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 12/05/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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 of this title, 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 1-2, 4-7, 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1) in view of Cai (US2015/0285873A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wan teaches a magnetic sensor device (Figs. 1-2, magnetic sensor packages 100/200) comprising a first chip including a first magnetic sensor (Fig. 2, horizontal one-dimensional sensor circuit component 204; [0028-0029]);
a second chip including a second magnetic sensor and a third magnetic sensor (Figs. 1-2, horizontal sensor circuit component 204 and vertical sensor circuit component 103 [0028-0029]); and
a support having a reference plane (PCB 101; Figs. 1-2 [0028-0029]). Wan teaches that the sensor circuit components are positioned to sense and accurately measure three orthogonal components of an external magnetic field along the X, Y, and Z axes [0028]).
Wan further teaches the first magnetic sensor includes at least one first magnetic
detection element and detects a first component of an external magnetic field, wherein
the first component is a component of the external magnetic field in a first direction parallel to the reference plane (Fig. 2, horizontal one dimensional sensor circuit component 204 detecting a magnetic field component along an axis in the plane of PCB 101;[0029]);
the second magnetic sensor includes at least one second magnetic detection element and detects a second component of the external magnetic field (Fig. 2, another sensor circuit component 204 detecting another magnetic field component; [0029]); and
the third magnetic sensor includes at least one third magnetic detection element and detects a third component of the external magnetic field (Figs. 1-2, vertical sensor circuit component 103 detecting another magnetic field component; [0028-0029]). Wan teaches that the first and second horizontal one dimensional sensor circuit components 204 are sensitive along respective orthogonal directions in the plane of PCB 101, with vertical sensor circuit component 103 providing the remaining sensing axis ([0028-0029]).
Wan further teaches the first chip and the second chip are mounted on the reference plane (Figs. 1-2, sensor circuit components mounted with respect to PCB 101; [0028-0029]), wherein further teaches electrical connections on the surfaces that mount to PCB 101 and chip on board techniques for establishing electrical connections between PCB 101 and the sensor circuit components ([0028]).
Wan further teaches the first chip and the second chip are (i) disposed with a gap there between (Fig. 2A; [0029], wherein the horizontal one dimensional sensor circuit components 204 are "mounted separately in space on the PCB").
Wan further teaches the first chip and the second chip are (ii) disposed such that, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, a virtual straight line passing through the gap and having a same distance from the first chip and from the second chip does not cross a barycenter of the support (Fig. 2A, wherein the spaced sensor circuit components are disposed at an offset position on PCB 101 such that the space between the respective sensor components is offset from the central region of PCB 101; [0029]).
Wan further teaches the support includes a processor configured to perform arithmetic using a plurality of detection signals generated by the first to third magnetic sensors, (heading calculation relies on all three magnetic components X, Y, and Z, that the compass orientation is mathematically rotated to the horizontal plane, and that horizontal magnetic components Xh and Yh are calculated to determine heading ([0049]).
However, Wan does not explicitly teach that the second component is a component of the external magnetic field in a second direction being a direction inclined with respect to each of the reference plane and a direction perpendicular to the reference plane, and that the third component is a component of the external magnetic field in a third direction being another direction inclined with respect to each of the reference plane and the direction perpendicular to the reference plane.
Cai in a relevant art teaches a three axis magnetic sensor having a first Wheatstone bridge WBy disposed on inclined Up surface 112 and a second Wheatstone bridge WBZ disposed on inclined Down surface 116, with surfaces 112 and 116 inclined relative to flat substrate 104 (Figs. 1A-18; [0024-0026], further teaches that bridges WBy and WBZ on sloped
surfaces 112 and 116 detect magnetic fields having components from both the Y and Z axes,
and that the signals from WBy and WBZ are processed to obtain the respective Y and Z axis
values ([0026]). Thus, Cai teaches the second component in a second direction inclined
with respect to each of the reference plane and a direction perpendicular to the reference
plane and the third component in a third direction being another direction inclined with
respect to each of the reference plane and the direction perpendicular to the reference
plane.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the magnetic sensor device of Wan to incorporate the inclined magnetic sensing arrangement of Cai such that the second and third magnetic sensors detect respective magnetic field components along different directions inclined with respect to both the reference plane and the direction perpendicular thereto, because Cai teaches that the inclined arrangement reduces packaging complexity, thickness, and angular positioning problems associated with conventional orthogonal sensor mounting while providing a low profile, inexpensive, high performance three axis magnetic sensor ([0006-0008]), thereby obtaining the predictable result of a compact three axis magnetic sensor having the claimed inclined sensing directions.
Regarding claim 2, Wan does not explicitly teach wherein the processor is constructed of an ASIC.
However, Cai further teaches the processor is constructed of an ASIC, (the functions of the differential amplifiers, adders, and subtractors used for processing the magnetic sensor signals may be implemented within an ASIC in digital, analog, or hybrid implementations [0044]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to implement the processor of Wan as modified by Cai as an ASIC, as taught by Cai, to provide an integrated implementation of the magnetic sensor signal processing circuitry.
Regarding claim 4, Wan as modified further teaches a planar shape of the first chip viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane is smaller in size than a planar shape of the second chip viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane (Fig. 2A, first horizontal sensor circuit component 204 relative to the combined second horizontal sensor circuit component 204/vertical sensor circuit component 103). Wan's Fig. 2A expressly shows the separately spaced sensor components forming the three axis sensor package.
Regarding claim 5, Wan as modified further teaches the first chip includes a first element arrangement area in which the at least one first magnetic detection element is disposed; the second chip includes a second element arrangement area in which the at least one second magnetic detection element and the at least one third magnetic detection element are disposed; and the first element arrangement area is 1/2 or less of the second element arrangement area in size (Fig. 2A, first sensor component 204X relative to the combined sensor arrangement 204Y/103 forming the second chip sensor arrangement).
Regarding claim 6, Wan as modified further teaches each of the first chip and the second chip has a planar shape that is longer in a direction orthogonal to a direction of alignment of the first chip and the second chip, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane (Fig. 2A, elongated sensor circuit components 204 arranged separately on PCB 101). Wan expressly teaches that the two horizontal sensor circuit components 204 are mounted separately in space on PCB 101.
Regarding claim 7, Wan as modified further teaches each of the first chip and the second chip is disposed such that, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, a virtual straight line passing through a barycenter of the first chip and a barycenter of the second chip is in parallel with a direction of alignment of the first chip and the second chip (Fig. 2A, wherein the respective spaced sensor components 204 are arranged along their common direction of alignment on PCB101).
Regarding claim 10, Wan as modified further teaches the second chip has a planar shape long in one direction, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane; the second chip includes a second element arrangement area in which the at least one second magnetic detection element and the at least one third magnetic detection element are disposed; and, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the reference plane, the second element arrangement area has a planar shape that is longer in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the planar shape of the second chip (Fig. 2A, arrangement of
horizontal sensor circuit component 204 and vertical sensor circuit component 103). Wan
describes the respective horizontal and vertical sensor components forming the three axis
sensor package in [0029].
Regarding claim 11, Wan as modified further teaches a dimension of the first chip in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane and a dimension of the second chip in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane are the same (Fig. 2A, horizontal sensor circuit components 204 mounted on the same PCB 101 with corresponding thickness dimensions perpendicular to the PCB reference plane).
Regarding claim 12, Wan as modified further teaches a dimension of the support in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane is larger than a dimension of the first chip in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane and a dimension of the second chip in the direction perpendicular to the reference plane (Figs. 1-2, PCB 101 supporting the respective sensor circuit components 204/103).
Regarding claim 13, Wan teaches the at least one first magnetic detection element is disposed on a flat surface that is parallel to the reference plane, wherein horizontal sensor circuit component 204 is mounted in the plane of PCB101 ([0028-0029]).
Cai further teaches the at least one second magnetic detection element and the at least one third magnetic detection element are disposed on an inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the reference plane, wherein the respective Wheatstone bridges are formed on inclined surfaces of bumps relative to the substrate surface. Cai expressly characterizes the bump as providing a pair of adjacent, symmetric inclined surfaces ([0043]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the magnetic sensor device of Wan to incorporate the inclined magnetic sensing arrangement of Cai such that the second and third magnetic sensors detect respective magnetic field components along different directions inclined with respect to both the reference plane and the direction perpendicular thereto, because Cai teaches that the inclined arrangement reduces packaging complexity, thickness, and angular positioning problems associated with conventional orthogonal sensor mounting while providing a low profile, inexpensive, high performance three axis magnetic sensor ([0006-0008]), thereby obtaining the predictable result of a compact three axis magnetic sensor having the claimed inclined sensing directions.
Regarding claim 14, Wan teaches the first magnetic sensor generates at least one first detection signal having a correspondence with the first component; the second magnetic sensor generates at least one second detection signal having a correspondence with the second component; and the third magnetic sensor generates at least one third detection signal having a correspondence with the third component, wherein Wan's three axis magnetic sensor measures the X, Y and Z magnetic components and uses all three magnetic components in determining heading ([0049]).
Cai further teaches the processor generates a first detection value corresponding to the first component based on the at least one first detection signal, and also generates a
second detection value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field in a
direction parallel to the reference plane and orthogonal to the first direction and a third
detection value corresponding to a component of the external magnetic field in the
direction perpendicular to the reference plane based on the at least one second detection
signal and the at least one third detection signal (processes signals from the inclined magnetic sensing elements using differential amplifiers, adders, and subtracters to obtain the respective magnetic field components, including summing the inclined measurements such that opposing XN measurements cancel and the Z axis measurement remains ([0039-0040]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the magnetic sensor device of Wan to incorporate the magnetic sensing arrangement of Cai such that the second and third magnetic sensors detect respective magnetic field components along different directions inclined with respect to both the reference plane and the direction perpendicular thereto, because Cai’s arrangement reduces packaging complexity, thickness, and angular positioning problems associated with conventional orthogonal sensor mounting while providing a low profile, inexpensive, high performance three axis magnetic sensor ([0006-0008]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Aono (US2017/0018471A1).
Regarding claim 3, Wan as modified by Cai does not explicitly teach the first chip
includes a first end and a second end located on both ends in a fourth direction
orthogonal to a direction of alignment of the first chip and the second chip; the second
chip includes a third end and a fourth end located on both ends in the fourth direction;
the support includes a fifth end and a sixth end located on both ends in the fourth
direction; a distance between the second end and the sixth end is the same as a distance
between the first end and the fifth end; and a distance between the fourth end and the
sixth end is the same as a distance between the third end and the fifth end.
However Aono in a relevant art teaches a sensor packaging arrangement having a rectangular, symmetrical support structure in which the sensor structure is symmetrically supported from four directions, with the supporting portions disposed at predetermined intervals on the four sides ([0029, 0032]; claims 3-5, 11), further teaches that the symmetrical arrangement suppresses transmission of twist or tilt of the package substrate to the sensor.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to symmetrically position the sensor chips of Wan as modified by Cai relative to opposite ends of the support, as taught by Aono, thereby providing the recited equal distances between respective chip ends and support ends, in order to provide symmetrical sensor support and reduce the influence of package twist or tilt.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Deak (US2015/0091560A1).
Regarding claim 8, Wan as modified by Cai does not explicitly teach the particular arrangement wherein the first chip has a plurality of first pads; the second chip has a plurality of second pads; and the first chip and the second chip are connected to at least one of the plurality of first pads and at least one of the plurality of second pads through at least one bonding wire.
However, Deak in a relevant art further teaches two magnetic sensor dice 122 and 123 disposed in the same sensor package, each die having a plurality of bond pads, wherein the electrical connections between the dice are made using wire bonds 125 connected to the bond pads ([0146-0148]; Fig. 19).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to employ the bond pad and wire bond interconnection arrangement of Deak in the magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai in order to electrically interconnect the respective magnetic sensor chips using a known magnetic sensor packaging technique.
Claims 9, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1), Deak (US2015/0091560A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 8 above and further in view of Wathanawasam (US2007/0052077A1).
Regarding claim 9, Wan as modified does not explicitly teach the support has a plurality of third pads disposed on the reference plane, part of the plurality of third pads is disposed on both sides of the first chip in a longitudinal direction of the first chip, and other part of the plurality of third pads is disposed on both sides of the second chip in a longitudinal direction of the second chip.
Wathanawasam in a relevant art teaches magnetic sensor packaging in which wire bond pads 114 are disposed on substrate 104 in two arrays 116 and 118 located on opposite sides of magnetic sensor die 102, adjacent to respective opposite sides of the die ([0024-0027]), further teaches connection pads 110 on opposite sides of the sensor die and bonding wires 112 connecting those pads to the corresponding substrate pads 114 ([0019-0024]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to arrange the support bond pads of the magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai and Deak on opposite longitudinal sides of the respective sensor chips, as taught by Wathanawasam, in order to provide direct wire bond electrical connections between the sensor chip pads and corresponding support pads.
Regarding claim 15, Wan as modified by Cai do not explicitly teach the magnetic sensor device is mounted on a printed board by the support being bonded to the printed board.
Wathanawasam further teaches a magnetic sensor package comprising
sensor die 102 mounted on substrate 104 and further teaches mounting the resulting sensor
package 100 onto a separate PWB or PCB using a solder reflow process, thereby providing
electrical and mechanical mounting of the sensor package to the PCB ([0034-0036]; Figs. 4-5).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to mount the support of the magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai to a printed circuit board using the bonded surface mount arrangement taught by Wathanawasam in order to mechanically mount and electrically connect the magnetic sensor device to the printed circuit board.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1), as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Jaouen (US 2010/0173711 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Wan as modified does not explicitly teach a joystick
comprising a lever; a supporter that swingably supports the lever; and a magnetic field
generator configured such that a relative position of the magnetic field generator with
respect to the magnetic sensor device changes as the lever swings.
Jaouen teaches a Hall effect joystick comprising a handle/lever movable relative to a base about at least two axes, a ball joint comprising a head and cup that pivot relative to one another, and a Hall effect movement detection arrangement including a magnet and magnetic sensor [0024-0029]. Jaouen more specifically teaches magnet 26 at the movable extremity of handle 12 and stationary Hall effect sensor 27, which may be a triaxial sensor, whereby movement of the handle causes magnet 26 to move relative to sensor 27 ([0083-0091]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use the three axis magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai as the magnetic sensor in the joystick arrangement of Jaouen in order to detect movement and position of the swingable lever from changes in the magnetic field resulting from movement of the magnet relative to the magnetic sensor.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1), as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Naka (US2006/0208840A1).
Regarding claim 17, Wan as modified does not explicitly teach a trackball
comprising a ball; a supporter that rotatably supports the ball; and a magnetic field
generator configured such that a relative position of the magnetic field generator with
respect to the magnetic sensor device changes as the ball rotates.
Naka teaches a trackball device comprising operating ball 110 rotatably retained by upper case 101 and base 102, rollers 104 responsive to rotation of ball 110, permanent magnets 105 fixed to and co rotating with rollers 104, and Hall IC magnetic sensors 120 disposed opposite the respective magnets ([0007-0013]). Naka teaches that each Hall IC 120 responds to changes in magnetic flux from magnet 105 as the corresponding roller rotates. The abstract likewise expressly teaches that rotation of the operating ball rotates the rollers and their permanent magnets, thereby changing magnetic flux.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use the magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai as the magnetic sensor in the trackball arrangement of Naka in order to detect rotation of the ball from changes in the
magnetic field caused by movement of the permanent magnet relative to the magnetic sensor.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wan (US2005/0122100A1), Cai (US2015/0285873A1), as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Kirby (US 10,276,289 B1).
Regarding claim 18, Wan et al. in view of Cai et al., as applied to claim 1 above, teaches the magnetic sensor device according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach a magnetic field
generator that generates a predetermined magnetic field, wherein a relative position of the magnetic field generator with respect to the magnetic sensor device is changeable along a predetermined spherical surface.
Kirby teaches a magnetic position detection system comprising magnetic field generator 300 including permanent magnet 312 and magnetic sensor 316, wherein the sensor measures three orthogonal components of the magnetic field and its three dimensional position relative to the magnetic field generator is determined from the magnetic measurements. Kirby expressly teaches that the position of sensor 316 can be uniquely determined within a full spherical volume around magnetic field generator 300. Kirby further teaches that the magnetic field sweep permits sensors to measure the magnetic field and track their positions within a spherical zone around the magnet mechanism using a single three axis magnetic sensor.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to use the three axis magnetic sensor device of Wan as modified by Cai in the magnetic position detection system of Kirby, with the relative position of the magnetic field generator and magnetic sensor changing along a spherical region, in order to provide three dimensional magnetic position detection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Watanabe (US Publication 20200191547) MAGNETIC SENSOR DEVICE.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAQI R NASIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1425. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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/TAQI R NASIR/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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