DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species 1 and claims 1-44 in the reply filed on 12/23/2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-9 | 16-19 | 20-27 | 31 | 34-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YOU et al. US 20200213699 A1 [YOU].
Regarding claims 1 | 20, YOU teaches An apparatus, comprising: a vibration member [paragraph 49; FIG. 2 illustrates a vibration generating module, paragraph 50]; a rear cover [a rear cover 300, paragraph 51] at a rear surface of the vibration member [figs 3-4]; a first vibration device [510 and 410] at a first rear region of the rear cover [300, fig. 3]; and a second vibration device [530 and 430] at a second rear region of the rear cover [300, fig. 3].
Regarding claim 2, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first vibration device [510 and 410] overlaps at least one of a horizontal region and a middle region of the rear cover [300, fig. 3].
Regarding claims 3 | 20, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second vibration device [530 and 430] overlaps a periphery region or a middle region of the rear cover [300, fig. 3].
Regarding claims 4 | 22, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration member comprises a display member [see a display module 100] configured to display an image [paragraph 49 teaches that a display module 100 configured to display an image], and wherein the rear cover comprises a rear cover part [310] at a rear surface of the display member [paragraph 52 teaches that A rear surface (or a back surface) of the display module 100 may include a center portion CP and periphery portions EP. In an example, the rear surface (or the back surface) of the display module 100 may be divided into the center portion CP and the periphery portions EP, which are parallel to each other with the center portion CP therebetween].
Regarding claims 5 | 23, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the rear cover part [310] is configured to support the first vibration device and the second vibration device [paragraph 52 teaches that A rear surface (or a back surface) of the display module 100 may include a center portion CP and periphery portions EP. In an example, the rear surface (or the back surface) of the display module 100 may be divided into the center portion CP and the periphery portions EP, which are parallel to each other with the center portion CP therebetween; fig. 3].
Regarding claims 6-7 | 24-25, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the rear cover part comprises a first hole overlapping the first vibration device [a rear cover hole 311, fig. 2], and wherein the rear cover part comprises a second hole [a rear cover hole 311, fig. 2] overlapping the second vibration device [fig. 2].
Regarding claims 8 | 26, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second vibration device comprises a plate at a rear surface of the rear cover [paragraph 81 - The rear cover part 310 may have a plate structure, support the backlight unit 130 of the display module 100, and support each of the first and second vibration generating modules 400 and 500].
Regarding claims 9 | 27, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plate comprises one or more of aluminum, non-impregnated paper, and impregnated paper [paragraph 204].
Regarding claims 16 | 34 , YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second vibration device comprises two or more vibration generators [530 and 430], the two or more vibration generators being configured to vibrate in the same direction [fig. 1].
Regarding claims 17 | 35, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration member comprises a display member configured to display an image, and wherein the display member comprises: a display panel configured to display an image; a guide member supported by the rear cover and configured to support a periphery portion of a rear surface of the display panel; and a backlight part supported by the rear cover and disposed at the rear surface of the display panel [paragraph 81 - The rear cover 300 may further include a rear cover part 310, which is configured to support the rear surface of the display module 100, and a side cover part 330, which is connected to and/or integral with a periphery portion EP of the rear cover part 310 to support the panel guide 200. The rear cover part 310 may cover the rear surface of the display module 100, and may support the display module 100. The rear cover part 310 may have a plate structure, support the backlight unit 130 of the display module 100, and support each of the first and second vibration generating modules 400 and 500. For example, the rear cover part 310 may directly contact a rear surface of the reflective sheet 133, and may transfer a sound vibration, generated based on a vibration of each of the first and second vibration generating modules 400 and 500, to the reflective sheet 133 of the backlight unit 130].
Regarding claims 18 | 36, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the backlight part comprises: a reflective sheet at the rear cover; a light guide plate on the reflective sheet; and an optical sheet part on the light guide plate [paragraph 66 - The backlight unit 130 may be on a rear cover surface of the display panel 110 and may irradiate light onto the rear surface of the display panel 110. According to an embodiment, the backlight unit 130 may include a light guide plate 131, a light source unit, a reflective sheet 133, and an optical sheet part 135].
Regarding claims 19 | 37, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the rear cover comprises a first hole at the first rear region, and a second hole at the second rear region, and wherein the reflective sheet is configured to cover or directly cover the first hole and the second hole [paragraph 266 teaches According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a display apparatus may further include a panel guide configured to support a periphery portion of a rear surface of the display panel, the panel guide being supported by the rear cover, wherein: the display module further includes a backlight unit supported by the rear cover and on the rear surface of the display panel, and the backlight unit may include a reflective sheet on the rear cover to cover the first hole and the second hole, a light guide plate on the reflective sheet, and an optical sheet part on the light guide plate.].
Regarding claim 21, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first vibration device and the second vibration device are arranged to be adjacent to each other horizontally or diagonally [fig. 2].
Regarding claim 31, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second vibration device comprises: a piezoelectric device; and a plate at a rear surface of the piezoelectric device [paragraph 121 - The second piezoelectric vibration unit 530 according to an embodiment may include a second piezoelectric element 531 attached on the rear cover part 310 by a second adhesive member 533].
Regarding claim 38, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the rear cover comprises first to sixteenth regions [figs. 1-2].
Regarding claims 39-40, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the first vibration device [510 and 410] is disposed in at least one of the sixth to eighth regions, and the tenth to twelfth regions [figs. 1-2 if 300 considered sixteenth regions], and wherein the first vibration device is disposed in at least one of the sixth region, the seventh region, the tenth region, and the eleventh region [figs. 1-2 if 300 considered sixteenth regions].
Regarding claims 41-42, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the second vibration device [530 and 430] is disposed in at least one of the first region, the second region, the fifth region, the sixth region, the ninth region, the tenth region, the thirteenth region, and the fourteenth region, and wherein the second vibration device is disposed in at least one of the first region, the fifth region, the ninth region, and the thirteenth region [figs. 1-2 if 300 considered sixteenth regions].
Regarding claims 43-44, YOU teaches The apparatus of claim 38, wherein: a rear surface of the rear cover [paragraph [0125] teaches The display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a system rear cover 600 on a rear surface of the rear cover 300] comprises a left region and a right region including the first to sixteenth regions [figs. 1-3]; the first rear region comprises one or more of the first to sixteenth regions in the left region and the right region [figs. 1-3]; and the second rear region comprises one or more of the first to sixteenth regions in the left region and the right region [figs. 1-3 show that it can have 16 regions], wherein: the left region includes the first to sixteenth regions from a left uppermost end to a right lowermost end of the rear surface of the rear cover [figs. 1-3 show that it can have 16 regions]; and the right region includes the first to sixteenth regions from a right uppermost end to a left lowermost end of the rear surface of the rear cover [figs. 1-3 show that it can have 16 regions].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-15 | 28-30 | 32-33 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMAD A MUSLEH whose telephone number is ((571)272-9086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 10 am - 7 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S. Ismail can be reached on 571 272 3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/Mohamad A Musleh/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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