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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-13 in the reply filed on 6/23/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 14-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/23/2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 11, it is not clear to the Examiner what are the metes and bounds of the claim. In particular, the limitation of “covers the micro-coating layer that is exposed” is unclear because there was no claimed exposed or unexposed part of that layer previously claimed.
Due to their dependency, claims 12-13 are necessarily allowable.
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 and 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2022/0262866), of record by Applicant.
Regarding independent claim 1, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches in figures 2, 18, 25, and the corresponding text, a flexible display device (DD), comprising: a display panel (DP)including: an active area (AA); a non-active area (NA), the non-active area including a bending area (BA); and a plurality of light emitting elements (OLED) disposed in the active area of the display panel; a plurality of conductive lines (SNL, SGL, GDL, GNL) disposed in the non-active area of the display panel and extending to the active area; and a reflective layer (signal shielding layer SHL1 reflects unwanted driving signals) disposed under the plurality of conductive lines in the non-active area between the active area and the bending area.
Regarding dependent claim 3, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches the reflective layer is disposed on an entirety of the plurality of conductive lines.
Regarding dependent claim 4, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches in a plan view of the flexible display device, the reflective layer is disposed on an entirety of the non-active area.
Regarding dependent claim 5, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches the display panel further includes a first flat portion (WIN), a second flat portion (SUB), and a curved portion (BA) between the first flat portion and the second flat portion.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches the first flat portion corresponds to the active area and a first portion of the non-active area and maintains a flat state, wherein the second flat portion corresponds to a second portion of the non-active area different from the first portion of the non-active area, and faces the first flat portion, and wherein the curved portion corresponds to the bending area and maintains a bent state with a predetermined curvature.
Regarding dependent claim 7, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches the reflective layer is disposed on the first flat portion of the display panel between the active area and the bending area.
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.
Claims 2 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0262866), of record by Applicant, in view of Jung et al. (US 2021/0166590).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches all of the limitations except for a planarization layer disposed on the plurality of conductive lines; and a micro-coating layer disposed on the planarization layer in the bending area.
Further regarding claim 2, Jung et al. (‘590) teaches throughout the text but in particular paragraphs 0075, 0090, and 0091, a flexible display device comprised of, in part, a planarization layer (116) disposed on the plurality of conductive lines; and a micro-coating layer (passivation layer) disposed on the planarization layer in the bending area for the purpose of smoothing out and protecting the area around the conductive lines.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the planarization and passivation layer of Jung in the flexible display of Kim for the purpose of smoothing out and protecting the area around the conductive lines.
Regarding dependent claim 8, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches a cover glass (WIN) disposed on an upper portion of the display panel.
Regarding dependent claim 9, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches an outer sealing part (TFE) disposed on a lower edge of the cover glass and covering an outer surface of the bending area.
Regarding dependent claim 10, Kim et al. (‘866) teaches a light blocking layer (RPL) disposed on the lower edge of the cover glass.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 AM- 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JAMES R. 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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JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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