DETAILED ACTION
Status
1. This Office Action is responsive to claims filed for Application No. 18755053 on June 26, 2024. Please note claims 1-12 are pending and have been examined.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
3. Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: in claim 7, line 2, “the resistor” should change to “a resistor”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-6 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Harper (US 20180212313 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Harper discloses: An electronic device (see Fig. 1, wireless communication device 100) comprising:
a target metal segment (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, conductive elements 104 or 106);
a first sensing circuit (see Fig. 1, capacitive sensor module 110) connected to the target metal segment and obtaining a first parameter based on a first sensing signal of the target metal segment, the first parameter being used to indicate a distance between a target object and the target metal segment (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0016], discloses the capacitive sensor module 110 uses the determined change in capacitance to determine a relative proximity of the capacitive external object. For example, the increase in capacitance attributed to the closing of the gap between the capacitive external object and the conductive element (104 or 106) may introduce a delay in the rising and falling edges of the low frequency signal wave form, which can be measured as an indication of the proximity of the capacitive external object); and
a second sensing circuit (see Fig. 2, [0019], sensing circuit in combination with RF tuning switch 204/206) connected to the target metal segment and obtaining a second parameter based on a second sensing signal of the target metal segment (see Fig. 2, [0019], discloses the RF feed antenna 218 is electrically excited by an RF feed 220, which may be connected to transceiver or receiver circuitry (not shown). The transceiver circuitry electrically excites the RF feed antenna 218 with an electrical signal containing communication data. The RF feed antenna 218 is positioned to capacitively couple with the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210, which are conductive elements that are configured to resonate at a RF communication band when driven by the RF feed antenna 218. Thus, when the RF feed antenna 218 drives the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210 with a signal containing communication data, the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210 transmit a carrier wave at an RF communication band containing the communication data. Similarly, both the low band loop antenna and the high band loop antenna, when driven by the RF feed antenna 218 such that the RF feed antenna 219 is capacitively coupled with the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210, the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 208 may detect and receive communication signals at the RF band (e.g., a low band and a high band) containing communication data), and the second parameter being used to indicate a type of the target object (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, [0028], discloses the determining operation 318 can detect type of material of the object (e.g., biological material such as a human finger) based on the detected capacitance changes).
Regarding claim 2, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 1. Harper further teaches wherein: the first sensing circuit includes a first path (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, step 312, [0015], current path when RF switches are isolated), and the second sensing circuit includes a second path (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0019], transmitting signal path form RF feed 220 connected to transceiver or receiver circuitry to conductive elements 104/106) and a third path (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0019], receiving signal path form conductive elements 104/106 to RF feed 220 connected to transceiver or receiver circuitry);
the first sensing circuit provides the first sensing signal to the target metal segment through the first path and monitors a change in the first sensing signal through the first path (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, [0021], the capacitive proximity sensor module 202 outputs a low frequency electronic signal to the low band antenna 208 and/or the high band antenna 210. The low frequency electronic signal is communicated between the low band antenna 208 and the capacitive proximity sensor module 202 and/or between the high band antenna 210 and the capacitive proximity sensor module 202. The low frequency electronic signal creates an electric field at the conductive elements. A capacitive external object (e.g., a finger 238) in proximity to the low band antenna 208 and/or the high band antenna 210 interacts with the electric fields causing capacitance changes, which are detectable by the capacitive proximity sensor module 202. As the capacitive external object moves closer to the high band antenna 210 (e.g., a distance x decreases), the capacitance change increases. The capacitive proximity sensor module 202 detects the changes in the low frequency signal (e.g., change in amplitude, frequency, or rise/fall time of the low frequency signal waveform) and evaluates the changes in the signal to detect capacitance changes that would indicate proximity of the capacitive external object (e.g., the finger 238)); and
the second sensing circuit provides the second sensing signal to the target metal segment through the second path and receives a feedback signal of the second sensing signal through the third path (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, [0019], discloses the circuit diagram 200 includes conductive elements (e.g., a low band loop antenna 208 a high band loop antenna 210), a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna 218, a capacitive proximity sensor module 202, RF tuning switches 204 and 206 and various electrical components. The RF feed antenna 218 is electrically excited by an RF feed 220, which may be connected to transceiver or receiver circuitry (not shown). The transceiver circuitry electrically excites the RF feed antenna 218 with an electrical signal containing communication data. The RF feed antenna 218 is positioned to capacitively couple with the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210, which are conductive elements that are configured to resonate at a RF communication band when driven by the RF feed antenna 218. Thus, when the RF feed antenna 218 drives the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210 with a signal containing communication data, the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210 transmit a carrier wave at an RF communication band containing the communication data. Similarly, both the low band loop antenna and the high band loop antenna, when driven by the RF feed antenna 218 such that the RF feed antenna 219 is capacitively coupled with the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 210, the low band loop antenna 208 and the high band loop antenna 208 may detect and receive communication signals at the RF band (e.g., a low band and a high band) containing communication data. Examiner reads the touch/proximity detection sensing signal from conductive elements 104/106 to RF feed 220 connected to transceiver or receiver circuitry as feedback signal).
Regarding claim 3, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 1. Harper further teaches a radio frequency (RF) circuit (Fig. 1, fed RF feed antenna 102) connected to the target metal segment, the target metal segment being configured to transmit an RF signal and being used as an antenna radiator of the electronic device (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0017], discloses antenna assembly 134 allows for the conductive elements 104 and 106 to act as both: (1) parasitic loop antennas that are capacitively driven by the directly fed RF feed antenna 102 and (2) electrodes for proximity detection by the capacitive sensor module 110).
Regarding claim 4, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 2. Harper further teaches wherein: the first sensing circuit includes a capacitor sensor connected to the target metal segment through the first path; and the first path includes a resistor and a first inductive coil (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0015], discloses antenna assembly 134 includes capacitive sensor 110 connected to conductive elements 10/106 through the sensing path and the connection path includes inductor 114 and resistor (i. e. resistance of the connection wire) as illustrated in figure).
Regarding claim 5, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 2. Harper further teaches wherein: the second sensing circuit (see Fig. 2, sensing circuit in combination with RF tuning switch 204/206) includes: a low-frequency transceiver connected to a first end of the target metal segment through the second path and to a second end of the target metal segment through the third path (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, RF feed antenna 102 connected to conductive elements 104 and 106 to ground terminal through RF tuning switches 116 and 120); and
the second path includes a first inductive coil (see Fig. 1, inductor 118), the third path includes a second inductive coil (see Fig. 1, inductor 122), and the first inductive coil and the second inductive coil are identical (see Fig. 1, [0014], inductors 118 and 122 are identical as illustrated in figure).
Regarding claim 6, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 3. Harper further teaches wherein the RF circuit includes: an RF transceiver connected to the target metal segment through an RF path, the RF path including a capacitor (see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0013]-[0015], antenna assembly 134 includes the conductive elements 104 and 106, a radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna 102, and antenna circuitry/modules (e.g., elements 110 126) and capacitors 124/126).
Regarding claim 9, Harper teaches: A determination method (see Fig. 3) comprising:
obtaining a first parameter, the first parameter being used to indicate a distance between a target object and a target metal segment (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, [0016], discloses the capacitive sensor module 110 uses the determined change in capacitance to determine a relative proximity of the capacitive external object. For example, the increase in capacitance attributed to the closing of the gap between the capacitive external object and the conductive element (104 or 106) may introduce a delay in the rising and falling edges of the low frequency signal wave form, which can be measured as an indication of the proximity of the capacitive external object);
obtaining a second parameter, the second parameter being used to indicate a type of the target object (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, [0028], discloses the determining operation 318 can detect type of material of the object based on the detected capacitance changes); and
determining a target type of the target object based on the first parameter and the second parameter ([0028], discloses an analyzing operation 314 analyzes the low frequency signal communicated between the capacitive proximity sensor module and the conductive element. A detecting operation 316 detects capacitive changes in the conductive element based on the analyzed low frequency signal. A wave form of the low frequency signal may be analyzed to detect capacitance changes. The detecting operation may detect capacitance changes by detecting changes in the waveform (e.g., a change in amplitude, frequency, or rise/fall times of the low frequency signal waveform). A determining operation 318 determines proximity of a capacitive object to the conductive element. The determining operation 318 can detect e.g., biological material such as a human finger (i. e. target type) based on the detected capacitance changes).
Regarding claim 10, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 9. Harper further teaches wherein: in response to the target type of the target object being indicated as a first type, maintaining emission power of the target metal segment; and in response to the target type of the target object being indicated as a second type, reducing the emission power of the target metal segment (see Fig. 1-Fig. 3, [0028], discloses determining operation 318 determines proximity of a capacitive object to the conductive element. The determining operation 318 can detect type of material of the object (e.g., biological material such as a human finger) based on the detected capacitance changes. An adjusting operation 320 adjusts a RF communication power of the RF feed antenna responsive to determining that an object is proximity to the conductive element. Such adjustment may account for SAR legal limits).
Regarding claim 11, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 9. Harper further teaches wherein: transmitting a first sensing signal and monitoring a change in the first sensing signal; and transmitting a second sensing signal and receiving a feedback signal of the second sensing signal (see Figs. 3, steps 302-318 discloses operations for radiofrequency (RF) transmission and proximity detection using the dual-loop antenna with integrated proximity sensing ).
Regarding claim 12, Harper teaches the limitations of parent claim 9. Harper further teaches transmitting an RF signal (Fig. 1, [0013], radiofrequency (RF) feed antenna 102).
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 7 and 8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, none of the prior art, whether considered alone or in combination, fail to disclose the technical features of a resistor is configured to allow the first sensing signal to pass through and block the second sensing signal; the capacitor is configured to allow the RF signal to pass through and block the first sensing signal and a part of the second sensing signal; the first inductive coil is configured to allow the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal to pass through and block the RF signal; and the second inductive coil is configured to allow the second sensing signal to pass through and block the first sensing signal and the RF signal, in the context of detailed structure and driving method of the electronic device for determining the type of the object touching/approaching the electronic device, as a whole, in the manner claimed is not sufficiently taught or suggested in the prior art.
Claims 8 is objected base on the claim dependency.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
LIn et al (US 20120164962 A1) discloses general teachings of combination sensing element and antenna is used to detect whether an external object is in vicinity of the combination sensing element and antenna according to capacitance changes of the combination sensing element and antenna in presence or absence of an external object in the vicinity, the detecting circuit detects the capacitance changes, and generates a signal associated with the changes to decrease or increase transmission power transmitted to the combination sensing element and antenna (see abstract, Fig. 1).
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISHNA P. NEUPANE whose telephone number is (571)270-7291. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BENJAMIN C. LEE can be reached on (571) 272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRISHNA P NEUPANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629