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 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 – 2, 4 – 5, and 9 – 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woolley (U.S. PG Pub 2006/0181511) in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,347,443).
Regarding Claim 1, Woolley teaches a touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39), comprising a circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) and a keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39), wherein the circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is located on the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) and/or a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); the circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is provided with a touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to a capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is one or more of a touch key, a touch slider, and a touch pad (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is provided with a microcontroller unit MCU (Figure 3, Element 20. Paragraph 41); the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to the MCU (Figure 3, Element 20. Paragraph 41); the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located at any position of an inner surface (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39), an interior, and an outer surface of the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39).
Woolley is silent with regards to the capacitive sensing touch element is located at any position of an inner surface, an interior, and an outer surface of a side wall of the keycap body; and alternatively, the capacitive sensing touch element is located at an edge of the keycap body, so that the side wall of the keycap or the edge of the keycap body forms a trigger position for triggering the capacitive sensing touch element.
Wu et al. teach the capacitive sensing touch element is located at any position of an inner surface, an interior, and an outer surface of a side wall of the keycap body; and alternatively, the capacitive sensing touch element (Figures 5C and 5D, Element 176b. Column 20, Lines 22 – 48) is located at an edge (Seen in Figures 5C and 5D) of the keycap body (Figures 5C and 5D, Element 124. Column 20, Lines 22 – 48), so that the side wall of the keycap or the edge (Seen in Figures 5C and 5D) of the keycap body (Figures 5C and 5D, Element 124. Column 20, Lines 22 – 48) forms a trigger position (Seen in Figures 5C and 5D) for triggering the capacitive sensing touch element (Figures 5C and 5D, Elements 176a and 176b. Column 20, Lines 22 – 48).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley with capacitive placement of Wu et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley with the teachings of Wu et al. is to provide a keyboard with capable of illumination that would improve visibility in dimly-lit environments, as taught by Lin et al. (Column 1, Lines 12 - 33).
Regarding Claim 2, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) according to claim 1 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) comprises a touch region (Figure 3, Element 44. Paragraph 40) and an accommodation region (Figure 3, Element 46. Paragraph 39); the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located in the touch region (Figure 3, Element 44. Paragraph 40); the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located in the accommodation region (Figure 3, Element 46. Paragraph 39); and the accommodation region (Figure 3, Element 46. Paragraph 39) is located on the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) and/or the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38).
Regarding Claim 4, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38), comprising a control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) and the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) according to claim 1 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at a key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); and the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41).
Regarding Claim 5, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 4 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at an edge key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); an outward side of the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) forms a touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39); and the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located at any position of an inner surface (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39), an interior, and an outer surface of a wall of the touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39).
Regarding Claim 9, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) touch input assembly, comprising a circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) and an adapter (Element anchor. Paragraph 43) that is in communication connection with a control circuit board (Element Keyboard substrate. Paragraph 43) of a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 4 (See Above) and a computer (Paragraph 48). Woolley teaches wherein the circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is provided with a touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to a capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is one or more of a touch key, a touch slider, and a touch pad (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40); the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is provided with a MCU (Figure 3, Element 20. Paragraph 41); and the MCU (Figure 3, Element 20. Paragraph 41) is electrically connected to the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) and the adapter (Element anchor. Paragraph 43) separately.
Regarding Claim 10, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38), comprising a control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) and the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) according to claim 2 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at a key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); and the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41).
Regarding Claim 11, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 10 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at an edge key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); an outward side of the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) forms a touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39); and the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located at any position of an inner surface (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39), an interior, and an outer surface of a wall of the touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39).
Claims 3 and 15 – 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woolley (U.S. PG Pub 2006/0181511) in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,347,443) in view of Leong et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2017/0315624).
Regarding Claim 3, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) according to claim 2 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is a flexible printed circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41); the flexible printed circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is located on the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39); and the accommodation region (Figure 3, Element 46. Paragraph 39) is located on an inner surface (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39) of a side wall (Seen in Figure 3) of the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) adjacent to the touch region (Figure 3, Element 44. Paragraph 40).
Woolley is silent with regards to the touch region is fixed to the inner surface of the side wall of the keycap.
Leong et al. teach the touch region (Figure 11, Element 406. Paragraph 77) is fixed to the inner surface (Seen in Figure 11) of the side wall (Figure 11, Element 402. Paragraph 76) of the keycap (Figure 11, Element 400. Paragraph 76).
Woolley teaches a device which is different from the claimed interface apparatus by the substitution of the step(s) of the touch region is fixed to a side wall of the keycap. Leong et al. teaches the substituted step(s) of the touch region is fixed to a side wall of the keycap and their functions were known in the art to provide the touch region is fixed to a side wall of the keycap.
The touch region location of Woolley could have been substituted with the touch region placement as taught by Leong et al. and the results would have been predictable and resulted in the touch region is fixed to a side wall of the keycap. Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made.
Regarding Claim 15, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Leong et al. teach a keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38). Woolley teaches comprising a control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) and the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) according to claim 3 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at a key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); and the touch circuit (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is electrically connected to the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41).
Regarding Claim 16, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Leong et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 15 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the touch keycap (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) is located at an edge key position of the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38); an outward side of the keycap body (Figure 3, Element 30. Paragraph 39) forms a touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39); and the capacitive sensing touch element (Figure 3, Element 50. Paragraph 40) is located at any position of an inner surface (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39), an interior, and an outer surface of a wall of the touch side (Figure 3, Element 40. Paragraph 39).
Claims 6 – 8 and 12 – 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woolley (U.S. PG Pub 2006/0181511) in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,347,443) in view of Lin et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2012/0206354).
Regarding Claim 6, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 4 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein there are multiple touch keycaps (Figures 2 and 3, Element 30. Paragraphs 37 - 39).
Woolley is silent with regards to the capacitive sensing touch elements of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU to form a touch key group.
Lin et al. teach the capacitive sensing touch elements (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24) to form a touch key group.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley and capacitive placement of Wu et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley and Wu et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 7, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 6 (See Above). Woolley is silent with regards to wherein there are multiple touch key groups; and each of the touch key groups is provided with one MCU.
Lin et al. teach wherein there are multiple touch key groups (Figure 3, Elements 213 – 216. Paragraph 24); and each of the touch key groups (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) is provided with one MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley and capacitive placement of Wu et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley and Wu et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 8, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 6 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) further comprises an adapter (Element anchor. Paragraph 43); the adapter is provided with an input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43) and an output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43); the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is electrically connected to the input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43); and the output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43) is configured to achieve communication connection with a computer (Paragraph 48).
Regarding Claim 12, Woolley in view of Wu et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 10 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein there are multiple touch keycaps (Figures 2 and 3, Element 30. Paragraphs 37 - 39).
Woolley is silent with regards to the capacitive sensing touch elements of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU to form a touch key group.
Lin et al. teach the capacitive sensing touch elements (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24) to form a touch key group.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley and capacitive placement of Wu et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley and Wu et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 13, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 12 (See Above). Woolley is silent with regards to wherein there are multiple touch key groups; and each of the touch key groups is provided with one MCU.
Lin et al. teach wherein there are multiple touch key groups (Figure 3, Elements 213 – 216. Paragraph 24); and each of the touch key groups (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) is provided with one MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley and capacitive placement of Wu et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley and Wu et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 14, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 12 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) further comprises an adapter; the adapter is provided with an input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43) and an output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43); the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is electrically connected to the input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43); and the output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43) is configured to achieve communication connection with a computer (Paragraph 48).
Claims 17 – 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woolley (U.S. PG Pub 2006/0181511) in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,347,443) in view of Leong et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2017/0315624) in view of Lin et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2012/0206354).
Regarding Claim 17, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Leong et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 15 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein there are multiple touch keycaps (Figures 2 and 3, Element 30. Paragraphs 37 - 39).
Woolley is silent with regards to the capacitive sensing touch elements of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU to form a touch key group.
Lin et al. teach the capacitive sensing touch elements (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) of the multiple touch keycaps are electrically connected to the same MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24) to form a touch key group.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley, capacitive placement of Wu et al., and the touch region location of Leong et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley, Wu et al., and Leong et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 18, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Leong et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 17 (See Above). Woolley is silent with regards to wherein there are multiple touch key groups; and each of the touch key groups is provided with one MCU (Figure 3, Element 20. Paragraph 41).
Lin et al. teach wherein there are multiple touch key groups (Figure 3, Elements 213 – 216. Paragraph 24); and each of the touch key groups (Figure 3, Element 214. Paragraph 24) is provided with one MCU (Figure 3, Element 214a. Paragraph 24).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of the keycap of Woolley, capacitive placement of Wu et al., and the touch region location of Leong et al. with the key groups of Lin et al. The motivation to modify the teachings of Woolley, Wu et al., and Leong et al. with the teachings of Lin et al. is to provide a keyboard with other functions, key groups, and hot keys on the keyboard, as taught by Lin et al. (Paragraph 8).
Regarding Claim 19, Woolley in view of Wu et al. in view of Leong et al. in view of Lin et al. teach the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) according to claim 17 (See Above). Woolley teaches wherein the keyboard (Figure 2. Paragraph 37 - 38) further comprises an adapter; the adapter is provided with an input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43) and an output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43); the control circuit board (Figure 3, Elements 42 - 46. Paragraphs 40 - 41) is electrically connected to the input interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that receives information. Paragraph 43); and the output interface (Element anchor, Sub-Element is the portion that transmits information. Paragraph 43) is configured to achieve communication connection with a computer (Paragraph 48).
Response to Arguments
All arguments are considered moot in light of the new grounds of rejection presented above necessitated by the applicant’s amendment to the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brown et al. (U.S. PG Pub 2008/0131184) discloses a keycap within a display that is similar to the instant invention.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/A.B.S/Examiner, Art Unit 2625
/WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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