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 § 102
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.
Claims 1, 3, 6, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1).
Claim 1, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses a touch sensor (Fig. 2; Paragraph [0041]; wherein discloses a touch panel) for sensing a position of a user's touch (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is capable of identifying a position of an object that approaches or is in contact with the touch panel 2 based on the detected changes in the capacitances”), the touch sensor (Fig. 2) comprising:
a first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) separated into one or more primary segments (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; wherein figure shows at least six segments);
a second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) positioned a predetermined distance (Paragraph [0045]; wherein discloses “the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a are arranged on the sides of one second electrode 7a, respectively, in such a manner that one second electrode 7a is interposed between the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a in the first direction) from the first conductive material (7a; Fig. 2); and
a controller (11; Fig. 2) configured to:
receive input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) from each of the one or more primary segments (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; wherein figure shows at least six segments) of the first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”), and
based on the received input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”), determine whether a touch is present (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects contact or approach of an object based on the capacitances between the first electrodes and the second electrodes”) at one of the one or more primary segments (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2).
Claim 3, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the controller (11; Fig. 2) is further configured to charge the first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2) to a first voltage (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “the TP controller 11 controls voltage signals of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”).
Claim 6, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) is separated into one or more secondary segments (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2), and in which the controller (11; Fig. 2) is further configured to receive input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) from each of the one or more secondary segments).
Claim 8, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the quantity of the one or more secondary segments (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2) is greater than (Paragraph [0046]; wherein discloses “the two first electrode pads 6-1a and 6-2a opposed to the one second electrode pad 7a are connected to the TP controller 11 through the lines 6-1c and 6-2c, which are provided individually”; therefore for every one electrode 7a there are two electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a) the quantity of the one or more primary segments (7a; Fig. 2).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1) in view of Brisebois et al (US 2010/0134423 A1).
Claim 2, Mugiraneza discloses the touch sensor of claim 1.
Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the predetermined distance between the first conductive material and the second conductive material is sized to allow a human finger to simultaneously contact the first conductive material and the second conductive material.
Brisebois (Fig. 1-18) discloses in which the predetermined distance between the first conductive material and the second conductive material (Fig. 4; wherein figure shows spacing of touch elements) is sized to allow a human finger (1L, 2L, 3L, 1R; Fig. 5) to simultaneously contact the first conductive material and the second conductive material (Fig. 5; wherein figure show touch elements spacing so that when touch by a human finger the finger can simultaneously contact both touch elements).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a spacing of touch elements, as taught by Brisebois, so to use a touch sensor with a spacing of touch elements for providing thereby enabling input to be efficiently and intuitively provided to the device with the hand(s) being used to hold the device (Paragraph [0005]).
Claims 4, 5, 7, and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1) in view of Yairi et al (US 2015/0130754 A1).
Claim 4, Mugiraneza discloses the touch sensor of claim 3.
Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the received input includes one or more measured voltage decay times at each of the one or more primary segments.
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the received input (150; Fig. 1 and 2; wherein figure shows controller receiving input) includes one or more measured voltage decay times (Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “the controller 150 detects and records a time of capacitive decay of the voltage associated with each electrode from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to a threshold voltage”) at each of the one or more primary segments (144; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 5, Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the controller (150; Fig. 1 and 2) is configured to determine that a touch is present (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “When an input object, such as finger, contacts or is proximal to the surface 115 of the sheet 110, a portion of the voltage applied to an electrode discharges through the input object, thereby shortening the time of capacitive decay from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to the threshold voltage.”) at one of the one or more primary segments (133; Fig. 1 and 2) when one of the one or more measured voltage decay times is below a predetermined threshold (Paragraph [0058]; wherein discloses a baseline time and therefore determines a touch when the decay time is less than the baseline time).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 7, Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the received input (150; Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses controller measure decay with both sets of electrodes 142 and 144) further includes one or more measured voltage decay times (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “Thus, when the controller 150 detects shortened time of capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the first array of electrodes 130, the controller 150 correlates the particular electrode with an X-coordinate associated with the position of the input object. Likewise, the second array of electrodes 130 can define a Y-axis and, thus, the controller 150 can correlate shortened capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the second array of electrodes 130 with a Y-coordinate associated with the position of the input object”) from each of the one or more secondary segments (142; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 21, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses a method of detecting a location of a touch (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is capable of identifying a position of an object that approaches or is in contact with the touch panel 2 based on the detected changes in the capacitances”) on a touch sensor (2; Fig. 2) having a first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) and a second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”), the second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) being positioned a predetermined distance (Paragraph [0045]; wherein discloses “the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a are arranged on the sides of one second electrode 7a, respectively, in such a manner that one second electrode 7a is interposed between the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a in the first direction) from the first conductive material (7a; Fig. 2), and the first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) being separated into one or more primary segments (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; wherein figure shows at least six segments), the method (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is capable of identifying a position of an object that approaches or is in contact with the touch panel 2 based on the detected changes in the capacitances”) comprising the steps of:
sending (Paragraph [0047]), with a controller (11; Fig. 2), a pulse of a first voltage (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “the TP controller 11 controls voltage signals of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) to the first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2).
Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose measuring one or more voltage decay times at each of the one or more primary segments; and
determining whether one of the one or more measured voltage decay times is below a predetermined threshold.
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses measuring (150; Fig. 1 and 2) one or more voltage decay times (Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “the controller 150 detects and records a time of capacitive decay of the voltage associated with each electrode from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to a threshold voltage”) at each of the one or more primary segments (144; Fig. 1); and
determining whether one of the one or more measured voltage decay times (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “When an input object, such as finger, contacts or is proximal to the surface 115 of the sheet 110, a portion of the voltage applied to an electrode discharges through the input object, thereby shortening the time of capacitive decay from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to the threshold voltage.”) is below a predetermined threshold (Paragraph [0058]; wherein discloses a baseline time and therefore determines a touch when the decay time is less than the baseline time).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 22, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) is separated into one or more secondary segments (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2), and in which the controller (11; Fig. 2) is further configured to receive input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) from each of the one or more secondary segments).
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the method further comprises measuring (150; Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses controller measure decay with both sets of electrodes 142 and 144) one or more voltage decay times (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “Thus, when the controller 150 detects shortened time of capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the first array of electrodes 130, the controller 150 correlates the particular electrode with an X-coordinate associated with the position of the input object. Likewise, the second array of electrodes 130 can define a Y-axis and, thus, the controller 150 can correlate shortened capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the second array of electrodes 130 with a Y-coordinate associated with the position of the input object”) at each of the one or more secondary segments (142; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 23, Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the predetermined threshold (Paragraph [0055]; wherein discloses “baseline time”) is a known decay time of the first conductive material (Paragraph [0058]) when a touch is not present (Paragraph [0058]; wherein discloses “The controller can measure a baseline time for the controller to cycle through a defined number of cycles of the oscillating voltage signal from capacitive sensing module, the baseline time corresponding to the absence of an input proximal the surface).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1) in view of Nien et al (US 2013/0113711 A1).
Claim 9, Mugiraneza discloses the touch sensor of claim 1.
Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose further comprising one or more electro-static discharge protection circuits respectively coupled to the one or more primary segments.
Nien (Fig. 1-6) discloses further comprising one or more electro-static discharge protection circuits (1462; Fig. 2) respectively coupled to the one or more primary segments (142; Fig. 2; wherein discloses the touch panel include a sensing electrode array).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying an electro-static discharge protection circuit, as taught by Nien, so to use a touch sensor with an electro-static discharge protection circuit for protecting the touch screen from electrostatic discharge damage (Paragraph [0008]).
Claims 10-11, 14, 16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2015/0355834 A1) in view of Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1).
Claim 10, Huang (Fig. 1-11) discloses a test and measurement system (Fig. 9; wherein discloses a touch screen 70 of an oscilloscope), comprising:
a test and measurement (70; Fig. 9) instrument having a display (71; Fig. 9; wherein discloses waveform area 71 for displaying a waveform of a test signal);
a touch sensor (Fig. 3-8; wherein discloses a touch screen which receives touch inputs) coupled to the test and measurement instrument (Fig. 3-8), the touch sensor having:
based on the received input (15 and 16; Fig. 3 and 6), adjust the display (105 and 107; Fig. 1; wherein performs a scale adjustment based on touch input) of the test and measurement instrument (Fig. 2-8).
Huang does not expressly disclose a first conductive material separated into one or more primary segments, and
a second conductive material positioned a predetermined distance from the first conductive material; and
a controller configured to receive input from the touch sensor.
Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses a first conductive material separated into one or more primary segments, and
a first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) separated into one or more primary segments (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2; wherein figure shows at least six segments), and
a second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) positioned a predetermined distance (Paragraph [0045]; wherein discloses “the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a are arranged on the sides of one second electrode 7a, respectively, in such a manner that one second electrode 7a is interposed between the two first electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a in the first direction) from the first conductive material (7a; Fig. 2); and
a controller (11; Fig. 2) configured to receive input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) from the touch sensor (2; Fig. 2; wherein discloses a touch panel).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang’s test and measurement system by applying a touch sensor arrangement, as taught by Mugiraneza, so to use a test and measurement system with a touch sensor arrangement for providing to make it easier to detect a series of actions of an object across the first area and the second area (Paragraph [0030]).
Claim 11, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the controller (11; Fig. 2) is further configured to charge the first conductive material (7-1a through 7-6a; Fig. 2) to a first voltage (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “the TP controller 11 controls voltage signals of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang’s test and measurement system by applying a touch sensor arrangement, as taught by Mugiraneza, so to use a test and measurement system with a touch sensor arrangement for providing to make it easier to detect a series of actions of an object across the first area and the second area (Paragraph [0030]).
Claim 14, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the second conductive material (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2; Paragraph [0053]; wherein discloses “The first electrodes 6 and the second electrodes 7 in the area R2 can be formed with a metal having a lower resistance than that of the transparent conductive material, such as Al, Co, or Mo”) is separated into one or more secondary segments (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2), and in which the controller (11; Fig. 2) is further configured to receive input (Paragraph [0047]; wherein discloses “The TP controller 11 is an exemplary control unit that detects capacitances between the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7, or respective capacitances of the first electrodes 4, 6 and the second electrodes 5, 7”) from each of the one or more secondary segments).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang’s test and measurement system by applying a touch sensor arrangement, as taught by Mugiraneza, so to use a test and measurement system with a touch sensor arrangement for providing to make it easier to detect a series of actions of an object across the first area and the second area (Paragraph [0030]).
Claim 16, Huang (Fig. 1-11) discloses in which adjusting the display (105 and 107; Fig. 1) comprises moving a cursor (130; Fig. 4 and 5; 140; Fig. 7 and 8) on the display (10; Fig. 4-5, and 7-8).
Claim 18, Mugiraneza (Fig. 1-13) discloses in which the quantity of the one or more secondary segments (6-1a and 6-2a; Fig. 2) is greater than (Paragraph [0046]; wherein discloses “the two first electrode pads 6-1a and 6-2a opposed to the one second electrode pad 7a are connected to the TP controller 11 through the lines 6-1c and 6-2c, which are provided individually”; therefore for every one electrode 7a there are two electrodes 6-1a and 6-2a) the quantity of the one or more primary segments (7a; Fig. 2).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang’s test and measurement system by applying a touch sensor arrangement, as taught by Mugiraneza, so to use a test and measurement system with a touch sensor arrangement for providing to make it easier to detect a series of actions of an object across the first area and the second area (Paragraph [0030]).
Claim 19, Huang (Fig. 1-11) discloses in which the controller (Fig. 1) is further configured to determine that a stroking motion (102 and 103; Fig. 1; wherein discloses a first direction gesture and a second direction gesture) has been applied to the touch sensor (10; Fig. 3-8).
Claim 20, Huang (Fig. 1-11) discloses in which the controller (Fig. 1) is further configured to determine an amount of virtual rotational inertia of the stroking motion (Fig. 3 and 6; Paragraph [0036] and [0039]) and continuously adjust the display until (Fig. 4-5 and 7-8) a subsequent touch is detected (Paragraph [0038] and [0041]) or the virtual rotational inertia decays.
Claims 12, 13, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2015/0355834 A1) in view of Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1) as applied to claims 11 and 14 above, and further in view of Yairi et al (US 2015/0130754 A1).
Claim 12, Huang in view of Mugiraneza discloses the test and measurement system of claim 11.
Huang in view of Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the received input includes one or more measured voltage decay times at each of the one or more primary segments.
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the received input (150; Fig. 1 and 2; wherein figure shows controller receiving input) includes one or more measured voltage decay times (Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “the controller 150 detects and records a time of capacitive decay of the voltage associated with each electrode from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to a threshold voltage”) at each of the one or more primary segments (144; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang in view of Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 13, Huang in view of Mugiraneza discloses the test and measurement system of claim 11.
Huang in view of Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the controller is further configured to determine that a touch is present at one of the one or more primary segments when one of the one or more measured voltage decay times is below a predetermined threshold.
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the controller (150; Fig. 1 and 2) is configured to determine that a touch is present (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “When an input object, such as finger, contacts or is proximal to the surface 115 of the sheet 110, a portion of the voltage applied to an electrode discharges through the input object, thereby shortening the time of capacitive decay from the voltage applied initially by the controller 150 to the threshold voltage.”) at one of the one or more primary segments (133; Fig. 1 and 2) when one of the one or more measured voltage decay times is below a predetermined threshold (Paragraph [0058]; wherein discloses a baseline time and therefore determines a touch when the decay time is less than the baseline time).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang in view of Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 15, Huang in view of Mugiraneza discloses the test and measurement system of claim 14.
Huang in view of Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the received input further includes one or more measured voltage decay times from each of the one or more secondary segments.
Yairi (Fig. 1-9) discloses in which the received input (150; Fig. 1 and 2; Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses controller measure decay with both sets of electrodes 142 and 144) further includes one or more measured voltage decay times (Paragraph [0020]; wherein discloses “Thus, when the controller 150 detects shortened time of capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the first array of electrodes 130, the controller 150 correlates the particular electrode with an X-coordinate associated with the position of the input object. Likewise, the second array of electrodes 130 can define a Y-axis and, thus, the controller 150 can correlate shortened capacitive decay at a particular electrode in the second array of electrodes 130 with a Y-coordinate associated with the position of the input object”) from each of the one or more secondary segments (142; Fig. 1).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang in view of Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a touch detection method, as taught by Yairi, so to use a touch sensor with a touch detection method for improving the sensitivity and/or accuracy of the touch sensor 100 (Paragraph [0062]).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al (US 2015/0355834 A1) in view of Mugiraneza et al (US 2017/0308200 A1) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Brisebois et al (US 2010/0134423 A1).
Claim 17, Huang in view of Mugiraneza discloses the test and measurement system of claim 10.
Huang in view of Mugiraneza does not expressly disclose in which the predetermined distance between the first conductive material and the second conductive material is sized to allow a human finger to simultaneously contact the first conductive material and the second conductive material.
Brisebois (Fig. 1-18) discloses in which the predetermined distance between the first conductive material and the second conductive material (Fig. 4; wherein figure shows spacing of touch elements) is sized to allow a human finger (1L, 2L, 3L, 1R; Fig. 5) to simultaneously contact the first conductive material and the second conductive material (Fig. 5; wherein figure show touch elements spacing so that when touch by a human finger the finger can simultaneously contact both touch elements).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Huang in view of Mugiraneza’s touch sensor by applying a spacing of touch elements, as taught by Brisebois, so to use a touch sensor with a spacing of touch elements for providing thereby enabling input to be efficiently and intuitively provided to the device with the hand(s) being used to hold the device (Paragraph [0005]).
Conclusion
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/Adam J Snyder/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623 03/02/2026