Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/25/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendments to the claims filed 9/25/2026 were received and have been entered. Claims 1 and 8 have been amended. Claims 3-4 and 10-11 have been canceled. Therefore, claims 1-2, 5-9 and 12-17 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2, 5-9 and 12-17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-2, 5-9 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Black et al. (US 2015/0116272).
As to claim 1, Black teaches a position detecting apparatus (a tablet device 115, ¶14, ¶16, Figs 1-3) comprising: a first wireless communication device (Bluetooth, ¶24, ¶33); a second wireless communication device (capacitive coupling, see at least ¶31); and
controls the second wireless communication device to transmit a command signal (see at least ¶35) to a stylus (a smart pen 110) via capacitive coupling between the stylus and the position detecting apparatus,
controls the second wireless communication device to receive, from the stylus in response to the command signal (see ¶39-¶46), configuration information via the capacitive coupling between the stylus and the position detecting apparatus (See ¶16);
the processor (225, ¶35), in operation, establishes a pairing with the stylus via the first wireless communication device based on the configuration information received from the stylus. (See ¶25).
As to claim 8, Black teaches a stylus (a smart pen 110, see ¶14, ¶16, Figs 1-3), a first wireless communication device (Bluetooth, ¶24, ¶33), a second wireless communication device (capacitive coupling, see at least ¶31);
controls the second wireless communication device to receive a command signal (see at least ¶35) from a position detecting apparatus (a tablet 115) via capacitive coupling between the stylus and the position detecting apparatus,
controls the second wireless communication device to transmit, to the position detecting apparatus in response to the command signal (see ¶39-¶46), configuration information via the capacitive coupling between the stylus and the position detecting apparatus (See ¶16),
a processor (a processor 225, ¶35) that, in operation, establishes a pairing with the position detecting apparatus via the first wireless communication device based on the configuration information communicated with the position detecting apparatus. (See¶25).
As to claims 2, 9, Black teaches the first wireless communication device, in operation, communicates based on capacitive coupling between the stylus and a sensor electrode of the position detecting apparatus. (See ¶23-¶24).
As to claims 5, 12, Black teaches wherein a communication range of the first wireless communication device is longer than a communication range of the second wireless communication device. (See ¶3 and ¶51 for the Bluetooth range is longer than the proximity sensing range).
As to claims 6, 13, Black teaches wherein the processor, in operation, establishes the pairing with the stylus via the first wireless communication device based on an identifier communicated via the capacitive coupling between the stylus and the position detecting apparatus. (See Black ¶25-¶51).
As to claim 7, Black teaches wherein, after the pairing is established, based on whether reception information received via the second wireless communication device includes information related to the identifier, the processor determines whether the reception information is from the stylus. (See Black ¶46).
As to claim 14, Black teaches the stylus according to claim 8, wherein the configuration information indicates a pairing request. (Black ¶23).
As to claim 15, Black teaches the stylus according to claim 8, wherein the configuration information includes proximity information (Black ¶51).
As to claim 16, Black teaches the position detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates a pairing request. (Black ¶23).
As to claim 17, Black teaches the position detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes proximity information. (Black ¶51).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Nguyen whose telephone is (571)272-7697. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8am-5pm Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nitin K Patel can be reached on 571-272-7677. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Kevin M Nguyen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628
Email: kevin.nguyen2@uspto.gov
