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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US Pub 2015/0227254) in view of KATO et al (US Pub 2021/0055808).
With respect to claim 1, KIM discloses a sensing panel (fig. 1; touch sensor substrate 300) comprising: a base layer (fig. 3B; base substrate 301); a stylus pen driving electrode positioned on the base layer and comprising a first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; SC12; par 0076; discloses the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 is formed from a metal layer and disposed on the base substrate 301); a touch insulating layer positioned on the first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; layer 310; par 0082; discloses A first insulating layer 310 is formed on the base substrate 301 on which the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 are formed); a touch sensor positioned on the touch insulating layer, positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in a third direction in a plan view (fig. 3A; electrodes SE1, SE2, SE3 formed to overlap sensing circuits SC11, Sc12, SC13; par 0090; discloses he sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3 of the second touch sensor part TS2 and the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 are formed from the metal layer and are formed on the base substrate 301 on which the second insulating layer 320 is formed. Each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 is formed from the same line as that of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3. Thus, each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 extends from a corresponding one of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3);
KIM discloses the touch sensor may be mutual capacitance type touch sensor (par 0052; discloses the second touch sensor part TS2 senses a touch in a capacitance mode. The capacitance mode may include a mutual capacitance mode which senses a change of the capacitance between two electrodes);
KIM doesn’t expressly disclose a touch driving electrode comprising a second conductive pattern extending in a first direction, and a touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer, comprises the second conductive pattern; extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view;
In the same field of endeavor, Kato discloses input apparatus comprising inductive sensing and capacitive sensing (see abstract); Kato discloses mutual capacitive sensor comprising a touch driving electrode comprising a second conductive pattern extending in a first direction, and a touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer, comprises the second conductive pattern; extending in a second direction different from the first direction, (fig. 3; touch detection sensor 12 includes plurality of Y-electrodes extending in first direction and plurality of X-electrode extending in second direction that is perpendicular to first direction; see par 0035-0036 as well) and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view (fig. 2; discloses touch detection sensor 12 is positioned to overlaps the pen detection sensor 13);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KIM to incorporate the teachings of Kato to use the mutual capacitive sensor as touch detection sensor to detect touch input together with the inductive sensor to detect inputs from stylus in order to detect touch inputs and stylus inputs more accurately and efficiently.
With respect to claim 2, KIM as modified by Kato discloses wherein the stylus pen driving electrode comprises the first conductive pattern extending in the first direction (KIM; fig. 3A; discloses sensing circuits SC11, SC12, SC13 extends in the first direction).
With respect to claim 3, KIM as modified by Kato discloses wherein the stylus pen driving electrode comprises the first conductive pattern extending in the second direction (KIM; fig. 3A; discloses sensing electrode SC21, SC22, SC23 extends in the second direction).
With respect to claim 20, Kim discloses an electronic device (fig. 1; display apparatus) comprising: a base layer (fig. 3B; base substrate 301); a stylus pen driving electrode positioned on the base layer and comprising a first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; SC12; par 0076; discloses the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 is formed from a metal layer and disposed on the base substrate 301); a touch insulating layer positioned on the first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; layer 310; par 0082; discloses A first insulating layer 310 is formed on the base substrate 301 on which the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 are formed); a touch sensor positioned on the touch insulating layer, positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in a third direction in a plan view (fig. 3A; electrodes SE1, SE2, SE3 formed to overlap sensing circuits SC11, Sc12, SC13; par 0090; discloses he sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3 of the second touch sensor part TS2 and the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 are formed from the metal layer and are formed on the base substrate 301 on which the second insulating layer 320 is formed. Each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 is formed from the same line as that of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3. Thus, each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 extends from a corresponding one of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3);
KIM discloses the touch sensor may be mutual capacitance type touch sensor (par 0052; discloses the second touch sensor part TS2 senses a touch in a capacitance mode. The capacitance mode may include a mutual capacitance mode which senses a change of the capacitance between two electrodes);
KIM doesn’t expressly disclose a host to obtain a user input; a touch driving electrode comprising a second conductive pattern extending in a first direction, and a touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer, comprises the second conductive pattern; extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view;
In the same field of endeavor, Kato discloses input apparatus comprising inductive sensing and capacitive sensing (see abstract); Kato discloses a host to obtain a user input (fig. 3; processing control circuit 104); mutual capacitive sensor comprising a touch driving electrode comprising a second conductive pattern extending in a first direction, and a touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer, comprises the second conductive pattern; extending in a second direction different from the first direction, (fig. 3; touch detection sensor 12 includes plurality of Y-electrodes extending in first direction and plurality of X-electrode extending in second direction that is perpendicular to first direction; see par 0035-0036 as well) and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view (fig. 2; discloses touch detection sensor 12 is positioned to overlaps the pen detection sensor 13);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KIM to incorporate the teachings of Kato to use the mutual capacitive sensor as touch detection sensor to detect touch input together with the inductive sensor to detect inputs from stylus in order to detect touch inputs and stylus inputs more accurately and efficiently.
Claim(s) 4-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al (US Pub 2015/0227250) in view of KATO et al (US Pub 2021/0055808) and LEE et al (US Pub 2021/0373705).
With respect to claim 4, KIM as modified by Kato don’t expressly disclose wherein the touch driving electrode comprises: a body part extending in the second direction; and a first bridge connected to the body part of the touch driving electrode and comprising a connection part extending in the first direction, and the touch sensing electrode comprises: a body part comprising a long side in which the body part of the touch driving electrode is positioned in the first direction and a short side in which the connection part of the touch driving electrode is positioned in the second direction; and a second bridge connected to the body part of the touch sensing electrode in a contact hole and positioned to overlap the connection part of the touch driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view;
In the same field of endeavor, LEE discloses touch input device (see abstract); LEE discloses wherein the touch driving electrode comprises: a body part extending in the second direction (fig. 6; discloses element 210se of the touch drive electrode 210s1 extending in direction DR2); and a first bridge connected to the body part of the touch driving electrode and comprising a connection part extending in the first direction, (fig. 6; discloses electrode 210s1 includes element 210sb with extensions that extends in the first direction) and the touch sensing electrode comprises: a body part comprising a long side in which the body part of the touch driving electrode is positioned in the first direction and a short side in which the connection part of the touch driving electrode is positioned in the second direction (fig. 6; discloses sensing electrode 220s1 includes an element 220sp with one side in which element 210se is disposed in the first direction and a short side with where elements 210sb is disposed in the second direction); and a second bridge connected to the body part of the touch sensing electrode in a contact hole and positioned to overlap the connection part of the touch driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view (fig. 6; discloses sensing electrode includes bridges 220sb connected to body part 220sp and formed to overlap element 210sb);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KIM as modified by Kato to use the touch driving electrode and touch sensing electrodes disclosed by LEE in order to detect touch inputs based on the mutual capacitance formed between the touch driving electrode and touch sensing electrodes.
With respect to claim 5, KIM as modified by Kato and LEE discloses wherein the second bridge comprises the first conductive pattern (LEE; bridge 220sb) and is positioned adjacent to the stylus pen driving electrode in the second direction (KATO; fig. 3A; discloses the touch sensing X-electrodes are formed to adjacent to the pen detection sensor 13);
With respect to claim 6, KIM as modified by Kato and LEE discloses wherein the stylus pen driving electrode and the first bridge are positioned adjacent to each other in the second direction in the plan view (KATO; discloses the touch driving Y-electrodes are formed to overlap the pen detection electrodes 13X and 13Y; i.e. touch driving electrode formed using the bridges and body part (LEE; fig. 6; 210se and 210sb) may be formed to overlap and adjacent to pen detection electrodes 13X and 13Y).
With respect to claim 7, KIM as modified by Kato and LEE discloses wherein the stylus pen driving electrode comprises the first conductive pattern extending in the first direction, and the sensing panel further comprises a stylus pen sensing electrode positioned on the base layer and comprising the first conductive pattern extending in the second direction different from the first direction (KIM; fig. 3A; discloses par 0057; discloses The first touch sensor part TS1 includes a plurality of first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 and a plurality of second sensing circuits SC21, SC22 and SC23; par 0058; discloses The first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 extend in the first direction D1 and are arranged in the second direction D2; par 0059; discloses The second sensing circuits SC21, SC22 and SC23 extend in the second direction D2 and are arranged in the first direction D1).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KATO et al (US Pub 2021/0055808) in view of KIM et al (US Pub 2015/0227254).
With respect to claim 19, KATO discloses a display device (fig. 1; apparatus 1) comprising: a sensing panel configured to sense a first input and a second input (par 0023; discloses the input apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment includes a touch position detector and a pen indicating position detector. The touch position detector detects a touch position that is a position touched by the finger 2F of the user on the input surface 11S. The pen indicating position detector detects a pen indicating position that is a position indicated by the electronic pen 3 on the input surface 11S); a pen charging circuit configured to write a pen charging signal for detecting the first input to the sensing panel (fig. 2; pen indicating position detection circuit 103; par 0041; discloses the pen indicating position detection circuit 103 transmits an alternating current (AC) signal with a frequency equal to a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit RCp of the electronic pen 3 to the electronic pen 3 through the X-axis direction loop coils 13X and the Y-axis direction loop coils 13Y of the pen indication detection sensor 13); a touch driving circuit configured to write a touch driving signal for detecting the second input to the sensing panel (fig. 3; touch position detection circuit 102; par 0036; discloses the touch position detection circuit 102 includes a transmission circuit and a reception circuit. The transmission circuit transmits a transmission signal for detecting a touch made by the finger 2F); an induced current detection circuit configured to detect an induced current corresponding to the first input from the sensing panel (par 0042; discloses the pen indicating position detection circuit 103 receives the AC signal fed back from the electronic pen 3 through the pen indication detection sensor 13 and detects the positions of the X-axis direction loop coil 13X and the Y-axis direction loop coil 13Y of the pen indication detection sensor 13 that have detected the received AC signal, thereby detecting the position indicated by the pen tip 3a of the core body of the electronic pen 3); and a touch sensing circuit configured to detect a touch sensing signal corresponding to the second input from the sensing panel, (par 0037; discloses the transmission signal transmitted from the transmission circuit of the touch position detection circuit 102 to the Y conductors 12Y1 to 12Ym of the touch detection sensor 12 is received by the reception circuit of the touch position detection circuit 102 through a capacitance between the Y conductors 12Y1 to 12Ym and the X conductors 12X1 to 12Xn of the touch detection sensor 12 and the X conductors 12X1 to 12Xn) wherein the sensing panel comprises: a stylus pen driving electrode, receives the pen charging signal, and comprises a first conductive pattern; (fig. 2; pen indication detection sensor 13; par 0039; discloses As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pen indication detection sensor 13 includes a plurality of X-axis direction loop coils 13X and a plurality of Y-axis direction loop coils 13Y; par 0041; discloses the pen indicating position detection circuit 103 transmits an alternating current (AC) signal with a frequency equal to a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit RCp of the electronic pen 3 to the electronic pen 3 through the X-axis direction loop coils 13X and the Y-axis direction loop coils 13Y of the pen indication detection sensor 13); a touch driving electrode, receives the touch driving signal, comprises a second conductive pattern extending in a first direction, and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in a third direction in a plan view; and a touch sensing electrode, outputs the touch sensing signal, comprises the second conductive pattern extending in a second direction different from the first direction ((fig. 3; touch detection sensor 12 includes plurality of Y-electrodes extending in first direction and plurality of X-electrode extending in second direction that is perpendicular to first direction; par 0037; discloses The transmission signal transmitted from the transmission circuit of the touch position detection circuit 102 to the Y conductors 12Y1 to 12Ym of the touch detection sensor 12 is received by the reception circuit of the touch position detection circuit 102 through a capacitance between the Y conductors 12Y1 to 12Ym and the X conductors 12X1 to 12Xn of the touch detection sensor 12 and the X conductors 12X1 to 12Xn; see par 0035-0036 as well;), and is positioned to overlap the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view (fig. 2; discloses touch detection sensor 12 is positioned to overlaps the pen detection sensor 13);
KATO doesn’t expressly disclose the sensing panel comprises a base layer; a stylus pen driving electrode which is positioned on the base layer; a touch insulating layer positioned on the first conductive pattern; a touch driving electrode and touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer;
In the same field of endeavor, KIM discloses an electronic device comprising input sensing panel (see abstract); KIM discloses the sensing panel (fig. 1; touch sensor substrate 300) comprising: a base layer (fig. 3B; base substrate 301); a stylus pen driving electrode positioned on the base layer and comprising a first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; SC12; par 0076; discloses the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 is formed from a metal layer and disposed on the base substrate 301); a touch insulating layer positioned on the first conductive pattern (fig. 3B; layer 310; par 0082; discloses A first insulating layer 310 is formed on the base substrate 301 on which the first sensing circuits SC11, SC12 and SC13 are formed); a touch driving electrode and touch sensing electrode which is positioned on the touch insulating layer (fig. 3A; touch electrodes SE1, SE2, SE3 formed to overlap sensing circuits SC11, Sc12, SC13; par 0090; discloses the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3 of the second touch sensor part TS2 and the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 are formed from the metal layer and are formed on the base substrate 301 on which the second insulating layer 320 is formed. Each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 is formed from the same line as that of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3. Thus, each of the signal lines L1, L2 and L3 extends from a corresponding one of the sensing electrodes SE1, SE2 and SE3; par 0052; discloses the second touch sensor part TS2 senses a touch in a capacitance mode. The capacitance mode may include a mutual capacitance mode which senses a change of the capacitance between two electrodes);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KATO to incorporate the teachings of KIM to form the sensing layer on a base substrate comprising pen detection sensor and touch detection sensor in order to reduce the overall thickness of the display device while still achieving the same predictable result of detecting inputs from stylus and the user finger.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 16 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.
Claims 9-15 are objected to for being directly or indirectly dependent on claim 7.
Claims 17-18 are objected to for being directly or indirectly dependent on claim 16.
With respect to claim 8, KIM alone or in view of other prior art of record fails to disclose wherein the stylus pen driving electrode comprises: a body part positioned to overlap the touch driving electrode in the third direction on a floor plan; and a connection part connected to the body part and extending in the first direction, and the stylus pen sensing electrode comprises: a body part extending in the second direction and comprising the first conductive pattern; and a fourth bridge which extends in the second direction, overlaps the stylus pen driving electrode in the third direction in the plan view, comprises the second conductive pattern, and is connected to the body part of the stylus pen sensing electrode in a second contact hole and it would not have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KIM to arrive at the claimed invention as the final result would have been unpredictable. Therefore claim 8 comprises allowable subject matter.
With respect to claim 16, KIM alone or in view of other prior art of record fails to disclose wherein the body part of the touch sensing electrode comprises: first, second, and third body parts disposed side by side in the second direction; and fourth, fifth, and sixth body parts positioned spaced apart from the first to third body parts in the first direction and disposed side by side in the second direction, the touch sensing electrode further comprises a fifth bridge which is connected to each of the second body part of the touch sensing electrode and the fifth body part of the touch sensing electrode in a fifth contact hole, comprises the first conductive pattern, and extends in the first direction, and the sensing panel comprises: an a-th sensing line, which is connected to at least one of the first to sixth body parts of the touch sensing electrode positioned in an odd column in a third contact hole, extends in the second direction on a lower side of the fourth to sixth body parts of the touch sensing electrode, and comprises the first conductive pattern; and a b-th sensing line, which is connected to at least one of the first to sixth body parts of the touch sensing electrode positioned in an even column in a third contact hole, extends in the second direction on an upper side of the first to third body parts of the touch sensing electrode, and comprises the first conductive pattern and it would not have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by KIM to arrive at the claimed invention as the final result would have been unpredictable. Therefore claim 16 comprises allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
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/SUJIT SHAH/ Examiner, Art Unit 2624