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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-10 and 27-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Jeon et al. (US. Pub: 2021/0202676A1~hereinafter “Jeon”).
Regarding claim 1, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8) a display apparatus comprising: a substrate (100) including a display area (AA; [0084]) including a plurality of pixels (P; [0084]) disposed along a first direction and a second direction intersecting with the first direction (see at least fig. 1A; i.e. the X and Y directions; [0091]-[0092]); a gate driving circuit (150; abstract; [0013]-[0014]; [0140]-[0141]) disposed at the display area, the gate driving circuit including a plurality of branch circuits (151; [0223]-[0224]) configured to supply a scan signal to the plurality of pixels (abstract; [0014]); and a plurality of lines (GCL; [0142]-[0144]; [0383]; [0384]; figs. 6-8 and 11) disposed at a region between two pixels adjacent to each other along the first direction among the plurality of pixels (see at least fig. 6), the plurality of lines (GCL) extending in the second direction and selectively connected to the plurality of branch circuits (best seen at least fig. 11), wherein a number of lines (GL) disposed at a region between the two pixels adjacent to each other along the first direction is the same (see at least fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8) all lateral surfaces of the display area are provided in a structure which directly contacts air ([0088]).
Regarding claim 3, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8; abstract; [0021]) a pad part disposed in the display area and having a plurality of pads connected to each of the plurality of pixels and the gate driving circuit.
Regarding claim 4, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8; abstract; [0021]-[0022]) the pad part is disposed in an outmost pixel disposed at a periphery portion of the substrate parallel to the first direction.
Regarding claim 5, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8) the gate driving circuit (150) further includes a branch network (153) electrically connecting the plurality of branch circuits (see at least fig. 6).
Regarding claim 7, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8; [0225]) the branch network (153) includes a plurality of control nodes and a plurality of network lines extending in parallel to the first direction (see at least figs. 6 and 7), and wherein each of the plurality of control nodes is electrically connected to a gate electrode of a thin film transistor included in one or more of the plurality of branch circuits ([0222]-[0227]).
Regarding claim 8, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-11) some of the plurality of control nodes (Q, QBo and QBe) and some of the plurality of network lines are configured to share the plurality of branch circuits arranged adjacent to one another along the second direction ([0391]-[0393]).
Regarding claim 9, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8) the display area comprises: a plurality of pixel groups each including two or more adjacent pixels (see at least figs. 1A and 4), and each of the plurality of branch circuits (151) is disposed between the plurality of pixel groups.
Regarding claim 10, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-8; [0143]; [0803]) the plurality of lines comprise: a gate control line, a carry signal line, and a dummy line, and the plurality of lines disposed at the region between two pixels adjacent to each other along the first direction comprise the gate control line and the dummy line, or comprise the carry signal line and the dummy line.
Regarding claim 27, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-17) a rear substrate (200; [0146]) coupled to a rear surface of the substrate (100) by using a coupling member (300; [0147]); and a routing portion disposed at an outer surface of the substrate and an outer surface of the rear substrate (see at least abstract; figs. 4 and 5; [0128]), the routing portion including a plurality of routing lines connected to the plurality of pixels (see at least figs. 4 and 5).
Regarding claim 28, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-17) each of the plurality of pixels comprises: an emission part including a light emitting device (see figs. 15-17); and a transmissive part at a periphery of the emission part (see at least figs. 4, 7, 14-17), and wherein each of the plurality of branch circuits is disposed at the transmissive part (see at least figs. 1-17).
Regarding claim 29, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-17 and 36-88) a multi-screen display apparatus (at least title), comprising: a plurality of display apparatuses, wherein each of the plurality of display apparatuses is the display apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the plurality of display apparatuses are disposed along at least one direction among the first direction and the second direction intersecting with the first direction ([0021]-[0022]).
Regarding claim 30, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-17 and 36-38) each of the plurality of pixels disposed at a display area of each of the plurality of display apparatuses comprises: an emission part including a light emitting device (ED; see at least figs. 6, 15-17); and a transmissive part at a periphery of the emission part (see at least figs. 15-17 and 36-38), and wherein each of the plurality of branch circuits (1511 to 151n) is disposed at the transmissive part (see figs. 4, 7 and 14).
Regarding claim 31, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-17 and 36-38; [0943]-[0949]) the multi-screen display apparatus of claim 29, wherein in a first display apparatus (100) and a second display apparatus adjacent to each other along the first direction and the second direction among the plurality of display apparatuses (see at least figs. 36-38), a distance between a center portion of an outermost pixel of the first display apparatus and a center portion of an outermost pixel of the second display apparatus is less than or equal to a pixel pitch ([0945]; see at least fig. 38), and wherein the pixel pitch is a distance between center portions of two adjacent pixels disposed at each of the plurality of display apparatuses (see at least fig. 38).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. (US. Pub: 2021/0202676A1~hereinafter “Jeon”).
Regarding claim 6, Jeon discloses all the claimed limitations except for the branch network includes a transparent conductive material configured to transmit light.
However, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 1-34; [0223]) “The plurality of branch circuits 1511 to 151n may be selectively connected to the lines of the gate control line group GCL through the branch network 153 and may be electrically connected to one another through the branch network 153.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to consider using a transparent conductive material to form the branch network of Jeon, since it has been held that the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination.
Regarding claim 11, Jeon does not expressly disclose the carry signal line has a length corresponding to a size of four adjacent pixels along the second direction.
However, Jeon discloses (in at least figs. 6-8 and 11; [0383]) the display device comprised of, in part, a plurality of carry signal lines ([0383]) disposed at a region between two pixels adjacent to each other along the first direction among the plurality of pixels (see at least fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to consider forming the carry signal line of Jeon with a length corresponding to a size of the four adjacent pixels along the second direction through design choice. Applicant has not disclosed the recited length is for a particular unobvious purpose, produces an unexpected results, and it appears prima facie the process would possess utility using the carry signal line length of Jeon.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-26 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELMITO BREVAL whose telephone number is (571)270-3099. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th~ 7:30-5:30.
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ELMITO BREVAL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/ELMITO BREVAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875