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 .
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, 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 11-14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mimura et al. (US 2009/0115933), (hereinafter, Mimura) in view of CLARK et al. (US 2019/0302959), (hereinafter, CLARK) and in further view of Ogasawara et al. (US 2010/0214195), (hereinafter, Ogasawara).
RE Claim 1, Mimura discloses a display device includes a display region in which an image with uniform display quality is displayed and a curved line can be displayed in the contour. The display panel includes a shielding member 105 and a plurality of pixels arrayed in a display region, wherein the shielding member 105 includes a shielding curved portion having a curved planar shape, and the shielding curved portion shields the plurality of pixels to form a curved contour of the display region. Examiner considers any region that doesn’t contribute to displaying images, hence transmitting light will be considered a non-display area, while any pixel or subpixel that fully contribute to light emission in the display is a display region/area. Mimura discloses a display panel comprising:
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a display area 109 having at least a portion shaped into a curved line, referring to FIG. 1,
a non-display area adjacent to the display area;
a first pixel 110 included in the display area 109;
a second pixel 112 disposed at a position corresponding to the curved line of the display area, referring to FIG. 1, the second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels,
a light shielding member 105 disposed to be overlapped with the second pixel 112, and disposed to correspond to the position of the second pixel 112, referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C; and
Mimura does not disclose a display device includes the first pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; the second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; and a touch wiring surrounding each sub-pixel or wherein a material of the light shielding member is the same as a material of the touch wiring.
However, in the same field of endeavor, CLARK discloses an OLED display device includes a display panel including a plurality of sub-pixels; a shield electrode that is made of a first conductive and opaque material, is located directly on the display panel, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels, and is connected to a touch sensor controller; an insulating layer that covers the shield electrode; a touch sensor electrode that is made of a second conductive and opaque material, is located on the insulating layer, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between some of the plurality of sub-pixels, and overlaps the shield electrode; and a feedline is connected to the touch sensor electrode, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels that is not overlapped by the touch sensor electrode, and routes the touch sensor electrode to the touch sensor controller. Examiner notes that the OLED display comprises plurality of pixels and each pixel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, referring to FIG. 1, hence meeting the claimed limitations of the display comprises a first pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; a second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; and wherein a touch wiring 740 surrounding each sub-pixel “RGB”, referring to FIG. 7A-7B; noting that the presence of a shield electrode 730 in the touch electrode 740 region [0048 and 0060], wherein the touch electrode and shield electrode are made of the same material conductive and opaque material [0048]. Since one of the materials options of making the touch electrode and shield electrode is a stacked layers of Ti/Al/Ti, Ti, copper, nickel, silver or gold [0048], hence meeting the claimed limitation .
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application includes the first pixel of Mimura including a plurality of sub-pixels of CLARK; the second pixel Mimura including a plurality of sub-pixels CLARK; wherein a touch wiring surrounding each sub-pixel in a similar configuration as CLARK’s disclosure in order to achieve a touch sensor while reducing the size of a bezel area of Mimura’s display as well as minimizing light leaks unto the sub-pixel areas, as taught by CLARK.
Furthermore, Mimura does not disclose wherein each of the plurality of sub-pixels of the second pixel includes a light emitting element and a first transistor for driving the light emitting element, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ogasawara discloses in FIGS. 5-9, an irregularly-shaped display panel having a display region with a contour section having a good appearance, comprising an array of a plurality of pixels each constituted by a plurality of sub-pixels; and a plurality of wirings provided along boundaries of the plurality of sub-pixels, wherein a plurality of pixels include a pixel for a contour located in a contour section of the display region; the sub-pixels constituting the pixel for a contour have aperture regions having similar aperture areas to one another and contour lines each running in parallel with a drawing direction of one of the wirings at least on the side of a frame region. Ogasawara discloses a plurality of sub-pixels 171R/171G/171B of the second pixel includes 361, referring to FIG. 8, a light emitting element and a first transistor TFT” 114 for driving the light emitting element 361, referring to FIG. 9, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element [0065-0069].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to arrange subpixels within each pixel of Mimura disclosed display in a similar arrangement to Ogasawara disclosure such that plurality of sub-pixels of the second pixel includes a light emitting element and a first transistor for driving the light emitting element, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element as a well-known pixel structure in order to achieve good appearance at eh contour section as Ogasawara disclosed [abstract].
RE Claim 2, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein:
a first portion of the second pixel is included in the display area, referring FIG. 1;
a second portion of the second pixel is included in the non-display area, referring FIG. 1;
an area of the first portion and an area of the second portion depend on the position of the second pixel. The aforementioned limitation is met, since the portions of the pixel 112 in the non-display area varies according its disposition at the curved surface area of the display panel, referring to FIG. 1C; and
a size of the light shielding member 105 is associated with the area of the second portion, referring to FIG. 1C.
RE Claim 3, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein:
the second pixel 112 comprises a light emission region; and
the light shielding member 105 is disposed on at least a portion of the light emission region, referring to FIG. 1C.
RE Claim 4, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein a ratio of an area of the light shielding member to an area of the light emission region corresponds to a ratio of the area of the second portion to an area of the second pixel. Examiner notes that the limitation is met, since the light shielding member coverage area of the second emitting pixel 112 depends on its disposition at the curved surface of the display panel, a ratio of an area of the light shielding member to an area of the light emission region corresponds to a ratio of the area of the second portion to an area of the second pixel is met.
RE Claim 6, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein the display area has a shape corresponding to an oval “elliptical” shape or a circular shape, referring to FIG. 1 [0058, 0059 and 0063].
RE Claim 11, Mimura discloses a display device includes a display region in which an image with uniform display quality is displayed and a curved line can be displayed in the contour. The display panel includes a shielding member 105 and a plurality of pixels arrayed in a display region, wherein the shielding member 105 includes a shielding curved portion having a curved planar shape, and the shielding curved portion shields the plurality of pixels to form a curved contour of the display region. Examiner considers any region that doesn’t contribute to displaying images, hence transmitting light will be considered a non-display area, while any pixel or subpixel that fully contribute to light emission in the display is a display region/area. Mimura discloses a display panel comprising:
a display area 109 having at least a portion shaped into a curved line, referring to FIG. 1,
a non-display area adjacent to the display area;
a first pixel 110 included in the display area 109;
a second pixel 112 disposed at a position corresponding to the curved line of the display area, referring to FIG. 1, the second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels,
a light shielding member 105 disposed to be overlapped with the second pixel 112, and disposed to correspond to the position of the second pixel 112, referring to FIGS. 1B and 1C; and
Mimura does not disclose a display device includes the first pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; the second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; and a touch wiring surrounding each sub-pixel or wherein a material of the light shielding member is the same as a material of the touch wiring.
However, in the same field of endeavor, CLARK discloses an OLED display device includes a display panel including a plurality of sub-pixels; a shield electrode that is made of a first conductive and opaque material, is located directly on the display panel, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels, and is connected to a touch sensor controller; an insulating layer that covers the shield electrode; a touch sensor electrode that is made of a second conductive and opaque material, is located on the insulating layer, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between some of the plurality of sub-pixels, and overlaps the shield electrode; and a feedline is connected to the touch sensor electrode, overlaps a portion of the display panel in between a portion of the plurality of sub-pixels that is not overlapped by the touch sensor electrode, and routes the touch sensor electrode to the touch sensor controller. Examiner notes that the OLED display comprises plurality of pixels and each pixel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, referring to FIG. 1, hence meeting the claimed limitations of the display comprises a first pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; a second pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels; and wherein a touch wiring 740 surrounding each sub-pixel “RGB”, referring to FIG. 7A-7B; noting that the presence of a shield electrode 730 in the touch electrode 740 region [0048 and 0060], wherein the touch electrode and shield electrode are made of the same material conductive and opaque material [0048]. Since one of the materials options of making the touch electrode and shield electrode is a stacked layers of Ti/Al/Ti, Ti, copper, nickel , silver or gold [0048], hence meeting the claimed limitation .
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application includes the first pixel of Mimura including a plurality of sub-pixels of CLARK; the second pixel Mimura including a plurality of sub-pixels CLARK; wherein a touch wiring surrounding each sub-pixel in a similar configuration as CLARK’s disclosure in order to achieve a touch sensor while reducing the size of a bezel area of Mimura’s display as well as minimizing light leaks unto the sub-pixel areas, as taught by CLARK.
Furthermore, Mimura does not disclose wherein each of the plurality of sub-pixels of the second pixel includes a light emitting element and a first transistor for driving the light emitting element, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ogasawara discloses in FIGS. 5-9, an irregularly-shaped display panel having a display region with a contour section having a good appearance, comprising an array of a plurality of pixels each constituted by a plurality of sub-pixels; and a plurality of wirings provided along boundaries of the plurality of sub-pixels, wherein a plurality of pixels include a pixel for a contour located in a contour section of the display region; the sub-pixels constituting the pixel for a contour have aperture regions having similar aperture areas to one another and contour lines each running in parallel with a drawing direction of one of the wirings at least on the side of a frame region. Ogasawara discloses a plurality of sub-pixels 171R/171G/171B of the second pixel includes 361, referring to FIG. 8, a light emitting element and a first transistor TFT” 114 for driving the light emitting element 361, referring to FIG. 9, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element [0065-0069].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the instant application to arrange subpixels within each pixel of Mimura disclosed display in a similar arrangement to Ogasawara disclosure such that plurality of sub-pixels of the second pixel includes a light emitting element and a first transistor for driving the light emitting element, and wherein the light shielding member is disposed to overlap at least one light emitting element as a well-known pixel structure in order to achieve good appearance at eh contour section as Ogasawara disclosed [abstract].
RE Claim 12, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein:
a first portion of the second pixel is included in the display area, referring FIG. 1;
a second portion of the second pixel is included in the non-display area, referring FIG. 1;
an area of the first portion and an area of the second portion depend on the position of the second pixel. The aforementioned limitation is met, since the portions of the pixel 112 in the non-display area varies according its disposition at the curved surface area of the display panel, referring to FIG. 1C; and
a size of the light shielding member 105 is associated with the area of the second portion, referring to FIG. 1C.
RE Claim 13, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein:
the second pixel 112 comprises a light emission region; and
the light shielding member 105 is disposed on at least a portion of the light emission region, referring to FIG. 1C.
RE Claim 14, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein a ratio of an area of the light shielding member to an area of the light emission region corresponds to a ratio of the area of the second portion to an area of the second pixel. Examiner notes that the limitation is met, since the light shielding member coverage area of the second emitting pixel 112 depends on its disposition at the curved surface of the display panel, a ratio of an area of the light shielding member to an area of the light emission region corresponds to a ratio of the area of the second portion to an area of the second pixel is met.
RE Claim 16, Mimura discloses a display panel, wherein the display area has a shape corresponding to an oval “elliptical” shape or a circular shape, referring to FIG. 1 [0058, 0059 and 0063].
RE Claim 5 and 15, Mimura does not disclose a display panel, wherein the light shielding member has a shape corresponding to a shape of the second pixel, a quadrangular shape, or a shape of a periphery of the second pixel.
However, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant application to have the light shielding member has a shape corresponding to a shape of the second pixel, a quadrangular shape, or a shape of a periphery of the second pixel, absent unexpected results, since the court has held the choice of shape of device was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed container was significant, In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 17-20 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YASSER ABDELAZIEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5783. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9 am - 6 pm.
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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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/YASSER A ABDELAZIEZ, PhD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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