DETAILED ACTION
This Final action is in response to an amendment filed 1/20/2026. Currently claims 1-20 are pending, but claim 17 remains withdrawn as directed to non-elected subject matter and claims 1-16 and 18-20 are examined as follows.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Instant independent claim 1 was amended to recite “a first transmitter and receiver set comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) on a first side of the display driver circuit; a second transmitter and receiver set comprising a second IC on a second side of the display driver circuit, the second side being opposite the first side”. This does not found support in the disclosure as follows:
On the Remarks filed 1/20/2026 Applicant points to the specification as filed par. 122 which reads:
[0122] In one or more embodiments, the touch sensor controller may include transmitters 621, 623, 624, and 626 and receivers 622 and 625. The touch sensor controller may further include a processor for driving the transmitters 621, 623, 624, and 626 and processing sensing signals received from the receivers 622 and 625, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for performing conversion (for example, analog-to-digital conversion) on sensing signals, which are not shown in FIG. 6 for ease of explanation. For example, the regions where the transmitters 621 and 626 are disposed may include processors for generating driving signals. In some embodiments, the regions where the transmitters 623 and 624 are disposed may include processors for generating driving signals. The regions where the receivers 622 and 625 are disposed may include analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
Thus, while the disclosure provides support for the region where a transmitter and receiver set is disposed also includes an integrated circuit, such as an ADC or processor, the disclosure does not provide support for the actual transmitter and receiver set (shown as 621-623 or 624-626 in Fig. 6) to include an integrated circuit.
Regarding independent claim 13, the disclosure fails to support “first receivers comprising first integrated circuits (IC) on a first side of the display driver circuit; second receivers comprising respective second ICs on a second side of the display driver circuit”, for the same reasons as explained above for claim 1.
Regarding independent claim 18, the disclosure fails to support “a first transmitter and receiver set comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) on a first side of the center region…and a second transmitter and receiver set comprising a second IC on a second side of the center region opposite the first side”, for the same reasons as explained above for claim 1.
Dependent claims 2-12, 14-15 and 19-20 inherit the issues of their respective independent claim.
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 1-11, 13-16 and 18-20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. in US 2022/0357809 (hereinafter Lee) in view of Yan et al. in US 2024/0272753 (hereinafter Yan).
Regarding claim 1, Lee disclose a semiconductor module (Lee’s par. 52) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) configured to drive a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59, 69-70: see 10); a touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 59: see 40, TCPD and TPD) configured to generate touch coordinates (Lee’s par. 73) based on an input on a touch screen panel (Lee’s par. 73), the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3: see 40, TCPD and TPD) comprising: 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);
a second transmitter and receiver set on a second side of the display driver circuit, the second side being opposite the first side (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30); and a plurality of routing lines connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX).
Lee fails to disclose the first transmitter and receiver set comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) or the second transmitter and receiver set comprising a second IC.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to TX and RX on left side) comprising a first integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113: see transistor SW on left side), and a right side transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to TX and RX on right side) comprising a second integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6: see transistor SW on right side).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 configuration which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line and switching circuit (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6 per par. 113), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66).
By doing such combination, Lee’s Fig. 3 active region AR is configured in the islands manner of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 each include an integrated circuit embodied as transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6.
As such, Lee in view of Yan disclose:
A semiconductor module (Lee’s par. 52) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) configured to drive a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59, 69-70: see 10);
a touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 59: see 40, TCPD and TPD) configured to generate touch coordinates (Lee’s par. 73) based on an input on a touch screen panel (Lee’s par. 73), the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3: see 40, TCPD and TPD) comprising:
a first transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX and RX to the left of 30) comprising a first integrated circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a first side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 on left side);
a second transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30) comprising a second integrated circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a second side of the display driver circuit, the second side being opposite the first side (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 on right side); and
a plurality of routing lines connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX).
Regarding claim 2, Lee in view of Yan 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); 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), 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]).
Regarding claim 3, Lee in view of Yan disclose wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Fig. 3 : see TPA1 including TX/RX) and the second transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Fig. 3 : see TPA2 including TX/RX) are disposed symmetrically with respect to the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Lee in view of Yan further 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) 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),
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) 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) 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).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, Lee in view of 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, Lee in view of 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, Lee in view of 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 8, Lee in view of Yan further disclose wherein the first transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TPA1) 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 (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TPA2) 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) 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 40), 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 40), the second transmission lines connecting the second transmitter and the second driving electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3: see TX on bottom left 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); 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 Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Lee in view of Yan further 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) 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),
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) 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), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6) 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).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, Lee in view of Yan further 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) 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),
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) 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), and
wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6) 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).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, Lee in view of Yan disclose a shielding member between lines of the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Figs. 5-7 and par. 112-114: see ground lines GND between lines RL), but Lee in view of Yan fail to explicitly disclose the shielding member between a transmitter and a receiver of the touch sensor controller.
However, from Lee’s Fig. 3, the touch lines RL correspond to both transmitters TX and receivers RX, therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee in view of Yan’s shielding member (Lee’s Fig. 3: see GND lines) is between a transmitter and a receiver of the touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPD and RL corresponding to TX and RX), in order to obtain the predictable result of preventing signal interference (Lee’s par. 112).
Regarding claim 13, Lee disclose a semiconductor module (Lee’s par. 52) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) configured to drive a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59, 69-70: see 10); a touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 59: see 40, TCPD and TPD) configured to generate touch coordinates (Lee’s par. 73) based on an input on a touch screen panel (Lee’s par. 73), and comprising: first receivers on a first side of the display driver circuit and second receivers on a second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including RX to the left of 30 and TPA2 including RX to the right of 30); transmitters on at least one side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX to the left of 30); and a plurality of routing lines connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX).
Lee fails to disclose the first receivers comprising respective first integrated circuit (IC) or the second receivers comprising respective second IC.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose left side receivers (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to RX on left side) comprising a first integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113: see transistor SW on left side), and right side receivers (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to RX on right side) comprising a second integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6: see transistor SW on right side).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 configuration which already includes RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line and switching circuit (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6 per par. 113), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66).
By doing such combination, Lee’s Fig. 3 active region AR is configured in the islands manner of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 each include an integrated circuit embodied as transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6.
As such, Lee in view of Yan disclose:
a semiconductor module (Lee’s par. 52) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) configured to drive a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59, 69-70: see 10);
a touch sensor controller (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 59: see 40, TCPD and TPD) configured to generate touch coordinates (Lee’s par. 73) based on an input on a touch screen panel (Lee’s par. 73), and comprising:
first receivers (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including RX to the left of 30 and TPA2 including RX to the right of 30) comprising respective first integrated circuits (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a first side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 on left side);
second receivers (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including RX to the right of 30) comprising respective second integrated circuits (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a second side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 on right side);
and transmitters on at least one side of the display driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX to the left of 30); and
a plurality of routing lines connecting the touch sensor controller and the touch screen panel (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 75: see TX and RX).
Regarding claim 14, Lee in view of Yan disclose wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX) 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).
Regarding claim 15, Lee in view of Yan further disclose wherein the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: RX/TX equivalent to TSL in Yan’s Fig. 6) comprises transmission lines for single routing that contact driving electrodes (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 161: see TSL to TX on top left quadrant) on an upper side of the touch screen panel (Yan’s Fig. 6: TX on top left quadrant further to SC).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, Lee in view of Yan disclose wherein the transmitters (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX to the left of 30) 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, Lee disclose a display device (Lee’s par. 2) comprising: a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 10) comprising a plurality of pixels (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 63: see SP) and a plurality of source lines connected to the plurality of pixels (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 75: data signal lines DL); a plurality of first direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see one of TE or RE) and a plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see the other of TE or RE); 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); and a touch screen driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 72: integrated 30 and 40) comprising: a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) in a center region of the touch screen driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 72: 30 is at center region of integrated 30/40 which includes pads TCPD and DCPD), and configured to apply a plurality of source signals to the plurality of source lines (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 80: signals from 30 to DL); a first transmitter and receiver set on a first side of the center region (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX and RX to the left of 30) and connected to a first set of the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: see left TX/RX); and a second transmitter and receiver set on a second side of the center region (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30) and connected to a second set of the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: see right TX/RX).
Lee fails to disclose the first transmitter and receiver set comprising a first integrated circuit (IC) or the second transmitter and receiver set comprising a second IC.
However, in the same field of endeavor of transmission line layout, Yan disclose a left side transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to TX and RX on left side) comprising a first integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113: see transistor SW on left side), and a right side transmitter and receiver set (Yan’s Fig. 6: see lines TSL to TX and RX on right side) comprising a second integrated circuit (Yan’s Fig. 6: see transistor SW on right side).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 configuration which already includes TX/RX on left and right side circuits, is configured by smaller islands each with their respective transmission line and switching circuit (as taught by Yan’s Fig. 6 per par. 113), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing the resistive and capacitive load and thus the noise (Yan’s par. 66).
By doing such combination, Lee’s Fig. 3 active region AR is configured in the islands manner of Yan’s Fig. 6, and thus Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 each include an integrated circuit embodied as transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6.
As such, Lee in view of Yan disclose:
a display device (Lee’s par. 2) comprising:
a display panel (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 10) comprising a plurality of pixels (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 63: see SP) and a plurality of source lines connected to the plurality of pixels (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 75: data signal lines DL);
a plurality of first direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see one of TE or RE) and a plurality of second direction touch electrodes (Lee’s Fig. 3 and par. 83: see the other of TE or RE);
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); and
a touch screen driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 72: integrated 30 and 40) comprising:
a display driver circuit (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 59: see 30) in a center region of the touch screen driver circuit (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 72: 30 is at center region of integrated 30/40 which includes pads TCPD and DCPD), and configured to apply a plurality of source signals to the plurality of source lines (Lee’s Fig. 2 and par. 80: signals from 30 to DL);
a first transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA1 including TX and RX to the left of 30) comprising a first integrated circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a first side of the center region (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA1 on left side) and connected to a first set of the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: see left TX/RX); and
a second transmitter and receiver set (Lee’s Figs. 2-3 and par. 86-89: see TPA2 including TX and RX to the right of 30) comprising a second integrated circuit (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 upon combination includes transistors SW per Yan’s Fig. 6 and par. 113) on a second side of the center region (Lee’s Fig. 3: TPA2 on right side) and connected to a second set of the plurality of routing lines (Lee’s Fig. 3: see right TX/RX).
Regarding claim 19, Lee in view of Yan further 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):
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).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Lee’s Fig. 3 TPA1 and TPA2 are connected in the manner of Yan’s Fig. 6 SC, and that the bonding pads aligned with the driving pads (Lee’s Fig. 3), in order to obtain the benefit as explained for claim 18.
Regarding claim 20, Lee in view of Yan disclose wherein the display panel is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display (Lee’s par. 60), 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).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Yan as applied above, in further view of Bae et al. in US 2022/0366832 (hereinafter Bae).
Lee in view of Yan disclose wherein the display panel is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display (Lee’s par. 60). But Lee in view of Yan fail 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 30 in Lee’s Fig. 3) 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 Lee in view of Yan’s display driver (Lee’s Fig. 3: see 30) 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 filed 1/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. On the Remarks pgs. 14-16, Applicant argues that Lee fails to disclose the amended limitations to claims 1, 13 and 18. Please see above rejection which has been adjusted to make obvious these limitations in view of Yan.
On the Remarks pg. 17, Applicant argues with respect to claims 4-7, 9-10, 15 and 19 that a person skilled in the art would have no motivation to combine Lee and Yan because Lee is directed to resolving signal interference while Yan is directed to noise in large-area panels. The office must respectfully disagree, both Lee and Yan are directed to transmission line layout (Lee’s Fig. 3 and Yan’s Fig. 6) and thus are analogous art, furthermore, combining Lee and Yan provides the benefit of reducing resistance and capacitive load and thus noise (Yan’s par. 66).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/LILIANA CERULLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621