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 § 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)(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.
Claims 34-42, 44-46 and 49 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Binstead (US 2018/0217696).
In regards to claim 34, Binstead discloses a conductor arrangement comprising:
a functional region (sensing area 309) bounded by at least one edge region that extends in an edge region direction (Fig. 3a and paragraph 98); and
a plurality of conductor elements (conductive elements 301-308) that each extend through the functional region obliquely to the edge region direction (Fig. 3a and paragraph 103),
wherein the plurality of conductor elements comprises a first set of conductor elements (301a-308a) and a second set of conductor elements (301b-308b) (Fig. 3a and paragraphs 100-103),
wherein each conductor element of the first set of conductor elements is connected to a corresponding conductor element of the second set of conductor elements at the at least one edge region to provide respective connected pairs of conductive elements (Fig. 3a and paragraphs 100-103),
wherein each connected pair of conductive elements is configured to be coupled to circuitry via the at least one edge region (Fig. 3a and paragraph 99).
In regards to claim 35, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the plurality of conductor elements further comprises a third set of conductor elements, wherein each conductor element of the third set of conductor elements is configured to be coupled to the circuitry via the at least one edge region (Fig. 4 and paragraphs 128-132).
In regards to claim 36, Binstead disclose the conductor arrangement of any claim 34, wherein, excluding internal pairing within any connected pair, each conductor element comes into juxtaposition with other conductor elements of any set within the functional region, including its own set, forming juxtaposed pairings of conductor elements thereby facilitating a function of the functional region (Fig. 3a and paragraphs 96-97, 103; the intersection points is the juxtaposition of two conductive elements of opposite directions).
In regards to claim 37, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 36, wherein the juxtaposed pairings of conductor elements form a regular array (Fig. 3a).
In regards to claim 38, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the conductor arrangement is configured to provide one or more sensors such as a touch sensor or a proximity sensor, wherein the functional region is a sensing region (paragraphs 96-97).
In regards to claim 39, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the conductor arrangement is configured to provide a touchscreen, and wherein the functional region is a sensing and display region (paragraph 82).
In regards to claim 41, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the plurality of conductor elements comprises wire (paragraph 95).
In regards to claim 42, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the functional region is a square or a rectangle, or a 3D shape such as a cylinder (paragraph 98).
In regards to claim 44, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein connected pairs of conductor elements form respective loops (Fig. 15 and paragraphs 200-201).
In regards to claim 45, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, wherein the plurality of conductor elements terminate within one edge region of the at least one edge region (Fig. 3a and paragraph 108).
In regards to claim 46, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 45, wherein the plurality of conductor elements is arranged to terminate within a common area of the one edge region for coupling to a single connector, or within two or more areas of the one edge region for coupling to two or more respective connectors (Figs. 3a, 3d and paragraphs 108, 113).
In regards to claim 49, Binstead discloses the conductor arrangement of claim 34, further comprising the circuity, wherein the circuitry comprises at least one processor (paragraphs 7, 10, 22, 80, 97, 107).
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.
Claim 40 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Binstead (US 2018/0217696).
In regards to claim 40, Binstead discloses wherein the conductor arrangement is configured to provide a touchscreen, and wherein the functional region is a sensing and display region (paragraph 82).
Binstead does not disclose wherein the conductor arrangement is configured to provide one or more driven devices such as a display or a display screen, wherein the functional region is configured as a display region.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Binstead to have the conductor arrangement be for a display because Applicant has not disclosed that having the conductor arrangement be for a display provides an advantage, is used for a particular purpose, or solves a stated problem. One of ordinary skill in the art would have expected Applicant’s invention to perform equally well with have the conductor arrangement be for a touchscreen because the oblique lines provide a higher node to conductive element.
Claim 51 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Binstead (US 2018/0217696) in view of Moseley et al (WO 2018/039360).
In regards to claim 51, Moseley discloses a conductor arrangement comprising:
a cylindrical functional region bounded by at least one edge region that extends in an edge region direction (paragraph 65).
Moseley does not disclose a plurality of conductor elements that each extend through the functional region obliquely to the edge region direction, wherein each conductor element is configured to be coupled to circuitry via the at least one edge region.
Binstead discloses a plurality of conductor elements (conductive elements 301-308) that each extend through the functional region obliquely to the edge region direction, wherein each conductor element is configured to be coupled to circuitry via the at least one edge region (Fig. 3a and paragraphs 99, 103).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Moseley with the teachings of Binstead, conductive electrodes arranged obliquely, because the wires would not interfere as much with the display (paragraphs 83-87).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 43, 47-48, 50 and 52 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.
Claims 53 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regards to claim 53, it recites, among other features, “at least two further conductor elements that extend from a middle section of one edge region of the at least one edge region through the functional region, each conductor element of the at least one pair of further conductor elements having a length no greater than a length of each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements, such that a width of the functional region is increased without increasing the length of each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements”.
Binstead discloses a touch sensor comprising: a sensing area having a central region bounded by at least one edge region that extends in an edge region direction; and a plurality of conductive elements that each extend through the central region in a direction that is oblique to the edge region direction. Binstead does not disclose at least two further conductor elements that extend from a middle section of one edge region of the at least one edge region through the functional region, each conductor element of the at least one pair of further conductor elements having a length no greater than a length of each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements, such that a width of the functional region is increased without increasing the length of each conductor element of the plurality of conductor elements.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cho et al (US 2016/0209954) discloses a touch sensor including first touch electrode lines extending in one direction and second touch electrode lines extending in a diagonal direction sloped with respect to the first touch electrode lines. A first touch electrode line intersects a second touch electrode line.
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/MICHAEL PERVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629 January 9, 2026