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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, 14-15 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 20210141419 A1).
Re claim 1: Wang discloses a display device (flexible display screen 100 in fig 15 and paragraph 78), comprising:
a display module (display screen body 3 in fig 15 and paragraph 100) including a first area (first straight segment 31, second straight segment 32 in fig 15) and a second area (first bent segment 33 in fig 15) adjacent to the first area in a first direction (horizontal direction), wherein at least a portion of the second area is configured to be (i.e., functional language) curved;
a flat support (support metal layer 15 comprising first plane segment 11 and second plane segment 12 in figs 8, 15 and paragraphs 84, 99) disposed under the display module and overlapping the first area (see paragraph 101; herein, the first plane segment 11 is configured to support the first straight segment 31 and the second flat section 12 is configured to support the second straight segment 32 to improve the crush resistance of the flat area); and
a plurality of segments (transition segments 14 in figs 8-9, 11 and paragraphs 104, 106-107) disposed under the display module, overlapping the second area, each of the plurality of segments extending in a second direction (i.e., vertical direction) crossing the first direction (horizontal direction), spaced apart from one another in the first direction (horizontal direction), and each of the plurality of segments having a structure including a plurality of laminated plates (first material layer 141, second material layer 142 in fig 11) laminated onto each other in the first direction (horizontal direction).
Re claim 2: Wang discloses the display device, wherein at least two of the plates include materials different from each other (see paragraph 107; herein, the first material layer 141 and the plane segment are integrated into one body, and the second material layer 142 and the bending portion 13 are integrated into one body).
Re claim 5: Wang discloses the display device, wherein the plates have a same shape as each other (see 141, 142 in fig 11).
Re claim 14: Wang discloses the display device, comprising:
a support plate (heat dissipation metal layer 16 in fig 8 and paragraph 84) disposed under the display module and including a first plate (i.e., portion of 16 overlapping first plane segment 11 or second plane segment 12 in figs 8-9) and overlapping the first area and a second plate (i.e., portion of 16 overlapping bending portion 13 + transition segment 14 in figs 8-9) overlapping the second area and extending from the first plate.
Re claim 15: Wang discloses the display device, wherein a plurality of openings (deformation hole 131 in fig 8) spaced apart from each other at regular intervals are disposed in the second plate.
Re claim 17: Wang discloses a display device (flexible display screen 100 in fig 15 and paragraph 78), comprising:
a display module (display screen body 3 in fig 15 and paragraph 100) including a first area (first straight segment 31, second straight segment 32 in fig 15) and a second area (first bent segment 33 in fig 15) adjacent to the first area in a first direction (horizontal direction), wherein at least a portion of the second area is configured to be (i.e., functional language) curved;
a plurality of segments (transition segments 14 in figs 8-9, 11 and paragraphs 104, 106-107) disposed under the display module, overlapping the second area, each of the plurality of segments extending in a second direction (i.e., vertical direction) crossing the first direction (horizontal direction), spaced apart from one another in the first direction (horizontal direction), and each of the plurality of segments having a structure including a plurality of laminated plates (first material layer 141, second material layer 142 in fig 11) laminated onto each other in the first direction (horizontal direction).
Re claim 18: Wang discloses the display device, wherein at least two of the plates include materials different from each other (see paragraph 107; herein, the first material layer 141 and the plane segment are integrated into one body, and the second material layer 142 and the bending portion 13 are integrated into one body).
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, 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.
Claim(s) 3-4 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 20210141419 A1).
Re claim 3: Wang discloses the display device.
Wang fails to disclose that the plates include a same material as each other.
However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the plates with same material as each other depending on the designer’s choice since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416
Re claim 4: Wang discloses the display device.
Wang fails to disclose that each of the plates includes stainless steel (SUS), fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), and/or magnesium (Mg)
However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the plates with materials such as stainless steel, fiber reinforced plastic, and/or magnesium depending on the desired strength and hardness of the plates since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416
Re claim 19: Wang discloses the display device.
Wang fails to disclose that the plates include a same material as each other.
However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the plates with same material as each other depending on the designer’s choice since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416
Re claim 20: Wang discloses the display device.
Wang fails to disclose that each of the plates includes stainless steel (SUS), fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), and/or magnesium (Mg)
However, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the plates with materials such as stainless steel, fiber reinforced plastic, and/or magnesium depending on the desired strength and hardness of the plates since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-13 are allowed.
The best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display device including, along with other limitations, each of the plates including a first portion facing the display module; a second portion contacting the first portion and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape with one side open; and two third portions respectively contacting both ends of the second portion as set forth in the claim.
Claim 16 is 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 best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display device including, along with other limitations, each of the segments directly contacts the second plate and does not overlap the openings as set forth in the claim.
Claims 21-27 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 best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display device including, along with other limitations, each of the plates including a first portion facing the display module; a second portion contacting the first portion and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape with one side open; and two third portions respectively contacting both ends of the second portion as set forth in the claim.
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 Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
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/NIDHI THAKER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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