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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-21 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 12, 13, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Noguchi (U.S. Patent Application 20170262093 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Noguchi teaches an electronic device (par 0054 Fig 1 display device 1) comprising:
a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a first direction and extending in a second direction crossing the first direction (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first electrodes COMLa arranged in a first X direction and extending in a crossing second Y direction);
a plurality of first loop electrodes arranged in the first direction, extending in the second direction, and overlapped with the plurality of first electrodes (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first loop electrodes 51 [extending between trace lines 51A,51B and located as shown in Fig 21, par 0141] arranged in the first X direction extending in the second Y direction, and overlapped with the plurality of first electrodes COMLa Fig 21, par 0141); and
a plurality of first loop lines electrically connected to the plurality of first loop electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence (par 0141 Fig 25 first loop lines combination of 51A,51B,51C,51D,51E electrically connected to first loop electrode 51 in a one-to-one correspondence), wherein
one first loop electrode among the plurality of first loop electrodes and one first loop line among the plurality of first loop lines, are connected to one another in a closed loop (par 0141 Fig 25 one first loop electrode 51 and one first loop line 51A,51B,51C, 51D,51E are connected to one another in a closed loop).
Regarding Claim 13, Noguchi teaches the electronic device of claim 12, wherein
the one first loop line comprises:
a first loop trace line electrically connected to a first end portion of the one first loop electrode (par 0141 Fig 25 first loop trace line 51A electrically connected to a first lower end portion of at least a first loop electrode 51);
a second loop trace line electrically connected to a second end portion of the one first loop electrode that is spaced apart from the first end portion (par 0141 Fig 25 second loop trace line 51B,51C,51E electrically connected to a second upper [that is spaced apart from the first lower] end portion of at least first loop electrode 51); and
a connection line connected to the first loop trace line and the second loop trace line (par 0141 Fig 25 connection line 51D electrically connected to first loop trace line 51A and the second loop trace line 51B,51C,51E).
Regarding Claim 21, Noguchi teaches an electronic device (par 0054 Fig 1 display device 1) comprising:
a sensor layer including a sensing region and a peripheral region adjacent to the sensing region (par 0111 Fig 18 sensor layer comprises combination of TDL and COML layers with detection region Fig 15 sensing region at display region 10a inside adjacent peripheral region 10b, par 0096); and
a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer (paras 0058,0099 Figs 1,15 first drive electrode driver 14 for driving the sensor layer), wherein the sensor layer comprises:
a plurality of first electrodes disposed in the sensing region and extending in a first direction (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first electrodes COMLa disposed in the sensing region and extending in a first Y direction);
a plurality of first auxiliary electrodes disposed in the sensing region, disposed to be adjacent to the plurality of first electrodes and extending in the first direction (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first auxiliary electrodes COMLb disposed in the sensing region, adjacent to the plurality of first electrodes COMLa, and extending in a first Y direction);
a plurality of first loop electrodes disposed in the sensing region, disposed to be adjacent to the plurality of first electrodes, and extending in the first direction (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first loop electrodes 51 [extending between trace lines 51A,51B and located as shown in Fig 21, par 0141] disposed in the sensing region, adjacent to the plurality of first electrodes COMLa, and extending in a first Y direction);
a first loop trace line disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a first end portion of at least one first loop electrode among the plurality of first loop electrodes (par 0141 Fig 25 first loop trace line 51A disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a first lower end portion of at least a first loop electrode 51);
a second loop trace line disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a second end portion of the at least one first loop electrode that opposes the first end portion (par 0141 Fig 25 second loop trace line 51B disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a second [opposing] upper end portion of at least first loop electrode 51); and
a connection line disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to one end portion of the first loop trace line and one end portion of the second loop trace line (par 0141 Fig 25 connection line 51D disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to one end portion of the first loop trace line 51A and one end portion of the second loop trace line 51B).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noguchi (U.S. Patent Application 20170262093 A1) in view of Vaze et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20230359305 A1, hereinafter “Vaze”).
Regarding Claim 1, Noguchi teaches an electronic device (par 0054 Fig 1 display device 1) comprising:
a sensor layer (par 0111 Fig 18 sensor layer comprises combination of TDL and COML layers); and
a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer (paras 0058,0099 Figs 1,15 first drive electrode driver 14 for driving the sensor layer), wherein
the sensor layer comprises:
a first electrode (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first electrodes COMLa arranged in a first X direction and extending in a crossing second Y direction);
a first loop electrode overlapped with the first electrode (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first loop electrodes 51 [extending between trace lines 51A,51B and located as shown in Fig 21, par 0141] overlapped with the plurality of first electrodes COMLa Fig 21, par 0141);
a first loop trace line electrically connected to a first end portion of the first loop electrode (par 0141 Fig 25 first loop trace line 51A disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a first lower end portion of at least a first loop electrode 51); and
a second loop trace line electrically connected to a second end portion of the first loop electrode that is spaced apart from the first end portion (par 0141 Fig 25 second loop trace line 51B disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a second [opposing] upper end portion of at least first loop electrode 51), and wherein
the first loop electrode, the first loop trace line, and the second loop trace line are connected in a first closed loop (par 0141 Fig 25 one first loop electrode 51 and the first loop line 51A, and the second loop trace line 51B are connected to one another in a closed loop).
However, Noguchi appears not to expressly teach a first auxiliary electrode overlapped with the first electrode.
Vaze teaches
a first auxiliary electrode overlapped with the first electrode (par 0218 Fig 21 first auxiliary electrode 2152A overlapped with the first electrode 2152C).
Noguchi and Vaze are analogous art as they each pertain to sensors on electronic devices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Noguchi with the inclusion of the overlapping auxiliary electrode of Vaze. The motivation would have been in order to provide a noise sensing electrode in proximity of the first electrode (Vaze par 0089).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noguchi (U.S. Patent Application 20170262093 A1) in view of Kim et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20250390186 A1, hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 11, Noguchi teaches the electronic device of claim 1. However, Noguchi appears not to expressly teach further comprising:
a circuit board electrically connected to the sensor layer, wherein
the sensor driver is mounted on the circuit board, wherein
the circuit board comprises:
a connection line connected to the first loop trace line and the second loop trace line, and wherein
the first closed loop further includes the connection line.
Kim teaches further comprising:
a circuit board electrically connected to the sensor layer (par 0310 Fig 80 flex circuit board 27 connected to the sensor layer), wherein
the sensor driver is mounted on the circuit board (par 0552 Fig 82 touch controller 262 mounted on board 27; touch controller 262 comprises a driving unit that is connected to at least one of a plurality of first touch electrodes and a plurality of second touch electrodes and applies a driving signal), wherein
the circuit board comprises:
a connection line connected to the first loop trace line and the second loop trace line (paras 0310,1008 Fig 81 connection wire 272), and wherein
the first closed loop further includes the connection line (par 1002 Fig 80 shows such).
Noguchi and Kim are analogous art as they each pertain to sensors on electronic devices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Noguchi with the inclusion of board arrangement of Kim. The motivation would have been in order to provide greater freedom of interconnection layout.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noguchi (U.S. Patent Application 20170262093 A1) in view of Ryu (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20160179134 A1).
Regarding Claim 14, Noguchi teaches the electronic device of claim 13. However, Noguchi appears not to expressly teach further comprising:
a differential amplifier to receive a first signal from one first electrode among the plurality of first electrodes and to receive a second signal from the connection line.
Ryu teaches
a differential amplifier to receive a first signal from one first electrode among the plurality of first electrodes and to receive a second signal from the connection line (par 0041 Fig 3 differential amplifier 61 to receive a first signal from one first drive electrode [one end of one X-axis line antenna 21] among the plurality of first electrodes and to receive a second signal from the connection line of loop electrode 10).
Noguchi and Ryu are analogous art as they each pertain to sensors on electronic devices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Noguchi with the inclusion of differential amplifier arrangement of Ryu. The motivation would have been in order to provide sensing a location of an electric pen (Ryu par 0041).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noguchi (U.S. Patent Application 20170262093 A1) in view of Moon et al (U.S. Patent Application Publication 20250264946 A1, hereinafter “Moon”).
Regarding Claim 17, Noguchi teaches the electronic device of claim 12, further comprising:
a plurality of second electrodes arranged in the second direction and extending in the first direction (par 0098 Fig 15 plurality of second electrodes 23 arranged in the second Y direction and extending in the first X direction).
However, Noguchi appears not to expressly teach
a plurality of second loop electrodes arranged in the second direction, extending in the first direction, and overlapped with the plurality of second electrodes; and
a plurality of second loop lines electrically connected to the plurality of second loop electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein
one second loop electrode among the plurality of second loop electrodes and one second loop line among the plurality of second loop lines, are connected to one another in a closed loop.
Moon teaches arranging the horizontal first and first loop electrodes in the same fashion as the vertical first and first loop electrodes (par 0310 Fig 16 plurality of first patterns 101 are arranged in the second direction x, and a plurality of second patterns 102 are also arranged in the second direction x. A plurality of third patterns 103 are arranged in the first direction y, and a plurality of fourth patterns 104 are also arranged in the first direction y).
Noguchi and Moon are analogous art as they each pertain to sensors on electronic devices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Noguchi with the inclusion of like arrangement of the horizontal electrodes as the vertical electrodes of Moon to provide a plurality of second electrodes arranged in the second direction and extending in the first direction, a plurality of second loop electrodes arranged in the second direction, extending in the first direction, and overlapped with the plurality of second electrodes; and a plurality of second loop lines electrically connected to the plurality of second loop electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein one second loop electrode among the plurality of second loop electrodes and one second loop line among the plurality of second loop lines, are connected to one another in a closed loop. The motivation would have been in order to provide that various combinations of the plurality of first to fourth patterns 101, 102, 103, and 104 may be used so that the sensor unit 100 of the touch input device shown in FIG. 16 drives and senses [both a user touch and] the stylus pen (Moon par 0319).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 are allowed. Claims 2-10, 15, and 16 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:
Claim 2:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 2, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 2, namely "a capacitance of a first base capacitor of the first electrode is substantially the same as a capacitance of a second base capacitor of the first loop electrode" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 3:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 3, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 3, namely "wherein the first loop electrode comprises a first divided loop electrode and a second divided loop electrode spaced apart from each other in a first direction, and wherein the first auxiliary electrode is interposed between the first divided loop electrode and the second loop divided electrode" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 4:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 4, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 4, namely "wherein the first electrode comprises: a plurality of sensor patterns overlapped with the first loop electrode and the first auxiliary electrode; and a bridge pattern electrically connected to the plurality of sensor patterns, and wherein the bridge pattern is disposed on a same layer as a layer for the first loop electrode and the first auxiliary electrode" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 5:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 5, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 5, namely "wherein the sensor driver receives a first signal from the first electrode, and receives a second signal from the first closed loop" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 8:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 8, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 8, namely "the sensor layer comprises: a second electrode crossing the first electrode; a second auxiliary electrode overlapped with the second electrode and crossing the first auxiliary electrode; a second loop electrode overlapped with the second electrode and crossing the first loop electrode; a third loop trace line electrically connected to a third end portion of the second loop electrode; and a fourth loop trace line electrically connected to a fourth end portion of the second loop electrode that is spaced apart from the third end portion, and wherein the second loop electrode, the third loop trace line, and the fourth loop trace line are connected in a second closed loop" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 15:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 15, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 15, namely "a first differential amplifier to receive a first signal from one first electrode among the plurality of first electrodes; a second differential amplifier to receive a second signal from the connection line; an analog-to-digital converter to receive signals from the first differential amplifier and the second differential amplifier, to output data; and a differential operator to perform a differential operation on the data" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 16:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 16, the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 16, namely "a capacitance of a first base capacitor of each of the plurality of first electrodes is substantially the same as a capacitance of a second base capacitor of the plurality of first loop electrodes" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claim 18:
While closest prior art Noguchi (20170262093 A1) teaches a portion of the limitations of independent Claim 18, namely “an electronic device (par 0054 Fig 1 display device 1) comprising:
a sensor layer (par 0111 Fig 18 sensor layer comprises combination of TDL and COML layers); and
a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer (paras 0058,0099 Figs 1,15 first drive electrode driver 14 for driving the sensor layer), wherein
the sensor layer comprises:
a first electrode extending in a first direction (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first electrodes COMLa arranged in a first X direction and extending in a crossing second Y direction);
a second electrode extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and crossing the first electrode (par 0101 Fig 16 second electrodes TDL extending in a second X direction crossing the first electrode);
a first loop electrode extending in the first direction and overlapped with the first electrode (par 0141 Fig 25 plurality of first loop electrodes 51 [extending between trace lines 51A,51B and located as shown in Fig 21, par 0141] overlapped with the plurality of first electrodes COMLa Fig 21, par 0141);
a first loop line connected to the first loop electrode in a closed loop (par 0141 Fig 25 first loop trace line 51A disposed in the peripheral region and electrically connected to a first lower end portion of at least a first loop electrode 51)”;
and Kim (20250390186 A1) teaches “and configured to selectively operate in a first mode for sensing a touch input or a second mode for sensing a pen input (par 1151 first mode for sensing a touch input or par 1157 a second mode for sensing a pen input)”,
the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest the particular limitations of independent Claim 18, namely "a second loop electrode extending in the second direction and overlapped with the second electrode; a second loop line connected to the second loop electrode in a closed loop, and wherein the sensor driver receives a first signal from the first electrode, and receives a second signal from the first loop line, in the second mode" in combination with all other limitations of the claim and of claims on which the claim depends.
Claims 6, 7, 9, 10, 19 and 20 would be allowable dependent on the allowability of the claims on which they depend.
Conclusion
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/MARK EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624