DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the communication filed on December 5, 2025. Claims 1 and 3-18 remain pending in this application. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims 1 and 17 in the Remarks section (pages 10-13) have been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the current combination of references being used in the current rejection.
U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0019849 A1 by Zheng et al. (“Zheng”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0315075 A1 by Wan et al. (“Wan,”) and further in view of Foreign Patent Publication CN 107422517A by Zheng, Wu, et al. (“Wu,”) for which the machine language citation will be used for the citations below, address the limitations set forth in the amended claims as the new grounds for rejection.
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered with respect to 3-16 and 18 in the Remarks section (page 13) but they are not persuasive as the claims depend upon the features recited in the amended independent claims.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, 11-12, and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0019849 A1 by Zheng in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0315075 A1 by Wan, and further in view of Foreign Patent Publication CN 107422517A by Wu.
Regarding claim 1, Zheng teaches a profiled display panel (Figs. 2-4) comprising:
a profiled edge (Fig. 2, profiled border Y; [0032], As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of the profiled display panel has a profiled border Y);
a regular display area (Fig. 2, display area away from border Y; [0032], the regular pixel CP is arranged away from the profiled border Y);
a profiled display area (Fig. 2, the display region near the profiled border as in [0032]), the profiled display area at least partially surrounding the regular display area, the profiled display area including the profiled edge (Fig. 2, the display region near the profiled border surrounds regular pixels CP; [0032], As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of the profiled display panel has a profiled border Y); and
a plurality of pixel units, the profiled display area is divided into a plurality of first pixel units; the regular display area is divided into a plurality of second pixel units; (Fig. 2; [0032], The pixel group PZ serves as a part of the pixel row PH or the pixel column PL, and includes the low-brightness pixel DP as a first pixel unit at one end of the pixel group PZ and the regular pixel CP as a second pixel unit at the other end of the pixel group PZ), wherein:
an orthographic projection area of the first pixel unit on a light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel is S1, and an orthographic projection of area of the second pixel unit on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel is S2, S1≤ S2, the profiled display area includes a first area, and in the first area, S1<S2 (Fig. 4, area of low brightness pixels DP was less compared to area of regular pixels CP; [0035], the first edges B1 of the sub-pixels in each of the regular pixels CP are all in a first straight line X1 and the second edges B2 are all in a second straight line X2. At least one first edge B1 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the first straight line X1, and/or, at least one second edge B2 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the second straight line X2, resulting in a smaller projection/less brightness);
the first pixel unit includes at least two sub-pixels aligned along the first direction, and along the first direction along which the at least two sub-pixels aligned (Fig. 3, RGB; [0034], Further, in some optional embodiments, in a pixel group including low-brightness pixels, the regular pixels are arranged away from the profiled border, and each of the low-brightness pixel and the regular pixel includes at least three sub-pixels having different colors sequentially arranged in the first direction).
However, Zheng does not teach there is at least one row of second pixel units in the regular display area aligned with two rows of complete first pixel units arranged in parallel in a first direction from the regular display area to the profiled display area, and the at least one row of second pixel units and the two rows of the complete first pixel units are all aligned along the first direction.
In the analogous art of display panels including a central display region and a bent display region such as with profiled or rounded corners, Wan teaches central display region included a plurality of first pixels and the bent display region included a plurality of second pixels. A number of second pixels in a unit area is greater than the number of first pixels in a unit area, such that two complete rows of first pixels aligned with one row of second pixels aligned in a row direction from the bent edge to the central display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0002], [0004], and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to have such a first pixel to second pixel arrangement to have more pixel density/pixels per inch in the bent region compared to the central region in Zheng as taught by Wan. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the number of a plurality of second pixels P2 for gray-scale transition in the bent display region RA1 increases, the plurality of second pixels P2 vary in brightness by different gray scales, the span of gray scale can be reduced, the aliasing phenomenon at the edge of the bent display region can be improved, thereby resulting a uniform gray-scale transition in the bent display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0034] and [0036]).
Zheng in view of Wan does not teach a light transmission area of each of the at least two sub-pixels is biased to a side of the regular display area, and along the first direction, a minimum distance between a center point of the light transmission area of each of the at least two sub-pixels and the regular display area is smaller than a minimum distance between a center point of its orthographic projection on the light- emitting surface of the profiled display panel and the regular display area.
However, in the analogous art of special non-rectangular/profiled displays, Wu teaches the special-shaped boundary of the display panel could have caused jagged lines affecting the display (Wu Page 2 , first paragraph). Low brightness pixels were located near the display contour have opening areas corresponding to sub-pixels with different colors (Wu Fig. 5; Page 12, first and second paragraph). As shown in FIG. 6, in a first direction a, The opening of the sub-pixel has an opposite first edge B1 and a second edge B2, the second edge B2 is away from the special-shaped boundary Y with respect to the first edge B1, and the second edge B2 of sub-pixels located in the same straight line in the second direction b are located in the same straight line X. In this embodiment, the opening area of the sub-pixel of the low-brightness pixel DP is closer to the display area than the special-shaped border. Therefore, the center points of the light transmission areas to the regular display area were smaller than the center points of their orthographic projections to the regular display area (Wu Figs. 5 and 6; Page 13, first paragraph). It would have been obvious to have moved the opening areas of the sub-pixels closer to the displays areas to adjust aperture area in a relatively simple and easy implementable way. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve low-brightness pixels close to the special-shaped boundary provided by the special-shaped display panel improve the sawtooth phenomenon in a simple and implantable way (Wu Fig. 5; Page 12, first and second paragraph and Page 13, first paragraph).
Regarding claim 3, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: in the first area, along the first direction and/or the second direction, the orthographic projection areas of at least two adjacent first pixel units on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel are the same (See Fig. 4, row two where two low brightness pixels had same aperture/orthographic projection); and along the first direction and/or the second direction, a light transmission area of the first pixel unit close to the profiled edge is smaller than a light transmission area of the first pixel unit away from the profiled edge (Fig. 4, orthographic region of low brightness pixels DP was less compared to orthographic region of regular pixels CP; [0035], the first edges B1 of the sub-pixels in each of the regular pixels CP are all in a first straight line X1 and the second edges B2 are all in a second straight line X2. At least one first edge B1 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the first straight line X1, and/or, at least one second edge B2 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the second straight line X2. Therefore, smaller aperture low-brightness DP and DP1 had less light transmission than full size aperture regular pixel CPs).
Regarding claim 4, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: in the first area, along the first direction and/or the second direction, at least two adjacent first pixel units have different orthographic projection areas on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel (See Fig. 4, row two where two low brightness pixels had different apertures/orthographic projections).
Regarding claim 5, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 4, wherein: in the first area, the first pixel unit includes a first pixel unit A and a first pixel unit B, an orthographic projection area of the first pixel unit A on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel being S11, an orthographic projection area of the first pixel unit B on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel being S12, S11<S12 (Fig. 4, orthographic region of low brightness pixel DP was less compared to orthographic region of low brightness DP1; [0035], the first edges B1 of the sub-pixels in each of the regular pixels CP are all in a first straight line X1 and the second edges B2 are all in a second straight line X2. At least one first edge B1 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the first straight line X1, and/or, at least one second edge B2 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the second straight line X2, resulting in a smaller projection/less brightness);
along the first direction, the first pixel unit B is located on a side of the first pixel unit A facing the regular display area; and/or, along the second direction, the first pixel unit B is located on the side of the first pixel unit A facing the regular display area (See in Fig. 4, low brightness pixel DP1 was on a side facing regular pixel CP in a horizontal B direction and on the side of regular pixel CP of a second row in a vertical b direction).
Regarding claim 6, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: the profiled display area further includes a second area, the second area being located between the first area and the regular display area along a direction in which the profiled display area points to the regular display area, in the second area, S1=S2 and R1=R2 (Fig. 4, second area includes second row of pixels including regular pixels CP below low brightness pixels DP and DP1 that had same orthographic projection of regular pixels CP and same center points).
However, Zheng does not teach center points of two first pixel units adjacently arranged along the first direction have a distance R1 therebetween along the first direction, and/or center points of two first pixel units adjacently arranged along a second direction have a distance R1 therebetween along the second direction center points of two second pixel units adjacently arranged along the first direction have a distance R2 therebetween along the first direction, and/or center points of two second pixel units adjacently arranged along the second direction have a distance R2 therebetween along the second direction, wherein R1<R2.
In the analogous art of display panels including a central display region and a bent display region such as with profiled or rounded corners, Wan teaches central display region included a plurality of first pixels and the bent display region included a plurality of second pixels. A number of second pixels in a unit area is greater than the number of first pixels in a unit area, such that two complete rows of first pixels aligned with one row of second pixels aligned in a row direction from the bent edge to the central display region. The smaller second pixel have center points that are smaller in a row direction than the center points of the first pixels. (Wan Fig. 4; [0002], [0004], and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to have such a first pixel to second pixel arrangement to have more pixel density/pixels per inch in the bent region compared to the central region in Zheng as taught by Wan. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the number of a plurality of second pixels P2 for gray-scale transition in the bent display region RA1 increases, the plurality of second pixels P2 vary in brightness by different gray scales, the span of gray scale can be reduced, the aliasing phenomenon at the edge of the bent display region can be improved, thereby resulting a uniform gray-scale transition in the bent display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0034] and [0036]).
Regarding claim 11, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: in the first area, along the first direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D1, or along the second direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D2, D1<D2 (See Fig. 4, row two where two low brightness pixels had same aperture/orthographic projection in horizontal direction as compared to in the downward column direction the low brightness pixels had different apertures and a longer center point as column direction aperture was longer).
Zheng does not explicitly teach longer apertures had longer center points, or along the second direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D2, D1<D2. However, in the analogous art of differently sized sub-pixels in pixels, Xiao teaches a distance between the centers of two adjacent first sub-pixels is a first value (D1 + D2), the distance between two adjacent second sub-pixels is a second value (D3 +D3), and the first value and the second value are different as D1>D2>D3 where first sub-pixels had larger apertures and larger distances between center points. They are not equidistantly arranged so the center spacing is not equal (Niu Fig. 3; [0055] and [0090]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention that the low-brightness pixels and regular pixels are not equidistantly arranged and their center points would have different values based on their respective sizes as taught by Niu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to enable the brightness centers of the virtual pixels are arranged more uniformly, improve the display effect by avoiding the graininess and distortion of the display. and the brightness center of the virtual pixel can be displaced without moving the position of the sub-pixel, and the implementation cost is low (Niu Fig. 3; [0055] and [0090]).
Regarding claim 12, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: in the first area, along the first direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D1, along the second direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D2, D2<D1 (See Fig. 4, row two where two low brightness pixels had same aperture/orthographic projection in horizontal direction as compared to in the upward column direction the low brightness pixels had different apertures and a longer center point as column direction aperture was longer).
Zheng does not explicitly teach longer apertures had longer center points, or along the second direction, the distance between the center points of at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units is D2, D1<D2. However, in the analogous art of differently sized sub-pixels in pixels, Xiao teaches a distance between the centers of two adjacent first sub-pixels is a first value (D1 + D2), the distance between two adjacent second sub-pixels is a second value (D3 +D3), and the first value and the second value are different as D1>D2>D3 where first sub-pixels had larger apertures and larger distances between center points. They are not equidistantly arranged so the center spacing is not equal (Niu Fig. 3; [0055] and [0090]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention that the low-brightness pixels and regular pixels are not equidistantly arranged and their center points would have different values based on their respective sizes as taught by Niu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to enable the brightness centers of the virtual pixels are arranged more uniformly, improve the display effect by avoiding the graininess and distortion of the display. and the brightness center of the virtual pixel can be displaced without moving the position of the sub-pixel, and the implementation cost is low (Niu Fig. 3; [0055] and [0090]).
Regarding claim 17, Zheng teaches a display device comprising: a profiled display panel (Figs. 2-4) comprising:
a profiled edge (Fig. 2, profiled border Y; [0032], As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of the profiled display panel has a profiled border Y);
a regular display area (Fig. 2, display area away from border Y; [0032], the regular pixel CP is arranged away from the profiled border Y);
a profiled display area (Fig. 2, the display region near the profiled border as in [0032]), the profiled display area at least partially surrounding the regular display area, the profiled display area including the profiled edge (Fig. 2, the display region near the profiled border surrounds regular pixels CP; [0032], As shown in FIG. 2, a display region of the profiled display panel has a profiled border Y); and
a plurality of pixel units, the profiled display area is divided into a plurality of first pixel units; the regular display area is divided into a plurality of second pixel units; (Fig. 2; [0032], The pixel group PZ serves as a part of the pixel row PH or the pixel column PL, and includes the low-brightness pixel DP as a first pixel unit at one end of the pixel group PZ and the regular pixel CP as a second pixel unit at the other end of the pixel group PZ), wherein:
an orthographic projection area of the first pixel unit on a light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel is S1, and an orthographic projection of area of the second pixel unit on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel is S2, S1≤ S2, the profiled display area includes a first area, and in the first area, S1<S2 (Fig. 4, area of low brightness pixels DP was less compared to area of regular pixels CP; [0035], the first edges B1 of the sub-pixels in each of the regular pixels CP are all in a first straight line X1 and the second edges B2 are all in a second straight line X2. At least one first edge B1 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the first straight line X1, and/or, at least one second edge B2 of the sub-pixels in the respective low-brightness pixel DP is not in the second straight line X2, resulting in a smaller projection/less brightness);
the first pixel unit includes at least two sub-pixels aligned along the first direction, and along the first direction along which the at least two sub-pixels aligned (Fig. 3, RGB; [0034], Further, in some optional embodiments, in a pixel group including low-brightness pixels, the regular pixels are arranged away from the profiled border, and each of the low-brightness pixel and the regular pixel includes at least three sub-pixels having different colors sequentially arranged in the first direction).
However, Zheng does not teach there is at least one row of second pixel units in the regular display area aligned with two rows of complete first pixel units arranged in parallel in a first direction from the regular display area to the profiled display area, and the at least one row of second pixel units and the two rows of the complete first pixel units are all aligned along the first direction.
In the analogous art of display panels including a central display region and a bent display region such as with profiled or rounded corners, Wan teaches central display region included a plurality of first pixels and the bent display region included a plurality of second pixels. A number of second pixels in a unit area is greater than the number of first pixels in a unit area, such that two complete rows of first pixels aligned with one row of second pixels aligned in a row direction from the bent edge to the central display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0002], [0004], and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to have such a first pixel to second pixel arrangement to have more pixel density/pixels per inch in the bent region compared to the central region in Zheng as taught by Wan. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the number of a plurality of second pixels P2 for gray-scale transition in the bent display region RA1 increases, the plurality of second pixels P2 vary in brightness by different gray scales, the span of gray scale can be reduced, the aliasing phenomenon at the edge of the bent display region can be improved, thereby resulting a uniform gray-scale transition in the bent display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0034] and [0036]).
Zheng in view of Wan does not teach a light transmission area of each of the at least two sub-pixels is biased to a side of the regular display area, and along the first direction, a minimum distance between a center point of the light transmission area of each of the at least two sub-pixels and the regular display area is smaller than a minimum distance between a center point of its orthographic projection on the light- emitting surface of the profiled display panel and the regular display area.
However, in the analogous art of special non-rectangular/profiled displays, Wu teaches the special-shaped boundary of the display panel could have caused jagged lines affecting the display (Wu Page 2 , first paragraph). Low brightness pixels were located near the display contour have opening areas corresponding to sub-pixels with different colors (Wu Fig. 5; Page 12, first and second paragraph). As shown in FIG. 6, in a first direction a, The opening of the sub-pixel has an opposite first edge B1 and a second edge B2, the second edge B2 is away from the special-shaped boundary Y with respect to the first edge B1, and the second edge B2 of sub-pixels located in the same straight line in the second direction b are located in the same straight line X. In this embodiment, the opening area of the sub-pixel of the low-brightness pixel DP is closer to the display area than the special-shaped border. Therefore, the center points of the light transmission areas to the regular display area were smaller than the center points of their orthographic projections to the regular display area (Wu Figs. 5 and 6; Page 13, first paragraph). It would have been obvious to have moved the opening areas of the sub-pixels closer to the displays areas to adjust aperture area in a relatively simple and easy implementable way. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve low-brightness pixels close to the special-shaped boundary provided by the special-shaped display panel improve the sawtooth phenomenon in a simple and implantable way (Wu Fig. 5; Page 12, first and second paragraph and Page 13, first paragraph).
Regarding claim 18, Zheng does not teach the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein there are at least two rows of second pixel units in the regular display area, each row of second pixel units aligned with two respective rows of complete first pixel units arranged in parallel in the direction from the regular display area to the profiled display area, and the at least two rows of second pixels do not align with a shared row of complete first pixel units.
In the analogous art of display panels including a central display region and a bent display region such as with profiled or rounded corners, Wan teaches central display region included a plurality of first pixels and the bent display region included a plurality of second pixels. A number of second pixels in a unit area is greater than the number of first pixels in a unit area, such that two complete rows of first pixels aligned with one row of second pixels aligned in a row direction from the bent edge to the central display region. The second row and third row from the top of second pixels in Fig. 4 do not align with a shared row of first pixels. (Wan Fig. 4; [0002], [0004], and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date to have such a first pixel to second pixel arrangement to have more pixel density/pixels per inch in the bent region compared to the central region in Zheng as taught by Wan. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have the number of a plurality of second pixels P2 for gray-scale transition in the bent display region RA1 increases, the plurality of second pixels P2 vary in brightness by different gray scales, the span of gray scale can be reduced, the aliasing phenomenon at the edge of the bent display region can be improved, thereby resulting a uniform gray-scale transition in the bent display region (Wan Fig. 4; [0034] and [0036]).
Claims 7-10 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0019849 A1 by Zheng in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2024/0315075 A1 by Wan and Foreign Patent Publication CN 107422517 A by Wu, and further in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0147803 A1 by Liu et al. (“Liu.”)
Regarding claim 7, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 6, wherein: in the second area, the light transmission area of the first pixel unit is smaller than a light transmission area of the second pixel unit (Fig. 4, second area includes second row of pixels including regular pixels CP and further low brightness pixels below low brightness pixels DP and DP1 where the low brightness pixels had less aperture than regular pixels as in [0031]).
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 8, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 7, wherein: in the second area, the orthographic projection areas of the first pixel units on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel are the same (Fig. 4, second area includes second row of pixels and second column of low brightness pixels where some low brightness pixels had same orthographic project and some did not);
in the second area, the first pixel unit include a first pixel unit C and a first pixel unit D, the light transmission area of the first pixel unit C being P1, the light transmission area of the first pixel unit D being P2, P1<P2; along the first direction (Fig. 4, second area includes second row of pixels and second column of low brightness pixels where some low brightness pixels had same orthographic project and some did not and the ones further away were smaller in aperture than the ones near regular pixels CP); ,
the first pixel unit D is located on a side of the first pixel unit C facing the regular display area; and/or, along the second direction, the first pixel unit D is located on the side of the first pixel unit C facing the regular display area ([0033], Meanwhile, if the aperture area of the respective low-brightness pixel in a same pixel group gradually increases in the direction from the profiled border to the display region)
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
.
Regarding claim 9, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: in the profiled display area, the orthographic projection areas of the first pixel units on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel are the same (Fig. 4, second area includes second row of pixels and second column of low brightness pixels where some low brightness pixels had same orthographic project and some did not), and the distance between the center points of two adjacently arranged first pixel units arranged along the first direction and/or the second direction is the same; and along the first direction and/or the second direction, the light transmission area of the first pixel unit on the side close to the regular display area is larger than the light transmission area of the first pixel unit on the side away from the regular display area ([0033], Meanwhile, if the aperture area of the respective low-brightness pixel in a same pixel group gradually increases in the direction from the profiled border to the display region).
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 10, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 9, wherein: along the first direction, at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units have the same light transmission area; and/or, along the second direction, at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units have the same light transmission area (See Fig. 4, row two along horizontal direction B where two low brightness pixels had same aperture/orthographic projection);
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 13, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: the first pixel unit includes at least one sub-pixel, a minimum distance between a center point of the light transmission area of the sub-pixel and the regular display area is smaller than a minimum distance between the center point of its orthographic projection on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display panel and the regular display area (Fig. 5, low brightness display pixels DPA are horizontally shifted with respect to the profiled edge and therefore the minimum distance between the translated center point of a light transmission area of a sub-pixel and the regular display area in a vertical direction was less than the minimum distance of the center point of the orthographic projection on the light-emitting surface of the profiled display; [0039], That is, the aperture height of the respective sub-pixels in the first low-brightness pixel in the second direction is smaller than the height of the aperture of the regular pixel in the second direction. The distances between the first edges of the respective sub-pixels in the first low-brightness pixel and the second straight line may be the same or different).
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 14, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 1, wherein: the pixel unit include M color sub-pixels, M≥2 ([0034], each of the low-brightness pixel and the regular pixel includes at least three sub-pixels having different colors sequentially arranged in the first direction; and a ratio of a sum of the light transmission areas of any one of the color sub-pixels in the profiled display area to a sum of the areas of the first pixel units is equal to a ratio of a sum of the light transmission areas of the sub-pixels of the same color in the regular display area to a sum of areas of the second pixel units (Fig. 7, ratio of red sub-pixels as 1/3 of the sum of all areas of all sub-pixels of the first area is the same as the ratio of red sub-sub-pixels as 1/3 of the sum of all sub-pixels in regular display area).
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 15, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 14, wherein: along an extension direction of the profiled edge, the profiled display area includes a third area, the third area including a plurality of first pixel units, the ratio of the sum of the light transmission areas of at least one color sub-pixel in the third area to the sum of the corresponding areas of all first pixel units not being equal to the ratio of the sum of the light transmission areas of the sub-pixels of the same color in the regular display area to the sum of areas of the second pixel units (Fig. 5, ratio of red sub-pixels DPA as 1/3 of the sum of all areas of all sub-pixels of a third area including DPA and DPB is the not the same as the ratio of red sub-sub-pixels as 1/3 of the sum of all sub-pixels in regular display area);
along the extension direction of the profiled edge, in N adjacently arranged first pixel units, the ratio of the sum of light transmission areas of any color sub-pixel to the sum of the corresponding areas of the first pixel units is equal to the ratio of the sum of the light transmission areas of the sub-pixels of the same color in the regular display area to the sum of the areas of the second pixel units; N≥2 and N being an integer (Fig. 7, ratio of red sub-pixels as 1/3 of the sum of all areas of all sub-pixels of the first area is the same as the ratio of red sub-sub-pixels as 1/3 of the sum of all sub-pixels in regular display area).
However, Zheng in view of Wan does not teach the relationship between aperture and light transmission. However, in the analogous art of display pixels, Liu teaches the aperture ratio of the pixel is a ratio of a light transmission surface to a pixel area, and the light transmission area refers to an area of an effective light transmission region during display (Liu [0064]). It would be obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had low brightness pixels of Zheng to have had lower light transmission as taught by Liu. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to determine light transmission based on the aperture ratio, combining known prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. In that way, the subpixel was able to have been configured for a light-emitting intensity AP1 of the effective light transmission region of each subpixel may satisfy AP1=w×AP0; wherein AP0 refers to a light-emitting intensity of an actual light transmission region of the subpixel, and w refers to an area ratio of the effective light transmission area to the actual light transmission area (Liu [0064]).
Regarding claim 16, Zheng of the combination of references further teaches the profiled display panel according to claim 14, wherein: along the extension direction of the profiled edge, for at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units, any one of the color sub-pixels in one of the at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units being arranged close to the profiled edge, the sub-pixels of the same color in another first pixel unit of the at least two adjacently arranged first pixel units being arranged away from the profiled edge (Figs. 3 and 4, row 3 low brightness pixel had red sub-pixel arranged away from profiled edge and row 3 second column brightness pixel had red sub-pixel arranged close to profiled edge; [0034], each of the low-brightness pixel and the regular pixel includes at least three sub-pixels having different colors sequentially arranged in the first direction).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CN 108519698 A by Cai teaches special-shaped display panels had a sawtooth phenomenon occurring at non-rectangular or shaped boundary regions of the display panel. At a position close to the profile boundary Y', the pixel row pH' is retracted relative to the adjacent pixel row pH', that is, two adjacent pixel rows. The number of pixels p' disposed in the pH' is not equal, causing the display area to form a plurality of steps T' near the shaped boundary Y', and the display panel has a sawtooth shape at the edge of the display area when displayed, which affects the display effect.
US Patent 11,233,095 B2 by Lv et al. teaches a display substrate, comprising: a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in an array in a display area, wherein the display area comprises a boundary extending in a non-straight line, the plurality of sub-pixels arranged in the array comprise a plurality of first sub-pixels whose distances to the boundary are less than a preset threshold and a plurality of second sub-pixels other than the plurality of first sub-pixels, and at least a portion of the plurality of first sub-pixels is smaller in area than each of the plurality of second sub-pixels.
U.S. Patent Publication 2021/0028247 A1 by Long et al. teaches the plurality of pixels include a plurality of pixels disposed in the main display region and a plurality of pixels disposed in the at least one special-shaped display region. In each pixel disposed at a corresponding position of the arc-shaped edge, the at least one green sub-pixel is disposed at a side of the at least one other color sub-pixel proximate to the arc-shaped edge.
Foreign Patent Publication CN 108321183 B by Lu teaches decreasing the areas of the electrode layers of the sub-pixels in the irregular display area compared to those in the central display area.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHEEN I JAVED whose telephone number is (571)272-0825. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, AMR AWAD can be reached on 571-272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MAHEEN I JAVED/Examiner, Art Unit 2621
/AMR A AWAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2621