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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 12 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 10 and 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Han et al., US Patent Application (20110025631), hereinafter “Han”
Regarding claim 1 Han teaches a sensor comprising: a holding member having a first main surface and a second main surface arranged in a first direction and having a rectangular shape as viewed from the first direction The transparent panel 50 is a planar substance which covers the overall area of the upper surface of the touch screen 1. The transparent panel 50 protects the elements including the electrode plates, transmits touch pressure to the elastic spacers 30, and is made of transparent material to allow a user to observe images displayed on the display provided on the underneath. [Han para 0077 and see Fig. 3B]; a deformation detection sensor constructed to output a signal when the holding member is deformed when a portion of the transparent panel 50 is pushed, the second electrode plates 40 and the elastic spacers 30 are compressed so that the elastic spacers 30 are elastically compressed, thus varying (reducing) the distance `d` between the first electrode plate 20 and the second electrode plate 40. [Han para 0077]; and a plurality of first fixing portions fixed to the second main surface and overlapping corner portions of the holding member as viewed from the first direction, wherein the plurality of first fixing portions are separated from each other. The second electrode plate 40 is placed on the corresponding elastic spacer 30 along the rim 11 of the substrate 10 and is spaced apart from the corresponding first electrode plate 20 by the distance `d` with the elastic spacer 30 interposed therebetween. [Han para 0073]
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Regarding claim 2 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches further comprising: at least one second fixing portion fixed to the second main surface, wherein the at least one second fixing portion overlaps an outer peripheral portion of the holding member as viewed from the first direction, and does not overlap the plurality of first fixing portions as viewed from the first direction. the first electrode plate 20 and the second electrode plate 40 overlap each other and the elastic spacer 30 is interposed therebetween. Hence, the second electrode plate 40 is spaced apart from the first electrode plate 20 by the distance `d` corresponding to the thickness of the elastic spacer 30. The overlapped locations of the first electrode plate 20 and the second electrode plate 40 become sensing points S at which capacitance is varied by touch pressure. [Han para 0076]
Regarding claim 7 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches wherein the plurality of first fixing portions is four first fixing portions, and the four first fixing portions each overlap a respective corner portion of the corner portions of the holding member as viewed from the first direction. Item 20 [See Han Fig 3B] One of skill in the art at the of the invention could have easily designed the fixing portions to only be in the corners of the rectangle using four portions instead of the six shown to achieve the same results and as such it is simply a design choice)
Regarding claim 10 Han teaches claim 9 in addition Han teaches further comprising: at least one second fixing portion fixed to the second main surface, wherein the at least one second fixing portion overlaps an outer peripheral portion of the holding member as viewed from the first direction, and does not overlap the plurality of first fixing portions as viewed from the first direction. the first electrode plate 20 and the second electrode plate 40 overlap each other and the elastic spacer 30 is interposed therebetween. Hence, the second electrode plate 40 is spaced apart from the first electrode plate 20 by the distance `d` corresponding to the thickness of the elastic spacer 30. The overlapped locations of the first electrode plate 20 and the second electrode plate 40 become sensing points S at which capacitance is varied by touch pressure. [Han para 0076]
Regarding claim 14 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches further comprising: a housing, wherein each of the plurality of first fixing portions is fixed to the housing, and each of the plurality of first fixing portions is between the holding member and the housing in the first direction. The first electrode plate 20 is placed on the upper surface of the substrate 10 along the rim 11 of the substrate 10. In other words, in the case of the ring type substrate 10, the first electrode plate 20 is attached to the upper surface of the rim 11 of the substrate 10. In the case of the transparent solid substrate 10, the first electrode plate 20 is attached to the perimeter of the substrate 10. [Han para 0063]
Regarding claim 15 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches an electronic device and a touch panel. a capacitive touch screen [Han para 0051]
Regarding claim 16 Han teaches claim 15 in addition Han teaches wherein the electronic device further includes a display. the touch screen is generally placed on a display panel which displays data [Han para 0053]
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.
Claim(s) 3, 5, 6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han and Shiro (Arita) et al., Japanese Patent (JP 2112174103A), hereinafter “Shiro”
Regarding claim 3 Han teaches claim 2 in addition Han does not teach but Shiro teaches wherein in each of the first fixing portions, an integrated value of a Young's modulus and a thickness thereof is a first coefficient, in each of the second fixing portions, an integrated value of the Young's modulus and a thickness thereof is a second coefficient, and a largest second coefficient among the second coefficients of the at least one second fixing portion is smaller than a smallest first coefficient among the first coefficients of the plurality of first fixing portions. since the space | interval between the housing | casing 7 and the touchscreen 3 can be sealed with the cushion member 9 between the touchscreen 3 and the support part 7b, Dust proofness can be further improved. In order to stably support the touch panel 3, the displacement in the thickness direction of the touch panel 3 may be made smaller at the corner than the side of the peripheral edge of the touch panel 3. For example, the corner of the cushion member 9 may be You may form harder than a part. [Shiro para 0036]
Han discloses a capacitive touch screen (1) which includes a substrate (10), a first electrode plate (20), an elastic spacer (30), a second electrode plate (40) and a transparent panel (50). The substrate (10) is made of a plate having a rim (11). The first electrode plate (20) is placed on the rim (11) of the substrate (10). The elastic spacer (30) is interposed between the first electrode plate (20) and second electrode plate (40). One of the first and second electrode plates comprises four or more electrode plates arranged along the rim (11) of the substrate (10). When a pressure is applied to the transparent panel (50), a distance (d) between the first and second electrode plate changes. Thereby, capacitances are varied at sensing points (S) corresponding to locations of the four or more electrode plates, and a touch location and a touch pressure are determined by variation rates of the measured capacitances.
Shiro discloses an electronic device that detects an operation input by an operator and applies a vibration corresponding to the input to the touch panel to feed back an operational feeling to the operator via the touch panel. In particular, the touch panel vibrates. It is related with what is going to improve the dustproof property, earning the amplitude at the time of doing.
Prior to the effective date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Han and Shiro in the art of controlling touch displays and their deformation. Shiro improves Han’s systems, methods and/or apparatus by using known technology to secure portions of the sensor and fixing portions.
Regarding claim 5 Han and Shiro teaches claim 3 in addition Han teaches wherein the at least one second fixing portion includes five or more portions arranged at intervals. Item 40 [See Han Fig 3B]
Regarding claim 6 Han and Shiro teaches claim 5 in addition Han teaches wherein the second coefficients of the five or more portions are stepwise values corresponding to distances to a corner portion of the corner portions of the holding member. Items 20-40 [See Han Fig 3D]
Regarding claim 11 Han teaches claim 10 in addition Han does not teach but Shiro teaches wherein in each of the first fixing portions, an integrated value of a Young's modulus and a thickness thereof is a first coefficient, in each of the second fixing portions, an integrated value of the Young's modulus and a thickness thereof is a second coefficient, and a largest second coefficient among the second coefficients of the at least one second fixing portion is smaller than a smallest first coefficient among the first coefficients of the plurality of first fixing portions. since the space | interval between the housing | casing 7 and the touchscreen 3 can be sealed with the cushion member 9 between the touchscreen 3 and the support part 7b, Dust proofness can be further improved. In order to stably support the touch panel 3, the displacement in the thickness direction of the touch panel 3 may be made smaller at the corner than the side of the peripheral edge of the touch panel 3. For example, the corner of the cushion member 9 may be You may form harder than a part. [Shiro para 0036]
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han and Han
Regarding claim 7 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches wherein the plurality of first fixing portions is four first fixing portions, and the four first fixing portions each overlap a respective corner portion of the corner portions of the holding member as viewed from the first direction. Item 20 [See Han Fig 3B] One of skill in the art at the of the invention could have easily designed the fixing portions to only be in the corners of the rectangle using four portions instead of the six shown to achieve the same results and as such it is simply a design choice)
Regarding claim 8 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches wherein the holding member has a rectangular shape having two long sides extending in a second direction and two short sides extending in a third direction, a length of each of the plurality of first fixing portions in the second direction is 1/5 or more and less than 1/2 of a length of the holding member in the second direction, and a length of each of the plurality of first fixing portions in the third direction is 1/3 or more and less than 1/2 of a length of the holding member in the third direction. Items 50 [See Han Fig 3D] In regards to the various lengths of fixing portions the applicant has not suggested any reason for the various cited lengths and as such the lengths of the fixing portions is simply a design choice. Han shows four various lengths and numbers of fixing portions which may support the holding member. At the time of the invention it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to design a system of fixing portions having a length of each of the plurality of first fixing portions in the second direction is 1/5 or more and less than 1/2 of a length of the holding member in the second direction, and a length of each of the plurality of first fixing portions in the third direction is 1/3 or more and less than 1/2 of a length of the holding member in the third direction, as it would have been within the skilled of one of ordinary skill in the art to choose different lengths and thicknesses of fixing portions.
Regarding claim 9 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han teaches wherein each of the plurality of first fixing portions has an L shape as viewed in the first direction. Item 20 [See Han Fig 3B] One of skill in the art at the of the invention could have easily designed the fixing portions to only be in the corners of the rectangle using four portions instead of the six shown to achieve the same results and as such it is simply a design choice)
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han and Mori et al., US Patent Application (20170160872), hereinafter “Mori”
Regarding claim 13 Han teaches claim 1 in addition Han does not teach but Mori teaches wherein each of the plurality of first fixing portions is a double-sided tape. The panel 40 is set on this base, and an entire periphery is fixed to the housing 50 by a double-sided tape. [Mori para 0031]
Han discloses a capacitive touch screen (1) which includes a substrate (10), a first electrode plate (20), an elastic spacer (30), a second electrode plate (40) and a transparent panel (50). The substrate (10) is made of a plate having a rim (11). The first electrode plate (20) is placed on the rim (11) of the substrate (10). The elastic spacer (30) is interposed between the first electrode plate (20) and second electrode plate (40). One of the first and second electrode plates comprises four or more electrode plates arranged along the rim (11) of the substrate (10). When a pressure is applied to the transparent panel (50), a distance (d) between the first and second electrode plate changes. Thereby, capacitances are varied at sensing points (S) corresponding to locations of the four or more electrode plates, and a touch location and a touch pressure are determined by variation rates of the measured capacitances.
Mori discloses an input terminal that includes a casing defining an opening; a holding member; a piezoelectric sensor; and an adhesive material adhering an outer peripheral edge portion of the holding member to an end edge portion of an opening of the casing. The adhesive material includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion differ from each other in at least one of modulus of elasticity, thickness or width.
Prior to the effective date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Han and Mori in the art of controlling touch displays and their deformation. Mori improves Han’s systems, methods and/or apparatus by using known technology to secure portions of the sensor and fixing portions.
Conclusion
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/ROBERT J MICHAUD/Examiner, Art Unit 2622