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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/19/2026 has been entered. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending, but claim 17 remains withdrawn as directed to non-elected subject matter, and claims 1-16 and 18-20 are examined as follows.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-3, 8, 11, 13-16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao et al. in US 2017/0090644 (hereinafter Yao) in view of Lee et al. in US 2022/0357809 (hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 1, Yao disclose a semiconductor module (Yao’s par. 1: touch sensor display) comprising: a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) configured to drive a display panel (Yao’s par. 38); a touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 36: touch chips 606 and 610) configured to generate touch coordinates (Yao’s par. 24: location on the touch screen) based on an input (Yao’s par. 24: touch or proximity) on a touch screen panel (Yao’s par. 24 and Figs. 1: touch screen), the touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chips 606 and 610) comprising: a first integrated circuit (IC) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606), the first IC being on a first side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608); a second IC (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 610 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that is in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second IC being on a second side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A); and a plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604) connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606/610 on panel 600).
Yao fails to explicitly disclose a first transmitter and receiver set comprising the first IC, or the second transmitter and receiver set comprising the second IC.
However, in the same field of endeavor of touch panels, Lee discloses a first transmitter and receiver set on a first side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX and RX to the left of 30) and a second transmitter and receiver set on a second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao’s touch chips (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 and 610) each include a transmitter and receiver set (touchpads in TPA1 and TPA2 of Lee’s Figs. 2-3), in order to obtain the benefit of a touch controller that provides stimulation [transmit] for self or mutual capacitance sensing (Yao’s par. 26) and also receives sense signals (Yao’s Fig. 2 and par. 26), and the intended benefit of the same resistance (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee disclose:
A semiconductor module (Yao’s par. 1: touch sensor display) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) configured to drive a display panel (Yao’s par. 38);
a touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 36: touch chips 606 and 610) configured to generate touch coordinates (Yao’s par. 24: location on the touch screen) based on an input (Yao’s par. 24: touch or proximity) on a touch screen panel (Yao’s par. 24 and Figs. 1: touch screen), the touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chips 606 and 610) comprising:
a first transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 606 upon combination including TPA1 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89) comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606), the first IC being on a first side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608);
a second transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 610 upon combination included TPA2 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89) comprising a second IC (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 610 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that is in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second IC being on a second side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A); and
a plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 equivalent to RX/TX of Lee’s Fig. 3) connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606/610 on panel 600).
Regarding claim 2, Yao in view of Lee further disclose wherein the touch screen panel comprises:
a plurality of driving electrodes arranged in a first direction and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see TE arranged in X and extending in Y which upon combination map to the rows of Yao’s par. 25); and
a plurality of receiving electrodes arranged in the second direction and extending in the first direction (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see RE arranged in Y and extending in X which upon combination map to the columns of Yao’s par. 25), each of the plurality of receiving electrodes having a length that is shorter than a length of each of the plurality of driving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 61: see length of RE [X side of AR] which is shorter than the length of the TE [Y side of AR]).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao’s touch panel includes the driving and receiving electrodes as described by Lee’s Fig. 3, in order to obtain the predictable result of crossing rows and columns that enable mutual capacitance (Yao’s par. 25).
Regarding claim 3, Yao in view of Lee disclose wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Fig. 3 : see TPA1 including TX/RX which are part of 606 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) and the second transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Fig. 3 : see TPA2 including TX/RX which are part of 610 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) are disposed symmetrically with respect to the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3 and Yao’s Fig. 6A).
Regarding claim 8, Yao in view of Lee further disclose wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 606 upon combination including TPA1 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3) comprises a first transmitter (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX connected on bottom left) and a first receiver (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX connected on left) sequentially disposed on the first side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: left of DPD),
wherein the second transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 610 upon combination included TPA2 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3) comprises a second transmitter (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX connected on bottom right) and a second receiver (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX connected on right) sequentially disposed on the second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: right of DPD), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises:
first transmission lines connected to first driving electrodes on a near side of the touch screen panel nearest to the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on bottom left side connected to TE on side close to TPA1 which is equivalent to 606 of Yao’s Fig. 6A), the first transmission lines connecting the first transmitter and the first driving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on bottom left from TPA1 to TE);
second transmission lines connected to second driving electrodes on the near side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on bottom right side connected to TE on side close to TPA1 which is equivalent to 606 of Yao’s Fig. 6A), the second transmission lines connecting the second transmitter and the second driving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on bottom right from TPA2 to TE);
first reception lines connected to first receiving electrodes on a first side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX on left side connected to RE on left side of 10), the first reception lines connecting the first receiver and the first receiving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX on left side connecting to RE and TPA1), the first side of the touch screen panel being adjacent to the far side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: left adjacent to top far from TPA1 which is equivalent to 606 of Yao’s Fig. 6A); and
second reception lines connected to second receiving electrodes on a second side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX on right side connected to RE on right side of 10), the second reception lines connecting the second receiver and the second receiving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see RX on right side connecting to RE and TPA2), the second side of the touch screen panel being opposite the first side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: right opposite to left).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao’s touch panel includes the driving and receiving electrodes as described by Lee’s Fig. 3, in order to obtain the predictable result of crossing rows and columns that enable mutual capacitance (Yao’s par. 25).
Regarding claim 11, Yao in view of Lee fail to disclose a shielding member between a transmitter and a receiver of the touch sensor controller.
However, Lee does disclose a shielding member between lines of the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Figs. 5-7 and par. 112, 115-116: see ground lines GND between touch lines RL), and the touch lines corresponding to both transmitters TX and receivers RX (Lee’s Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view of Lee comprise a shielding member (Lee’s Fig. 3: see GND lines) between a transmitter and a receiver of the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPD and RL corresponding to TX and RX, and thus including GND lines between TX and RX upon combination with Figs. 5-7), in order to obtain the predictable result of preventing signal interference (Lee’s par. 112).
Regarding claim 13, Yao disclose a semiconductor module (Yao’s par. 1: touch sensor display) comprising: a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) configured to drive a display panel (Yao’s par. 38); a touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 36: touch chips 606 and 610) configured to generate touch coordinates (Yao’s par. 24: location on the touch screen) based on an input (Yao’s par. 24: touch or proximity) on a touch screen panel (Yao’s par. 24 and Figs. 1: touch screen), and comprising: first receivers (Yao’s Fig. 6A touch chip 606 equivalent to 206 of Fig. 2 and including sense channels 208 per par. 26) comprising respective first integrated circuits (ICs) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606) in a first side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608); second receivers (Yao’s Fig. 6A touch chip 610 equivalent to 206 of Fig. 2 and including sense channels 208 per par. 26) comprising respective second ICs (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that are in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second ICs being on a second side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A); and
a plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604) connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606/610 on panel 600).
Yao fails to explicitly disclose transmitters on at least one side of the display driver circuit.
However, in the same field of endeavor of touch panels, Lee discloses a transmitters and receivers on a first side and a second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 and TPA1 each including TX and RX to the sides of 30).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao’s touch chips (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 and 610) each include transmitters in addition to receivers (touchpads in TPA1 and TPA2 of Lee’s Figs. 2-3), in order to obtain the benefit of a touch controller that provides stimulation [transmit] for self or mutual capacitance sensing (Yao’s par. 26) and also receives sense signals (Yao’s Fig. 2 and par. 26), and the intended benefit of the same resistance (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee disclose:
A semiconductor module (Yao’s par. 1: touch sensor display) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) configured to drive a display panel (Yao’s par. 38);
a touch sensor controller (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 36: touch chips 606 and 610) configured to generate touch coordinates (Yao’s par. 24: location on the touch screen) based on an input (Yao’s par. 24: touch or proximity) on a touch screen panel (Yao’s par. 24 and Figs. 1: touch screen), and comprising:
first receivers (Yao’s Fig. 6A touch chip 606 equivalent to 206 of Fig. 2 and including sense channels 208 per par. 26) comprising respective first integrated circuits (ICs) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606) in a first side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608);
second receivers (Yao’s Fig. 6A touch chip 610 equivalent to 206 of Fig. 2 and including sense channels 208 per par. 26) comprising respective second ICs (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that are in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second ICs being on a second side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A);
transmitters on at least one side of the display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 606 and 610 which upon combination include TPA1 and TPA2 respectively of Lee’s Figs. 2-3, and each include transmitters TX and the receivers RX per Lee’s par. 86-89); and
a plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604) connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606/610 on panel 600).
Regarding claim 14, Yao in view of Lee disclose wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to 602/604 of Yao’s Fig. 6A per par. 35) comprises transmission lines for single routing that contact driving electrodes on a lower side of the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX connected to TEs on a bottom side of 10 and Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 604 connecting to elements 511 on a bottom side as shown).
Regarding claim 15, Yao in view of Lee further disclose wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to 602/604 of Yao’s Fig. 6A per par. 35) comprises transmission lines for single routing that contact driving electrodes on an upper side of the touch screen panel (Yao’s Figs. 6A, 6G and par. 40: see 602 connecting to elements 511 on a top side as shown, upon combination 602 is equivalent to TX of Lee’s Fig. 3).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the transmission lines for single routing contact driving electrodes on an upper side of the touch screen panel (Yao’s Fig. 6G) in order to obtain the predictable result of one of the chips configurations described by Yao.
Regarding claim 16, Yao in view of Lee disclose wherein the transmitters (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX to the left of 30, where TPA1 includes 606 of Yao’s Fig. 6A) are between the first receivers and the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on left side TPA1 between far left RX and DPD), or are between the second receivers and the display driver circuit (limitation in the alternative).
Regarding claim 18, Yao discloses a display device (Yao’s par. 1) comprising: a display panel (Yao’s par. 38) comprising a plurality of pixels (Yao’s par. 30: display elements) and a plurality of source lines connected to the plurality of pixels (Yao’s par. 30: data lines); a plurality of first direction touch electrodes (Yao’s par. 25: rows) and a plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Yao’s par. 25: columns); and a touch screen driver circuit (Yao’s par. 39: integrated touch and display chip) comprising: a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) in a center region of the touch screen driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A), and configured to apply a plurality of source signals to the plurality of source lines (Yao’s par. 27);
a first integrated circuit (IC) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606), the first IC being on a first side of the center region (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608) and connected to a first set of the plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606); a second IC (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 610 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that is in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second IC being on a second side of the center region (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A), and connected to a second set of the plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 610).
Yao fails to disclose a plurality of routing lines connected to the plurality of first direction touch electrodes and the plurality of second direction touch electrodes or a first transmitter and receiver set comprising the first IC, or the second transmitter and receiver set comprising the second IC.
However, in the same field of endeavor of touch panels, Lee disclose a plurality of routing lines connected to the plurality of first direction touch electrodes and the plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX), first transmitter and receiver set on a first side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX and RX to the left of 30) and a second transmitter and receiver set on a second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao includes routing lines for rows and columns (Lee’s Fig. 3) and that Yao’s touch chips (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 and 610) each include a transmitter and receiver set (touchpads in TPA1 and TPA2 of Lee’s Figs. 2-3), in order to obtain the predictable result of routing lines that connect to the rows and columns of mutual capacitance (Yao’s par. 25), the benefit of a touch controller that provides stimulation [transmit] for self or mutual capacitance sensing (Yao’s par. 26) and also receives sense signals (Yao’s Fig. 2 and par. 26), and the intended benefit of the same resistance (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee disclose:
A display device (Yao’s par. 1) comprising:
a display panel (Yao’s par. 38) comprising a plurality of pixels (Yao’s par. 30: display elements) and a plurality of source lines connected to the plurality of pixels (Yao’s par. 30: data lines);
a plurality of first direction touch electrodes (Yao’s par. 25: rows equivalent to one of TE or RE in Lee’s Fig. 3 per par. 83) and a plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Yao’s par. 25: columns equivalent to the other of TE or RE in Lee’s Fig. 3 per par. 83);
a plurality of routing lines connected to the plurality of first direction touch electrodes and the plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX equivalent to 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A); and
a touch screen driver circuit (Yao’s par. 39: integrated touch and display chip) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35: display controller chip 608) in a center region of the touch screen driver circuit (Yao’s Fig. 6A), and configured to apply a plurality of source signals to the plurality of source lines (Yao’s par. 27);
a first transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 606 upon combination including TPA1 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89) comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: left side touch chip 606 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) in a first semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 606), the first IC being on a first side of the center region (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 606 on the left side of 608) and connected to a first set of the plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 606, where 602/604 are equivalent to TX/RX on the left side of Lee’s Fig. 3);
a second transmitter and receiver set (Yao’s Fig. 6A: touch chip 610 upon combination including TPA2 including TX and RX of Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89) comprising a second IC (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: right side touch chip 610 which is an ASIC 206 per. Fig. 2 and par. 26) that is in the first semiconductor chip or in a second semiconductor chip (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35-36: chip 610), the second IC being on a second side of the center region (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 610 on the right side of 608), the second side being opposite the first side (Yao’s Fig. 6A), and connected to a second set of the plurality of routing lines (Yao’s Fig. 6A and par. 35, 37: lines 602/604 connected to 610, where 602/604 are equivalent to TX/RX on the right side of Lee’s Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 20, Yao in view of Lee disclose wherein the display panel is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display (Yao’s par. 4, 43), and wherein the plurality of first direction touch electrodes and the plurality of second direction touch electrodes comprise rhombic unit electrodes intersecting each other (Lee’s Fig. 3: see rhombic TE and RE intersecting each other).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that the driving electrodes including rhombic unit electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the predictable result of a known shape of electrodes for mutual capacitance (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 85).
Claims 4-7, 9-10 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao in view of Lee as applied above, in further view of Yan et al. in US 2024/0272753 (hereinafter Yan).
Regarding claim 4, Yao in view of Lee fail to explicitly disclose a second transmitter, a fourth transmitter and their respective transmission lines.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side circuit and left side transmission lines connected sequentially to top left TX, left RX and bottom left TX (Yan’s Fig. 6), and a right side circuit and right side transmission lines connected sequentially to bottom right TX, right RX and top right TX (Yan’s Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66) as this is already an intended objective of Yao (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) includes the islands of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Yao in view of Lee’s first transmitter and receiver set 606/TPA1 and second transmitter and receiver set 610/TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC.
As such, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose:
wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see left circuit SC equivalent to TPA1 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 606 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a first transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2 on left SC, which connect through TSL to bottom left quadrant TXs), a first receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2/SW1 on left SC, which connect through TSL to left quadrant RXs), and a second transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW1 on left SC, which connect through TSL to top left quadrant TXs) sequentially aligned along the second direction (Yan’s Fig. 6: as shown on the X direction) with the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 aligned in X with DPD which is equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A),
wherein the second transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see right circuit SC equivalent to TPA2 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 610 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a third transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2 on right SC, which connect through TSL to bottom right quadrant TXs), a second receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW3/SW4 on right SC, which connect through TSL to right quadrant RXs), and a fourth transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW4 on right SC, which connect through TSL to top right quadrant TXs) sequentially aligned along the second direction (Yan’s Fig. 6: as shown on the X direction) with the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 aligned in X with DPD), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6 and to 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises:
first transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on bottom left quadrant) connected to first driving electrodes on a near side of the touch screen panel nearest to the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on bottom left quadrant closer to SC), the first transmission lines connecting the first transmitter and the first driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW2 on left SC, to bottom left quadrant TXs);
second transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on bottom right quadrant) connected to second driving electrodes on the near side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on bottom right quadrant closer to SC), the second transmission lines connecting the third transmitter and the second driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW3 on right SC, to bottom right quadrant TXs);
third transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top left quadrant) connected to third driving electrodes on a far side of the touch screen panel furthest from the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on top left quadrant further to SC), the third transmission lines connecting the second transmitter and the third driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW1 on left SC, to top left quadrant TXs);
fourth transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top right quadrant) connected to fourth driving electrodes on the far side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on top right quadrant further to SC), the fourth transmission lines connecting the fourth transmitter and the fourth driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW4 on right SC, to top right quadrant TXs);
first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) connected to first receiving electrodes on a first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), the first reception lines connecting the first receiver and the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW1/SW2 on left SC, to left quadrant RXs), the first side of the touch screen panel being adjacent to the far side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: left side is adjacent to top side); and
second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) connected to second receiving electrodes on a second side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), the second reception lines connecting the second receiver and the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW3/SW4 on right SC, to right quadrant RXs), the second side of the touch screen panel being opposite the first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: right side opposite left side).
Regarding claim 5, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose wherein the first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) contact the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), and the first receiving electrodes are consecutively disposed closer to the far side of the touch screen panel than to the near side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on top left quadrant), and wherein the second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) contact the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), and the second receiving electrodes are the plurality of receiving electrodes other than the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on bottom right quadrant).
Regarding claim 6, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose wherein the first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) contact the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), and the first receiving electrodes are consecutively disposed closer to the near side of the touch screen panel than to the far side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on bottom left quadrant), and wherein the second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) contact the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), and the second reception lines are the plurality of receiving electrodes other than the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on top right quadrant).
Regarding claim 7, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose wherein the first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) contact the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), and the first receiving electrodes are even-numbered electrodes among the plurality of receiving electrodes in the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: see even-numbered RX on left when number one is the top left RX and the numbers raise going down vertically), and wherein the second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) contact the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), and the second receiving electrodes are odd-numbered electrodes among the plurality of receiving electrodes in the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: see odd-numbered RX on right when number one is the top right RX and the numbers raise going down vertically).
Regarding claim 9, Yao in view of Lee fail to disclose first transmission lines connected to first driving electrodes on a far side of the touch screen panel furthest from the touch sensor controller.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side circuit and left side transmission lines connected sequentially to bottom left TX and left RX (Yan’s Fig. 6), and a right side circuit and right side transmission lines connected sequentially to top right TX and right RX (Yan’s Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66) as this is already an intended objective of Yao (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) includes the islands of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Yao in view of Lee’s first transmitter and receiver set 606/TPA1 and second transmitter and receiver set 610/TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC.
As such, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose:
wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see left circuit SC equivalent to TPA1 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 606 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a first transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2 on left SC, which connect through TSL to bottom left quadrant TXs) and a first receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2/SW1 on left SC, which connect through TSL to left quadrant RXs) aligned with the display driver circuit in a direction (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 aligned in X with DPD which is equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A),
wherein the second transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see right circuit SC equivalent to TPA2 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 610 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a second receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW3/SW4 on right SC, which connect through TSL to right quadrant RXs) and a second transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW4 on right SC, which connect through TSL to top right quadrant TXs) aligned with the display driver circuit in the direction (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 aligned in X with DPD which is equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6 and to 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises:
first transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on bottom left quadrant) connected to first driving electrodes on a near side of the touch screen panel nearest to the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on bottom left quadrant closer to SC), the first transmission lines connecting the first transmitter and the first driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW2 on left SC, to bottom left quadrant TXs);
second transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top right quadrant) connected to second driving electrodes on a far side of the touch screen panel furthest from the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on top right quadrant further to SC), the second transmission lines connecting the second transmitter and the second driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW4 on right SC, to top right quadrant TXs);
first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) connected to first receiving electrodes on a first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), the first reception lines connecting the first receiver and the first receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW1/SW2 on left SC, to left quadrant RXs), the first side of the touch screen panel being adjacent to the far side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: left side is adjacent to top side); and
second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) connected to second receiving electrodes on a second side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), the second reception lines connecting the second receiver and the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW3/SW4 on right SC, to right quadrant RXs), the second side of the touch screen panel being opposite the first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: right side opposite left side).
Regarding claim 10, Yao in view of Lee fail to disclose second transmission lines connected to second driving electrodes on a far side of the touch screen panel furthest from the touch sensor controller.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side circuit and left side transmission lines connected sequentially to bottom left TX and left RX (Yan’s Fig. 6), and a right side circuit and right side transmission lines connected sequentially to top right TX and right RX (Yan’s Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66) as this is already an intended objective of Yao (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) includes the islands of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Yao in view of Lee’s first transmitter and receiver set 606/TPA1 and second transmitter and receiver set 610/TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC.
As such, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose:
wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see left circuit SC equivalent to TPA1 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 606 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a first receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2/SW1 on left SC, which connect through TSL to left quadrant RXs) and a first transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW1 on left SC, which connect through TSL to top left quadrant TXs) aligned with the display driver circuit in a direction (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 aligned in X with DPD which is equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A),
wherein the second transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 108: see right circuit SC equivalent to TPA2 in Lee’s Fig. 3 and to 610 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises a second transmitter (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW2 on right SC, which connect through TSL to bottom right quadrant TXs) and a second receiver (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 110: see SEG connected to SW3/SW4 on right SC, which connect through TSL to right quadrant RXs) aligned with the display driver circuit in the direction (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 aligned in X with DPD which is equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6 and to 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises:
first transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top left quadrant) connected to first driving electrodes on a far side of the touch screen panel furthest from the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on top left quadrant further to SC), the first transmission lines connecting the first transmitter and the first driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW1 on left SC, to top left quadrant TXs);
second transmission lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on bottom right quadrant) connected to second driving electrodes on a near side of the touch screen panel nearest to the touch sensor controller (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on bottom right quadrant closer to SC), the second transmission lines connecting the second transmitter and the second driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW3 on right SC, to bottom right quadrant TXs);
first reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on left quadrants) connected to first receiving electrodes on a first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on left quadrants), the first reception lines connecting the first receiver and the first receiving electrodes(Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW1/SW2 on left SC, to left quadrant RXs), the first side of the touch screen panel being adjacent to the far side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: left side is adjacent to top side); and
second reception lines (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to RX on right quadrants) connected to second receiving electrodes on a second side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: RX on right quadrants), the second reception lines connecting the second receiver and the second receiving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6: see TSL connecting SEG/SW3/SW4 on right SC, to right quadrant RXs), the second side of the touch screen panel being opposite the first side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: right side opposite left side).
Regarding claim 19, Yao in view of Lee fail to disclose second driving electrodes on a second region closer to the touch screen driver circuit than the first region in a first direction, and second transmission lines connected to the second driving electrodes.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side circuit and left side transmission lines connected sequentially to top left TX, left RX (Yan’s Fig. 6), and a right side circuit and right side transmission lines connected sequentially to right RX (Yan’s Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66) as this is already an intended objective of Yao (Yao’s par. 37).
By doing such combination, Yao in view of Lee’s mutual capacitance configuration (Lee’s Fig. 3) includes the islands of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Yao in view of Lee’s first transmitter and receiver set 606/TPA1 and second transmitter and receiver set 610/TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC.
As such, Yao in view of Lee and Yan disclose:
wherein the plurality of first direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TE) comprises:
first driving electrodes on a first region (Yan’s Fig. 6: see top left quadrant TX); and
second driving electrodes on a second region closer to the touch screen driver circuit than the first region in a first direction (Yan’s Fig. 6: see bottom left quadrant TX closer to SW and bottom SEG [equivalent to 30/40 in Lee’s Fig. 3]), and wherein the plurality of routing lines comprises (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6 and 602/604 in Yao’s Fig. 6A):
first transmission lines connected to the first driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top left quadrant); and
second transmission lines connected to the second driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on bottom left quadrant).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao in view of Lee in view of Bae et al. in US 2022/0366832 (hereinafter Bae).
Yao in view of Lee disclose wherein the display panel is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display (Yao’s par. 4, 43). But Lee fails to explicitly disclose a gamma voltage generator and a source driver.
However, in the same field of endeavor of OLEDs, Bae discloses a display driver circuit (Bae’s Figs. 1, 3: see 200 equivalent to 608 in Yao’s Fig. 6A) comprises:
a gamma voltage generator (Bae’s Fig. 3) configured to generate a plurality of gamma voltages (Bae’s par. 60); and
a source driver (Bae’s Fig. 3) configured to:
generate a plurality of source signals (Bae’s Fig. 3 and par. 68) corresponding to an input image signal based on the plurality of gamma voltages (Bae’s Fig. 3 and par. 63, 69); and
transmit the plurality of source signals to the display panel through a plurality of source lines (Bae’s Fig. 4 and par. 69).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Yao in view of Lee’s display driver (Yao’s Fig. 6A: see 608) includes the components explained by Bae’s Figs. 1, 3-4, in order to obtain the predictable result of displaying a digital image by conventional means (Bae’s par. 49).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
On the Remarks filed 4/20/2026, Applicant argued that neither Lee nor Yan disclose the amended semiconductor chips. Please see above rejection which introduces a new reference to Yao addressing the semiconductor chips.
Conclusion
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/LILIANA CERULLO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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