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
Claim 12 is allowable. The restriction requirement to the Species I of Fig. 17, as set forth in the Office action mailed on 1/8/26 , has been reconsidered in view of the allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction requirement is hereby withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. Specifically, the restriction requirement of claim 12 is withdrawn. Claim 12 , directed to another species is no longer withdrawn from consideration because the claims requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. However, claim 16, directed to another species is withdrawn from consideration because it currently does not require all the limitations of an allowable claim.
In view of the above noted withdrawal of the restriction requirement, applicant is advised that if any claim presented in a divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application.
Once a restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
Applicant’s election without traverse of the restriction requirement dated 1/8/26 electing Species I in the reply filed on 3/1/26 is acknowledged.
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 2/11/25 was considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: [00158], line 5 has “second trace lines 22t” which should be -second trace lines 220t-.
Appropriate correction is 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 14, 19 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0404931, hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Lim et al. (US 2022/0334700, hereinafter “Lim”).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses 14 an electronic device comprising (Fig. 1, [0058, 0061], display device 1): a sensor layer in which a sensing area and a peripheral area adjacent to the sensing area are defined (Figs. 2 and 3, [0061], peripheral area as non-display area NDA and a touch sensor area TSA as a sensor layer that overlaps display area DDA and has the peripheral area NDA adjacent thereto); and a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer, wherein the sensor driver is configured to selectively operate in a first mode to sense a touch input or in a second mode to sense a pen input, wherein the sensor layer includes (Fig. 3 and 7, [0014, 0061, 0065, 0069], sensor driver 400 drives sensor layer TSA of touch sensor unit TSU in a body part or touch first sensing mode and a pen second sensing mode): a plurality of first electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a first direction (Fig. 3, [0080], first electrodes (e.g., IE2-1 and IE2-2) in sensing area TSA in a first X direction DR2); a plurality of second electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of second electrodes being configured to cross the plurality of first electrodes (Fig. 3, [0080], second electrodes (e.g., IE1-1 and IE1-2) in sensing area TSA in a second Y direction DR1 that crosses the first electrodes IE2-1 and IE2-2 in the first direction DR2); a plurality of first trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence (Fig. 3, [0100-0106], first trace lines RL2-1 and RL2-2 are electrically connected to horizontal first electrodes IE2-1, IE2-2, etc. in a one-to-one correspondence); and a plurality of second trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein portions of the plurality of second trace lines spaced apart from the sensing area in the first direction extend in the second direction (Fig. 3, [0100-0106], second trace lines RL1-1 and RL1-2 electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes IE1-1, IE1-2, etc. in a one-to-one correspondence, wherein portions of the plurality of second trace lines RL1-1 and RL1-2 spaced apart from the sensing area TSA in the first X direction DR2 extend in the second Y direction DR1 along left and right edges of the sensing area TSA). Kim does not disclose wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to differentially sense signals received from the plurality of second electrodes and to calculate a coordinate with respect to an axis parallel to the second direction based on a signal in which signals caused by the plurality of second trace lines cancel each other out. Lim teaches wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to differentially sense signals received from the plurality of second electrodes and to calculate a coordinate with respect to an axis parallel to the second direction based on a signal in which signals caused by the plurality of second trace lines cancel each other out (Fig. 7, [0004, 0016-0017, 0132, 0140, 0142, 0149], in a pen sensing mode, inverse sinusoidal signals from driving signal supplying unit 410 produce opposite magnetic fields in second electrodes TE1 and TE2 which when sensed by differential amplifier 420 calculate a coordinate with respect to an axis parallel to the second direction Y based on differential sensing signals SER in which signals caused by the plurality of second trace lines TE1 and TE2 cancel each other out due to reverse magnetic field). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic device of Kim to have wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to differentially sense signals received from the plurality of second electrodes and to calculate a coordinate with respect to an axis parallel to the second direction based on a signal in which signals caused by the plurality of second trace lines cancel each other out, such as taught by Lim, for the purpose of charging and discharging the pen (Lim [0030]).
Regarding claim 19, Lim discloses an electronic device comprising (Fig. 1, [0058, 0061], display device 1): a sensor layer in which a sensing area and a peripheral area adjacent to the sensing area are defined (Figs. 2 and 3, [0061], peripheral area as non-display area NDA and a touch sensor area TSA as a sensor layer that overlaps display area DDA and has the peripheral area NDA adjacent thereto); and a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer, wherein the sensor driver is configured to selectively operate in a first mode to sense a touch input or in a second mode to sense a pen input, wherein the sensor layer includes (Fig. 3 and 7, [0014, 0061, 0065, 0069], sensor driver 400 drives sensor layer TSA of touch sensor unit TSU in a body part or touch first sensing mode and a pen second sensing mode): a plurality of first electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a first direction (Fig. 3, [0080], first electrodes (e.g., IE2-1 and IE2-2) in sensing area TSA in a first X direction DR2); a plurality of second electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of second electrodes being configured to cross the plurality of first electrodes (Fig. 3, [0080], second electrodes (e.g., IE1-1 and IE1-2) in sensing area TSA in a second Y direction DR1 that crosses the first electrodes IE2-1 and IE2-2 in the first direction DR2); a plurality of first trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence (Fig. 3, [0100-0106], first trace lines RL2-1 and RL2-2 are electrically connected to horizontal first electrodes IE2-1, IE2-2, etc. in a one-to-one correspondence); and a plurality of second trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence (Fig. 3, [0100-0106], second trace lines RL1-1 and RL1-2 electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes IE1-1, IE1-2, etc. in a one-to-one correspondence), wherein the plurality of second trace lines include a plurality of second-first trace lines and a plurality of second-second trace lines spaced apart from each other with the sensing area therebetween (Fig. 3, [0100-0106], second trace lines RL1-1 and RL1-2 include a plurality of second-first trace lines RL1-2 and a plurality of second-second trace lines RL1-1 spaced apart from each other with the sensing area TSA therebetween where lines connect to sensing electrodes). Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to calculate a coordinate by differentially sensing signals received from one second-first trace line among the plurality of second-first trace lines and one second-second trace line among the plurality of second-second trace lines. Lim teaches wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to calculate a coordinate by differentially sensing signals received from one second-first trace line among the plurality of second-first trace lines and one second-second trace line among the plurality of second-second trace lines (Fig. 7, [0004, 0016-0017, 0132, 0140, 0142, 0149], in a pen sensing mode, inverse sinusoidal signals from driving signal supplying unit 410 produce opposite magnetic fields in second electrodes TE1 and TE2 which when sensed by differential amplifier 420 calculate a coordinate with respect to an axis parallel to the second direction Y based on differential sensing signals SER in which signals caused by the plurality of second trace lines TE1 and TE2 cancel each other out due to reverse magnetic field). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic device of Kim to have wherein in the second mode, the sensor driver is configured to calculate a coordinate by differentially sensing signals received from one second-first trace line among the plurality of second-first trace lines and one second-second trace line among the plurality of second-second trace lines, such as taught by Lim, for the purpose of charging and discharging the pen (Lim [0030]).
Regarding claim 22, Regarding claim 1, Lim discloses Kim as modified by Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 19, wherein the electronic device is one of a television, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a car navigation, or a game machine (Kim, Fig. 1, [0058], mobile phone).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses an electronic device comprising: a sensor layer in which a sensing area and a peripheral area adjacent to the sensing area are defined; and wherein the sensor layer includes: a plurality of first electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a first direction; a plurality of second electrodes in the sensing area and arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of second electrodes being configured to cross the plurality of first electrodes; a plurality of first trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of first electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence; and a plurality of second trace lines electrically connected to the plurality of second electrodes in a one-to-one correspondence (see claim 14 rejection). However, neither Kim nor other prior art discloses a sensor driver configured to drive the sensor layer, the sensor driver including a plurality of amplifiers and an inverter, and wherein the plurality of amplifiers include a first amplifier including a first input terminal and a second input terminal, the first input terminal is electrically connected with a second-first electrode among the plurality of second electrodes, and the second input terminal is electrically connected with a second-second electrode among the plurality of second electrodes via the inverter. The closest prior art to Oda et al. (US 9,158,418) discloses in Figs. 23 and 30 to provide an inverter to a driving signal fk, however this inverter is not electrically connected with input terminals of the first amplifier of the plurality of amplifiers with a second-first electrode among the plurality of second electrodes, and the second input terminal is electrically connected with a second-second electrode among the plurality of second electrodes.
Claims 2-13 are allowed based on their dependency from allowed independent claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 15, 17-18, and 20-21 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 15, Kim as modified by Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 14, but does not disclose or suggest wherein the sensor driver includes a plurality of amplifiers and an inverter, wherein the plurality of second trace lines include a plurality of second-first trace lines and a plurality of second-second trace lines spaced apart from each other with the sensing area therebetween, wherein the plurality of amplifiers include a first amplifier including a first input terminal and a second input terminal, the first input terminal is electrically connected with a second-first electrode among the plurality of second electrodes, and the second input terminal is electrically connected with a second-second electrode among the plurality of second electrodes via the inverter, wherein one second-first trace line among the plurality of second-first trace lines is electrically connected to the second-first electrode and the first input terminal, and wherein one second-second trace line among the plurality of second-second trace lines is electrically connected to the second-second electrode and the inverter. Regarding claim 20, Kim as modified by Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 19, but does not disclose or suggest wherein the sensor driver includes an amplifier including a first input terminal and a second input terminal and an inverter electrically connected to the second input terminal of the amplifier, wherein the one second-first trace line is electrically connected to the first input terminal, and wherein the one second-second trace line is electrically connected to the second input terminal via the inverter.
The dependent claims 17-18 and 21 are objected to based on their dependency from claims 15 or 20, respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH PATRICK FOX whose telephone number is (571)270-3877. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:30 EST.
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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