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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR DETECTING DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOUCH OBJECTS.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 2, recites the limitation “(FIGS. 3A-3B and 4A-4B)” in lines 2-3. Examiner suggests that this limitation be removed for the claim to read better. Similar suggestions are needed for claims 3-15. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 5-7, 9, 13 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (U.S. Patent No. 11,379,075) in view of Kim et al (U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2014/0022193).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses an electronic device (100), (fig. 1, col. 3, lines 43-50), comprising:
a control chip (170), (fig. 3, col. 5, lines 46-50), configured to
receive a detection signal from a touch sensing device (130), (i.e. step S101, contact area of a touch input on the touch module is detected), (figs. 3-4, col. 8, lines 11-12),
identify a first type (stylus touch) and a second type (finger touch) of an object (touch input source) on a sensing surface of the touch sensing device (130) according to the detection signal, wherein the first type (stylus touch) is a contact area of the object on the sensing surface being smaller than a first area threshold (i.e. steps S103, when the contact area is smaller than a second threshold area), and the second type (finger touch) is the contact area being larger than a second area threshold (i.e. steps S102, when the contact area is greater than a first threshold area), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 13-19), and
in response to the object changing from the first type (stylus touch) to the second type (finger touch), identify a first object (stylus) leaving the sensing surface of the touch sensing device (i.e. after the user no longer uses the stylus as a touch input source, the stylus would be leaving the touch module 130) and a second object (finger) directly touching the sensing surface of the touch sensing device (i.e. when the user uses a finger as the touch input source instead of the stylus), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23).
However, Lee does not mention wherein the object does not leave the sensing surface of the touch sensing device between changing from the first type to the second type.
In a similar field of endeavor, Kim teaches wherein the object (touch input being a touch pen 200 and finger 300) does not leave the sensing surface of the touch sensing device (i.e. surface of touch panel 145) between changing from the first type (pen touch) to the second type (finger tap), (i.e. fig. 13 shows that the touch pen 200 is used with the finger 300, hence the touch pen 200 does not leave the sensing surface of the touch panel 145 when using both the pen touch and the finger tap), [0086-0089].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee, by specifically providing the pen touch with the finger touch functions, as taught by Kim, for the purpose of having an easier execution of a variety of functions by distinguishing between a pen touch area via a touch pen and a hand touch area via a fingertip or hand, [0008].
Regarding claim 5, Lee discloses wherein the first object (stylus) has the first type (stylus touch) and the second object (finger) has the second type (finger touch), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 13-19).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses wherein the control chip (160), (fig. 4, [0071]), is configured to
send a first report packet (pen input event) indicating the first object (stylus) leaving the sensing surface (i.e. when the stylus 200 is at a hover state, hence leaving the sensing surface of touch panel 145), (fig. 11, [0086-0087]),
send a second report packet (touch input event) indicating the second object (finger 300) directly touching sensing surface (i.e. touching the surface of touch panel 145), (fig. 11, [0086-0087]), and
the first report packet and the second report packet are sent at a same report time (i.e. step 611 shows that pen input event and touch input even are collected), (fig. 6, [0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee, by specifically providing the pen touch with the finger touch functions, as taught by Kim, for the purpose of having an easier execution of a variety of functions by distinguishing between a pen touch area via a touch pen and a hand touch area via a fingertip or hand, [0008].
Regarding claim 7, Lee discloses wherein the control chip (170) is configured to
send a first report packet indicating the first object (stylus) leaving the sensing surface (i.e. when the control module does not detect the second report rate in step S105, hence the stylus is not in use), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 33-43),
send a second report packet indicating the second object (finger) directly touching sensing surface (i.e. step S104 detecting the touch input at a first report rate), (fig. 4, col. 8, lines 20-22), and
the first report packet and the second report packet are sent at different report times (i.e. the second report rate and the first report rate are sent at different times because the stylus and the finger are used at different times), (fig. 4, col. 8, lines 20-26).
Regarding claim 9, Lee discloses wherein the first object (stylus) and the second object (finger) have different ID codes (i.e. second report rate is different from the first report rate), (fig. 4, col. 8, lines 20-26).
Regarding claim 13, Lee discloses wherein the control chip (170) is configured to send two successive report packets (i.e. second report rate and first report rate) to indicate the first object leaving the sensing surface (i.e. when the stylus is no longer used and is not detected in step S101) and the second object (finger) directly touching sensing surface (i.e. step S104, detecting the touch input at a first report rate), (fig. 4, col. 8, lines 1-27).
Regarding claim 16, Lee discloses wherein the second area threshold (first threshold area) is larger than the first area threshold (second threshold area), (i.e. the second threshold area is smaller than the first threshold area), (fig. 4, col. 8, lines 13-19).
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Chang et al (U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2020/0026407).
Regarding claim 17, Lee discloses an electronic device (100), (fig. 1, col. 3, lines 43-50), comprising:
a control chip (170), (fig. 3, col. 5, lines 46-50), configured to
receive a detection signal from a touch sensing device (130), (i.e. step S101, contact area of a touch input on the touch module is detected), (figs. 3-4, col. 8, lines 11-12),
identify a first type (stylus touch) and a second type (finger touch) of an object (touch input source) on a sensing surface of the touch sensing device (130) according to the detection signal, wherein the first type (stylus touch) is a contact area of the object on the sensing surface being smaller than a first area threshold (i.e. steps S103, when the contact area is smaller than a second threshold area), and the second type (finger touch) is the contact area being larger than a second area threshold (i.e. steps S102, when the contact area is greater than a first threshold area), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 13-19), and
in response to the object being identified as the second type (finger touch) for the first time (i.e. when detecting the contact area of the touch input being greater than a first threshold area, steps S101 and S102), indicate a first object (stylus) leaving the sensing surface of the touch sensing device (i.e. after the user no longer uses the stylus as a touch input source, the stylus would be leaving the touch module 130) and a second object (finger) directly touching the sensing surface of the touch sensing device (i.e. when the user uses a finger as the touch input source instead of the stylus), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23).
However, Lee does not mention wherein the object does not actually leave the sensing surface upon indicating the first object leaving the sensing surface.
In a similar field of endeavor, Chang teaches wherein the object does not actually leave the sensing surface upon indicating the first object leaving the sensing surface (i.e. after the type of the touching object is determined as a finger in Step 14, the flow goes to Step 16 which informs the operating system that the touching object has left the touch pad. Please note that the touching object does not actually leave the touch pad during the entire process. The purpose of Step 16 is to make the operating system believe the touching object has left the touch pad), (fig. 1, [0020-0021]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee, by specifically providing the method of making the system believe that the touching object has left the touch pad, as taught by Chang, for the purpose of identifying type of touching objects to improve user experience, [0006].
Regarding claim 18, Lee discloses wherein the first object (stylus) has the first type (stylus touch), and the second object (finger) has the second type (finger touch), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 8, 10-12 and 14-15 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 19-20 are allowed.
Reasons for Allowance
Claim 2, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “wherein the first object has the second type and the second object has the second type.”
Claims 3-4 are dependent upon claim 2 and are allowed for the reason mentioned above in claim 2.
Claim 8, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “wherein the first object and the second object have a same object ID code.”
Claim 10, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “wherein the control chip is configured to send one reset report packet to indicate the first object leaving the sensing surface and the second object directly touching sensing surface.”
Claims 11-12 are dependent upon claim 10 and are allowed for the reason mentioned above in claim 10.
Claim 14, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “wherein a report time of sending a first of the two successive reset report packets is identical to a time of detecting the object changing from the first type to the second type.”
Claim 15, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “wherein a report time of sending a first of the two successive reset report packets is later than a time of detecting the object changing from the first type to the second type.”
Claim 19, Lee teaches an electronic device (100), (fig. 1, col. 3, lines 43-50), comprising:
a control chip (170), (fig. 3, col. 5, lines 46-50), configured to
receive a detection signal from a touch sensing device (130), (i.e. step S101, contact area of a touch input on the touch module is detected), (figs. 3-4, col. 8, lines 11-12),
identify a first type (stylus touch) and a second type (finger touch) of at least one object (touch input source) on a sensing surface of the touch sensing device (130) according to the detection signal, wherein the first type (stylus touch) is a contact area of the object on the sensing surface being smaller than a first area threshold (i.e. steps S103, when the contact area is smaller than a second threshold area), and the second type (finger touch) is the contact area being larger than a second area threshold (i.e. steps S102, when the contact area is greater than a first threshold area), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 13-19),
generate a first report packet (i.e. step S105, detecting the touch input at a second report rate) associated with a first object (stylus) upon the first object appearing on the sensing surface (i.e. when the contact area is smaller than a second threshold area, the touch input is considered a stylus), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 16-19 and 23-26),
generate a second report packet (i.e. step S104, detecting the touch input at a first report rate) associated with a second object (finger) upon the second object appearing on the sensing surface together with the first object (i.e. when the contact area is greater than a first threshold area, the touch input is considered a finger), (fig. 4, col. 6, lines 8-23 and col. 8, lines 20-22).
Chugunov et al (U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0391067) discloses
generate a first report packet comprising a first object ID code, a first type code and a first tip code (i.e. touch ID1 246-1, touch type 258 and intensity 252) associated with a first object (touch 1) upon the first object appearing on the sensing surface, (fig. 1c, [0108-0109]),
generate a second report packet comprising a second object ID code, a second type code and a second tip code (i.e. touch ID2 246-2, touch type 258 and intensity 252) associated with a second object (touch 2) upon the second object appearing on the sensing surface together (i.e. concurrently detected touch) with the first object (touch 1), (fig. 1c, [0108-0109]).
However, none of the prior art of record teaches alone or in combination the limitation “report only one of the first report packet and the second report packet to a post operation system upon both the first type code and the second type code indicating the second type as well as both the first tip code and the second tip code indicating not leaving, wherein one of the first object and the second object associated with the one of the first report packet and the second report packet not being reported to the post operation system does not leave the sensing surface upon the associated report packet thereof not being reported.”
Claim 20 is dependent upon claim 19 and is allowed for the reason mentioned above in claim 19.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LONG D PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5573. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm EST.
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/LONG D PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623