DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: Fig. 5, character h and character d are not defined in applicant’s specification.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 21 objected to because of the following informalities: “in any of claim 1”, should be “in claim 1”. Appropriate correction is respectfully required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 15, & 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al, hereinafter Zhang (CN 110989863 A), in view of Han et al, hereinafter Han (U.S. 2015/0107978 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Zhang discloses: a touch panel (Zhang, title & abstract), comprising:
a base substrate, and a touch electrode layer, an insulation layer, and a bridge electrode layer that are arranged on the base substrate in sequence (Zhang, fig. 6 illustrates: base substrate 01, & sequence - touch electrode layer {i.e., first electrode 021 & second electrode 031}, insulation layer 05, & bridge electrode layer 032; disclosed in ¶ [0032]- ¶ [0033] & ¶ [0040]- ¶ [0042]);
wherein the touch electrode layer comprises a first electrode region, and two second electrode regions on two sides of the first electrode region and spaced apart from the first electrode region, wherein the two second electrode regions are electrically connected through a via in the insulation layer (Zhang, figs. 5-6 illustrates: base substrate 01, & sequence - touch electrode layer {i.e., first electrode 021 & second electrode 031}, insulation layer 05, & bridge electrode layer 032; disclosed in ¶ [0032]- ¶ [0033] & ¶ [0040]- ¶ [0042]; please note, illustrated downward via slope of the second electrode 031 onto the bridge electrode layer 032); and
in at least part of a region of the touch panel, a first orthographic projection of the bridge electrode layer on the base substrate is within a second orthographic projection of the touch electrode layer on the base substrate, wherein an area of the first orthographic projection is less than an area of the second orthographic projection (Zhang, fig. 6 illustrates: base substrate 01, & sequence - touch electrode layer {i.e., first electrode 021 & second electrode 031}, insulation layer 05, & bridge electrode layer 032; disclosed in ¶ [0032]- ¶ [0033] & ¶ [0040]- ¶ [0042]; please note, illustrated second electrode 031 area covers the claimed within bridge electrode layer 032 area).
Zhang fails to respectfully disclose: wherein the two second electrode regions are electrically connected to each other through a via in the insulation layer and through the bridge electrode layer.
However, Han respectfully discloses: wherein the two second electrode regions are electrically connected to each other through a via in the insulation layer and through the bridge electrode layer (Han, fig. 5 illustrates: multi-electrode 221 design, where the intermediate three electrode string has two separated edge electrodes that are connected with respect to the bridge 410 through the protrusion 411 with respect to via PA1 in the insulation layer 300; as disclosed in ¶ [0043]- ¶ [0048]).
Han and Zhang are considered to be analogous art because both are in the same field of endeavor related to bridge touch electrode configurations. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to respectfully modify the bridge touch electrode configuration of Zhang to include: wherein the two second electrode regions are electrically connected to each other through a via in the insulation layer and through the bridge electrode layer, as taught by Han, in order to reduce the sensing electrode resistance (Han, ¶ [0009]).
In regards to claim 15, Zhang in combination above discloses: the touch panel according to claim 1, wherein an outer edge of at least one of the first electrode region or the second electrode region is a polygon of which vertex angles all are obtuse angles (Zhang, fig. 6 illustrates: base substrate 01, & sequence - touch electrode layer {i.e., first electrode 021 & second electrode 031}, insulation layer 05, & bridge electrode layer 032; disclosed in ¶ [0032]- ¶ [0033] & ¶ [0040]- ¶ [0042]; please note, illustrated second electrode 031 area covers the claimed within bridge electrode layer 032 area; please note, claim is in alternative format {underlined and bolded selection}, fig. 6 illustrates 031 to include vertex obtuse angles).
In regards to claim 21, Zhang in combination above discloses: a touch device (Zhang, ¶ [0001]- ¶ [0006]), comprising: the touch panel as defined in any of claim 1, but fails to disclose: a touch chip, wherein the touch chip is configured to determine a touch position on the touch panel through a touch electrode layer in the touch panel.
However, Han further discloses: a touch chip, wherein the touch chip is configured to determine a touch position on the touch panel through a touch electrode layer in the touch panel (Han, fig. 1, PCB 600 includes driving chip, disclosed in ¶ [0057]- ¶ [0062]).
Han and Zhang are considered to be analogous art because both are in the same field of endeavor related to bridge touch electrode configurations. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to respectfully modify the touch device configuration of Zhang in combination above to include: a touch chip, wherein the touch chip is configured to determine a touch position on the touch panel through a touch electrode layer in the touch panel, as further taught by Han, in order to reduce the sensing electrode resistance (Han, ¶ [0009]).
In regards to claim 22, Zhang in combination above discloses: the touch device according to claim 21, but fails to disclose: wherein the touch device has a bendable region.
However, Han further discloses: wherein the touch device has a bendable region (Han, fig. 1, flexible plastic substrate 100, disclosed in ¶ [0028]- ¶ [0030]; example of flexible plastic is depicted below).
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{https://www.etsy.com/listing/279989326/1-thick-25x23x116-006-flexible?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_en_us_Bing_US_-_Craft_Supplies_and_Tools&utm_custom1=_k_4422947eda7f1975dc73fd2d8ad9076d_k_&utm_content=bing_412372913_1301822064972454_81363942714372_pla-4584963494665635:pla-4584963494665635_c__279989326&utm_custom2=412372913&msclkid=4422947eda7f1975dc73fd2d8ad9076d}
Han and Zhang are considered to be analogous art because both are in the same field of endeavor related to bridge touch electrode configurations. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to respectfully modify the touch device configuration of Zhang in combination above to include: wherein the touch device has a bendable region, as taught by Han, in order to reduce the sensing electrode resistance (Han, ¶ [0009]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-20 allowed.
Claims 2-9, 11-14, & 16 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Duane N. Taylor Jr. whose telephone number is (571) 272-4703. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Saturday [5:30am- 10pm].
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Duane N. Taylor Jr.
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2626
/DUANE N TAYLOR JR/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2626