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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 – 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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. “The first capacitor and second capacitor: they are discussed in specs as two individual capacitors but the drawings and the formula of the variance of a capacitance seem to indicate two metal plate separated by air or a dielectric material which together form a single capacitor”. To expedite prosecution, they are considered as two medal plates with air/dielectric material between them.
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 (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 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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1 – 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LUQUE A et al. (Capacitive Pressure Sensor Fabricated Using Printed Circuit Board Techniques: Proceedings of the 8th Spanish Conference on Electron Devices, CDE'2011).
Regarding claim 1, LUQUE discloses (Fig. 1, 3) a pressure sensitive button, comprising a first circuit board (top PCB), a second circuit board (bottom PCB), a first capacitor (top Cu plate), a second capacitor (bottom Cu plate), and a first connector (solder balls), wherein a first surface of the first circuit board is disposed opposite to a second surface of the second circuit board, the first capacitor is disposed on the first surface, the second capacitor is disposed on the second surface, the first capacitor is disposed opposite to the second capacitor (See Fig. 1), a first end of the first connector is connected to the first surface, and a second end of the first connector is connected to the second surface; and the first connector is configured to limit the first surface to be parallel to the second surface (As can be seen from Fig. 1, the solder balls are configured in a way that make the PCBs parallel with each other, Also see IV Experimental Results, last paragraph left column).
Regarding claim 2, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the first connector is fastened to the first circuit board by bonding, the second end of the first connector is fastened to the second circuit board by bonding, and the first circuit board is electrically connected to the second circuit board through the first connector (See II. DESIGN, 1st and 2nd paragraph).
Regarding claim 3, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 2, wherein the first connector is conductive adhesive (the first connector is solder balls which are conductive adhesive).
Regarding claim 4, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 1, wherein the first connector comprises a metal reinforcement plate, a first conductive adhesive layer, and a second conductive adhesive layer, the first conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the first circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate, and the second conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the second circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate (See annotated figure below).
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Regarding claim 5, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 1, wherein the first connector comprises at least one of a first pad that is disposed in a first welding region of the first circuit board and a second pad that is disposed in a second welding region of the second circuit board, the first pad protrudes from the first surface of the first circuit board, and the second pad protrudes from the second surface of the second circuit board (See Fig. 1, 3).
Regarding claim 6, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 5, wherein the first connector is the first pad, and the first pad is fastened to the second welding region by welding; the first connector is the second pad, and the second pad is fastened to the first welding region by welding; or the first connector comprises the first pad and the second pad, and the first pad is fastened to the second pad by welding (See Fig. 1, 3).
Claim(s) 9 – 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HUANG et al. (US 20220252469 A1, “HUANG”)
Regarding claim 9, HUANG discloses (Fig. 4 - 6) an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a housing (20), a second connector (106), and a pressure sensitive button, the second connector is disposed between the housing and the pressure sensitive button, and the second connector is configured to limit the pressure sensitive button to be fastened to the housing; wherein the pressure sensitive button comprises a first circuit board (103), a second circuit board (104), a first capacitor (101), a second capacitor (102), and a first connector (105), wherein a first surface of the first circuit board is disposed opposite to a second surface of the second circuit board, the first capacitor is disposed on the first surface, the second capacitor is disposed on the second surface, the first capacitor is disposed opposite to the second capacitor, a first end of the first connector is connected to the first surface, and a second end of the first connector is connected to the second surface (See Fig. 4 – 6, para [0023]); and the first connector is configured to limit the first surface to be parallel to the second surface (para [0025]).
Regarding claim 10, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the second connector (106) is a second elastic member (para [0047]), a first end of the second elastic member is connected to the housing, and a second end of the second elastic member is connected to the pressure sensitive button (para [0044]).
Regarding claim 11, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first end of the first connector is fastened to the first circuit board by bonding, the second end of the first connector is fastened to the second circuit board by bonding, and the first circuit board is electrically connected to the second circuit board through the first connector (para [0035]).
Regarding claim 12, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first connector is conductive adhesive (para [0023]).
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.
Claim(s) 7 - 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LUQUE A et al. (Capacitive Pressure Sensor Fabricated Using Printed Circuit Board Techniques: Proceedings of the 8th Spanish Conference on Electron Devices, CDE'2011) in view of Kessler et al. (US 20160062500 A1, “Kessler”).
Regarding claim 7, LUQUE discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 1, wherein the first connector is a first elastic member, and LUQUE further discloses the first circuit board is fastened to the second circuit board by welding (See II. Design second paragraph).
LUQUE is silent on wherein the first connector is a first elastic member.
However, Kessler discloses (Fig. 2A) wherein the first connector (230) is a first elastic member (para [0045])
LUQUE and Kessler are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of sensor. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified LUQUE to incorporate the teachings of Kessler and provide wherein the first connector (230) is a first elastic member (para [0045]). Doing so would provide a force-sensitive structure that is resilient and returns to a non-deflected state shortly after a force is removed (para [0045]).
Regarding claim 8, LUQUE in view of Kessler discloses the pressure sensitive button according to claim 7, wherein Kessler further discloses a first end of the first elastic member (230) is connected to the first capacitor (211), and a second end of the first elastic member is connected to the second capacitor (221).
Claim(s) 13 – 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG et al. (US 20220252469 A1, “HUANG”) in view of LUQUE A et al. (Capacitive Pressure Sensor Fabricated Using Printed Circuit Board Techniques: Proceedings of the 8th Spanish Conference on Electron Devices, CDE'2011).
Regarding claim 13, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, HUANG is silent on wherein the first connector comprises a metal reinforcement plate, a first conductive adhesive layer, and a second conductive adhesive layer, the first conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the first circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate, and the second conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the second circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate.
However, LUQUE discloses wherein the first connector comprises a metal reinforcement plate, a first conductive adhesive layer, and a second conductive adhesive layer, the first conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the first circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate, and the second conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the second circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate (See annotated figure below).
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HUANG and LUQUE are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of sensor. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified HUANG to incorporate the teachings of LUQUE and provide wherein the first connector comprises a metal reinforcement plate, a first conductive adhesive layer, and a second conductive adhesive layer, the first conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the first circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate, and the second conductive adhesive layer is disposed between the second circuit board and the metal reinforcement plate (See annotated figure above). Doing so would provide mechanical bonding points and electrical conductors (See Section II paragraph 2 and Section III paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 14, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, HUANG is silent on wherein the first connector comprises at least one of a first pad that is disposed in a first welding region of the first circuit board and a second pad that is disposed in a second welding region of the second circuit board, the first pad protrudes from the first surface of the first circuit board, and the second pad protrudes from the second surface of the second circuit board.
However, LUQUE discloses wherein the first connector comprises at least one of a first pad that is disposed in a first welding region of the first circuit board and a second pad that is disposed in a second welding region of the second circuit board, the first pad protrudes from the first surface of the first circuit board, and the second pad protrudes from the second surface of the second circuit board (See annotated figure below).
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HUANG and LUQUE are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of sensor. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified HUANG to incorporate the teachings of LUQUE and provide wherein the first connector comprises at least one of a first pad that is disposed in a first welding region of the first circuit board and a second pad that is disposed in a second welding region of the second circuit board, the first pad protrudes from the first surface of the first circuit board, and the second pad protrudes from the second surface of the second circuit board (See annotated figure above). Doing so would provide mechanical bonding points and electrical conductors (See Section II paragraph 2 and Section III paragraph 2).
Regarding claim 15, HUANG in view of LUQUE discloses the electronic device according to claim 14, wherein LUQUE further discloses the first connector is the first pad, and the first pad is fastened to the second welding region by welding; the first connector is the second pad, and the second pad is fastened to the first welding region by welding; or the first connector comprises the first pad and the second pad, and the first pad is fastened to the second pad by welding (See Section II paragraph 2).
Claim(s) 16 – 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG et al. (US 20220252469 A1, “HUANG”) in view of Kessler et al. (US 20160062500 A1, “Kessler”).
Regarding claim 16, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the first connector is a first elastic member, and HUANG further discloses the first circuit board is fastened to the second circuit board by welding (para [0023] and [0025]).
HUANG is silent on wherein the first connector is a first elastic member.
However, Kessler discloses (Fig. 2A) wherein the first connector (230) is a first elastic member (para [0045])
HUANG and Kessler are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of sensor. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified HUANG to incorporate the teachings of Kessler and provide wherein the first connector (230) is a first elastic member (para [0045]). Doing so would provide a force-sensitive structure that is resilient and returns to a non-deflected state shortly after a force is removed (para [0045]).
Regarding claim 17, HUANG discloses the electronic device according to claim 16, wherein Kessler further discloses a first end of the first elastic member (230) is connected to the first capacitor (211), and a second end of the first elastic member is connected to the second capacitor (221).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIDI MOHAMED MAIGA whose telephone number is (703)756-1870. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached on 571-272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SIDI M MAIGA/Examiner, Art Unit 2847
/STANLEY TSO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847