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
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 1-8, 10, and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hwang (US 2023/0016706).
Regarding independent claim 1, Hwang teaches a display device comprising a display panel (Fig. 14, Element 20; ¶ [0072]); and a protective film (Fig. 14, Element 10; ¶ [0072]) attached to a rear surface of the display panel through an adhesive layer (Fig. 3, Element 110; ¶ [0078]), wherein the display panel includes a first side (Fig. 11, Element SDA3; ¶ [0134]) extended in a first direction (Fig. 11, Element X of the XYZ coordinates); a second side (Fig. 11, Element SDA2; ¶ [0134]) extended in a second direction (Fig. 11, Element Y of the XYZ coordinates) intersecting the first direction; and a panel corner portion (Fig. 11, Element CP; ¶ [0141]) connecting the first side and the second side and having a curvature, wherein the protective film includes recessed patterns (Fig. 8, Element SPA; ¶ [0112]) disposed adjacent to the panel corner portion and overlapping the adhesive layer (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns disposed at an inner side and at a distance from an outer side surface of the protective film (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 3, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns extended to an outer side surface of the protective film on a plane (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 4, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns disposed within a region of ±20 degrees or more based on a line connecting a center of curvature from a point of maximum curvature of the panel corner portion (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 5, Hwang teaches each of the recessed patterns having a stripe shape in which the recessed patterns are extended along a direction intersecting each of the first direction and the second direction on a plane (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 6, Hwang teaches each of the recessed patterns extended in a direction toward a center of curvature of the panel corner portion from one point of an edge of the panel corner portion (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 7, Hwang teaches an angle between reference lines parallel to extension directions of recessed patterns adjacent to each other among the recessed patterns being 3 degrees or more (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 8, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns comprising first to n-th recessed patterns, wherein an angle between a first reference line parallel to an extension direction of the first recessed pattern and a n-th reference line parallel to an extension direction of the n-th recessed pattern is 65 degrees or more, and the n is a natural number of 2 or greater (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 10, Hwang teaches in a thickness direction, a depth of each of the recessed patterns being equal to or less than a thickness of protective film (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 12, Hwang teaches a width of each of the recessed patterns decreasing with proximity to the display panel (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 13, Hwang teaches the display panel comprising a main display portion (Fig. 11, Element MDA; ¶ [0131]) parallel to the first direction and the second direction; a first side display portion (Fig. 11, Element SDA3; ¶ [0134]) extended from the main display portion in the second direction and curved; and a second side display portion (Fig. 11, Element SDA2; ¶ [0134]) extended from the main display portion in the first direction and curved, wherein the first side and the second side are respectively defined in the first side display portion and the second side display portion (Fig. 11).
Regarding claim 14, Hwang teaches the display panel including a base layer; a circuit layer disposed on the base layer; a display element layer disposed on the circuit layer and including light emitting elements; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the display element layer, wherein the protective film is attached to the base layer. Each of the features of the display panel discussed above is inherent in display panels.
Regarding claim 15, Hwang teaches a light blocking layer disposed below the protective film and overlapping the recessed patterns (¶ [0069]).
Regarding claim 16, Hwang teaches a window (Fig. 12, Element 30; ¶ [0127]) disposed on the display panel, and an adhesive member disposed between the display panel and the window (¶ [0129]).
Regarding independent claim 17, Hwang teaches a display device comprising a display panel (Fig. 14, Element 20; ¶ [0072]) including a panel corner portion (Fig. 11, Element CP; ¶ [0141]) having at least one curvature; and a protective film (Fig. 14, Element 10; ¶ [0072]) disposed on a rear surface of the display panel and including recessed patterns (Fig. 8, Element SPA; ¶ [0112]) adjacent to the panel corner portion, wherein the recessed patterns are disposed within a region of ±20 degrees or more based on a line connecting the center of curvature from a point of maximum curvature of the panel corner portion (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 18, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns comprising first to n-th recessed patterns, wherein an angle between a first reference line parallel to an extension direction of the first recessed pattern and a n-th reference line parallel to an extension direction of the n-th recessed pattern is 65 degrees or more, and the n is a natural number of 2 or greater (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 19, Hwang teaches an angle between reference lines parallel to extension directions of recessed patterns adjacent to each other among the recessed patterns being 3 degrees or more (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 20, Hwang teaches the recessed patterns have a stripe shape or a mesh shape (Fig. 8).
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Won (US 2020/0401185).
Regarding independent claim 1, Won teaches a display device comprising a display panel (Fig. 25, Element 100; ¶ [0082]); and a protective film (Fig. 25, Element PF1_1; ¶ [0100]) attached to a rear surface of the display panel through an adhesive layer (Fig. 25, Element PSA1; ¶ [0089]), wherein the display panel includes a first side (Fig. 4, Element DA1; ¶ [0067]) extended in a first direction (Fig. 4, Element DR1; ¶ [0064]); a second side (Fig. 4, Element DA2; ¶ [0064]) extended in a second direction (Fig. 4, Element DR2) intersecting the first direction; and a panel corner portion (Fig. 4, Element C1; ¶ [0067]) connecting the first side and the second side and having a curvature, wherein the protective film includes recessed patterns (Fig. 25, Element C_PF1_1; ¶ [0100]) disposed adjacent to the panel corner portion and overlapping the adhesive layer (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 2, Won teaches the recessed patterns disposed at an inner side and at a distance from an outer side surface of the protective film (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 3, Won teaches the recessed patterns extended to an outer side surface of the protective film on a plane (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 4, Won teaches the recessed patterns disposed within a region of ±20 degrees or more based on a line connecting a center of curvature from a point of maximum curvature of the panel corner portion (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 5, Won teaches each of the recessed patterns having a stripe shape in which the recessed patterns are extended along a direction intersecting each of the first direction and the second direction on a plane (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 6, Won teaches each of the recessed patterns extended in a direction toward a center of curvature of the panel corner portion from one point of an edge of the panel corner portion (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 7, Won teaches an angle between reference lines parallel to extension directions of recessed patterns adjacent to each other among the recessed patterns being 3 degrees or more (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 8, Won teaches the recessed patterns comprising first to n-th recessed patterns, wherein an angle between a first reference line parallel to an extension direction of the first recessed pattern and a n-th reference line parallel to an extension direction of the n-th recessed pattern is 65 degrees or more, and the n is a natural number of 2 or greater (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 9, Won teaches the recessed patterns having a mesh shape in which the recessed patterns are connected by intersecting each other on a plane (Fig 21).
Regarding claim 10, Won teaches in a thickness direction, a depth of each of the recessed patterns being equal to or less than a thickness of protective film (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 11, Won teaches a width of each of the recessed patterns being constant along the thickness direction (Fig. 23).
Regarding claim 12, Won teaches a width of each of the recessed patterns decreasing with proximity to the display panel (Fig. 24).
Regarding claim 13, Won teaches the display panel comprising a main display portion (Fig. 4, Element DA0; ¶ [0067]) parallel to the first direction and the second direction; a first side display portion (Fig. 4, Element DA1; ¶ [0067]) extended from the main display portion in the second direction and curved; and a second side display portion (Fig. 4, Element DA2; ¶ [0067]) extended from the main display portion in the first direction and curved, wherein the first side and the second side are respectively defined in the first side display portion and the second side display portion (Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 14, Won teaches the display panel including a base layer; a circuit layer disposed on the base layer; a display element layer disposed on the circuit layer and including light emitting elements; and an encapsulation layer disposed on the display element layer, wherein the protective film is attached to the base layer. Each of the features of the display panel discussed above is inherent in display panels (¶ [0081]).
Regarding claim 15, Won teaches a light blocking layer (Fig. 24, Element CF2; ¶ [0117]) disposed below the protective film and overlapping the recessed patterns (¶ [0069]).
Regarding claim 16, Won teaches a window (Fig. 25, Element 20; ¶ [0075]) disposed on the display panel, and an adhesive member (Fig. 25, Element 30; ¶ [0080]) disposed between the display panel and the window.
Regarding independent claim 17, Won teaches a display device comprising a display panel (Fig. 25, Element 100; ¶ [0072]) including a panel corner portion (Fig. 4, Element C1; ¶ [0067]) having at least one curvature; and a protective film (Fig. 25, Element PF1_1; ¶ [0100]) disposed on a rear surface of the display panel and including recessed patterns (Fig. 25, Element C_PF1_1; ¶ [0100]) adjacent to the panel corner portion, wherein the recessed patterns are disposed within a region of ±20 degrees or more based on a line connecting the center of curvature from a point of maximum curvature of the panel corner portion (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 18, Won teaches the recessed patterns comprising first to n-th recessed patterns, wherein an angle between a first reference line parallel to an extension direction of the first recessed pattern and a n-th reference line parallel to an extension direction of the n-th recessed pattern is 65 degrees or more, and the n is a natural number of 2 or greater (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 19, Won teaches an angle between reference lines parallel to extension directions of recessed patterns adjacent to each other among the recessed patterns being 3 degrees or more (Fig. 25).
Regarding claim 20, Won teaches the recessed patterns having a stripe shape or a mesh shape (Fig. 21).
Response to Arguments
Applicant cannot rely upon the certified copy of the foreign priority application to overcome this rejection because a translation of said application has not been made of record in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55. When an English language translation of a non-English language foreign application is required, the translation must be that of the certified copy (of the foreign application as filed) submitted together with a statement that the translation of the certified copy is accurate. See MPEP §§ 215 and 216.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Quarterman whose telephone number is (571)272-2461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 5 September 2026
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