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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Embodiment 1, corresponding to Figures 1A-4, 17 and 18 and claims 1-4, 11-13, and 19-22, in the reply filed on 07/14/2026 is acknowledged.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “disclosed,” “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen et al. [Chen hereinafter, US 12,019,481].
In regard to claims 19-21, Chen discloses [in Figs. 1-3C] a keyboard, comprising: a bottom plate [150], a first key module [Fig. 1], comprising: a first keycap [120] disposed on the bottom plate [150], and comprising a visible region [on 120] corresponding to a first opening [151] of the bottom plate [150]; a first flexible component [130] disposed between the bottom plate [150] and the first keycap [150], and comprising a second opening [131d] corresponding to the visible region; a first support structure [140] disposed between the bottom plate [150] and the first keycap [120], and comprising a third opening corresponding to the visible region; and a pattern modulator [160, 170] disposed below the bottom plate [150], and comprising a pattern region [on 170] corresponding to the visible region; and a second key module [Fig. 1], comprising: a second keycap [120] disposed on the bottom plate [150], and comprising a pattern [on 170, wherein the second key module further comprises: a second flexible component [130] disposed between the bottom plate [150] and the second keycap [120]; and a second support structure [140] disposed between the bottom plate [150] and the second keycap [120], wherein the second flexible component [130] is disposed in an aperture [Fig. 3C] of the second support structure [140], wherein the first support structure [140] is connected between the bottom plate [150] and the first flexible component [130], and the second support structure [140] is connected between the bottom plate [150] and the second keycap [120].
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.
Claims 1-4, 11 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. [Chen hereinafter, US 12,019,481] in view of Huang et al. [Huang hereinafter, US 8,759,702].
In regard to claim 1, Chen discloses [in Figs. 1-3B] a key module, comprising: a bottom plate [150], comprising a first opening [151]; a keycap [120], disposed on the bottom plate [150], and comprising a visible region [on 120] corresponding to the first opening [151]; a flexible component [130], disposed between the bottom plate [150] and the keycap [120], and comprising a second opening [131d] corresponding to the visible region; a support structure [140], connected between the bottom plate [150] and the flexible component [130], and comprising a third opening corresponding to the visible region; a circuit layer [190] comprising a fourth opening [opening in 190, Fig. 3B] corresponding to the visible region; and a pattern modulator [160, 170], disposed below the bottom plate [150], and comprising a pattern region [on 170] corresponding to the visible region. Chen does not disclose that the circuit layer is disposed between the bottom plate and the flexible component. Huang teaches [in Fig. 1] that the circuit layer [20] is disposed between the bottom plate [10] and the flexible component [22]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to dispose the circuit layer between the bottom plate and the flexible component in order to better support the circuit layer. Further, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
In regard to claim 2, Chen discloses some of the limitations of the key module according to claim 1, wherein the pattern modulator comprises: an electronic paper [170] component, comprising the pattern region [on 170] corresponding to the visible region; and a backlight component [160, 162], disposed on one side of the electronic paper component [170], so that light emitted by the backlight component [160, 162] illuminates the pattern region.
In regard to claims 3 and 4, Chen discloses some of the limitations of the key module according to claim 1, wherein the circuit layer [190] comprises at least one trigger switch region [180] corresponding to at least one pressing portion [131b] of the flexible component [130], and the at least one trigger switch region [180] and the at least one pressing portion [131b] are located outside the pattern region, wherein the at least one trigger switch region [180] comprises a plurality of trigger switch regions [180] symmetrically disposed beside the fourth opening, and the at least one pressing portion [131b] comprises a plurality of pressing portions[131b] symmetrically disposed beside the second opening.
In regard to claim 11, Chen discloses some of the limitations of the key module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible component [130] comprises a flexible body [131] and a rigid member [132] bonded to the flexible body [131], and the keycap [120] is attached to the flexible body [131].
In regard to claim 12, Chen discloses some of the limitations of the key module according to claim 1, wherein the flexible component [130] comprises a flexible body [131] and a rigid member [132] bonded to the flexible body [131], the support structure [140] comprises a first connecting member [141] and a second connecting member [141] connected to the first connecting member [141], the first connecting member [141] and the second connecting member [141] comprise a plurality of shafts, a part of the plurality of shafts are connected to the bottom plate [150], and another part of the plurality of shafts are connected to the rigid member [132].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 and 22 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regard to claim 13, in combination with other limitations, the pattern region being rectangular and comprising a first edge and a second edge opposite to each other and a third edge and a fourth edge opposite to each other, the plurality of shafts protruding from the first edge and the second edge, the circuit layer comprising at least one trigger switch region, and the at least one trigger switch region corresponding to at least one of the third edge and the fourth edge is neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art.
In regard to claim 22, in combination with other limitations, a size of the third opening of the first support structure being larger than a size of the aperture of the second support structure is neither disclosed nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LHEIREN MAE A CAROC whose telephone number is (571)272-2730. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Renee Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LHEIREN MAE A CAROC/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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