Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-16 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
3. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim does not exclude, and therefore directed to, a signal.
It is noted that paragraph [0242] of the originally filed specification states that a computer-readable storage medium “may be” provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium that refers to a tangible device and does not include a signal. However, because the discloser does not explicitly exclude the signal the claim limitation’s scope does include the transitory subject matter. It is suggested to amend the subject matter to read “a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium” to overcome this rejection.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 1-14 and 16 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1, Adelson (US Patent Application Publication 2009/0315989) discloses a display device (Paragraph [0041] describes a touchscreen in conjunction with a flat panel LED display.) comprising:
a display panel comprising a plurality of pixels (Paragraph [0041] describes the LEDs of the display to emit light for a user to view (describing the LEDs as pixels). A portion of the LED emitted light is reflected by elastomer 3 (figure 1 due to user’s finger paragraph [0020]) back to the LEDs which have the ability to act as photosensors to measure the amount of reflected light.);
[ ]:
change light emission patterns of pixels (Figure 8 emitters 80+82 described in paragraphs [0035]-[0036] to be emitted at different angles, different colors, and/or different times (changing the light emission pattern). Figure 9 tiled cameras 186 described in paragraph [0037] to be an array of cameras for a display. In view of paragraph [0041], wherein the emitters comprise photodiodes, the tiled cameras 186 regard an array of pixels of the display.) included in a contact area at which an object contacts the display panel (Figures 8 and 9 depict wherein the emitters and cameras are located in the area where the finger contacts the elastomer 3/79/182.),
measure a first reflection pattern at the contact area according to the changed light emission patterns (Publication claims 1 and 7 of the prior art Adelson discloses that the photo sensed reflected image features (pattern) include roughness.),
detect a surface roughness of the object based on the first reflection pattern (Publication claims 1 and 7 of the prior art Adelson discloses that the photo sensed reflected image features (pattern) include roughness.), estimate a degree of deformation of a transparent layer (Figures 1/7/9 elastomer 3/79/184) of the display panel corresponding to the contact between the display panel and the object (Figures 1 and 8 depicts elastomer 3/79 described in paragraph [0020] to be deformed based on an object/finger applying pressure to the outer surface of the skin 2/84. This deformation is detected via the reflected light from the emitter to the camera.),
measure a second reflection pattern at the contact area, based on the degree of deformation of the transparent layer (Figure 8 emitters 80+82 described in paragraphs [0035]-[0036] to be emitted at different angles, different colors, and/or different times (changing the light emission pattern).), and
[ ].
Adelson does not specifically disclose a memory storing one or more instructions; or one or more processors configured to execute the one or more instructions; or to detect a hardness of the object based on the second reflection pattern.
Kubota et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0157123) discloses an imaging display device that comprises a sensor having a function measuring hardness (paragraphs [0553] and [0579]). However, there is no discloser of what hardness the sensor is measuring or how the sensor is implemented in the device including relating the sensing to light reflection. Therefore, Kubota does not specifically disclose to detect a hardness of the object based on a reflection pattern.
Lee (US Patent Application Publication 2016/0139697) discloses a sensor for sensing a contact of a specific object at a degree of human feeling or more, wherein the sensor senses various pieces of information including hardness (paragraph [0201]). While this discloser specifically relates hardness to the contact object there is no discloser of detecting hardness base on a light reflection pattern.
Nshida (US Patent Application Publication 2021/0064173) discloses to change the hardness of an elastic layer which deforms based on force of a touch (figure 1 and paragraph [0151]) but does not disclose to detect a hardness of the object based on a reflection pattern.
Drumm (US Patent Application Publication 2017/0160871) discloses to detect a hardness of the object (paragraph [0149]) but by a vibration sensor and not by a reflection pattern.
The reasons for allowance of independent claim 8 relate substantially to those given above in regards to 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.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E LEIBY whose telephone number is (571)270-3142. The examiner can normally be reached 11-7.
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/CHRISTOPHER E LEIBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621