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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/01/26 has been entered.
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(s) 1, 10, 11, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Boonsom (US 20190017846) in view of Joet (US 20200025793) and Milkov (US 20230061926) and Hoover (US 20150168178).
Regarding claim 1 Boonsom teaches an assembly for an electronic device (fig.1A-1B), comprising:
a rotatable and translatable input device having an axis of rotation ([0044] crown 140 includes a dial or knob for receiving rotational input from the user and is operatively coupled to an optical encoder used to measure rotation of the dial or knob), a circumference about the axis of rotation (fig. 5A [0088] FIG. 5A, the optical encoder 500 may include an optical emitter 520 and a photodiode array 550 that are radially aligned with respect to the spindle 510. For example, the optical emitter 520 and the photodiode array 550 may be aligned with each other such that the reflected beam 545 is transverse to (e.g., perpendicular) to the axis of rotation of the spindle 510), and
an optical encoder pattern disposed around the circumference, the optical encoder pattern including a series of polygon facets (fig. 5A, 515) about the circumference and a one-dimensional (1D) substantially retroreflective feature parallel to the axis of rotation (fig. 5A, [0087] the optical encoder 500 includes a spindle 510, an optical emitter 520 and an optical detector… detecting reflected light from the encoded pattern 515 may be used to determine aspects of the rotational movement the spindle 510);
an optical emitter ([0087] an optical emitter 520) configured to emit electromagnetic radiation (fig. 5A, light from 520, as per Google; light is a form of electromagnetic radiation) toward the optical encoder pattern ([0087] encoded pattern 515); and
the optical receiver (fig.4, 430) configured to receive reflections of the emitted electromagnetic radiation from the optical encoder pattern ([0084] the length of the spindle 410 is sufficient to enable the light 445 i.e., electromagnetic radiation, from the optical emitter 440 to be reflected off the spindle 410 and received by the photodiode array 430) and
generate an irradiance pattern in response to the reflections (fig. 5B, pattern of reflected beam 545),
the optical emitter (fig. 5B, 520) and the optical receiver (fig. 5B, 550) disposed along a sensing axis (red) [[orthogonal]] to the axis of rotation (purple).
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an optical element (fig. 1B, 160) disposed between the rotatable and translatable input device (140) and the optical receiver (optical detector 180),
Boonsom is silent on sensing axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation.
However, Joet teach sensing axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation ([0094]).
Boonsom teaches a base electronic device that would be improved by the orthogonal relation of sensing axis and rotation axis taught in the strain gauge sensor device of Joet. One of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized improvements afforded by the enclosures of Joet, and the combination would have yielded predictable results.
Boonsom is silent on an optical receiver including a two-dimensional (2D) array of pixels having multiple rows and columns of pixels;
the optical element configured to convert an angular change of a retroreflection from the optical encoder pattern, resulting from a translation of the input device, to a change of a spatial position of the retroreflection on the optical receiver; and the optical element is a cylindrical lens having a power axis oriented parallel to the sensing axis.
However, Milkov teaches an optical receiver including a two-dimensional (2D) array of pixels having multiple rows and columns of pixels ([0030] The optical receiver 302 may include any suitable electronic device for detecting light transmitted by the optical transmitter 300 and reflected from the object 104. With reference to FIG. 3, according to one example, the optical receiver 302 includes one or more pixels 304. In the illustrated example, the optical receiver 302 includes an array 305 of pixels 304, i.e. in multiple rows and columns).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to combine Boonsom in light of Milkov teaching so that it may include an optical receiver including a two-dimensional (2D) array of pixels having multiple rows and columns of pixels.
The motivation is to provide an optical receiver configured to receive the pulse of light generated by the optical transmitter.
Further, Hoover teach the optical element configured to convert an angular change of a retroreflection from the optical encoder pattern, resulting from a translation of the input device, to a change of a spatial position of the retroreflection on the optical receiver (Abstract: angular and axial position sensor arrangement comprises several sensors arranged adjacently, and aligned parallel to the axis of an encoded member that is angularly and axially displaceable relative to the sensors. The encoded member comprises N-1 axial detection encoded rings with value A along their entire circumference and comprises an Nth axial detection encoded ring that is axially adjacent with value B, different from value A, along its entire circumference. The values of axial detection encoded rings are distinguishable by the sensors overlapping some axial detection encoded rings. The encoded member comprises several angular detections encoded rings axially adjacent to the Nth axial detection encoded ring. The angular detection encoded rings comprise a coding pattern composed of A and B values along their circumference to determine angular position by some sensors overlapping them [0033] [0131]); and the optical element is a cylindrical lens having a power axis oriented parallel to the sensing axis ([0088]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art to combine Boonsom in light of Hoover teaching so that it may include the optical element configured to convert an angular change of a retroreflection from the optical encoder pattern, resulting from a translation of the input device, to a change of a spatial position of the retroreflection on the optical receiver; and the optical element is a cylindrical lens having a power axis oriented parallel to the sensing axis.
The motivation is to provide a sensor arrangement adapted for detecting and determining angular as well as axial positions of an encoded member being rotatable as well as axially displaceable relative to a series of at least two sensors.
Regarding claim 10 Boonsom teaches wherein an optical emission plane of the optical emitter differs from an image plane of the optical receiver (fig. 9A, 940 emission plane differs 930).
Regarding claim 11 Boonsom teaches wherein the optical emitter comprises a light-emitting diode ([0053]).
Regarding claim 12 Boonsom in view of Milkov teach wherein each pixel in the two-dimensional array of pixels comprises a single-photon avalanche diode (Milkov: [0031] Each pixel 304 includes a photodetector 314. The photodetector 314 is configured to generate a photocurrent pulse corresponding to the received pulse of light. In one example, the photodetector 314 is a PIN photodiode, but may be an avalanche photodiode (APD) or other type of photodiode).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
Claims 4-9 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
-Pacala US 20200025879
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/TOWFIQ ELAHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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