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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 10-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention of Group II, claims 10-13, drawn to a method of manufacturing a force sensor, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 09/12/2025.
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-9 in the reply filed on 09/12/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “the Office has failed to demonstrate that the first and second conductive layers of Group I can be formed by a materially different process that does not necessarily include the conductive ink printing and/or that the method of making the device as outlined in Group II can be used to manufacture a force sensing device that is structurally different that the one disclosed in Group I”.
This is not found persuasive because the examiner clearly demonstrated the search and/or examination burden if restriction was not made because the groups are classified in different areas. As clearly shown in the restriction requirement dated 03/13/2025, Group I is classified in USPC 73/1.15 and Group II is classified in USPC 29/25.35. In addition, the examiner stated that the invention of Group I can be formed by a materially different process than the one disclosed in Group II, which discloses “printing said pressure sensitive material onto said upper surface of said force distribution structure” (see claim 11 of Group II) and “printing a conductive ink onto said first substates to produce said first conductive layer” and “printing a second conductive ink onto said second substrate to produce said second conductive layer” (see claim 13 of Group II). In this case, the pressure sensitive material and conductive layers as disclosed in Group I can be deposited by methods other than printing, such as by chemical vapor deposition.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: the title is not descriptive. A new title that would include the inventive features of the claimed invention is respectfully requested.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 8, the phrase “substantially rigid” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “substantially rigid” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Further clarification is respectfully requested.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al. (Pub. No. US 2010/0090299) (hereafter Chang) in view of Kim et al. (Pat. No. US 11,378,472) (hereafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Chang teaches a force sensing device, comprising:
a first conductive layer (i.e., layer of first electrodes 130) (see Fig. 1A) and a second conductive layer (i.e., layer of second electrodes 140) (see Fig. 1A);
a pressure sensitive active layer responsive to a mechanical interaction, said pressure sensitive active layer comprising
a pressure sensitive material (i.e., the material of each of the first sensing blocks 150 is, for example, a resistive material, a piezoresistive material, a piezoelectric material, an inductive material, an electromagnetic material or a thermoelectric material, which is used for sensing the pressure to correspondingly generate the sensing signal) (see paragraph section [0033]); and
a force distribution structure positioned between said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer (i.e., sensing blocks 150) (see Fig. 1A),
said force distribution structure extending between a first end and a second end of said first conductive layer (i.e., sensing blocks 150 are disposed on first electrodes 130) (see Fig. 1A);
wherein said force distribution structure is configured to expand a contact area between said pressure sensitive active layer and said first conductive layer in response to a force being applied to said force sensing device (i.e., the sensing blocks are dome shaped so that when an external force is exerted to the pressure device of flexible electronics 100, the first sensing blocks 150 disposed on the first electrodes 130 and the second electrodes 140 disposed on the second flexible film 120 are mutually contacted due to the squeeze, and accordingly a sensing signal is generated for sensing the pressure) (see paragraph section [0021]); and
further wherein said pressure sensitive material is applied (Note that it is the patentability of the product claimed (i.e., device comprising a pressure sensitive active layer having a pressure sensitive material and force distribution structure) and not the recited process steps (i.e., applying the pressure sensitive material to an upper surface of the force distribution structure) which must be established (see MPEP 2113)) to said force distribution structure to form said pressure sensitive active layer (i.e., a plurality of colloid first sensing blocks 150 is respectively fabricated on each of the first electrodes 130 based on a printing process, such as screen printing, inkjet printing, laminating, silk printing, or dispensing) (see paragraph section [0028]); but does not explicitly teach that said pressure sensitive material is applied to an upper surface of said force distribution structure to form said pressure sensitive active layer.
Regarding the application of the pressure sensitive material, Kim teaches that said force distribution structure is configured to expand a contact area between said pressure sensitive active layer and said first conductive layer in response to a force being applied to said force sensing device (i.e., when pressure is applied to the pressure sensor 100, the conductive material layer 3000 and the protrusions 3100 are elastically deformed so that a contact area between the protrusions 3100 and the patterned circuit 2000 is changed. The change in contact area makes a change in the flow path of electric current flowing on the patterned circuit 2000. Thus, the pressure sensor 100 can sense the pressure) (see Fig. 2); and
wherein said pressure sensitive material is applied to an upper surface of said force distribution structure to form said pressure sensitive active layer (i.e., the protrusions 3100 contains a non-conductive polymer material coated with a conductive material) (see Column 7, lines 15-47). In view of the teaching of Kim, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the protrusions from a coated layer of pressure sensitive material in order to adjust a sensitivity of the sensor device by improving the electrical connection path. Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice (see MPEP 2144.07).
Regarding claim 2, Chang teaches that said force distribution structure comprises a substantially dome-shaped cross section (i.e., sensing blocks 150 having dome-shaped cross section) (see Fig. 1A). Furthermore, it has been held that insignificant changes to shape which do not contain critical design requirements are a matter of choice which one having of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed limitation is significant (see MPEP 2144.04 (IV-B)).
Regarding claim 3, Chang teaches that said force distribution structure is axially symmetrical (i.e., sensing blocks 150 having dome-shaped cross section) (see Fig. 1A). Furthermore, it has been held that insignificant changes to shape which do not contain critical design requirements are a matter of choice which one having of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed limitation is significant (see MPEP 2144.04 (IV-B)).
Regarding claim 4, Chang teaches that said pressure sensitive material comprises a quantum tunnelling material (i.e., the material of each of the first sensing blocks 150 is, for example, a resistive material, a piezoresistive material, a piezoelectric material, an inductive material, an electromagnetic material or a thermoelectric material, which is used for sensing the pressure to correspondingly generate the sensing signal) (see paragraph section [0033]). Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice (see MPEP 2144.07).
Regarding claim 5, Chang teaches that at least one of said first conductive layer or said second conductive layer comprises a substrate (i.e., first flexible film 110 and second flexible film 120) (see Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 6, Chang as modified by Kim as disclosed above does not directly or implicitly teach that said substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate. However, Kim teaches that said substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate (i.e., the substrate may include a material selected from the group consisting of PET (polyethylene terephthalate)) (see Column 14, lines 21-32). In view of the teaching of Kim, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed the substrate from polyethylene terephthalate in order to improve the sensor’s flexibility and to reduce costs. Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice (see MPEP 2144.07).
Regarding claim 7, Chang teaches that said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer are spaced apart by a spacer gasket (i.e., walls W) (see Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 8, Chang as modified by Kim as disclosed above does not directly or implicitly teach that said force distribution structure comprises a substantially rigid material. However, Kim teaches that the sensitivity of the patterned circuit 2000 may be changed depending on the shape and material of the protrusions 3100 (see Column 13, lines 28-30). In view of the teaching of Kim, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have changed the rigidity of the force distribution structure in order to adjust a sensitivity of the sensor. Furthermore, it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice (see MPEP 2144.07).
Regarding claim 9, Chang teaches a method of testing a force sensing device, comprising steps of: providing the force sensing device (i.e., the pressure device of flexible electronics 100) (see Fig. 1A); and applying an elastic actuator to a top surface of said first conductive layer to provide said mechanical interaction to said force sensing device (i.e., the first bumps B1 respectively correspond to the first sensing blocks 150, and are disposed on the first flexible film 110. The bumps B1 disposed on the first flexible film 110 may lead to a fact that sensing unit of each on the first flexible film 110 has a relatively great deformation amount due to an effect of stress concentration after an external force is applied, so as to increase the sensing sensitivity of sensing unit) (see paragraph sections [0020]-[0022]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRAN M. TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0307. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 11:30am - 7:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Laura Martin can be reached on (571)-272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Tran M. Tran/Examiner, Art Unit 2855