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 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.
Claim 2 is 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.
Specifically, claim 2 recites the limitation "the boundary area". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 – 6, 11, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US Pub. No. 2019/0179451 A1) in view of Xu et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0300007 A1).
As to claims 1 and 20, Kim shows an electronic device (touch sensor panel 1, Fig. 1 and para. 29) comprising: an input sensing layer (200/100, Fig. 1 and para. 30), the input sensing layer comprises: a plurality of sensing electrodes (20/10, Figs. 1 and 3a – 3h and para. 29); and a plurality of dummy electrodes 21/11 on a layer different from the plurality of sensing electrodes and overlapping the plurality of sensing electrodes (Fig. 1 and 3a – 3h and para. 34), wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes comprises: a first sensing electrode (drive electrode 10, for example, Figs. 1 and 3a – 3h and para. 30); and a second sensing electrode (receiving electrode 20, for example, Figs. 1 and 3a – 3h and para. 30) adjacent to the first sensing electrode (Figs. 1 and 3a – 3h and paras. 31), electrically separated from the first sensing electrode (Figs. 1 and 3a – 3h and paras. 30), and having a smaller extent than that of the first sensing electrode (Fig. 1), wherein the plurality of dummy electrodes comprises: a first dummy electrode 21 overlapping the first sensing electrode (Figs. 3a – 3h and para. 40); and a second dummy electrode 11 overlapping the second sensing electrode (Figs. 3a – 3h and para. 40), and wherein the first and second dummy electrodes are connected at a boundary area between the first and second sensing electrodes (i.e. capacitance path indicated by arrows, Figs. 3b – 3d and paras. 40 – 45).
Kim does not show a display device comprising a display panel.
Xu shows a sensing device including a display device comprising a display panel (Fig. 1 and para. 29).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Kim with those of Xu because designing the system in this way allows the device to exhibit that touch control modes will not be affected by ambient light, sunlight and other light (para. 43).
As to claim 2, Kim shows that the first sensing electrode comprises a first mesh line defining a first opening (Fig. 2a and para. 35), wherein the second sensing electrode comprises a second mesh line defining a second opening (Fig. 2a and para. 35), and wherein the first mesh line and the second mesh line are spaced apart from each other in a boundary area (Fig. 2a and para. 35).
As to claim 3, Kim shows that the first dummy electrode comprises a first dummy mesh line extending along the first mesh line (Fig. 2a and para. 35), wherein the second dummy electrode comprises a second dummy mesh line extending along the second mesh line (Fig. 2a and para. 35), and wherein the first dummy mesh line is connected to the second dummy mesh line in the boundary area (Fig. 2a and para. 35).
As to claim 4, Kim shows that a line width of each of the first and second mesh lines is greater than a line width of each of the first and second dummy
mesh lines (Fig. 2a).
As to claim 5, Kim shows that the input sensing layer further comprises:
an intermediate insulating layer 300 covering the plurality of dummy electrodes and
on which the plurality of sensing electrodes are arranged (Fig. 3b and para. 32).
Kim does not show a base insulating layer on which the plurality of dummy electrodes are arranged.
Xu shows a base insulating layer 61 on which a plurality of dummy electrodes 25 are arranged (Fig. 9 and paras. 70 and 73).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Kim with those of Xu because designing the system in this way allows the device to prevent short circuits (para. 73).
As to claim 6, Kim shows that the plurality of sensing electrodes are arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing the first direction (Fig. 2a), and
wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes are electrically separated from each
other (Figs. 3b – 3c).
As to claim 11, Kim does not show a sensor controller configured to drive the input sensing layer, wherein the input sensing layer comprises a plurality of trace lines electrically connecting the plurality of sensing electrodes to the sensor controller.
Xu shows a controller (i.e. integrated circuit) configured to drive an input sensing layer (para. 48), wherein the input sensing layer comprises a plurality of trace lines electrically connecting a plurality of sensing electrodes to the sensor controller (para. 48).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Kim with those of Xu because designing the system in this way allows the device to achieve a better touch control effect and support multi-touch control (para. 48).
As to claim 12, Kim shows that each of the trace lines is connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of sensing electrodes (Fig. 2a) and overlaps at least one non-corresponding sensing electrode of the plurality of sensing electrodes that does not correspond thereto (Fig. 2a).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Xu as combined above in view of Fan et al. (US Pub. No. 2022/0317806 A1).
As to claim 10, Kim as modified above does not show that the dummy electrodes are electrically floated.
Fan shows that dummy electrodes are electrically floated (para. 123).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Kim as modified above with those of Fan because designing the system in this way allows the device to improve touch sensitivity (para. 123).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 – 9 and 13 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.
Specifically, claim 7 recites that “… the input sensing layer has an active area in which a hole area is defined and an inactive area around the active area, wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes are in the active area, and wherein the first and second sensing electrodes are adjacent to the hole area.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claim 8 recites that “… the input sensing layer has an active area having a curved edge at a portion of the input sensing layer and an inactive area around the active area, and wherein the first and second sensing electrodes are adjacent to the curved edge.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claim 9 recites that “… the plurality of sensing electrodes further comprises: a third sensing electrode adjacent to the first sensing electrode and having an extent that is equal to or greater than that of the first sensing electrode, wherein the first and third sensing electrodes are spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a boundary area between the first and third sensing electrodes, and wherein the first and second sensing electrodes are spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is smaller than the first distance in the boundary area between the first and second sensing electrodes.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claim 13 recites “… the trace lines and the plurality of dummy electrodes are on the same layer, and wherein the plurality of dummy electrodes do not overlap the trace lines.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
CONCLUSION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7448. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-2976. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CARL ADAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2627