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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 line 1 uses the word “filer” which appears to be a typographical error that should read “filter”. 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.
Claims 1-4, 7-12 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gray et al. in US 2021/0303101 (hereinafter Gray) in view of Chen et al. in CN-112311228-A (hereinafter Chen). A machine translation was used to reference the CN publication.
Regarding claim 1, Gray disclose signal intensity regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16) comprising: a signal acquiring circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: sensor 30), a controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: change detection circuit 150) and a signal regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: circuits 152-154), wherein the signal regulating circuit is connected between the signal acquiring circuit and the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see circuits 152-154 between 30 and 150); the controller has a signal input end (Gray’s Fig. 16: left input to 150) and a control end (Gray’s Fig. 16: right end from 150); a signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30, 154 and 150) is formed by connecting an end of the signal regulation circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: see left of 154) to a signal output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: see output from 30), the signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30, 154 and 150) is connected to the signal input end of the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see left input to 150); the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see 150) is configured to output a corresponding regulation signal (Gray’s Fig. 16 and par. 152, 166: signal output from 150 into regulation circuit 152) to the signal regulation circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: signal 120 input to circuit 152) based on a touch sampling signal received at a current moment (Gray’s Fig. 16 and par. 166: regulation based on signal 120 representative of the change to the power signal), the signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30, 154 and 150) is configured to form a touch sampling signal (Gray’s Fig. 16: affect 160 on power signal) at a next moment (Gray’s Fig. 16 and par. 165: when receiving power signal 158 then affect 160 is detected), and the signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30, 154 and 150) is further configured to transmit the touch sampling signal (Gray’s Fig. 16: affect 160) to the signal input end of the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see 150).
Gray fails to disclose the signal regulating circuit includes a switch element, the switch element has a first signal end, a second signal end and a controlled end and all other limitations requiring the switch element, the first signal end, the second signal end or the controlled end.
However, in the related field of endeavor of power supply circuits, Chen discloses a power supply circuit that includes a signal regulating circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 5 last paragraph: see M1 regulating [controlling] the switch voltage Vsw) with a switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see M1), the switch element having a first signal end, a second signal end and a controlled end (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top, bottom and gate of M1 respectively); a signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW) is formed by connecting the first signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top of M1) to a signal output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vin), the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW) is connected to the signal input end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vsw to 210), the second signal end of the switch element is connected to a reference power supply (Chen’s Fig. 3: bottom of M1 to ground), and the controlled end of the switch element is connected to the control end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see gate of M1 connected to output of 210); a controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see 210) is configured to output a corresponding regulation signal (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 6 3rd-5th paragraph: see Vg which controls M1) to the controlled end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: gate of M1) based on a sampling signal received at a current moment (Chen’s Fig. 3: see signal from Vin to Vout), the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: M1) is configured to generate a corresponding on-resistance based on the corresponding regulation signal (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 6 3rd-5th paragraphs: Vsw…controlling…to provide Vg with different driving intensities, thus the regulation signal Vg controls the on-resistance of the transistor M1), the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW) is configured to form a touch sampling signal (Chen’s Fig. 3: signal at SW which is affected by changes in M1 from Vg per translation pg. 6 4th paragraph [controlling...Vg… improving rising rate of Vsw voltage change]) at a next moment (Chen’s Fig. 3: the control of Vsw is subsequent to the control of Vg and M1), under a voltage-dividing action of an output impedance of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: impedance of Vin to SW) and the corresponding on-resistance (Chen’s Fig. 3: on-resistance of the source-drain terminals of M1), and the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: SW) is further configured to transmit the touch sampling signal (Chen’s Fig. 3: from Vin) to the signal input end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see 210).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to use Chen’s Fig. 3 power supply circuit in Gray’s Fig. 16 drive-sense circuit, in order to obtain the predictable result of a known power supply circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3) that provides the benefit of reducing the peak in the switching voltage (Chen’s translation pg. 2: under Contents of the Invention).
By doing such combination, Gray in view of Chen disclose:
A signal intensity regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16) comprising:
a signal acquiring circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: sensor 30), a controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: change detection circuit 150 equivalent to 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3) and a signal regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: circuits 152-154 which upon combination include M1 of Chen’s Fig. 3), wherein the signal regulating circuit is connected between the signal acquiring circuit and the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see circuits 152-154 between 30 and 150);
the controller has a signal input end (Gray’s Fig. 16: left input to 150 equivalent to Vsw in Chen’s Fig. 3) and a control end (Gray’s Fig. 16: right end from 150 equivalent to output Vg from 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3);
the signal regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: circuits 152-154 which upon combination includes power switch M1 of Chen’s Fig. 3) includes a switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see M1), the switch element has a first signal end, a second signal end and a controlled end (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top, bottom and gate of M1 respectively);
a signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30, 154 and 150 which upon combination is equivalent to node SW in Chen’s Fig. 3) is formed by connecting the first signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top of M1) to a signal output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vin which upon combination is equivalent to the output of sensor 30 [affect 160] of Gray’s Fig. 16), the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW) is connected to the signal input end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vsw to 210 which upon combination is equivalent to 150 in Gray’s Fig. 16), the second signal end of the switch element is connected to a reference power supply (Chen’s Fig. 3: bottom of M1 to ground), and the controlled end of the switch element is connected to the control end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see gate of M1 connected to output of 210);
the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: see 150 equivalent to 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3) is configured to output a corresponding regulation signal (Gray’s Fig. 16: signal output from 150 equivalent to Vg from 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3) to the controlled end of the switch element (Gray’s Fig. 16: signal 120 input to circuit 152 which upon combination is equivalent to the signal Vg to M1 in Chen’s Fig. 3) based on a touch sampling signal received at a current moment (Gray’s Fig. 16 and par. 166: regulation based on signal 120 representative of the change to the power signal), the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: M1 which is part of 152-154 in Gray’s Fig. 16) is configured to generate a corresponding on-resistance based on the corresponding regulation signal (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 6 3rd-5th paragraphs: Vsw…controlling…to provide Vg with different driving intensities, thus the regulation signal Vg controls the on-resistance of the transistor M1), the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW) is configured to form a touch sampling signal (Chen’s Fig. 3: signal at SW which is affected by changes in M1 from Vg per translation pg. 6 4th paragraph [controlling...Vg… improving rising rate of Vsw voltage change]) at a next moment (Chen’s Fig. 3: the control of Vsw is subsequent to the control of Vg and M1), under a voltage-dividing action of an output impedance of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: impedance of Vin to SW) and the corresponding on-resistance (Chen’s Fig. 3: on-resistance of the source-drain terminals of M1), and the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: SW) is further configured to transmit the touch sampling signal (Chen’s Fig. 3: from Vin) to the signal input end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see 210 which upon combination is equivalent to 150 in Grey’s Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 9, Gray in view of Chen disclose an infrared touch device (Gray’s Fig. 3 and par. 62-64: touch screen with sensors 30, including infrared sensors) comprising an infrared signal receiving unit (Gray’s Fig. 16: see sensor 30 which is an infrared sensor per par. 64) and the signal intensity regulating circuit of claim 1.
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Gray in view of Chen disclose wherein the switch element is a voltage-controlling switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 5 last paragraph: M1 [adjust switch voltage Vsw]).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Gray in view of Chen disclose wherein the voltage-controlling switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see tube M1) is a triode comprising a base; a collector; and an emitter (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 8 3rd-4th paragraph: bipolar transistor with base, emitter and collector), wherein the base of the triode is the controlled end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see base/gate of M1), one of the collector or the emitter of the triode is the first signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top end of M1), and another one of the emitter or the collector of the triode is the second signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see bottom end of M1);
the one of the collector or the emitter of the triode (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top of M1) is further connected to the signal output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vin which upon combination is equivalent to the output of sensor 30 [affect 160] of Gray’s Fig. 16) to form the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW), the another one of the emitter or the collector of the triode is further connected to the reference power supply (Chen’s Fig. 3: bottom of M1 to ground), and the base of the triode is connected to the control end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see base/gate of M1 connected to output of 210).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Gray in view of Chen disclose wherein the voltage-controlling switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see M1) is a field effect transistor comprising a gate; a drain; and a source (Chen’s Fig. 3 and translation pg. 8 2nd paragraph: Field effect transistor), wherein the gate of the field effect transistor is the controlled end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see gate of M1), one of the drain or the source of the field effect transistor is the first signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top end of M1), and another one of the source or the drain of the field effect transistor is the second signal end of the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: see bottom end of M1);
the one of the drain or the source of the field effect transistor (Chen’s Fig. 3: see top of M1) is further connected to the signal output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vin which upon combination is equivalent to the output of sensor 30 [affect 160] of Gray’s Fig. 16) to form the signal voltage-dividing node (Chen’s Fig. 3: see node SW), the another one of the source or the drain of the field effect transistor is further connected to the reference power supply (Chen’s Fig. 3: bottom of M1 to ground), and the gate of the field effect transistor is connected to the control end of the controller (Chen’s Fig. 3: see gate of M1 connected to output of 210).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Gray in view of Chen disclose wherein the reference power source is a positive voltage or a negative voltage, or a reference ground (Chen’s Fig. 3: see bottom of M1 to ground).
Regarding claims 8 and 16, Gray in view of Chen disclose wherein the controller (Gray’s Fig. 16: change detection circuit 150 equivalent to 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3) is configured to generate the corresponding regulation signal (Gray’s Fig. 16: signal output from 150 equivalent to Vg from 210 in Chen’s Fig. 3) based on a preset target value (Gray’s par. 167: circuit 150 [comparator] compares against reference signal [preset target value])(Chen’s translation pg. 6 3rd paragraph: preset voltage at comparison in control circuit 210).
Regarding claim 17, Gray in view of Chen disclose an electronic equipment (Gray’s par. 9), comprising an operating device (Gray’s par. 9, 269: program or processor) and the infrared touch device of claim 9.
Claims 5 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gray in view of Chen as applied above, in further view of Geaghan in US 2011/0163766 (hereinafter Geaghan).
Gray in view of Chen fail to explicitly disclose the signal regulating circuit further includes a first resistor, the first resistor is connected between the output end of the signal acquiring circuit and the signal voltage-dividing node; the first resistor is connected in series with the switch element; the on-resistance generated by the switch element, the output impedance of the signal acquiring circuit, and the first resistor divide the touch sampling signal that is to be sampled and output by the signal acquiring circuit.
However, in the same field of endeavor of sensor measurement circuits, Geaghan discloses adding a resistor and/or inductor between the sensor drive signal and the sensor (Geaghan’s Fig. 3 and par. 31: resistor added between VLR and Cx).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Gray in view of Chen include a resistor connected in series between the output end of the signal acquiring circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: see 30)(Chen’s Fig. 3: see Vin)(Geaghan’s Fig. 3: see Cx) and the signal voltage dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: node between 30/154/150)(Chen’s Fig. 3: SW)(Geaghan’s Fig. 3: VLR), in order to obtain the benefit of reducing ESD susceptibility and because a resistor is an alternative or additional to an inductor (Geaghan’s par. 71).
By doing such combination, Gray in view of Chen and Geaghan disclose:
wherein the signal regulating circuit (Gray’s Fig. 16: circuits 152-154 which upon combination includes power switch M1 of Chen’s Fig. 3) further includes a first resistor, the first resistor is connected between the output end of the signal acquiring circuit and the signal voltage-dividing node (Gray’s Fig. 16: includes a resistor connected between 30 [output end of signal acquiring circuit] and node 130/150/154 [voltage-dividing node], or in series with L1 in Chen’s Fig. 3, upon combination with Geaghan’s Fig. 3 and par. 71);
the first resistor is connected in series with the switch element (Chen’s Fig. 3: there is a resistor in series with M1 between L1 and ground upon combination with Geaghan’s Fig. 3 and par. 71);
the on-resistance generated by the switch element (resistance generated by the drain and source of M1 in Chen’s Fig. 3), the output impedance of the signal acquiring circuit (output impedance of sensor 30 in Gray’s Fig. 16 equivalent to impedance at Vin in Chen’s Fig. 3), and the first resistor (Geaghan’s Fig. 3 and par. 71) divide the touch sampling signal that is to be sampled and output by the signal acquiring circuit (upon combination with Geaghan’s par. 71, there is a resistor in series with L1 in Chen’s Fig. 3, and together with M1 divide the signal from Vin [touch sampling signal equivalent to 160 from sensor 30 in Gray’s Fig. 16]).
Claims 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gray in view of Chen as applied above, in further view of Yang in US 2010/0117986 (hereinafter Yang).
Gray in view of Chen fail to explicitly disclose a filter circuit connected in parallel between the first signal end and the second signal end of the switch element.
However, Chen does disclose including an output capacitor for filtering Vout (Chen’s translation pg. 6: 1st paragraph: output capacitor used for filtering), and in the same field of endeavor of capacitive touch panels, Yang discloses a filtering capacitor connected between the input/output node and ground (Yang’s Fig. 8: see C1 between Input-Output path and ground).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Gray in view of Chen further comprise a filter circuit (Chen’s translation 6th pg. 1st paragraph: output capacitor filtering, which upon combination with Yang’s Fig. 8 is a capacitor C1 connected between the path including SW and ground in Chen’s Fig. 3), wherein the filter circuit is connected in parallel between the first signal end and the second signal end of the switch element (upon combination, Chen’s Fig. 3 includes a capacitor connected between the path SW/Vout and ground, which is thus parallel to M1 when the diode D1 is conducting),
In order to obtain the predictable result of a filtering circuit (Chen’s translation 6th pg. 1st paragraph: output capacitor filtering) with a known filtering circuit in touchpanels (Yang’s Fig. 8).
Conclusion
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/LILIANA CERULLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621