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 .
This Office Action is in response to the application filed June 30, 2022.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the second fan-out lines located between the first fan-out lines and the data lines must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: DRIVING CIRCUIT AND DISPLAY PANEL INCLUDING DISPLAY REGION FAN-OUT LINES.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
It is not understood how the second fan-out lines are located between the first fan-out lines and the data lines when actually the first fan-out lines and the data lines are on the same level and above the second fan-out lines.
Claims 2-20 are rejected as being dependent upon rejected claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
As best understood, claim(s) 1-3 and 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al. (US 2019/0278145 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Tanaka et al. teach a driving circuit 1, wherein the driving circuit 1 comprises a display region R and a driving chip 14A/B located out of the display region R, the driving circuit 1 at least comprises: first fan-out lines 120P located in the display region R and electrically connected to the driving chip 14A/B; second fan-out lines 12P located in the display region R and connected to the first fan-out lines 120P; and data lines 12Q located in the display region R and connected to the second fan-out lines 12P, and wherein the first fan-out lines 120P, the second fan-out lines 12P, and the data lines 12Q are located in different layers, and the second fan-out lines 12P are located between the first fan-out lines 120P and the data lines 12Q (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
In regard to claim 2, Tanaka et al. teach the second fan-out lines 12P connected to the first fan-out lines 120P through first via holes CHa, and the data lines are connected to the second fan-out lines through second via holes 120Q (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
In regard to claim 3, Tanaka et al. teach the first fan-out lines 120P disposed from a bottom section of the display region R along a first direction, the second fan-out lines 12P bent relative to the first fan-out lines 120P, and the first via holes Cha are located at bending positions of the second fan-out lines 12P and the first fan-out lines 120P (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
In regard to claim 11, Tanaka et al. teach a display panel 100, wherein the display panel 100 at least comprises the driving circuit 1 as claimed in claim 1 (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
In regard to claim 12, Tanaka et al. teach the second fan-out lines 12P connected to the first fan-out lines 120P through first via holes CHa, and the data lines 12Q connected to the second fan-out lines 12P through second via holes 120Q (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
In regard to claim 13, Tanaka et al. teach the first fan-out lines 120P disposed from a bottom section of the display region R along a first direction, the second fan-out lines 12P bent relative to the first fan-out lines 120P, and the first via holes Cha are located at bending positions of the second fan-out lines 12P and the first fan-out lines 120P (Figures 1-3, pages 2-3, paragraphs [0040]-[0056]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 14-15 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.
Claims 6-10 are objected to as being dependent upon objected claim 5.
Claims 16-20 are objected to as being dependent upon objected claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to driving circuits:
He et al. (CN 114497151 A) Lee et al. (US 2016/0358939 A1)
Lee et al. (US 2021/0028261 A1) Park (US 2012/0098811 A1)
Shih et al. (US 2020/0363688 A1) Shin et al. (US 2016/0377904 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IDA M SOWARD whose telephone number is (571)272-1845. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 7am to 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IMS
January 13, 2026
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898