DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. [US 2021/0208552], in view of PYO [US 2021/0204427].
Regarding claim 1, Choi et al., disclose a flexible display device (1, figures 1-27) for a vehicle, comprising:
a casing (100, figures 1-3 and 7-9) having an opening (104, figure 1);
a display part 200, figures 1 and 8) configured to display information;
a display driver (300, figures 3-8, paragraph 0085) configured to move the display part into and out of the casing through the opening of the casing (300, figures 3-8); and
a display winder (10, figure 9) configured to wind and unwind the display part as the display driver moves the display part into and out of the casing, respectively,
wherein the display part includes a rotary drum (a roller 10 is wound by a flexible display panel 210, figure 9) having an outer circumferential surface on which the display part is wound.
Choi et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein, in the display part, an exposure range of a display is controlled based on the rotation state of the rotary drum.
PYO discloses a rollable display device (figures 1-34) comprising a rollable display panel (21, figures 10 and 19-20), an exposure range of a display is controlled by a panel roller (140, figures 10 and 19-20), and the panel roller is based on a rotary drum (40, figures 10 and 19-20, paragraphs 0074-0075).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add a panel roller between a rotary drum and a display panel in the rollable display device of Choi et al., as suggested by PYO, in order to provide a mechanical rotation from the rotary drum to a flexible display panel.
Regarding claim 2, Choi et al., in view of PYO disclose wherein the display part includes a sensor recognizer (a rotation sensor 520, figure 9) configured to detect a rotation state of the rotary drum (paragraph 0020).
Regarding claim 3, Choi et al., in view of PYO disclose wherein the sensor recognizer includes:
a plurality of sensors (521, figure 9) located inside the casing (100, figure 9); and
a detection part (522, figure 9) connected to the rotary drum and configured to be detected by the plurality of sensors;
wherein the detection part has a shape that is configured to be detected by one sensor of the plurality of sensors at a time depending on the rotation state of the rotary drum (paragraph 0015 and 0262).
Regarding claim 4, Choi et al., disclose wherein the detection part includes a hole (the detector part 522 attached to the roller end 10 with the center hole, figure 9) and the hole is located in a recognition region of the one sensor of the plurality of sensors at a time depending on the rotation state of the rotary drum (figure 9), and each of the sensors is a magnetic sensor (paragraphs 0213-0214).
Choi et al., disclose the claimed invention except for each of the sensors includes a photo sensor.
PYO further discloses the rollable display device comprising a sensor recognizer (360, figure 16), wherein the sensor recognizer comprises a detector part (a disk sensor 361, figure 16) and at least one sensor (362, figure 16), and wherein the at least one sensor is a photo sensor (362, figure 16, paragraph 0064).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use photo sensors in a plurality of sensors, instead of using magnetic sensors, in a rollable display device of Choi et al., as suggested by PYO, for the purpose of providing alternative configurations for roller motion in rollable displays.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. [US 2021/0208552], in view of PYO [US 2021/0204427] and Park et al. [US 2016/0374228].
Regarding claim 19, Choi et al., disclose a flexible display device (1, figures 1-27) for a vehicle, comprising:
a casing (100, figures 1-3 and 7-9) having an opening (104, figure 1);
a display part 200, figures 1 and 8) configured to display information;
a display driver (300, figures 3-8, paragraph 0085) configured to move the display part into and out of the casing through the opening of the casing (300, figures 3-8); and
a display winder (10, figure 9) configured to wind and unwind the display part as the display driver moves the display part into and out of the casing;
wherein the display part includes a rotary drum (a roller 10 is wound by a flexible display panel 210, figure 9) having an outer circumferential surface on which the display part is wound and a sensor recognizer (a rotation sensor 520, figure 9) configured to detect a rotation state of the rotary drum (paragraph 0020).
Choi et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein, in the display part, an exposure range of a display is controlled based on the rotation state of the rotary drum; and wherein the flexible display is a plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED) display.
PYO discloses a rollable display device (figures 1-34) comprising a rollable display panel (21, figures 10 and 19-20), an exposure range of a display is controlled by a panel roller (140, figures 10 and 19-20), and the panel roller is based on a rotary drum (40, figures 10 and 19-20, paragraphs 0074-0075).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to add a panel roller between a rotary drum and a display panel in the rollable display device of Choi et al., as suggested by PYO, in order to provide a mechanical rotation from the rotary drum to a flexible display panel.
Park et al., disclose a rollable display device (10, figures 1-10) comprising a display part (100, figure 3), wherein the display includes a flexible display panel (110, figures 1-3), and the flexible display panel is a plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED, paragraph 0043).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a plastic organic light-emitting diode for a flexible display panel in a rollable display device of Choi et al., in view of PYO, as suggested by Park et al., in order to achieve flexibility and ability to be curved or bend in a display panel.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. [US 2021/0208552], in view of Park et al. [US 2016/0374228].
Regarding claim 20, Choi et al., disclose a flexible display panel (210, figures 1, 7 and 9) is retracted into a casing (100, figures 1 and 9) or extended out of the casing by winding or unwinding the display on an outer circumferential surface of a rotary drum (10, figure 9).
Choi et al., disclose the claimed invention except for the flexible display panel is a flexible plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED) display.
Park et al., disclose a rollable display device (10, figures 1-10) comprising a display part (100, figure 3), wherein the display includes a flexible display panel (110, figures 1-3), and the flexible display panel is a plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED, paragraph 0043).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a plastic organic light-emitting diode for a flexible display panel in a rollable display device of Choi et al., as suggested by Park et al., in order to achieve flexibility and ability to be curved or bend in a display panel.
Claims 7-8, 12 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al., in view of PYO, as applied to claims 2, 7 and 12 above, and further in view of Park et al. [US 2016/0374228].
Regarding claim 7, Choi et al., in view of PYO, disclose wherein the display part includes a flexible display (210, figures 1 and 9); and a display cover (220, figures 1 and 9) adhered to a rear surface of the flexible display.
Choi et al., in view of PYO, disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the flexible display is a plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED).
Park et al., disclose a rollable display device (10, figures 1-10) comprising a display part (100, figure 3), wherein the display includes a flexible display panel (110, figures 1-3), and the flexible display panel is a plastic organic light-emitting diode (POLED, paragraph 0043).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a plastic organic light-emitting diode for a flexible display panel in a rollable display device of Choi et al., in view of PYO as suggested by Park et al., in order to achieve flexibility and ability to be curved or bend in a display panel.
Regarding claim 8, Choi et al., in view of PYO, disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the display part further includes a flexible connecting sheet having a first side connected to the flexible display and a second side connected to the display winder, and the flexible connecting sheet is wound onto the rotary drum by the display winder.
Park et al., further disclose wherein the display part further includes a flexible connecting sheet (130, figure 3) having a first side (a top edge portion of the flexible connecting sheet 130 connected to the flexible display panel 110, figures 3-4) connected to the flexible display and a second side (a bottom edge portion of the flexible connecting sheet 130 connected to a roller 210, figure 4) connected to the display winder, and the flexible connecting sheet is wound onto the rotary drum by the display winder (figure 4).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was guide made to add a flexible connecting sheet to a bottom of a flexible display panel in a rollable display device of Choi et al., in view of PYO, as suggested by Park et al., for the purpose of reducing stress in bending areas of a flexible display panel.
Regarding claim 12, Choi et al., in view of PYO and Park et al., disclose wherein the display driver includes:
a motor (331, figures 4-6) connected to an inside of the casing;
a worm gear part (332, figures 4-6, paragraphs 0118-0120) connected to the motor and having a rotation shaft (figures 4-6) arranged parallel to the motor; and
a worm wheel part (334, figures 4-6, paragraphs 0118-0120) connected to the worm gear part and having a rotation shaft (a center shaft of the worm wheel part, figures 4-6) arranged perpendicular to the motor;
wherein rotation of the motor causes the display driver to move the display part.
Regarding claim 16, Choi et al., in view of PYO and Park et al., disclose wherein, in the display driver, an operation of the motor is controlled based on the rotation state of the rotary drum (paragraphs 0081 and 0170-0171).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 9-11 and 13-15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The allowance of claims 5, 9-11 and 13-15 remains as indicated in the Notice of Allowance mailed on 07/22/2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 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
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hung S. Bui whose telephone number is (571)272-2102. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8am-5pm.
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/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/Hung S. Bui/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841