DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-20 are pending and presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-4 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by McMillen et al. US 2016/0070347 (hereinafter, McMillen).
5. Regarding claim 1, McMillen discloses a sensing system, comprising:
a sensor array including a plurality of sensors coupled with a flexible circuit ([0009], [0032]-[0033], Fig. 3),
each sensor including a sensing element and an analog-to-digital converter die coupled with the sensing element, the sensing element including a sensor area coupled with a sensor die to generate an analog output based on sensing, and the analog-to-digital converter die including circuitry to perform analog-to-digital conversion of the analog output to generate a digital output ([0040], Figs. 3, 4); and
a controller connected to the sensor array, the controller causing a sensor of the sensor array to transmit a digital output that indicates sensing by the sensor in response to receiving a digital input ([0040], Fig. 4).
6. Regarding claim 2, McMillen discloses the sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller utilizes a serial bus connected with sensors of the sensor array to send a digital input to a sensor and receive a digital output from a sensor ([0037], [0040], Fig. 3).
7. Regarding claim 3, McMillen discloses the sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller causes sensors of the sensor array to sequentially transmit a digital output ([0037], [0040]).
8. Regarding claim 4, McMillen discloses the sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein sensors of the sensor array receive the digital input directly from the controller to cause transmission of a digital output ([0037], [0040]).
9. Regarding claim 16, McMillen discloses a wearable system, comprising:
an article to be worn by a user; a flexible circuit coupled with the article ([0032], Fig. 3),
a sensor array including a plurality of sensors, each sensor including a sensing element ([0009], [0033], Fig. 3), and
an analog-to-digital converter die coupled with the sensing element, the sensing element including a sensor area coupled with a sensor die to generate an analog output based on sensing, and the analog-to-digital converter die including circuitry to perform analog-to-digital conversion of the analog output to generate a digital output ([0040], Figs. 3, 4); and
a controller connected to the sensor array, the controller causing a sensor of the sensor array to transmit a digital output that indicates sensing by the sensor in response to receiving a digital input ([0040], Fig. 4).
10. Regarding claim 17, McMillen discloses the wearable system of claim 16, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the article is a sensing glove, and wherein a plurality of sensor arrays is coupled with a plurality of flexible circuits with each sensor array of the plurality of sensor arrays corresponding to a finger of the sensing glove ([0032], Fig. 3).
11. Regarding claim 18, McMillen discloses the wearable system of claim 16, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the flexible circuit includes electrical interconnect coupled with sensors of the sensor array and strain relief cutouts between the sensors and the electrical interconnect to enable the sensor array to deform with the article ([0019], [0029], [0037]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
12. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AlA 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 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 of this title, 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.
13. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen, in view of Ebara JP 5045545 B2 (hereinafter, Ebara).
14. Regarding claim 5, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein a sensor of the sensor array (Fig. 3).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein a downstream sensor of the sensor receives a digital input from an upstream sensor of the sensor to cause transmission of a digital output.
However, Ebara discloses:
“Each sensor acquires the measurement data using the reception of the data acquisition command as a trigger, transmits the data acquisition command to the downstream side, and receives the data transmission request command as a trigger to send its own measurement data to the upstream side” (see, page 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein a downstream sensor of the sensor receives a digital input from an upstream sensor of the sensor to cause transmission of a digital output as taught by Ebara. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the transmitting methodology of sensor system as taught by Ebara in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby transmitting and receiving sensor data efferently (Ebara, page 2).
15. Claims 6-8, 10, 11, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen, in view of Jo et al. US 2022/0050576 (hereinafter, Jo).
16. Regarding claim 6, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller [causes] sensors of the sensor array to cause transmission of a digital output ([0037], [0040], Fig. 3: the set of sensors providing sensor signals to one of the 2 sensor signal inputs (e.g., S6-S13 in one set and S1-S5 and S14-S19 in the other) may be energized in any suitable sequence or pattern such that any signal received on the corresponding sensor signal input can be correlated with the corresponding sensor drive signal by the sensor circuitry).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein the controller addresses sensors of the sensor array by row and column.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein the controller addresses sensors of the sensor array ([0040], Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein the controller addresses sensors of the sensor array by row and column as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the sensor addressing methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby grouping sensor array using different addresses (Jo, [0040]).
17. Regarding claim 7, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the flexible circuit includes circuitry ([0032]).
McMillen does not disclose:
circuitry that defines addresses of sensors of the sensor array.
However, Jo discloses:
circuitry that defines addresses of sensors of the sensor array ([0040], Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use circuitry that defines addresses of sensors of the sensor array as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the sensor addressing methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby grouping sensor array using different addresses (Jo, [0040]).
18. Regarding claim 8, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses sensors of the sensor array ([0009]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein sensors of the sensor array are programmed to define their addresses in the sensor array.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein sensors of the sensor array are programmed to define their addresses in the sensor array ([0040], Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein sensors of the sensor array are programmed to define their addresses in the sensor array as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the sensor addressing methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby grouping sensor array using different addresses (Jo, [0040]).
19. Regarding claim 10, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller receives digital outputs from a subset of sensors of the sensor array ([0037]-[0038], [0040]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a coarse level scan.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a coarse level scan ([0078], Fig. 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a coarse level scan as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the level scan methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby identify output of the sensor array accurately (Jo, [0003]).
20. Regarding claim 11, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller receives digital outputs from a subset of sensors of the sensor array ([0037]-[0038], [0040]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a fine level scan in a region of interest.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a fine level scan in a region of interest ([0078], Fig. 10).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein a subset of sensors of the sensor array to perform a fine level scan in a region of interest as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the level scan methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby identify output of the sensor array accurately (Jo, [0003]).
21. Regarding claim 19, McMillen discloses wearable system of claim 16, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein sensors of the sensor array each include a register ([0044]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein a one-time programmable (OTP) register that is programmed to define an address in the sensor array.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein a resistor that is programmed to define an address in the sensor array ([0040], Fig. 3: sensor groups may have different addresses in one column, respectively. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, each of the first to eighteenth columns C1 to C18 may include 24 sensor groups respectively having addresses of 1 to 24….[0098]-[0099]: The CPU 141 may control a general operation of the system 140 by executing instructions stored in the memory 142 or a memory included in the CPU 141...The memory 142 may be accessed by the CPU 141 and may include, for example, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, phase change random access memory (PRAM)). McMillen in view of Jo does not disclose one-time programmable (OTP) register. However, one-time programmable (OTP) register would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art based on the teaching of McMillen in view of Jo as disclosed above.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein a one-time programmable (OTP) register that is programmed to define an address in the sensor array as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the addressing methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby identify output of the sensor array accurately (Jo, [0003]).
22. Regarding claim 20, McMillen discloses wearable system of claim 16, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses flexible circuit and sensors in the sensor array ([0032]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein circuit includes fuses that are trimmed to define addresses of sensors in the sensor array.
However, Jo discloses:
wherein circuit includes fuses that are trimmed to define addresses of sensors in the sensor array ([0040], [0098]-[0099], Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein circuit includes fuses that are trimmed to define addresses of sensors in the sensor array as taught by Jo. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the addressing methodology of sensor sensing system as taught by Jo in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby identify output of the sensor array accurately (Jo, [0003]).
23. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen.
24. Regarding claim 9, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller receives a portion of the digital output from sensors of the sensor array ([0037]-[0038], [0040]: different sets of sensors may be selectively energized and interrogated thereby reducing the number and overall area of traces on the substrate,... The set of sensors providing sensor signals to one of the 2 sensor signal inputs (e.g., S6-S13 in one set and S1-S5 and S14-S19 in the other) may be energized in any suitable sequence or pattern such that any signal received on the corresponding sensor signal input can be correlated with the corresponding sensor drive signal by the sensor circuitry… And because the sensor signals in this implementation are received by the sensor circuitry via two different sensor signal inputs, two sensors can be simultaneously energized). McMillen does not disclose receives output from sensors in one read cycle. However, receiving output from sensors in one read cycle would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art based on the teaching of McMillen as disclosed above.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use receives output from sensors in one read cycle. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to receives output from sensor array in different methods (McMillen, [0037]-[0038]).
25. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen, in view of Zhang et al. US 2024/0004749 (hereinafter, Zhang).
26. Regarding claim 12, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein the controller bypasses a sensor of the sensor array during a read cycle based on detecting a failure of the sensor.
However, Zhang discloses:
wherein the controller bypasses a sensor of the sensor array during a read cycle based on detecting a failure of the sensor (Abstract).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein the controller bypasses a sensor of the sensor array during a read cycle based on detecting a failure of the sensor as taught by Zhang. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the bypassing sensor methodology of sensor system as taught by Zhang in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby detecting a failed sensor array (Zhang, [0010]).
27. Claims 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen, in view of Bajcsy et al. US 9060714 (hereinafter, Bajcsy).
28. Regarding claim 13, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the controller is a local controller that generates a bitstream based on digital outputs from one or more sensors of the sensor array ([0040], Figs. 3, 4).
McMillen does not disclose:
generates a compressed bitstream for a global controller based on digital outputs from one or more sensors.
However, Bajcsy discloses:
generates a compressed bitstream for a global controller based on outputs from one or more sensors (claim 11 and Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use generates a compressed bitstream for a global controller based on digital outputs from one or more sensors as taught by Bajcsy. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the global controller methodology of sensor system as taught by Bajcsy in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby processing sensor data using distributed controllers efficiently (Bajcsy, column 3, lines 50-60).
29. Regarding claim 14, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the sensor array is one of a plurality of sensor arrays coupled with a plurality of flexible circuits, and wherein the controller is one of a plurality of controllers that process digital outputs ([0032], [0040], Figs. 3, 4).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein the controller that process digital outputs for a global controller.
However, Bajcsy discloses:
wherein the controller that process digital outputs for a global controller (claim 11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein the controller that process digital outputs for a global controller as taught by Bajcsy. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the global controller methodology of sensor system as taught by Bajcsy in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby processing sensor data using distributed controllers efficiently (Bajcsy, column 3, lines 50-60).
30. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McMillen, in view of Schroeder et al. US 2004/0150385 (hereinafter, Schroeder).
31. Regarding claim 15, McMillen discloses sensing system of claim 1, as disclosed above.
McMillen further discloses wherein the sensor area comprises a piezoelectric or capacitive sensor, and the analog-to-digital converter die ([0034], [0048], [0052]) [0040]).
McMillen does not disclose:
wherein the analog-to-digital converter die includes a charge amplifier to amplify the analog output.
However, Schroeder discloses:
wherein the analog-to-digital converter die includes a charge amplifier to amplify the analog output (claims 5 and 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of McMillen to use wherein the analog-to-digital converter die includes a charge amplifier to amplify the analog output as taught by Schroeder. The motivation for doing so would have been in order to apply the amplifying methodology of sensor system as taught by Schroeder in a sensor array system such as that of McMillen, thereby increasing the magnitude of the output sensor signal (Schroeder, claim 5).
Conclusion
32. Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers, and/or paragraphs, and/or pages in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. In the case of amending the claimed invention, Applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
33. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EYOB HAGOS whose telephone number is (571)272-3508. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30-5:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Shelby Turner can be reached on 571-272-6334. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Eyob Hagos/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
Prosecution Insights