Vibration Sensor, Electronic Device and Vibration Detection Method
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/16/2025 is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “air hole, in communication with the first cavity and the back cavity” must be shown or the feature canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the limitation “a cavity is formed between the chip assembly, the circuit board assembly and the housing” is unclear if the cavity separates the chip assembly and circuit board assembly from the housing or if the cavity separates all three elements listed in the limitation. For the purpose of examination, the examiner interprets the limitation as “a cavity is formed that separates the chip assembly and circuit board, from the housing”. The dependent claims are likewise rejected.
Claim 12 is a method claim that depends on apparatus claim 1. A single claim that recites both an apparatus and method steps is indefinite. It is unclear if infringement would occur when the product is created as an apparatus or when the method progresses. The examiner suggests rewriting the claims as directed to “the vibration sensor” apparatus incorporating the functional steps of the original method as configurations of the amended apparatus.
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6, 8 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen (US 20220404196; “Chen”).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, a vibration sensor (100), comprising: a circuit board assembly (110, 120), inside which a back cavity (C1) is formed; a housing (140) mounted over the circuit board assembly (110, 120) and provided with a first vent hole (142); a chip assembly (160) provided on a side (see fig. 1A) of the circuit board assembly (110, 120) proximate to the housing (140) and electrically connected (164) to the circuit board assembly (110, 120), wherein a cavity (C2, C3) is formed between the chip assembly (160), the circuit board assembly (110, 120), and the housing (140); a vibration-pickup assembly (150) provided inside the cavity (C2, C3) and dividing the cavity (C2, C3) into a first cavity (C2), proximate to the chip assembly (160), and a second cavity (C3), proximate to the housing (140) and in communication with the first vent hole (142); and a through-hole (P) configured for communication with the back cavity (C1) and the second cavity (C3).
Regarding claim 2, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, the circuit board assembly (110, 120) comprises a base plate (110) and a looped sidewall (120) connected on a periphery (see figs. 1A, 1C, 1D) of the base plate (110); and the housing (140) is mounted over the looped sidewall (120).
Regarding claim 3, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, the through-hole (P) is provided on (see fig. 1D) the looped sidewall (120).
Regarding claim 4, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, the vibration-pickup assembly (150a) comprises a diaphragm (152a) and a vibration loop (158), a first end of the vibration loop (158) is connected (see figs. 2A, 2B) to the diaphragm (152a), and a second end of the vibration loop (158) is connected to the base plate (see fig. 2A, examiner notes Chen depicts the diaphragm connected to the base through the side shell); and the through-hole (P) is provided between (see fig. 2A) the looped sidewall (120) and the vibration loop (158).
Regarding claim 6, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, the vibration-pickup assembly (150) separates the first cavity (C2) from the second cavity (C3).
Regarding claim 8, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, the circuit board assembly (110, 120) comprises a base plate (110) over which (see fig. 1A) the housing (140) is mounted.
Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, a vibration sensor (100), comprising: a circuit board assembly (110, 120) and a housing (140), the housing (140) being mounted over the circuit board assembly (110, 120) and forming a cavity (P, C1, C2, C3) together with the circuit board assembly (110, 120); a chip assembly (130, 160) provided on a side of the circuit board assembly (110, 120) proximate to the housing (140) and electrically connected (163) to the circuit board assembly (110, 120), wherein the chip assembly (130, 160) comprises a MEMS chip (130); a vibration-pickup assembly (150) provided inside the cavity (C2, C3) and dividing the cavity (C2, C3) into a first cavity (C2), located on a side of the vibration-pickup assembly (150) proximate to the chip assembly (130, 160), and a second cavity (C3), which is located on a side of the vibration-pickup assembly (150) proximate to the housing (140); and a through-hole (P), the through-hole (P) configured to be in communication (see fig. 1A, examiner notes Chen’s through-hole provides fluid communication between the third cavity, first cavity and the back cavity) and with a diaphragm (132) of the MEMS chip (130) and the second cavity (C3).
Regarding claim 11, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, an electronic device (¶ 0007, Chen’s “control chip is electrically connected to the circuit board” therefor the vibration sensing assembly is an electronic device), comprising the vibration sensor (100).
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 5, 7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20220404196; “Chen”) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Duanmu (CN 210641062; “Duanmu”).
Regarding claim 5, Chen fails to disclose a vent hole in the vibration-pickup assembly between the first and second cavities.
Duanmu teaches, in figure 1, the vibration-pickup assembly (7, 8) is provided with a second vent hole (9), in communication with the first cavity (11) and the second cavity (10).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Duanmu’s scheme of forming a vent hole through the membrane/mass element into Chen’s diaphragm assembly to provide an escape hole to keep an inner and outer pressure balance. Doing so prevents damage to the product (see Duanmu’s translation, p. 2, ¶ 2).
Regarding claim 7, Chen fails to disclose an air hole in communication with the first and back cavities.
Duanmu teaches, in figure 1, the chip assembly (5, 6) is provided with an air hole (5031), in communication with the first cavity (4) and the back cavity (11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Duanmu’s scheme of forming a ventilation micropore through the MEMS chip sensing film into Chen’s MEMS chip design to provide for air discharge. Doing so prevents damage to the sensing film.
Regarding claim 12, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, providing a chip assembly (130, 160) on a circuit board assembly (110, 120) and electrically connecting (163) it to the circuit board assembly (110, 120), the chip assembly (130, 160) comprising a MEMS chip (130); providing a vibration-pickup assembly (150) above (see fig. 1A) the MEMS chip (130), a first cavity (C2) being-formed between the vibration-pickup assembly (150), the circuit board assembly (110, 120) and the diaphragm (132) of the MEMS chip (130); providing a through-hole (P) inside the circuit board assembly (110, 120); and mounting the housing (140) over the circuit board assembly (110, 120), a second cavity (C3) formed between the housing (140), the vibration-pickup assembly (140) and the circuit board assembly (110, 120), and the through-hole (P) configured for communication with the second cavity (C3) and a diaphragm (132) of the MEMS chip (130).
Chen does not disclose a through-hole configured so that a pressure difference between the first cavity and the second cavity is conducted to two sides of the diaphragm of the MEMS chip.
Duanmu teaches, in figure 1, through-holes (9, 5031) configured so that a pressure difference between the first cavity (11) and the second cavity (10 is conducted to two sides of the diaphragm (503) of the MEMS chip (5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Duanmu’s scheme of forming vent holes through the membrane/mass element and the induction film of the MEMS into Chen’s diaphragm assembly to provide an escape hole to keep an inner and outer pressure balance. Doing so prevents damage to the product.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20220404196; “Chen”) as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses, in figures 1-6, a plurality (¶ 0053, Chen’s assembly may have “multiple airflow channels P”) of through-holes (P), wherein each through-hole (P).
Chen fails to disclose each through-hole has a cross-section being at least one of square, circular, elliptical, and oval.
However, Applicant has not disclosed that the particular cross-section shape is critical or produces unexpected results. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to design Chen’s airflow channels to have cross-sections being at least one of square, circular, elliptical, and oval as a matter of design choice to provide a contrasting color to the outside pack housing color. Doing so increases manufacturing flexibility.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Duanmu (US 20240151576) discloses a vibration sensor with a chip assembly located between a housing and a vibration-pickup assembly.
Fang (CN 212110308) discloses a vibration sensor used in an electronic device such as a smart watch.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY P GRAVES whose telephone number is (469)295-9072. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Macchiarolo can be reached at 571-272-2375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY P GRAVES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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