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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species XXX (Fig. 38) in the reply filed on 3/26/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 27-30 are not withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, because there is an allowable generic or linking claim.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/3/24 was considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 20-24 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 20, it recites (elements added for clarity in parenthesis from Fig. 38): A touch input device (1) having a touch surface, comprising: a touch sensor (10) comprising: a plurality of first electrode columns (Fig. 38, A1-4) including a plurality of first electrodes (Tx0-7); and a plurality of second electrode columns (B1-8) including a plurality of second
Electrodes (Rx0-7),
wherein a second electrode column (e.g, B3) is disposed at one (left) side of a first electrode column (e.g., A2) of the plurality of first electrode columns (Fig. 38, A1-4), and another second electrode column (B4) is disposed at another (right) side of the first electrode column (A2) of the plurality of first electrode columns (Fig. 38, A1-4),
wherein a second electrode (Rx1upper) included in the second electrode column (B3) and another second electrode (Rx1upper) included in the another second column (B4) constitute a same channel with reference to a first electrode (Tx1) included in the first electrode column (A2),
wherein a second-first electrode (Rx1upper) and a second-second electrode (Rx6upper) included in the second electrode column (B3) at the one side (left), are adjacently disposed, corresponding to the first electrode (Tx1) included in the first electrode column (A2),
wherein a second-third electrode (Rx1lower) and a second-fourth electrode (Rx6lower) included in the second electrode column (B3) at the one side (left), are adjacently disposed, corresponding to the another first electrode (Tx5) included in the first electrode column (A2), and
wherein the second-first electrode (Rx1upper) and the second-third electrode (Rx1lower) are connected to one second trace, and the second-second electrode (Rx6upper) and the second-fourth electrode (Rx6lower) are connected to another second trace. Based on the mapping of claim language to Fig. 38 for this claim, “wherein a second electrode (Rx1upper)” and “wherein a second-first electrode (Rx1upper)” appear to correspond to the same element which is unclear since different terminology is used for a same part.
Claims 21-24 are rejected based on their dependency from claim 20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25-30 are allowed.
Regarding claim 25, none of the prior art teaches or suggests A method for detecting a touch position using a touch input device, the method
comprising:
providing a touch sensor comprising a plurality of first electrode columns and a plurality of second electrode columns, wherein a second-first electrode and a second-second electrode included in a second electrode column at one side with reference to a first electrode column, are adjacently disposed, corresponding to a first electrode included in the first electrode column, wherein a second-third electrode and a second-fourth electrode included in the second electrode column at the one side, are adjacently disposed, corresponding to another first electrode included in the first electrode column, and wherein the second-first electrode and the second-third electrode are connected to one second trace, and the second-second electrode and the second-fourth electrode are connected to another second trace;
applying a driving signal to the first electrode; detecting a touch-position-related signal from the second-first electrode configured to form mutual capacitance with the first electrode;
detecting an LGM-disturbance-signal-related signal from another second electrode configured not to form mutual capacitance with the first electrode; and
inhibiting the LGM-disturbance-signal-related signal from the touch-position-related signal to determine the touch position.
Regarding claim 26, none of the prior art teaches or suggests: A touch input device having a touch surface, comprising:
a touch sensor comprising: a plurality of first electrode columns including a plurality of first electrodes; and a plurality of second electrode columns including a plurality of second electrodes,
wherein a second electrode column is disposed at one side of a first electrode column of the plurality of first electrode columns, and another second electrode column is disposed at another side of the first electrode column of the plurality of first electrode columns,
wherein at least two second electrodes included in the second electrode column at the one side are adjacently disposed, corresponding to a first electrode included in the first electrode column, wherein at least two another second electrodes included in the another second electrode column at the another side are adjacently disposed, corresponding to the first electrode, and
wherein a second electrode included in the second electrode column and another second electrode included in the another second electrode column constitute a same channel with reference to the first electrode. The closest prior art to Hoch et al. (US 2014/0132552) teaches in Fig. 5B transmitter electrodes 521-523 and receiver electrodes 510A-D that have receiver electrodes 510A and 510C connected to a common trace line and electrodes 510B and 510D connected to a common trace line. However, Hoch et al. does not teach detecting an LGM-disturbance-signal-related signal from another second electrode configured not to form mutual capacitance with the first electrode; and inhibiting the LGM-disturbance-signal-related signal from the touch-position-related signal to determine the touch position, as taught in claim 25, or wherein a second electrode column is disposed at one side of a first electrode column of the plurality of first electrode columns, and another second electrode column is disposed at another side of the first electrode column of the plurality of first electrode columns, wherein at least two second electrodes included in the second electrode column at the one side are adjacently disposed, corresponding to a first electrode included in the first electrode column, wherein at least two another second electrodes included in the another second electrode column at the another side are adjacently disposed, corresponding to the first electrode, and wherein a second electrode included in the second electrode column and another second electrode included in the another second electrode column constitute a same channel with reference to the first electrode, as recited in claim 26.
Conclusion
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JOSEPH PATRICK FOX
Examiner
Art Unit 2622
/JOSEPH P FOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2622 /PATRICK N EDOUARD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2622
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