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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on September 1, 2026 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of 12,416,995 has been reviewed and is NOT accepted.
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Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,416,995. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the patent anticipate the claims of the present Application.
Present Application
U.S. Patent No. 12,416,995
1. An apparatus comprising:
circuitry configured to detect a crossing between an in-phase drive signal, received over a first analog line, and an opposite-phase drive signal, received over a second analog line of a touch panel; and
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a sinusoidal wave generator that generates, over the first analog line, the in-phase drive signal and, over the second analog line, the opposite-phase drive signal; and
a comparator having inputs respectively coupled to the first analog line and the second analog line and to assert a zero crossing output in response to detecting the crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and
wherein, to control the timing, the output is to cause a change in the multi-phase switching pattern applied to the sets of switches.
multi-phase switching logic coupled to the circuitry, the multi-phase switching logic to assert an output in response to both detecting the crossing and receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal, wherein the output is to control timing of applying a multi-phase switching pattern to sets of switches coupled between the first and second analog lines and respective ones of transmission (TX) electrodes of the touch panel.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a sinusoidal wave generator that generates, over a first analog line, an in-phase drive signal and, over a second analog line, an opposite-phase drive signal;
a comparator having inputs respectively coupled to the first analog line and the second analog line and to assert a first output in response to detecting a crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and
multi-phase switching logic coupled to an output of the comparator, the multi-phase switching logic to assert a second output in response to both detecting the first output and receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch of the sinusoidal wave generator, wherein the second output is to control timing of applying a multi-phase switching pattern to sets of switches coupled between the first analog line and the second analog line and respective ones of transmission (TX) electrodes of a touch panel.
9. A method comprising:
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
generating, by a sinusoidal wave generator, the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal to excite the TX electrodes;
receiving, by multi-phase switching logic, from processing logic executing firmware, the signal indicative of timing of the phase switch between excitation frames of the sinusoidal wave generator; and
wherein asserting the logical output is performed by the multi-phase switching logic.
detecting a crossing between an in-phase drive signal and an opposite-phase drive signal, wherein the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal are to excite transmission (TX) electrodes of a touch panel;
asserting a logical output responsive to: 1) detecting the crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and 2) receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch of between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and
applying, responsive to receipt of the logical output, a multi-phase switching pattern to sets of switches coupled between the in-phase and opposite-phase drive signals and the TX electrodes.
9. A method comprising:
generating, by a sinusoidal wave generator, an in-phase drive signal and an opposite-phase drive signal to excite transmission (TX) electrodes of a touch panel;
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
receiving, by multi-phase switching logic, from processing logic executing firmware, the signal indicative of timing of the phase switch between excitation frames of the sinusoidal wave generator; and
wherein asserting the logical output is performed by the multi-phase switching logic.
comparing the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal to detect a crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal;
asserting a logical output responsive to: 1) detecting the crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and 2) receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch of the sinusoidal wave generator; and
applying, responsive to receipt of the logical output, a multi-phase switching pattern to sets of switches coupled between the in-phase and opposite-phase drive signals and the TX electrodes.
15. A system comprising:
a touch panel comprising a plurality of transmission (TX) electrodes;
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:
a sinusoidal wave generator that generates, over the first analog line, the in-phase drive signal and, over the second analog line, the opposite-phase drive signal; and
a comparator having inputs respectively coupled to the first analog line and the second analog line and to assert a zero crossing output in response to detecting the crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and
wherein, to control the timing, the output is to cause a change in the multi-phase switching pattern applied to the sets of switches.
circuitry configured to detect a crossing between an in-phase drive signal, received over a first analog line, and an opposite-phase drive signal, received over a second analog line of the touch panel;
sets of switches coupled between the first and the second analog lines and respective ones of the plurality of TX electrodes; and
multi-phase switching logic coupled to the circuitry, the multi-phase switching logic to assert an output in response to both detecting the crossing and receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal, wherein the output is to control timing of applying a multi-phase switching pattern to the sets of switches.
15. A system comprising:
a touch panel comprising a plurality of transmission (TX) electrodes;
a sinusoidal wave generator that generates, over a first analog line, an in-phase drive signal and, over a second analog line, an opposite-phase drive signal;
a comparator having inputs respectively coupled to the first analog line and the second analog line and to assert a first output in response to detecting a crossing between the in-phase drive signal and the opposite-phase drive signal; and
16. The system of claim 15, wherein, to control the timing, the second output is to cause a change in the multi-phase switching pattern applied to the sets of switches.
sets of switches coupled between the first analog line and the second analog line and respective ones of the plurality of TX electrodes;
multi-phase switching logic coupled to an output of the comparator, the multi-phase switching logic to assert a second output in response to both detecting the first output and receiving a signal indicative of a phase switch of the sinusoidal wave generator, wherein the second output is to control timing of applying a multi-phase switching pattern to sets of switches.
In regards to claim 3, it is rejected in view of claim 4 of the patent.
In regards to claim 4, it is rejected in view of claim 5 of the patent.
In regards to claim 5, it is rejected in view of claim 6 of the patent.
In regards to claim 6, it is rejected in view of claim 3 of the patent.
In regards to claim 7, it is rejected in view of claim 7 of the patent.
In regards to claim 8, it is rejected in view of claim 8 of the patent.
In regards to claim 10, it is rejected in view of claim 10 of the patent.
In regards to claim 12, it is rejected in view of claim 12 of the patent.
In regards to claim 13, it is rejected in view of claim 13 of the patent.
In regards to claim 14, it is rejected in view of claim 14 of the patent.
In regards to claim 17, it is rejected in view of claim 18 of the patent.
In regards to claim 18, it is rejected in view of claim 19 of the patent.
In regards to claim 19, it is rejected in view of claim 17 of the patent.
In regards to claim 20, it is rejected in view of claim 20 of the patent.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kremin et al (US 2016/0188105) discloses a touch sensing apparatus includes a touch sensing surface having a plurality of TX electrodes and a plurality of RX electrodes. The touch sensing apparatus also includes capacitance sensing circuitry. The circuitry receives a plurality of drive signals. For each of a plurality of scanning stages, the circuitry applies a respective one of the plurality of drive signals to each of the plurality of TX electrodes substantially simultaneously according to a respective TX pattern. The respective TX pattern for each scanning stage is distinct. The circuitry receives sense signals from the plurality of RX electrodes. Each of the plurality of sense signals represents capacitance of a respective intersection of a respective TX electrode and a respective RX electrode. The circuitry then correlates the received sense signals for the plurality of scanning stages with the received drive signals to detect an object proximate to the touch panel.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MICHAEL PERVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629 September 17, 2026
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