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 § 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Whitman (US 2018/0088633) in view of Hei (US 2019/004202).
Regarding claims 1, 8, and 16, which recite similar claim language, Whitman teaches An electronic device comprising a flexible display (Fig. 1 display 100), the electronic device comprising:
a first housing connected to a hinge device (Fig. 1 housing 101) and comprising a first surface facing in a first direction (Fig, 1 inside surface of housing 101);
a second housing (Fig. 1 housing 103) comprising a second surface facing in a second direction (Fig. 1 inside surface of housing 103) and configured to be folded toward the first housing about the hinge device (Figs. 2 and 7 show how first housing surface 01 can be folded about the hinges to second housing surface 03);
the flexible display extending from the first surface to the second surface to form the first surface and the second surface (Figs. 1, 3-6, and 8-9 show device extended to an open position), and comprising a touch panel; memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively ([0028-0029]), cause the electronic device to:
control the electronic device to be operated in an unfolded state ([0032] (Figs. 1, 3-6, and 8-9 show device extended to an open position),
control a first reception channel to be changed into a transmission channel at a designated cycle ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 may be active to determine a mutual capacitance between electrodes on first portion 101 and electrodes on second portion 103, wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers. [0077-0079] teach that the system can change the state from opening state to closed state (designated cycle).),
identify a capacitance between the first surface and the second surface (mutual or self-capacitance [0025-0026][0035]), based on the changed transmission channel and the second reception channel cycle ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 may be active to determine a mutual capacitance between electrodes on first portion 101 and electrodes on second portion 103, wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers.), and in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is greater than or equal to a designated capacitance, control the electronic device to operate in a folded state ([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or less causes the display to deactivate). Although Whitman teaches the limitations as discussed above, he does not explicitly teach a first reception channel and a first transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the first surface;
a second reception channel and a second transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the second surface.
However in the field of manufacturing a flexible display device, Hei teaches a flexible display device with a bendable region A1 and non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Hei teaches the non-bendable regions are separated by the bendable region A1 and a first reception channel and a first transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the first surface;
a second reception channel and a second transmission channel corresponding to the touch panel disposed on the second surface (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the device as taught by Whitman with the electrode method as taught by Hei. The combination would provide a system an improved method for detecting a folding angle of a flexible display as taught by Hei [0005].
Regarding claims 2, 9, Whitman teaches wherein, in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is less than the designated capacitance, the electronic device is further controlled to be operated in the unfolded state([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or more causes the display to activate).
Regarding claim 3, Hei teaches wherein the touch panel is a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing electrodes, and
wherein the first reception channel and the second reception channel are arranged in a y-axis direction or a horizontal direction of the touch panel, and transmit detection signals of the plurality of sensing electrodes to the processor. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Regarding claim 4, Hei teaches wherein the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel are arranged in an x-axis direction or a vertical direction of the touch panel, and transmit driving signals from the processor to the plurality of sensing electrodes. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Regarding claims 5, 13, and 19 Whitman teaches wherein the designated cycle varies depending on a power mode of the electronic device,
wherein the power mode comprises one of a normal power mode, a low power mode, or a deep sleep mode ([0077], and
wherein the deep sleep mode comprises power operation in the folded state of the electronic device([0077-0079] teach that the system can change the state from opening state to closed state [0059][0108](designated cycle).).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Whitman teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors individually or collectively, further cause the electronic device to: while the electronic device operates in the folded state(Figs. 2 and 7), control the first reception channel to be changed into the transmission channel cycle ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers) at the designated cycle([0077-0079] teach that the system can change the state from opening state to closed state(designated cycle being a closed state);
identify the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface, based on the changed transmission channel and the second reception channel(mutual or self-capacitance [0025-0026][0035], ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 may be active to determine a mutual capacitance between electrodes on first portion 101 and electrodes on second portion 103, wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers.),; and
in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is less than the designated capacitance, control the electronic device to be operated in the unfolded state([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values. It is obvious the system can operate in any state that is programed to be associated with the fold angle value of capacitance).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Whitman teaches wherein the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is proportional to a distance between the first surface and the second surface or an angle between the first surface and the second surface([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or less causes the display to deactivate).
Regarding claim 10, Hei teaches wherein the touch panel is a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing electrodes (. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].)
Regarding claim 11, Hei teaches wherein the touch panel is a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing electrodes, and
wherein the first reception channel and the second reception channel are arranged in a y-axis direction or a horizontal direction of the touch panel, and transmit detection signals of the plurality of sensing electrodes to the processor. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Regarding claim 12, Hei teaches wherein the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel are arranged in an x-axis direction or a vertical direction of the touch panel, and transmit driving signals from the processor to the plurality of sensing electrodes. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Regarding claim 17, Whitman teaches wherein, in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is less than the designated capacitance, the electronic device is further controlled to be operated in the unfolded state([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or more causes the display to activate) and Hei teaches wherein the touch panel is a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing electrodes (. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].)
Regarding claim 18, Hei teaches wherein the touch panel is a capacitive touch panel comprising a plurality of sensing electrodes, and
wherein the first reception channel and the second reception channel are arranged in a y-axis direction or a horizontal direction of the touch panel, and transmit detection signals of the plurality of sensing electrodes to the processor. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].) wherein the first transmission channel and the second transmission channel are arranged in an x-axis direction or a vertical direction of the touch panel, and transmit driving signals from the processor to the plurality of sensing electrodes. (Fig. 1 shows electrodes 10 and 11 disposed in both non-bendable regions A2 and A3. Where electrode 10 is driven (transmission channel) and electrode 11 is used to detect/sense (reception channel) [0037-0038].).
Regarding claim 20, control the electronic device to be operated in the folded state ([0032] (Figs. 2 and 7 show device extended to an folded position),
changing a first reception channel to a transmission channel at the designated cycle ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 may be active to determine a mutual capacitance between electrodes on first portion 101 and electrodes on second portion 103, wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers. [0077-0079] teach that the system can change the state from opening state to closed state (designated cycle).),
identifying the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface (mutual or self-capacitance [0025-0026][0035]), based on the changed transmission channel and the second reception channel cycle ([0025] teaches that all of the electrodes 104 and 105 may be active to determine a mutual capacitance between electrodes on first portion 101 and electrodes on second portion 103, wherein electrodes on one portion act as drivers and electrodes on the opposite portions act as receivers.), and in case that the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is less than the designated capacitance, controlling the electronic device to operate in a unfolded state ([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or more causes the display to activate), wherein the capacitance between the first surface and the second surface is proportional to a distance between the first surface and the second surface or an angle between the first surface and the second surface([0057] teaches the predefined self-capacitance pattern is associated with predefined fold angle values[0059] teaches a fold angle value of 10 degrees or more causes the display to activate).
Conclusion
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/ANDRE L MATTHEWS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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