2012), hereinafter Furukawa.
Regarding claim 2, Muramatsu discloses a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose that the signal output unit includes a pair of signal output units, and wherein the detection unit detects the position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction based on a sum of signals respectively output from the pair of signal output units, and detects the displacement of the key in the front-rear direction based on a difference between the signals respectively output from the pair of signal output units.
However, Furukawa suggests that the signal output unit includes a pair of signal output units (Furukawa ¶0117: "Likewise, the amount of change in the Y directional component of inductance is detected based on a Y directional difference value, which is a difference between the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 22 placed in the Y(+) direction and the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 24 placed in the Y(−) direction."), and wherein the detection unit detects the position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction based on a sum of signals respectively output from the pair of signal output units (Furukawa ¶0119: "Further, it is possible to detect pressing in the Z axial direction by calculating the sum of the inductances and determining the sum as an evaluation value for the amount of pressing of the entire key 30 in order to detect the case of pressing in the Z axial direction."), and detects the displacement of the key in the front-rear direction based on a difference between the signals respectively output from the pair of signal output units (Furukawa ¶0117: "Likewise, the amount of change in the Y directional component of inductance is detected based on a Y directional difference value, which is a difference between the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 22 placed in the Y(+) direction and the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 24 placed in the Y(−) direction.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the key operation detector of Muramatsu by adding the pair of signal outputs of Furukawa to increase the calculation accuracy and reduce calculation time by correcting or normalizing in advance the amount of change of inductance due to application of the operator's force (Furukawa ¶0115).
Regarding claim 3, Muramatsu (in view of Furukawa) teaches a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 2 as discussed above.
Furukawa further suggests that the pair of signal output units are disposed side by side in the front-rear direction (Furukawa ¶0101: "the coil 22 is placed on the positive side on the Y axis relative to the origin O, the coil 23 is placed on the negative side on the X axis relative to the origin O, and the coil 24 is placed on the negative side on the Y axis relative to the origin O.").
Regarding claim 4, Muramatsu (in view of Furukawa) teaches a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 3 as discussed above.
Furukawa further suggests that a first signal output unit of the pair of signal output units is disposed to be shifted in a first direction of the front-rear direction with respect to the conductive unit (Furukawa ¶0101: "the coil 22 is placed on the positive side on the Y axis relative to the origin O."), and wherein a second signal output unit of the pair of signal output units is disposed to be shifted in a second direction of the front-rear direction opposite to the first direction with respect to the conductive unit (Furukawa ¶0101: "the coil 24 is placed on the negative side on the Y axis relative to the origin O.").
Regarding claim 8, Muramatsu (in view of Furukawa) teaches a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 3 as discussed above.
Furukawa further suggests that the signal output unit further includes another pair of signal output units disposed side by side in a key arrangement direction (Furukawa ¶0101: "The coil 21 is placed on the positive side on the X axis relative to the origin O, the coil 22 is placed on the positive side on the Y axis relative to the origin O, the coil 23 is placed on the negative side on the X axis relative to the origin O"), and wherein the detection unit detects a displacement of at least one of a yaw direction and a roll direction of the key based on a difference between signals respectively output from another pair of signal output units (Furukawa ¶0117: "The amount of change in the X directional component of inductance is detected based on an X directional difference value, which is a difference between the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 21 placed in the X(+) direction and the corrected or normalized amount of change in inductance of the coil 23 placed in the X(−) direction.").
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Tsuji et al. (US 20110050191 A1, March 3, 2011), hereinafter Tsuji.
Regarding claim 5, Muramatsu discloses a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose that the coil includes two spiral portions and connected to each other, and wherein the two spiral portions have the same spiral direction as each other with a center of each of the two spiral portions as a base point.
However, Tsuji suggests that the coil includes two spiral portions and connected to each other, and wherein the two spiral portions have the same spiral direction as each other with a center of each of the two spiral portions as a base point (Tsuji ¶0009: "According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inductor includes a coil electrode section and a magnetic layer section. The coil electrode section includes a first spiral electrode, a second spiral electrode lying in substantially the same plane as the first spiral electrode and wound in substantially the same direction as the first spiral electrode, a connection electrode arranged to connect an outer end of the second spiral electrode and an outer end of the first spiral electrode").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the key operation detector of Muramatsu by adding the thin the magnetic layer for a lower profile without causing magnetic saturation (Tsuji ¶0010).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Brosh et al. (US 4580478 A, April 8, 1986), hereinafter Brosh.
Regarding claim 6, Muramatsu discloses a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose that the conductive unit is a metal plate disposed parallel to a surface of the key.
However, Brosh suggests that the conductive unit is a metal plate disposed parallel to a surface of the key (Brosh col. 3, lines 38-46: "As shown in FIG. 2D, in lieu of a shorted coil as coil 41, one may also employ a solid conducting board 52 mounted on the movable key member 51. The board 52 may be fabricated from aluminum, copper and so on. When moved in the proximity of coil 54 associated with capacitor 56, it will again vary the inductance and the Q of the tuned circuit and hence cause the variable frequency oscillator 55 to provide an output which varies both in frequency and amplitude.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the key operation detector of Muramatsu by adding the conductive metal plate of Brosh to fabricate the board from aluminum, copper, or another metal (Brosh col. 3, lines 39-45).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Brosh and further in view of Tsuji.
Regarding claim 7, Muramatsu discloses a key operation detector comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose that the conductive unit is a circuit including a coil including two spiral portions connected to each other, and wherein the two spiral portions in the conductive unit have the same spiral direction as each other with a center of each of the two spiral portions as a base point.
However, Brosh suggests that the conductive unit is a circuit including a coil (Brosh col. 2, lines 60-68: "The moving coil which is analogous to coil 14 of FIG. 1 consists of a shorted coil arrangement. The static coil as 15 of FIG. 1 consists of a first coil 25 designated as a drive coil which is positioned adjacent to a second coil 24 designated as a sense coil. The drive coil 25 is energized by means of a suitable source 26 such as a square or sinewave generator. The sense coil 24 is associated with suitable sensing circuitry as will be explained.").
Furthermore, Tsuji suggests that the coil includes two spiral portions connected to each other, and wherein the two spiral portions in the conductive unit have the same spiral direction as each other with a center of each of the two spiral portions as a base point (Tsuji ¶0009: "According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inductor includes a coil electrode section and a magnetic layer section. The coil electrode section includes a first spiral electrode, a second spiral electrode lying in substantially the same plane as the first spiral electrode and wound in substantially the same direction as the first spiral electrode, a connection electrode arranged to connect an outer end of the second spiral electrode and an outer end of the first spiral electrode").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the key operation detector of Muramatsu by adding the conductive unit of Brosh to vary an amplitude signal for movement (Brosh col. 3, lines 4-11) and the thin the magnetic layer of Tsuji for a lower profile without causing magnetic saturation (Tsuji ¶0010).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Muramatsu in view of Ledet et al. (US 20140378783 A1, December 25, 2014), hereinafter Ledet.
Regarding claim 10, Muramatsu discloses a keyboard device comprising the features of claim 1 as discussed above.
Muramatsu further teaches that the signal output unit outputs a signal corresponding to a distance between the conductive unit and signal output unit and an overlapping area of the conductive unit and the signal output unit (Muramatsu col. 5, line 62 - col. 6, line 5: "As the key 1 moves in the Z-direction, the mating surface area between each coil face section of the guide block 30 with respect to an associated inner face of the guide cap 27 as well as the gap between the coil face section 31a and the inner upper face of the guide cap 27 change. As the key moves in the X-direction, the mating surface areas between the coil face sections 31d and 31e with respect to the associated inner faces of the guide cap change." Muramatsu col. 6, lines 6-9: "The change in mating surface area causes a corresponding substantially linear change in coil inductance and change in gap causes a corresponding parabolic change in coil inductance.").
Muramatsu does not explicitly disclose that the detection unit detects the position of the key in the pressing and releasing direction based on the distance between the conductive unit and signal output unit and detects the displacement of the key in the front-rear direction based on the overlapping area of the conductive unit and the signal output unit.
However, Ledet suggests that the detection unit detects the position of the key (Ledet ¶0047: "The sensor system 10 may be used for measurement of displacement, deformation, strain, shear, force, load, absolute pressure, temperature, pH, or other physical, chemical or biological stimulus or parameter.") in the pressing and releasing direction based on the distance between the conductive unit and signal output unit and detects the displacement of the key in the front-rear direction based on the overlapping area of the conductive unit and the signal output unit (Ledet ¶0052: "The stimulus may, for example, be an axial force, represented by the arrow F in FIG. 4, resulting in a decrease in spacing between coils 20, 22, or shear, represented by the arrow S in FIG. 4, altering overlapping areas of the coils.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the key operation detector of Muramatsu by adding the overlapping area detection of Ledet to detect shear movement (Ledet ¶0052).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 PHILIP SCOLES whose telephone number is (703)756-1831. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30-4:30 ET.
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/PHILIP G SCOLES/
Examiner, Art Unit 2837
/DEDEI K HAMMOND/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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