DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to 09/03/2024.
Claims 1-12 are pending.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities: In lines 10 and 9 respectively of claims 1 and 11, change “a plurality of light receiving units that are” to “a plurality of light receiving units that is”. Also, in lines 5 and 8 of claim 11, change “a prisms” and “the prisms” to “a prism” and “the prism”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanda et al. (JP 2022051320A with machine translation attached), hereinafter Kanda.
Regarding claim 11, Kanda discloses a switch unit that detects a finger approaching or touching a push button operated by a user's finger (see figs. 1-5), the switch unit comprising: a first light projecting unit configured to emit light (light source 12-see fig. 1); a light guide plate having an incident surface on which light emitted from the first light projecting unit is incident (light guide plate 11-see figs. 1-5), a prism[[s]] (first prism 22-see 3) configured to reflect the light incident from the incident surface toward a side approached or touched by the finger and are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons (each prism 22 is incident on the light guide plate 22 from a first incident surface 11a, totally reflects light from the slight source 12 propagating in the light guide 11, and reflects the light on the front surface side of the light guide plate 11-see pg. 3, 1st para., each of the plurality of prisms 22 corresponds to a point in pattern 21-see fig. 1 and pg. 3, 2nd para.), and an exit surface configured to emit the light reflected by the prism[[s]] in a direction in which the finger approaches or touches (i.e., front surface of the light guide-see fig. 1, pg. 2, 5-6th para., and pg. 3, 1st para.); a plurality of light receiving units that [[are]] is provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons and is configured to receive the light emitted from the exit surface and reflected by the finger approaching or touching the push button (optical sensor 13 is an example of a detection unit, and detects a user’s operation input. Therefore, the optical sensor detects a light emitting element that emits sensor light and the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user’s finger-see pg. 4, 5th para., and figs. 1 and 4-5); and a detection unit configured to detect the finger approaching or touching of the finger depending on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit (when a user brings his/her finger close to the position where the operation input is received, a part of the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user’s finger is again incident on the light guide plate from the front surface of the light guide plate 11, is totally reflected by second prism 23 and returned to the optical sensor 13. When the light receiving element of the optical sensor 13 detects the returned sensor light, it outputs a detection signal to a control unit 14. As a result, operation of the input by the user is detected see pg. 4, last para.).
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, 3, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki (US Pub. 2011/0109533).
Regarding claim 1, Kanda discloses a switch unit that detects a finger approaching or touching a push button operated by a user's finger (see figs. 1-5), the switch unit comprising: a first light projecting unit configured to emit light (light source 12-see fig. 1); a first light guide plate having an incident surface on which light emitted from the first light projecting unit is incident (light guide plate 11-see figs. 1-5), a plurality of first prisms (first prisms 22-see 3) configured to reflect the light incident from the incident surface toward a side approached or touched by the finger and are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons (each prism 22 is incident on the light guide plate 22 from a first incident surface 11a, totally reflects light from the slight source 12 propagating in the light guide 11, and reflects the light on the front surface side of the light guide plate 11-see pg. 3, 1st para., each of the plurality of prisms 22 corresponds to a point in pattern 21-see fig. 1 and pg. 3, 2nd para.), and an exit surface configured to emit the light reflected by the first prisms in a direction in which the finger approaches or touches (i.e., front surface of the light guide-see fig. 1, pg. 2, 5-6th para., and pg. 3, 1st para.); a plurality of light receiving units that are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons and is configured to receive the light emitted from the exit surface and reflected by the finger approaching or touching the push button (optical sensor 13 is an example of a detection unit, and detects a user’s operation input. Therefore, the optical sensor detects a light emitting element that emits sensor light and the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user’s finger-see pg. 4, 5th para., and figs. 1 and 4-5); and a detection unit configured to detect the finger approaching or touching of the finger depending on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit (when a user brings his/her finger close to the position where the operation input is received, a part of the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user’s finger is again incident on the light guide plate from the front surface of the light guide plate 11, is totally reflected by second prism 23 and returned to the optical sensor 13. When the light receiving element of the optical sensor 13 detects the returned sensor light, it outputs a detection signal to a control unit 14. As a result, operation of the input by the user is detected see pg. 4, last para.).
Kanda does not appear to expressly disclose wherein the first prisms reflect the light so as to compensate for the amount of light that decreases according to a distance from the first light projecting unit.
Suzuki, in for example, fig. 2 teaches a surface light source device having a light guide plate 1a with a configuration in which heights and angles of inclined surfaces (a11 to a15) of concave sections 11R1 to 11R5 (prisms) are adjusted with increasing distance from a light source (e.g., 10R), for example, heights H of the inclined surfaces gradually increase with increasing distance from the light source 10R, in order to adjust light emission intensity distribution (see figs. 2A-B with description in [0081]-[0086]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the light guide plate of Suzuki with the invention of Kanda such that heights and angles of inclined surfaces (prisms) are increasingly adjusted with distance from a light source, as taught by Suzuki, therefore, light emission intensity distribution by lighting of the lightsource10L is easily adjusted (see [0083] and [0096]).
Regarding claim 3, Suzuki is further relied upon to teach wherein the first prisms are disposed such that a surface area of the reflecting surface that reflects the light increases as the distance from the first light projecting unit increases (see, for example, fig. 2-heights of inclined surfaces (e.g., a21-a25), and therefore surface area, gradually increase as the distance from light source 10R).
Regarding claim 10, Kanda discloses further comprising a lens portion configured to guide the light emitted from the first light projecting unit to the incident surface of the first light guide plate (a collimating lens may be arranged between the light source 12 and the optical sensor 13 and the side surface of the light guide plate 11 formed as an incident surface, respectively-see pg. 4, 2nd para.).
Claim 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki, and further in view of Yu et al. (US Patent 7,393,131), hereinafter Yu.
Regarding claim 2, Kanda in view of Suzuki does not appear to expressly teach wherein the first prisms are disposed such that their density per unit of surface area increases as the distance from the first light projecting unit increases.
Yu is relied upon to teach wherein the first prisms are disposed such that their density per unit of surface area increases as the distance from the first light projecting unit increases (see, for example, figs. 1-3 with description in [col. 3, ll. 7-19], wherein, a light source 5 is disposed opposite to a middle part of a light incident surface 21 of a light guide plate 2, and wherein prisms 221 are formed with a distribution density that progressively increases from middle area (corresponding to position of the light source) to two sides of the light guide plate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Yu with the inventions of Kanda and Suzuki by disposing prisms such that density per unit of surface area increases as distance from a light source, as taught by Yu, therefore, because the prisms 221 have a high distribution density at the two sides of the light guide plate 2 and a low distribution density at the middle area, the prisms 221 can enhance the intensity of the light beams at the two sides of the light guide plate 2 and effectively compensate the uneven illumination intensity received from the light source 5 (see [col. 3, ll. 26-40]).
Claim 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki, and further in view of Zou et al. (US Pub. 2017/0139498), hereinafter Zou.
Regarding claim 4, Kanda discloses wherein the light incident from the first light projecting unit through the incident surface is guided in a planar direction of the first light guide plate, and is reflected by the first prisms and exits from the exit surface (light source 12 emits light from an edge 11a of the light guide 11, and each first prism 22 totally reflects the light from the light source 12 propagating in the light guide 11 on the front surface side of the light guide 11-see fig. 3 and pg. 3, 1st para.).
Kanda in view of Suzuki does not appear to expressly teach wherein the first light guide plate further has an end surface disposed obliquely to the incident surface and the exit surface and the light incident from the first light projecting unit through the incident surface is reflected by the end surface.
Zou is relied upon to teach wherein the first light guide plate further has an end surface disposed obliquely to the incident surface and the exit surface and the light incident from the first light projecting unit through the incident surface is reflected by the end surface (see, for example figs. 2-3, wherein, first and second side surfaces 13 of a light transmission layer (light guide) of an optical touch device are obliquely disposed with respect to entry and exit surface, for example, in fig. 2, light emitted from the light source 3 is reflected by end surface 13 (having a first TIR layer 2)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zou with the inventions of Kanda and Suzuki such that the first light plate has end portions disposed obliquely to incident and exit surfaces of light from the light source, as taught by Zou, which constitutes combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (i.e., allowing the incident light to be reflected, whether by total internal reflection or in a planar manner, as desired).
Claim 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki, and further in view of Zou, and further in view of Otsuka et al. (JP 2009289102A with machine translation attached), hereinafter Otsuka.
Regarding claim 5, Kanda in view of Suzuki and Zou does not appear to expressly teach further comprising a single substrate on which the first light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are disposed.
Otsuka is relied upon to teach further comprising a single substrate on which the first light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are disposed (see, for example, fig. 3 with description in pg. 4, 4th para. and pg. 5, 1st para., which teaches a circuit board 24 having an infrared proximity sensor 23 that includes an infrared LED 23a that emits infrared light, and a photodiode (infrared PD) 23b, which is an infrared light receiving element that receives reflected infrared light from a reflecting object (e.g., fingertip of a product purchaser)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Otsuka with the inventions or Kanda, Suzuki and Zou, such that a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit for optical touch sensing are dispose on a single substrate, as taught by Otsuka, which constitutes combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Claims 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki, and further in view of Hisaki et al. (US Pub. 2021/0373223), hereinafter Hisaki.
Regarding claim 6, Kanda discloses that the light guide plate 11 displays a plurality of patterns 21 (see fig.1 and pg. 2, last para.), each pattern may be displayed as a three-dimensional image on the front side of the light guide plate 11, in this case, a plurality of prisms 22 are provided for each point of the pattern 21 (see pg. 3, 2nd para.).
Kanda in view of Suzuki does not appear to expressly teach a second light guide plate having a plurality of second prisms configured to reflect the light incident from the first light projecting unit to display a specific design.
However, having two or more light guide plates with a plurality of prisms simply amounts to mere duplication of parts and is readily taught by Hisaki in, for example, fig. 3, which illustrates a vending machine having a plurality of display devices 121 provided for each display shelf 111, and each display device includes a light guide plate 11 and a light source 12, and figs. 5-6 further illustrates a plurality of prisms (13) in each light guide plate 11 that reflect incident light from the light source 12 to generate a plurality of patterns (21-23).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Hisaki with the inventions of Kanda and Suzuki by using multiple light guide plates that can be configured for displaying a specific design separate from proximity sensing, which constitutes combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (i.e., achieve the flexibility of optical touch sensing and display of specific designs or patterns).
Regarding claim 7, Hisaki is further relied upon to teach further comprising a second light projecting unit configured to cause light to be incident on the second light guide plate and causes the plurality of second prisms to reflect the light (light source 12-see fig. 5).
Claims 8-9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanda in view of Suzuki, and further in view of Otsuka.
Regarding claim 8, Kanda in view of Suzuki does not appear to expressly teach Kanda in view of Suzuki does not appear to expressly teach further comprising a seven-segment display unit configured to display numerals.
Otsuka is further relied upon to teach further comprising a seven-segment display unit configured to display numerals (a plurality of 7 segments 26 used as digital displays for digitally displaying the “price” of the product are mounted at least corresponding to the plurality of product samples-see fig. 3 and pg. 4, 4th to 5th para.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Otsuka with the inventions of Kanda and Suzuki by further including a seven-segment display unit for display numerals, as taught by Otsuka, such that the 7 segments display is used as digital displays for digitally displaying the “price” of products mounted corresponding to the plurality of product samples 12 (see pg. 4, 4th para.).
Regarding claim 9, Otsuka is further relied upon to teach further comprising a third light projecting unit configured to emit light to display a desired numeral on the seven-segment display unit (light emitting diodes (LEDs) 25-see pg. 4, 4th para.).
Regarding claim 12, Otsuka is further relied upon to teach a presentation device, comprising: the switch unit according to claim 1; a presentation unit in which a presentation object selected and operated with the switch unit is disposed (a control device for a vending machine and a switch device for a vending machine, used for selling a product designated from one or a plurality of product samples-see pg. 1, 2nd para. (Technical field)); and a plurality of the push buttons provided for each of the presentation objects disposed in the presentation unit (switch devices 20 for selecting products are arranged in a row corresponding to a plurality of product samples 12-see [pg. 3, last para.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Otsuka with the inventions of Kanda and Suzuki to include a presentation unit, such as a vending machine with push buttons for selecting display items, as taught by Otsuka, which constitutes combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARDIS F AZONGHA whose telephone number is (571)270-7706. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-7:00PM.
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/SARDIS F AZONGHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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