Office Action 3: Non-Final Rejection (2024-06-20)
Rejection types: 103 - Obviousness

CLAIMS:
IN THE CLAIMS:

Please amend the claims as set forth below.

1\. (Currently amended) An input device comprising:
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel;
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member; and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member, and configured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel,
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa,
the touchscreen panel including:one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the first fixed electrode, the

second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the first fixed electrode,all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode, the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode,
the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode, and
the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode\[\[,\]\]

.

2\. (Original) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a moving electrode provided for the operating member,

the moving electrode being configured to switch, as the operating member is turned, the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode from the electrically conductive state into the electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa.

3\. (Original) The input device of claim 1, wherein the operating member is configured to be bought closer toward, or away from, the base member, and
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are made electrically conductive or non-conductive with each other as the operating member is brought closer toward, or away from, the base member.

4\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, wherein the first shifted portion of the first fixed electrode has an area at least one-third as large as an area of the first fixed electrode, and
the second shifted portion of the second fixed electrode has an area at least one-third as large as an area of the second fixed electrode.

5\. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, wherein the first shifted portion of the first fixed electrode has a same area as the first fixed electrode, and
the second shifted portion of the second fixed electrode has a same area as the second fixed electrode.

6-8. (Cancelled)77

9\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, wherein a moving electrode is configured to move, as the operating member is turned, along a circular orbit, and
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are arranged adjacent to each other along the circular orbit when viewed along a rotational axis of the operating member.

10\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, wherein each of the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode has a pair of lateral sides extending along the longitudinal axis.

11\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, further comprising an elastic sheet,
the elastic sheet being provided on an other side of the base member, the other side being opposite from one side, where the operating member is provided, of the base member.

12\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the base member is provided with an externally recognizable marker.

13-14. (Cancelled)

15\. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1 \[\[13\]\], wherein the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are arranged to avoid overlapping with a same one of the plurality of first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel.

16\. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1 \[\[13\]\], wherein respective centers of the plurality of first line electrodes are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and
the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance are equal to or greater than the predetermined pitch.

17\. (Previously Presented) The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second line electrodes is extended perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

18\. (Currently amended) An input system comprising:
the input device of claim \[\[14\]\] 1; and
the touchscreen panel.

19\. (New) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the

front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line, the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.

20\. (New) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line,

the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.

21\. (New) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line, the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular

first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.

22\. (New) The input device of claim 1, wherein the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel regardless of a rotation of the operating member with respect to the base member.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is in reply to a Request for Continued Examination filed on June 5, 2024 regarding Application No. 17/617,291.  Applicants amended claims 1, 5, 15-16, and 18, added new claims 19-22, canceled claims 13-14, and previously canceled claims 6-8.  Claims 1-5, 9-12, and 15-22 are pending.
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.  Applicants’ submission filed on June 5, 2024 has been entered.
Priority
The instant application is a 371 National Stage of International Application No. PCT/JP2020/006637, filed on February 19, 2020, which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2019-107485, filed on June 7, 2019.
Acknowledgment is made of Applicants’ claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).  A certified copy of the JP 2019-107485 application filed in Japan on June 17, 2019 has been filed.  It is noted that the conditions for foreign priority are not met (i.e., the instant application was not filed within 12 months from the earliest date on which the foreign application was filed).
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ amendments to claim 5 are acknowledged.  In view of the amendments, the claim objections are moot.
Applicants’ arguments filed on June 5, 2024 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to the argument regarding newly amended independent claim 1, the cited prior art, and “an input device in which a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode are arranged on a principal surface of a base member, and configured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen
panel” (Remarks, p. 12), the Office respectfully disagrees, as discussed below and in the rejections.
In response to the arguments regarding newly amended independent claim 1, Rao, “essential that the plurality of contact pads 52 are not fixed in position relative to the touchscreen 30”, “a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode are arranged on a principal surface of a base member, and configured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel”, “Rao… modified such that the contact pads 52 are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel”, and intended function of Rao (Remarks, p. 13), the Office respectfully disagrees and/or submits that the arguments are not commensurate with the claim language and the recited features are taught by figures 2-4 and paragraphs [0044], [0046], [0048]-[0049], and [0051] of Rao (i.e., a first fixed electrode 52 and a second fixed electrode 52 arranged on a principal lower surface of the base member 46, and configured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel 30, e.g., when the operating member 42 and 44 is stationary/not rotating, or fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel 30 in the vertical direction).
In response to the argument regarding Sawada and cure (Remarks, p. 13), the Office respectfully submits that the argument is not commensurate with the rejections and that Rao teaches the relevant claimed features, as discussed above and in the rejections.  As such, there is no deficiency, as argued, for which Sawada is required to cure.
In response to the arguments regarding “the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel in the input device of claim 1, substantially regardless of the rotation of the operating member with respect to the base member, a state of ‘the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode’ and ‘the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode’ is maintained at all times”, Rao, “a state where there is neither the first shifted portion nor the second shifted portion necessarily occurs”, and “disclose or suggest the foregoing elements of claim 1”, and Sawada and cure (Remarks, pp. 13-14), the Office respectfully disagrees and submits that the arguments are not commensurate with the claim language and rejections and the relevant claimed features are taught by Rao, as discussed above and in the rejections (see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B).  As such, there is no deficiency, as argued, for which Sawada is required to cure.
In response to the arguments regarding the resulting combination of Rao and Sawada, “all of the elements recited by amended claim 1”, “patentable over the cited prior art references”, and all claims depending from newly amended independent claim (Remarks, p. 14), the Office respectfully disagrees and submits that all features of newly amended independent claim 1 are taught and/or suggested by the cited references, as discussed above and in the rejections.  As such, newly amended independent claim 1 is not allowable.  In addition, all claims depending from newly amended independent claim 1 are not allowable by virtue of their individual dependencies therefrom, and as discussed in the rejections.
For the reasons discussed above and in the rejections, the pending claims are not allowable.
Claim Objections
Claims 19-21 are objected to for the reasons discussed below.
Claim 19: “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (ll. 7-8, and ll. 9-10) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the third fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
Also, “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (l. 15, and l. 17) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the fourth fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
Claim 20: “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (ll. 7-8, and ll. 9-10) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the third fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
Also, “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (l. 15, and l. 17) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the fourth fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
Claim 21: “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (l. 7, and ll. 8-9) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the third fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
Also, “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines” (l. 14, and l. 16) should each be changed to, e.g., “any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the fourth fixed electrode” for clarification.  For purposes of examination, the claim language will be interpreted as discussed in the rejections.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors.  In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary.  Applicants are advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-5, 9-10, 12, and 15-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao et al. in US 2020/0104006 A1 (hereinafter Rao) in view of Sawada et al. in US 2017/0316901 A1 (hereinafter Sawada).
Note: FIG. 4 may be misidentified as “FIG. 6” in line 3 of [0054] of Rao.  (See FIGs. 4 and 6).
Regarding claim 1, Rao teaches:
An input device (Rao: 32; FIG. 2 and [0043]) comprising:
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel (Rao: base member 46, and touchscreen panel 30; FIGs. 2-3A, see also FIGs. 3B-4, [0044], and [0046]);
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member (Rao: operating member 42 and 44, and rotational axis 36; see FIGs. 3A and 4, [0044], and [0046], see also FIGs. 2 and 3B); and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member (Rao: a first 52 first fixed electrode, a second 52 second fixed electrode, and lower surface of 46 principle surface of the base member; FIG. 3A, [0044], and [0046], see also FIGs. 3B-4 and [0048]-[0049] and [0051]), and configured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel (Rao: e.g., when the operating member is stationary/not rotating, or fixed in position as claimed in the vertical direction; FIGs. 2-4 and [0046] (“the contact pads 52 are in direct physical contact with the interface surface 40”)),
the touchscreen panel including:
one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel (Rao: first line electrodes 74; see FIGs. 3B-4 and [0049], see also FIGs. 2-3A); and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel (Rao: second line electrodes 72; FIG. 4 and [0049], see also FIGs. 3A-3B),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of one or more the first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the first fixed electrode (Rao: first left direction; see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the first fixed electrode (Rao: second right direction; see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode (Rao: first predetermined distance corresponding to predetermined 52 locations; see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below and [0048], see also [0051]), and
the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode (Rao: second predetermined distance corresponding to predetermined 52 locations; see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below and [0048], see also [0051]).
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However, it is noted that Rao does not explicitly teach:
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa.
Sawada teaches:
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode being configured to, as an operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa (Sawada: first fixed electrode 141, second fixed electrode 142, operating member 118 and 121, electrically conductive state corresponding to brought into contact with 115A, and electrically non-conductive state corresponding to spaced apart from 115A; see FIGs. 14 and 16-18, [0156], [0159], and [0164]-[0165], see also FIGs. 1-12, [0127]-[0128], and [0162]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device taught by Rao to include: the features taught by Sawada, to provide capacitive sensing and to enable a user wearing gloves to provide input.  (Sawada: see [0167]).
Regarding claim 2, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, further comprising a moving electrode provided for the operating member (Sawada: moving electrode 115A; see FIGs. 14 and 18, [0138], [0140], and [0159]),
the moving electrode being configured to switch, as the operating member is turned, the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode from the electrically conductive state into the electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa (Sawada: see FIG. 18 and [0159]).
Regarding claim 3, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
the operating member is configured to be bought closer toward, or away from, the base member (Sawada: operating member 23 and 25, closer toward press, away from cancelled press, and base member 11; see FIG. 3, [0039], [0072], and [0097], see also FIG. 10, [0105], and [0100]; note: input devices 1000, 1001, and 1002 of FIGs. 3, 10, and 14 of Sawada are interchangeable as they are input devices), and
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are made electrically conductive or non-conductive with each other as the operating member is brought closer toward, or away from, the base member (Sawada: a first 22 first fixed electrode, a second 22 second fixed electrode, electrically conductive corresponding to a press, and non-conductive corresponding to a cancelled press; see FIGs. 3-4, [0047], and [0097], see also FIG. 10 and [0105]; note: input devices 1000, 1001, and 1002 of FIGs. 3, 10, and 14 of Sawada are interchangeable as they are input devices).
Regarding claim 4, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
the first shifted portion of the first fixed electrode has an area at least one-third as large as an area of the first fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIG. 3B above and [0048] and [0051]; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use), and
the second shifted portion of the second fixed electrode has an area at least one-third as large as an area of the second fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIG. 3B above and [0048] and [0051]; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use).
Regarding claim 5, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
the first shifted portion of the first fixed electrode has a same area as the first fixed electrode (Rao: i.e., placements of 52 such that the claim language is met; see FIG. 3B, annotated FIG. 3B above, [0048], and [0051]; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use), and
the second shifted portion of the second fixed electrode has a same area as the second fixed electrode (Rao: i.e., placements of 52 such that the claim language is met; see FIG. 3B, annotated FIG. 3B above, [0048], and [0051]; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use).
Regarding claim 9, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
a moving electrode is configured to move, as the operating member is turned, along a circular orbit (Sawada: moving electrode 51A, and operating member 23 and 25; see FIGs. 10-11, [0097], [0105]-[0106], [0108], and [0117], see also FIGs. 3-4; note: input devices 1000, 1001, and 1002 of FIGs. 3, 10, and 14 of Sawada are interchangeable as they are input devices), and
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are arranged adjacent to each other along the circular orbit when viewed along a rotational axis of the operating member (Sawada: first fixed electrode 53, and second fixed electrode 54; see FIG. 10 and [0107], see also FIGs. 3-4 and 12 and [0115]; note: input devices 1000, 1001, and 1002 of FIGs. 3, 10, and 14 of Sawada are interchangeable as they are input devices).
Regarding claim 10, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein each of the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode has a pair of lateral sides extending along the longitudinal axis (Rao: i.e., shapes of the first and second fixed electrodes such that the claim language is met; see [0048] (“52 may vary in… shape”); also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use).
Regarding claim 12, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
an outer peripheral surface of the base member is provided with an externally recognizable marker (Sawada: base member 111; FIGs. 13-15, annotated FIG. 15 below, and [0127], see also FIGs. 1-4, 6, 9-10, and 16-17, [0039], and discussion above; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use).
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Regarding claim 15, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are arranged to avoid overlapping with a same one of the plurality of first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel (Rao: see claim 1 annotated FIGs. 3A-3B above, see also [0048] and [0051] ; also, it would have been obvious to include the claimed features since it would have been within the general skill of one of ordinary skill in the art to select features on the basis of their suitability for the intended use).
Regarding claim 16, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein
respective centers of the plurality of first line electrodes are arranged at a predetermined pitch (Rao: P, P1; FIG. 3B and [0051], see also FIGs. 4 and 6 and [0054]), and
the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance are equal to or greater than the predetermined pitch (Rao: see 3B and claim 1 annotated FIGs. 3A-3B above).
Regarding claim 17, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of second line electrodes is extended perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (Rao: second line electrodes 72; FIG. 4 and [0049], see also FIGs. 3A-3B).
Regarding claim 18, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
An input system (Rao: see FIG. 2, see also FIGs. 3A-4) comprising:
the input device of claim 1 (claim 1 above); and
the touchscreen panel (claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 19, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member (Rao: a third 52 third fixed electrode, and a fourth 52 fourth fixed electrode; FIG. 3A, [0044], and [0046], see also FIGs. 3B-4 and [0048]-[0049] and [0051]; see also Sawada: third fixed electrode 143, fourth fixed electrode 144, and on a lower surface of a base member 111; FIG. 16 and [0127]-[0128], see also FIGs. 3-4 and 14),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below).
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Regarding claim 20, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member (Rao: a third 52 third fixed electrode, and a fourth 52 fourth fixed electrode; FIG. 3A, [0044], and [0046], see also FIGs. 3B-4 and [0048]-[0049] and [0051]; see also Sawada: third fixed electrode 143, fourth fixed electrode 144, and on a lower surface of a base member 111; FIG. 16 and [0127]-[0128], see also FIGS. 3-4 and 14),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line (Rao see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below).
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Regarding claim 21, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member (Rao a third 52 third fixed electrode, and a fourth 52 fourth fixed electrode; FIG. 3A, [0044], and [0046], see also FIGs. 3B-4 and [0048]-[0049] and [0051]; see also Sawada: third fixed electrode 143, fourth fixed electrode 144, and on a lower surface of a base member 111; FIG. 16 and [0127]-[0128], see also FIGS. 3-4 and 14),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below), the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below),
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode (Rao: see annotated FIGs. 3A-3B below).
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Regarding claim 22, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1, wherein the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel regardless of a rotation of the operating member with respect to the base member (Rao: e.g., fixed in position as claimed in the vertical direction; FIGs. 2-4 and [0046] (“the contact pads 52 are in direct physical contact with the interface surface 40”)).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao in view of Sawada, in further view of Diehl AKO Stiftung & Co. KG in DE 20 2018 000 111 U1 (hereinafter Diehl; an original copy and full machine translation thereof was provided with the October 3, 2023 Office action).
Regarding claim 11, Rao as modified by Sawada teaches:
The input device of claim 1.
However, it is noted that Rao as modified by Sawada does not teach:
further comprising an elastic sheet,
the elastic sheet being provided on an other side of the base member, the other side being opposite from one side, where the operating member is provided, of the base member.
Diehl teaches:
an elastic sheet (Diehl: 20; Fig. 2 and [0019], see also Fig. 6),
the elastic sheet being provided on an other side of a base member, the other side being opposite from one side, where an operating member is provided, of the base member (Diehl: lower side other side, base member 19, upper side one side, and operating member 28, 32, 34, 30, and 22; see Figs. 2-3 and [0019]-[0020], see also Figs. 4 and 6).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device taught by Rao as modified by Sawada to include: the features taught by Diehl, such that Rao as modified teaches: the claimed features, to releasably attach an input device.  (Diehl: see [0019]).
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
I.
Introduction
In response to the pending Office Action, claim 5 has been amended to address the
objection thereto. Claim 1 has been amended to further clarify the intended subject matter of the
present disclosure. In addition, new claims 19-22 have been added. New claims 19-21
correspond to previously cancelled claims 6-8, respectively. Support for the amendment to claim
1 and new claim 22 can be found, for example, in paragraphs [0026], [0031] and [0033] of the
specification. No new matter has been added.
For at least the reasons set forth below, it is respectfully submitted that all pending claims
are now in condition for allowance.
II.
The Rejection Of The Claims Under 35 U.S.C.
Claims 1-5, 9, 10 and 12-18 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable
over USP Pub. No. 2020/0104006 to Rao, in view of USP Pub. No. 2017/0316901 to Sawada.
Claim 1, as amended, recites:
An input device comprising:
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel;
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with
respect to the base member; and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal
surface of the base
member, and con
fig
ured to be fixed in position relative to the
touchscreen panel,
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the
operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an
electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa,
the touchscreen panel including:
one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along
a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen
panel,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the
one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen
panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line
being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of
the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or
more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the first fixed electrode, the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with
the outer edges of the first fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the
one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second
fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen
panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line
being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode, the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the
second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of
tangential lines in contact with the outer edges of the second fixed electrode,
the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first
predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line
with respect to the second fixed electrode, and
the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second
predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with
respect to the first fixed electrode.
At a minimum, none of the cited prior art references disclose or suggest an input device
in which a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode are arranged on a principal
surface of a base
member, and con
fig
ured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen
panel,
as recited by amended claim 1.
First, with regard to Rao, Rao discloses a system in which the physical knob 32 is
rotatable about an axis of rotation 36 and is mounted to the touchscreen (see, paragraph [0044] of
Rao). The plurality of contact pads 52 asserted as corresponding to the first fixed electrode and
the second fixed electrode are fixed to a lower surface of the physical knob 32 (see, paragraph
[0046] of Rao), and the rotational positions of the plurality of contact pads 52 are determined in the touch screen 30 (see, paragraph [0047] of Rao).
Thus, in accordance with the system disclosed in Rao, the system determines the
rotational positions of the plurality of contact pads 52 which have moved on the upper surface of the touch screen 30 along with the rotation of the physical knob 32. As such, in Rao, the plurality of contact pads 52 move on the upper surface of the touchscreen 30, and
it is essential that the pluralit
y
of contact pads
2 are not fixed in position relative to the touchscreen 30
so as to allow Rao to perform its intended function.
Accordingly, it is clear that Rao does not disclose or suggest afirst fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode are arranged on a principal surface of a base
member, and con
fig
ured to be fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel
,
as recited by amended claim 1. Nor can Rao be modified such that the contact pads 52 are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel because, as set forth above, such a modification would defeat the intended function of Rao, and is therefore impermissible.
Sawada does not cure this deficiency of Rao.
It is further noted that because the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are fixed in position relative to the touchscreen panel in the input device of claim 1, substantially regardless of the rotation of the operating member with respect to the base member, a state of "the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode" and "the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode" is maintained at all times.
In contrast, in Rao, even when the two contact pads 42 are initially shifted from each
other in a direction intersecting the sensing node 74, the two contact pads 52 necessarily come to be located on the same sensing node 74 in the course of rotation of the physical knob 32 when the physical knob 32 rotates by 360 degrees about the axis of rotation 36. In other words, a state where there is neither the first shifted portion nor the second shifted portion necessarily occurs. Thus, Rao also fails to disclose or suggest the foregoing elements of claim 1. Sawada again fails to cure this deficiency of Rao.
Thus, for at least the foregoing reasons, even assuming arguendo that the combination of Rao and Sawada is proper, the resulting combination still does not disclose or suggest all of the elements recited by amended claim 1. Accordingly, as each and every element of the claim must be disclosed or suggested by the cited prior art references in order to establish aprimafacie case of obviousness (see, e.g., M.P.E.P. § 2143.03) and the combination of Rao and Sawada fails to do so, it is clear that claim 1, as amended, is patentable over the cited prior art references.
III.
De
p
endent Claims
Under Federal Circuit guidelines, a dependent claim is nonobvious if the independent
claim upon which it depends is allowable because all the limitations of the independent claim are contained in the dependent claims, Hartness International Inc. v. Simplimatic Engineering Co., 819 F.2d at 1100, 1108 (Fed. Cir. 1987). Accordingly, as the pending independent claim is patentable for at least the reasons set forth above, it is respectfully submitted that all claims dependent thereon are also patentable.
IV.
Summary
In view of the above amendments and remarks, Applicant submits that this application should be allowed and the case passed to issue. If there are any questions regarding this Amendment or the application in general, a telephone call to the undersigned would be appreciated to expedite the prosecution of the application.
To the extent necessary, a petition for an extension of time under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136 is
hereby made. Please charge any shortage in fees due in connection with the filing of this paper, including extension of time fees, to Deposit Account 505992 and please credit any excess fees to such deposit account.
Respectfully submitted, RIMON, P.C.

NEXT OFFICE ACTION: DETAILED ACTION
This is in reply to an Amendment filed on September 11, 2024 regarding Application No. 17/617,291.  Applicants amended claims 1 and 19-21 and previously canceled claims 6-8 and 13-14.  Claims 1-5, 9-12, and 15-22 are pending.
Examiner’s Amendment
An Examiner’s Amendment to the record to correct informalities and for clarification (see June 20, 2024 Office action, page 6 objections: claims 20-21) appears below.  Should the changes and/or additions be unacceptable to Applicants, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR 1.312.  To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.
1. (Currently amended) An input device comprising:
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel;
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member; and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member, and configured to remain fixed in all directions relative to the touchscreen panel when the operating member is rotated,
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa,
the touchscreen panel including:
one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode, the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode, the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode,
the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode, and
the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode.
15. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, wherein
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode are arranged to avoid overlapping with a same one of the [[plurality of]] one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel.
16. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, wherein
respective centers of the [[plurality of]] one or more first line electrodes are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and
the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance are equal to or greater than the predetermined pitch.
19. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line, the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.
20. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line, the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from a second particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the second particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.
21. (Currently amended) The input device of claim 1, further comprising a third fixed electrode and a fourth fixed electrode, both of which are provided on the principal surface of the base member,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the third fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a fifth tangential line and a sixth tangential line, the fifth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode, the sixth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the third fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis and being in contact with outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a seventh tangential line and an eighth tangential line, the seventh tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode, the eighth tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the seventh tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the fourth fixed electrode,
the third fixed electrode including a third shifted portion shifted by a distance between the sixth tangential line and the eighth tangential line with respect to the fourth fixed electrode,
the fourth fixed electrode including a fourth shifted portion shifted by a distance between the fifth tangential line and the seventh tangential line with respect to the third fixed electrode.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art of record teaches an input device but does not teach the particular combination of claimed features of:
An input device comprising:
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel;
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member; and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member, and configured to remain fixed in all directions relative to the touchscreen panel when the operating member is rotated,
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa,
the touchscreen panel including:
one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode, the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode, the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode,
the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode, and
the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode.
Accordingly, independent claim 1 is allowed over the prior art of record.  Also, dependent claims 2-5, 9-12, and 15-22 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Any comments considered necessary by Applicants must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Examiner notes the current invention as disclosed in the independent claim(s) is allowed in its entirety.  Each and every limitation working together in concert realizes the current claimed invention’s novelty.  No single limitation alone accomplishes the allowability of the inventive independent claim(s).  Rather, each and every limitation of the claim(s) and their disclosed relationships are integral.
Conclusion
Reference made of record are considered pertinent to Applicants’ disclosure.  Please take note of the documents listed in the attached PTO-892 form.  Note: an original copy and an abstract translation is provided for each foreign patent document.

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref JP2020006637: Claims:
A pattern printing layer provided on one surface of the base film layer, A surface protective layer provided on the pattern printing layer, A transparent film layer containing a polypropylene-based material, which is attached to a surface of the base film layer opposite to the surface on which the pattern printing layer is provided, via an adhesive layer, A decorative sheet comprising:
or more and 20 MPa / mm 2 or less. The decorative sheet according to claim 1, wherein the decorative sheet is in a range.
or more 10 g / m 2 range below.
· day or less.
Ref JP2019107485: Claims:
An ophthalmic examination apparatus comprising: an analysis unit that generates risk information including each disease name of a plurality of specific diseases and a risk value indicating the degree of the risk by analyzing test data obtained by the test unit.
A first acquisition unit that acquires, from the first related information, one or more test items associated with the specific disease indicated by the risk information generated by the analysis unit; An ophthalmologic examination apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a first output unit that outputs examination menu information including the acquired one or more examination items.
The risk range to which the risk value indicated by the risk information generated by the analysis unit belongs is specified from the plurality of risk ranges, and one or more inspection items associated with the specified risk range are the second relation A second acquisition unit to acquire from information; The ophthalmologic examination apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a second output unit that outputs examination menu information including the acquired one or more examination items.
Ref US20200104006A1: Claims:
1. A system for failure diagnostics for a Human Machine Interface (HMI) comprising:
a physical knob; a button; a touchscreen interface; the physical knob and the button disposed on the touchscreen interface and in communication with the touchscreen interface; a touch sensor in communication with the touchscreen interface; a controller in communication with the touch sensor, the controller having memory for storing control logic and a processor configured to execute the control logic, the control logic including a first logic for determining a state of the touchscreen interface, and a second logic for determining a state of a portion of the touchscreen interface smaller than a full area of the touchscreen interface.
2. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 1 wherein each of the physical knob and the button further comprise a plurality of contact pads disposed on a lower surface of the physical knob and proximate the touchscreen interface and a lower surface of the button proximate the touchscreen interface.
3. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 2 wherein the plurality of contact pads is distributed asymmetrically across the lower surface of the physical knob.
4. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 2 wherein the touchscreen interface further comprises a sensing grid in communication with the touch sensor via a cable, the sensing grid having electrical traces, and wherein a first plurality of electrical traces electrically interacts with a second plurality of electrical traces, and forms a plurality of sensing nodes.
5. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 4 wherein the plurality of contact pads have a predetermined diameter selected to interact with the plurality of sensing nodes.
6. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 4 wherein the sensing nodes register at least one of: a presence, an absence, or a proximity of a contact pad disposed on the physical knob or button.
7. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 6 further comprising a third logic for determining whether a majority of the contact pads disposed on the button and the physical knob are interacting with the sensing nodes, and selectively generating and storing a diagnostic code in memory and selectively generating a notification for a user of the HMI.
8. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 4 wherein a pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is variable across the touchscreen interface.
9. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 8 wherein a first pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with the physical knob and the button.
10. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 9 wherein a second pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with a finger, and wherein the first pitch is smaller than the second pitch.
11. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 4 wherein the first logic further comprises:
determining, from data generated by a third plurality of electrical traces defining a perimeter of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of an entire surface of the touchscreen interface, and
wherein the second logic further comprises:
determining, from data generated by a fourth plurality of electrical traces defining a button zone or loop in the portion of the touchscreen interface smaller than the full area of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of the surface of the touchscreen interface making up the portion of the touchscreen interface.
12. A system for failure diagnostics for a Human Machine Interface (HMI) in a motor vehicle comprising:
a physical knob; a button; a plurality of contact pads disposed on a lower surface of each of the physical knob and the button; a touchscreen interface having a plurality of electrical traces disposed at predefined angles to one another forming a sensing grid having a plurality of sensing nodes; the physical knob and the button disposed on the touchscreen interface and in communication with the touchscreen interface via the contact pads; a touch sensor in communication with the touchscreen interface through a cable; a controller in communication with the touch sensor, the controller having memory for storing control logic and a processor configured to execute the control logic, the control logic including a first logic for determining an electrical continuity of the touchscreen, a second logic for determining an electrical continuity of a portion of the touchscreen smaller than a full area of the touchscreen, and a third logic for determining whether a majority of the contact pads disposed on the button and the physical knob are interacting with the sensing grid and selectively generating and storing a diagnostic code in memory and selectively generating a notification for a user of the HMI.
13. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 12 wherein the plurality of contact pads is distributed asymmetrically across a lower surface of the physical knob and across a lower surface of the button.
14. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 12 wherein the plurality of contact pads have a predetermined diameter selected to interact precisely with the plurality of sensing nodes, and wherein the sensing nodes register at least one of: a presence, an absence, or a proximity of at least one contact pad disposed on the physical knob or button.
15. The system for failure diagnostics for an HMI of claim 12 wherein a pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is variable across the touchscreen interface.
16. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 15 wherein a first pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with the physical knob and the button.
17. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 16 wherein a second pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with a finger, and wherein the first pitch is smaller than the second pitch.
18. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 12 wherein the first logic further comprises:
determining, from data generated by a third plurality of electrical traces defining a perimeter of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of an entire surface of the touchscreen interface, and
wherein the second logic further comprises:
determining, from data generated by a fourth plurality of electrical traces defining a button zone or loop in the portion of the touchscreen interface smaller than the full area of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of the surface of the touchscreen interface making up the portion of the touchscreen interface.
19. The system for diagnostics for an HMI of claim 12 wherein the third logic further comprises generating an estimated position of the physical knob and the button based on a position of the majority of the contact pads.
20. A system for diagnostics for a Human Machine Interface (HMI) in a motor vehicle comprising:
a touchscreen interface having a plurality of electrical traces disposed at predefined angles to one another forming a sensing grid, a first plurality of electrical traces intersects at the predefined angles with a second plurality of electrical traces, and forms a plurality of sensing nodes at each intersection, a pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid being variable across the touchscreen interface, wherein a first pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with a physical knob and a button; a plurality of contact pads disposed asymmetrically on a lower surface of each of the physical knob and the button, the contact pads having a predetermined diameter selected to interact precisely with the plurality of sensing nodes, and wherein the plurality of sensing nodes register at least one of: a presence, an absence, or a proximity of at least one contact pad disposed on the physical knob or button, and wherein a second pitch of the electrical traces comprising the sensing grid is optimized for use with a finger, and wherein the first pitch is smaller than the second pitch; the physical knob and the button disposed on the touchscreen interface and in communication with the touchscreen interface via the contact pads; a touch sensor in communication with the touchscreen interface through a cable; a controller in communication with the touch sensor, the controller having memory for storing control logic and a processor configured to execute the control logic, the control logic including a first logic for determining, from data generated by a third plurality of electrical traces defining a perimeter of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of an entire surface of the touchscreen interface, a second logic for determining, from data generated by a fourth plurality of electrical traces defining a button zone or loop in the portion of the touchscreen interface smaller than the full area of the touchscreen interface, an electrical and physical continuity of the surface of the touchscreen interface making up the portion of the touchscreen interface, and a third logic for determining whether a majority of the contact pads disposed on the button and the physical knob are interacting with the sensing grid and selectively generating and storing a diagnostic code in memory and selectively generating a notification for a user of the HMI, the third logic generating an estimated position of the physical knob and the button based on a position of the majority of the contact pads.
Ref US20170316901A1: Claims:
1. An input device comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode that opposes to the first electrode while being spaced apart from the first electrode; and a third electrode that is spaced apart from the first electrode and rotatably or slidably provided relative to the second electrode, wherein the third electrode being in contact with or spaced apart from the second electrode changes an electrical state between the first electrode and the second electrode.
2. The input device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the first electrodes,
wherein each of the plurality of first electrodes includes a transmitter electrode, and a receiver electrode being electrically independent of the transmitter electrode.
3. The input device according to claim 2, further comprising a fourth electrode that is electrically connected to the third electrode,
wherein the fourth electrode is different from the transmitter electrode in potential.
4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the fourth electrode is connected to ground.
5. The input device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of the first electrodes and a plurality of the second electrodes,
wherein. the third electrode is spaced apart from the plurality of first electrodes and rotatably provided relative to the plurality of second electrodes, the third electrode has an annularly formed pattern, and the third electrode being in contact with or spaced apart from each of the plurality of second electrodes changes an electrical state between each of the plurality of first electrodes and opposing one of the plurality of second electrodes so that a phase difference occurs.
6. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a light-transmissive first base member that retains the first electrode.
7. The input device according to claim 6, further comprising a light-transmissive second base member that retains the second electrode.
8. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a manipulation knob that is electrically connected to the third electrode.
9. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a fourth electrode that is electrically connected to the third electrode, wherein the fourth electrode is connected to ground.
Ref APP-17_617291: Claims:
An input device comprising: a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel; an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member; and a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member, and configured to remain fixed in all directions relative to the touchscreen panel when the operating member is rotated, the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa, the touchscreen panel including: one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel, all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode, the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode, all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode, the fourth tangential line being located more distant, in the second direction, from the third tangential line than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the second fixed electrode, the first fixed electrode including a first shifted portion shifted by a first predetermined distance between the second tangential line and the fourth tangential line with respect to the second fixed electrode, and the second fixed electrode including a second shifted portion shifted by a second predetermined distance between the first tangential line and the third tangential line with respect to the first fixed electrode.
a base member placed on a front surface of a touchscreen panel;
an operating member provided to be rotatable around a rotational axis with respect to the base member; and
a first fixed electrode and a second fixed electrode arranged on a principal surface of the base member, and configured to remain fixed in all directions relative to the touchscreen panel when the operating member is rotated,
the first fixed electrode and the second fixed electrode being configured to, as the operating member is operated, be switched from an electrically conductive state into an electrically non-conductive state, or vice versa,
the touchscreen panel including: one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel,
one or more first line electrodes extending along a longitudinal axis thereof and having a portion overlapping with the first fixed electrode when viewed along a normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel; and
a plurality of second line electrodes intersecting with the one or more first line electrodes when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the first fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a first tangential line and a second tangential line, the first tangential line being located more distant, in a first direction intersecting with the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes, from a particular first line electrode out of the one or more first line electrodes than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode, the second tangential line being located more distant, in a second direction opposite from the first direction, from the particular first line electrode than any other one of the plurality of tangential lines in contact with the outer end edges of the first fixed electrode,
all of a plurality of tangential lines extending along the longitudinal axis of the one or more first line electrodes and being in contact with outer end edges of the second fixed electrode when viewed along the normal to the front surface of the touchscreen panel including a third tangential line and a fourth tangential line, the third tangential line being located more distant, in the first direction, from the particular first line electro
[Truncated to input limit]