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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 04/30/2026 has been entered.
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.
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Claim(s) 1-5, 7-16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102((a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato et al. (US 2020/0127075l; hereinafter, “Sato”, of record).
Regarding claims 1-5 and 7-10:
re claim 1, Sato discloses a display apparatus comprising:
a substrate 10 (Fig. 3 and [0032]) comprising a first area A1 (Figs. 1, 3 and [0032]) and a second area A2 (Figs. 1, 3 and [0032]) adjacent to each other in [an angled projection of] a display area DA (Figs. 1, 2 and 7, e.g., if Fig. 7 is rotated clockwise 45 degrees, then A1 and A2 are in vertical projections of display area DA);
a plurality of wirings 74 (Figs. 3, 9, 13, 14 and [0048]) on the substrate and extending in a first direction (e.g., D2, Figs. 1, 3, 9 and [0032], and see “first direction” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) from the first area A1 toward the second area A2; and
a lower layer 128 (Fig. 14 and [0061], i.e., layer 128 corresponds to layer 28 in Figs. 3 and 14) between the substrate 10 and the plurality of wirings 74 and comprising an inclined surface portion (Fig. 14),
wherein the plurality of wirings 74 comprise two adjacent wirings (Figs. 9 and 14), and
in a plan view, a first portion (see “first portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above, wherein the first portion is demarcated by a square with an “X” therein) corresponding to an entirety of an area (i.e., the square with the “X” therein denotes an entirety of an area) at which one of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the inclined surface portion is in a diagonal direction crossing the first direction with respect to a second portion (see “second portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above, wherein the second portion is demarcated by a square with an “X” therein) corresponding to an entirety of an area (i.e., the square with the “X” therein denotes an entirety of an area) at which the other of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the inclined surface portion;
re claim 2, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in a plan view (Fig. 9), the inclined surface portion comprises an uneven shape in which a protruding portion (e.g., a protruding portion of the inclined surface would be the edge closest to the “first portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above, wherein the point of reference is the top of Fig. 9) and a recessed portion (e.g., a recessed portion of the inclined surface would be the edge closest to the “second portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) are repeatedly arranged;
re claim 3, the display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the protruding portion protrudes in a direction toward the second area (i.e., the second area A2 is at the bottom side of Fig. 9), and the recessed portion is recessed in a direction toward the first area (i.e., the first area A1 is at the top side of Fig. 9);
re claim 4, the display apparatus of claim 2, wherein one of the two adjacent wirings (Figs. 9 and 14 above) overlaps the protruding portion (i.e., see edge near “first portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) of the inclined surface portion, and the other of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the recessed portion (i.e., see edge near “second portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) of the inclined surface portion;
re claim 5, the display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the protruding portion and the recessed portion each have a quadrangular shape (the protruding and recessed portions have a rectangular shape in Fig. 14 above);
re claim 7, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in a plan view, the inclined surface portion comprises an oblique shape 188 (Figs. 9, 14 and [0061]) that is inclined with respect to the first direction D2 (see “first direction” in Fig. 9 above) and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
re claim 8, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of wirings are on a same layer 128 (Fig. 14) and comprise a same material (Figs. 16-17 and [0063]);
re claim 9, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lower layer 128 comprises a plurality of sub-layers (e.g., layers 14/22/26, Figs. 3, 15-17 and [0034 and 0061], wherein “128” is similar to “28”);
re claim 10, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light-emitting diode 38 (Fig. 3 and [0037]) on the substrate 10,
wherein the light-emitting diode 38 comprises:
a sub-pixel electrode 34 [0037];
an emission layer 42 [0037] on the sub-pixel electrode; and
an opposite electrode 40 [0037] on the emission layer.
Therefore, claims 1-5 and 8-10 are anticipated by Sato.
Regarding claims 11-16 and 18-20:
re claim 11, Sato discloses a display apparatus comprising:
a substrate 10 (Fig. 3 and [0032]) comprising a first area A1 (Figs. 1, 3 and [0032]) and a second area A2 (Figs. 1, 3 and [0032]) adjacent to each other in [an angled projection of] a display area DA (Figs. 1, 2 and 7, e.g., if Fig. 7 is rotated clockwise 45 degrees, then A1 and A2 are in a vertical projections of display area DA);
a plurality of wirings 74 (Figs. 3, 9, 13, 14 and [0048]) on the substrate and extending in a first direction (e.g., D2, Figs. 1, 3, 9 and [0032], and see “first direction” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) from the first area A1 toward the second area A2; and
a lower layer 128 (Fig. 14 and [0061], i.e., layer 128 corresponds to layer 28 in Figs. 3 and 14) between the substrate 10 and the plurality of wirings 74,
wherein an upper surface of the lower layer 128 comprises:
a first surface portion 78U (Fig. 10 and [0054]) in the first area A1 (Note in Figs. 1, 3, 9, 10 and 14, element “128” maps to “28”, and in Figs. 1, 3 and 10, the first surface portion 78U is an upper surface of 128/28 that extends from A2 to A2, e.g., see portion “IX” in Fig. 1, which enlarged in Fig. 9 );
a second surface portion 78 (Fig. 10 and [0054] in the second area A2 and having a vertical distance that is smaller than a vertical distance from the substrate 10 to the first surface portion 78U (Fig. 10); and
an inclined surface (Figs. 10, 14 and [0054 and 0061], e.g., inclined surface 80 in Fig. 10 and [0054] and/or surface 196 in Fig. 14 and [0061]) portion between the first surface portion 78U and the second surface portion 78 (Fig. 10),
wherein the plurality of wirings 74 comprise two adjacent wirings (Figs. 9 and 14), and
in a plan view, a first portion (see “first portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above, wherein the first portion is demarcated by a square with an “X” therein) corresponding to an entirety of an area (i.e., the square with the “X” therein denotes an entirety of an area) at which one of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the inclined surface portion is arranged in a diagonal direction crossing the first direction with respect to a second portion (see “second portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above, wherein the second portion is demarcated by a square with an “X” therein) corresponding to an entirety of an area (i.e., the square with the “X” therein denotes an entirety of an area) at which the other of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the inclined surface portion;
re claim 12, the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the inclined surface (e.g., “80” in Fig. 10)) portion has a vertical distance that is smaller than the vertical distance from the substrate 10 to the first surface portion 78U and greater than a vertical distance from the substrate 10 to the second surface portion 78;
re claim 13, the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein, in a plan view (Fig. 9), the inclined surface portion comprises an uneven shape in which a protruding portion (e.g., a protruding portion of the inclined surface would be the edge closest to the “first portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) and a recessed portion (e.g., a recessed portion of the inclined surface would be the edge closest to the “second portion” in Figs. 9 and 14 above) are repeatedly arranged;
re claim 14, the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the protruding portion protrudes in a direction toward the second area (i.e., the second area A2 is at the bottom side of Fig. 9), and
the recessed portion is recessed in a direction toward the first area (i.e., the first area A1 is at the top side of Fig. 9);
re claim 15, the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein one of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the protruding portion of the inclined surface portion, and the other of the two adjacent wirings overlaps the recessed portion of the inclined surface portion (e.g., in Fig. 9 above see two wirings 74 on the left side of the figure);
re claim 16, the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the protruding portion and the recessed portion each have a quadrangular shape (the protruding and recessed portions have a rectangular shape in Fig. 14 above);
re claim 18, the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein, in a plan view, the inclined surface portion comprises an oblique shape 188 (Figs. 9, 14 and [0061]) that is inclined with respect to the first direction D2 (see “first direction” in Fig. 9 above) and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
re claim 19, the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of wirings are on a same layer 128 (Fig. 14) and comprise a same material (Figs. 16-17 and [0063]); and
re claim 20, the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the lower layer 128 comprises a plurality of sub-layers (e.g., layers 14/22/26, Figs. 3, 15-17 and [0034 and 0061], wherein “128” is similar to “28”).
Therefore, claims 11-16 and 19-20 are anticipated by Sato.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Drzaic et al. (US 2016/0105950 A1; hereinafter, “Drzaic”, of record).
Regarding claims 6 and 17:
Sato anticipates claims 2 and 12 but does not disclose the protruding portion and the recessed portion each have triangular shape, and the two adjacent wirings pass through vertices of the triangular shape.
Drzaic teaches, in a display device having a flexible/bendable area, a stepped/inclined region 108/60/20 (Figs. 29, 30 and [0086]) comprising triangular shapes with protruding and recessed portions (Fig. 30), wherein two adjacent wirings 40 (Fig. 30 and [0087]) pass through vertices of the triangular shapes. Drzaic discloses such a structure resists damage to the wirings upon bending [0007].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sato by incorporating triangular shapes into the inclined region of Sato’s flexible area, as taught by Drzaic, because the modification would resist damage to the wirings in the flexible area due to repeated bending.
Remarks
Applicant’s remarks/arguments (filed 04/10/2026) have been carefully reviewed and considered; however, they are not persuasive primarily because it appears applicant requires a narrow interpretations of “an entirety of an area”. Specifically, the examiner agrees with applicant’s statement that, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 14 of Sato, the first and second portions are isolated regions within the area where the incline is located. However, the examiner disagrees with applicant’s further statement, “rather than an entirety of the area where the incline is located”, especially because the current claim language does not require the first and second portions to be an entirety of the area where the incline is located. In other words, the current claim language would only require first and second portions to be an entirety of a [chosen] area that overlaps the inclined surface portion. As explained and shown in detail above with respect to claims 1 and 11, the first and second portions are the square regions (with an “X” therein), and an entirety of an area (i.e., an entirety of the squared region) overlaps the inclined surface portion. The current claims do not require what appears to be applicant’s narrow interpretation of the claim language; therefore, the rejections of claims 1-20 are maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEX H MALSAWMA whose telephone number is (571)272-1903. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (4-12 Hours, between 5:30AM-10PM).
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/LEX H MALSAWMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892
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