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 § 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.
Claims 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Cholasta et al. (US20170293375), hereinafter referred to as ‘Cholasta’1’ and in further view of Cholasta et al.(US20190181860), hereinafter referred to as ‘Cholasta’2’.
Regarding Claim 15, Cholasta’1 discloses a circuit comprising: a plurality of external terminals (A first electrode, i.e., external terminal, of Cext 12 is coupled to the second supply voltage terminal, and a second electrode, i.e., external terminal, of Cext 12 is coupled to a first terminal of resistive element 16 and to a first terminal of switch 18… A first electrode of Cs 13, in electrode 14, i.e., external terminal, is coupled to the second supply voltage terminal. Electrode 14 (and a second electrode of Cs 13) is coupled to a second terminal of resistive element 16 and a first terminal of switch 20); a plurality of switch circuits (Fig, 1, i.e., plurality of switches, #18 and #20); at least one analog to digital converter (Fig. 1 , i.e., analog to digital converter, #22); control circuitry for configuring the circuit to perform a capacitive sensing routine for sensing capacitive sensors coupled to the plurality of external terminals (FIG. 7 illustrates, in partial schematic and partial block diagram form, a capacitive sensor system which include capacitive device 10. System 40 includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) 42 which includes switches 18 and 20 of device 10, and may also include switch 30 of device 10 in the embodiment in which resistive element 16 is implemented with switch 30. MCU 42 includes ADC 22 and a central processing unit (CPU) 44, i.e., control circuitry, which controls operation of MCU 42. For example, software is executed on CPU 44 to perform various operations. CPU 46 provides switch control signals 46 to control inputs of switches 18 and 20, and switch 30, if also included in MCU 42 [0015]), the control circuitry configured to, during a precharge phase (Note that ADC 22 may be considered external to device 10 or, alternatively, may be considered a part of device 10. Device 10 includes a first supply voltage terminal which supplies a high reference supply voltage, VREFH, i.e., precharge phase, and a second supply voltage terminal which corresponds ground [0008]), control a first switch circuit of the plurality of switch circuits to charge a first external terminal of the plurality of external terminals to a first voltage and control a second switch circuit of the plurality of switch circuits to charge a second external terminal of the plurality of external terminals to a second voltage, the first voltage is different from the second voltage (…a first switch operable to couple the sense electrode to the first supply voltage during a first mode and the ADC during a second mode; a second capacitor; a second supply voltage different than the first supply voltage; a second switch operable to couple the second capacitor to the second supply voltage during the first mode and to an open circuit during the second mode; and a resistive element including a first terminal coupled between the first capacitor and the first switch, and a second terminal coupled between the second capacitor and the second switch. In one aspect , the first supply voltage is less than the second supply voltage and the second supply voltage is greater than zero. In another aspect, the first supply voltage is greater than zero and the second supply voltage is less than the first supply voltage [0028]), after the charging, to control the first switch circuit to remove the first voltage from the first external terminal and control the second switch circuit to remove the second voltage from the second external terminal so that a capacitive sensor coupled to the first external terminal can equalize charge with a capacitive sensor coupled to the second external terminal (In another aspect, capacitance of the first capacitor is approximately equal to capacitance of the second capacitor [0028]; FIG. 2 illustrates a next switch configuration in which, once Cext 12 is charged and Cs 13 is discharged, i.e., removing the first voltage, switches 18 and 20 are simultaneously moved to their respective second position for a second mode. In this second mode, switch 18 connects the second terminal of Cext 12 to an open circuit and switch 20 connects electrode 14 to the high impedance input of ADC 22. With this configuration, the charge on Cext 12 is distributed between Cext 12 and Cs 13, i.e., equalize charge with a capacitive sensor, via resistive element [0010]), a digital indication of a sensed voltage level of the… terminal by an analog to digital converter of the at least one analog to digital converter (Therefore, the digital output of ADC 22 can be used to detect a touch or release of touch event, or indicate a degree of proximity of a touch event [0011]).
However, Cholasta’1 does not explicitly disclose and after the equalization, to control to provide a digital indication of a sensed voltage level of the first external terminal by an analog to digital converter of the at least one analog to digital converter.
Nevertheless, Cholasta ‘2 discloses after the equalization, to control to provide a digital indication of a sensed voltage level of the first external terminal by an analog to digital converter of the at least one analog to digital converter (a capacitive sensor device redistributes an initial charge collected at an external capacitor (Cext) across an external sensing electrode or capacitor (Cs) until the voltage is equalized between the two capacitors, allowing the sensor voltage on the external sensing electrode/capacitor to be converted from the analog to digital domain by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). When sampling rate for the ADC changes, the voltage at the external sensing electrode/capacitor (Cs) and/or the resulting digitized ADC output can also change, meaning that the identical electrode capacitance is represented by two different voltages, depending on electrode scan period [0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Cholasta’1 with the teachings of Cholasta’2 to prevent the digitized ADC output from being processed to falsely detect a touch or release event when electrode scan period is changed and improve accuracy of capacitance sensor data.
Regarding Claim 16, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 15.
Cholasta’1 discloses the first voltage is lower than the second voltage (In one aspect , the first supply voltage is less than the second supply voltage and the second supply voltage is greater than zero. In another aspect, the first supply voltage is greater than zero and the second supply voltage is less than the first supply voltage [0028]).
Regarding Claim 17, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 15.
Cholasta’1 discloses the circuit is configured to use the digital indication to determine if a capacitive sensor coupled to the first external terminal has activated (For example, when a touch event occurs, the capacitance on Cs 13 increases, which causes the sense voltage at the input of ADC 22 to decrease. When a release of the touch occurs, the capacitance on Cs 13 decreases, which causes the sense voltage at the input of ADC 22 to increase. Therefore, the digital output of ADC 22 can be used to detect a touch or release of touch event, or indicate a degree of proximity of a touch event [0011]).
Regarding Claim 18, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 15.
Cholasta’1 discloses the circuit is configured to use the digital indication to determine if a capacitive sensor coupled to the second external terminal has activated (For example, when a touch event occurs, the capacitance on Cs 13 increases, which causes the sense voltage at the input of ADC 22 to decrease. When a release of the touch occurs, the capacitance on Cs 13 decreases, which causes the sense voltage at the input of ADC 22 to increase. Therefore, the digital output of ADC 22 can be used to detect a touch or release of touch event, or indicate a degree of proximity of a touch event [0011]).
Regarding Claim 19, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 15.
Cholasta’1 discloses the control circuitry is configured to control the circuit to periodically provide by the at least one analog to digital converter, a digital indication of a sensed voltage level of each of the plurality of external terminals (FIG. 7 illustrates, in partial schematic and partial block diagram form, a capacitive sensor system which include capacitive device 10. System 40 includes a microcontroller unit (MCU) 42 which includes switches 18 and 20 of device 10, and may also include switch 30 of device 10 in the embodiment in which resistive element 16 is implemented with switch 30. MCU 42 includes ADC 22 and a central processing unit (CPU) 44 which controls operation of MCU [0015]; …Therefore, the digital output of ADC 22 can be used to detect a touch or release of touch event, or indicate a degree of proximity of a touch event [0011]).
Claims 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2, and further in view of Lin et al. (US20100177058) hereinafter referred to as ‘Lin’.
Regarding Claim 20, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 15.
Cholasta’1 discloses each capacitive sensor is coupled to an external terminal of the plurality of external terminals (Fig. 1).
However, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 do not explicitly disclose a plurality of capacitor sensors, wherein each capacitive sensor is coupled to an external terminal of the plurality of external terminals.
Nevertheless, Lin discloses a plurality of capacitor sensors (According to yet another specific example embodiment of this disclosure, a method for sensing actuation of any one of a plurality of capacitive touch sensors, said method comprising the steps of: setting to a logic low all integrated circuit device input-outputs (I/Os) coupled to a plurality of capacitive touch sensors [0011]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 with the teachings of Lin to obtain multiple voltage measurements to significantly improve data collection accuracy of capacitor sensor data.
Regarding Claim 21, Cholasta’1 and Cholasta’2 disclose the claimed invention discussed in claim 20.
Cholasta’1 discloses at least one resistor (In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, resistive element 16 can be implemented as a fixed resistor [0013]), wherein a resistor of at least one resistor is connected to a capacitive sensor coupled to the first external terminal and a capacitive sensor coupled to the second external terminal (Fig. 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kenichi Kinoshita (US5554890) discloses the first and second capacitor with sensing.
Velmar Howard (US4360850) discloses charging capacitors and measuring voltage.
Zheng Qin (US20080179772) discloses a capacitance sensing device with an analog to digital converter.
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/SHARAH ZAAB/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/Catherine T. Rastovski/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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