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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/24/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment and Arguments
The Amendment filed 05/24/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 17-20, filed 05/24/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 102 and/or 35 U.S.C. 103 have been considered but are moot. Regarding limitations of the instant case in view of the amended Claims and upon further considerations, a new ground(s) of rejection, necessitated by the amendments is made in view of different interpretation of the previously applied references and/or new prior art as presented in this Office action.
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 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.
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, 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (US 2024/0248244).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a light diffusion film (Fig. 1-9, [0046-0182]), comprising:
a substrate (the substrate corresponding to 30 in Fig. 5-9); and
light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 5-9) dispersed in the substrate (Fig. 5-9);
wherein a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3% ([0088, 0105], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.1 wt % as an example, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.05 wt % as an example, Lee teaches that a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%), and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1 ([0081, 0099], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2, Lee teaches that a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than 0.1) , and
the light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 6-9) comprise first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) and second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a material ([0101-0102]) of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) is different ([0083, 0101-0102]) from a material ([0083]) of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a difference in refractive index between the first light diffusion particles and the substrate is different from a difference in refractive index between the second light diffusion particles and the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5), and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9) is greater than ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2) the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9).
Regarding claim 10, Lee teaches a polarizer (Fig. 6-9, [0046-0182]), comprising a light diffusion film (40 in Fig. 5-9), wherein the light diffusion film comprises
a substrate (the substrate corresponding to 30 in Fig. 6-9); and
light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 6-9) dispersed in the substrate (Fig. 6-9);
wherein a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3% ([0088, 0105], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.1 wt % as an example, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.05 wt % as an example, Lee teaches that a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%), and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1 ([0081, 0099], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2, Lee teaches that a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than 0.1) , and
the light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 6-9) comprise first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) and second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a material ([0101-0102]) of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) is different ([0083, 0101-0102]) from a material ([0083]) of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a difference in refractive index between the first light diffusion particles and the substrate is different from a difference in refractive index between the second light diffusion particles and the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5), and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9) is greater than ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2) the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9).
Regarding claim 17, Lee teaches a display device ([0003-0005, 0148], Fig. 5-9, [0046-0182]), comprising a polarizer (Fig. 6-9), wherein the polarizer comprises a light diffusion film (40 in Fig. 5-9), wherein the light diffusion film comprises:
a substrate (the substrate corresponding to 30 in Fig. 6-9); and
light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 6-9) dispersed in the substrate (Fig. 6-9);
wherein a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3% ([0088, 0105], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.1 wt % as an example, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 are contained in the optical functional layer in an amount of 0.05 wt % as an example, Lee teaches that a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%), and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1 ([0081, 0099], since Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2, Lee teaches that a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than 0.1) , and
the light diffusion particles (10 and 20 in Fig. 6-9) comprise first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) and second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a material ([0101-0102]) of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9) is different ([0083, 0101-0102]) from a material ([0083]) of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9), a difference in refractive index between the first light diffusion particles and the substrate is different from a difference in refractive index between the second light diffusion particles and the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2), the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5), and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles (10 in Fig. 6-9) is greater than ([0081, 0099], Lee teaches that (i) the acicular particles 10 may have a higher refractive index than a matrix 30 and the refractive index of the acicular particles 10 minus the refractive index of the matrix 30 may be 0.5, and (ii) the isotropic particles 20 have a higher refractive index than the matrix 30 and a difference between the refractive index of the isotropic particle 20 and the refractive index of the matrix may be 0.2) the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles (20 in Fig. 6-9).
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 of this title, 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 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and in view of Yin (CN116520465A).
Regarding claims 9 and 16, Lee does not teach the following elements.
Yin teaches the following elements (Fig. 1-9, Abs, Pages 1-22 of English translation of CN116520465A):
(Claims 9 and 16) the substrate comprises a first sub- substrate selected from at least one of an unmodified polyester, an unmodified acetate fiber (Page 2, Paragraph 12 and 15-17), and/or a second sub-substrate selected from at least one of a modified polyester, a modified cellulose acetate (Page 2, Paragraph 12 and 15-17); wherein a mass fraction of the first sub-substrate in the substrate is greater than or equal to 65%, and the mass fraction of the first sub-substrate in the substrate is less than or equal to 100%; and a mass fraction of the second sub-substrate in the substrate is greater than or equal to 0%, and the mass fraction of the second sub-substrate in the substrate is less than or equal to 35% (Page 2, Paragraph 14, Page 4, Paragraph 5, 8-9 and 11, Page 16, Paragraph 7-8).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Yin for the system of Lee such that in the system of Lee,
(Claims 9 and 16) the substrate comprises a first sub-substrate selected from at least one of an unmodified polyester, an unmodified acetate fiber, and/or a second sub-substrate selected from at least one of a modified polyester, a modified cellulose acetate; wherein a mass fraction of the first sub-substrate in the substrate is greater than or equal to 65%, and the mass fraction of the first sub-substrate in the substrate is less than or equal to 100%; and a mass fraction of the second sub-substrate in the substrate is greater than or equal to 0%, and the mass fraction of the second sub-substrate in the substrate is less than or equal to 35%.
The motivation is to improve the optical performance, avoid the optical defects such as molar lines or white points caused by the light diffusion film, and improve the chroma visual angle and contrast of the display device using the light diffusion film (Yin, Abs).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-8, 11-15 and 18-20 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:
None of the prior art of record discloses or suggests all the combination of a light diffusion film, a polarizer or a display device as set forth in claims 2-8, 11-15 and 18-20.
Regarding claims 2-7, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a light diffusion film recited in claim 1, respectively, wherein “a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%, and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1, the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles, the first light diffusion particles have a plurality of first cross-sections, each of the first cross-sections has a first circumcircle, a ratio of a length of a major axis of the first light diffusion particle to a diameter of a greatest first circumcircle of the first light diffusion particle is greater than or equal to 5, and less than 100, and the first cross-section is perpendicular to an extension direction of the major axis of the first light diffusion particle” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Regarding claims 8 and 15, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a light diffusion film or a polarizer recited in claims 1 and 10, respectively, wherein “a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%, and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1, the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles, each of the light diffusion particles has an average particle size, a length of ta major axis of the light diffusion particle is greater than or equal to 20% of the average particle size of the light diffusion particle, and the length of the major axis of the light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 180% of the average particle size of the light diffusion particle” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Regarding claims 11-14, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a polarizer recited in claim 10, respectively, wherein “a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%, and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1, the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles, the first light diffusion particles have a plurality of first cross-sections, each of the first cross-sections has a first circumcircle, a ratio of a length of a major axis of the first light diffusion particle to a diameter of a greatest first circumcircle of the first light diffusion particle is greater than or equal to 5, and less than 100, and the first cross-section is perpendicular to an extension direction of the major axis of the first light diffusion particle; wherein the first tight diffusion particles are selected from at least one of a first subtype light diffusion particle, a second subtype light diffusion particle, a third subtype light diffusion particle, a fourth subtype light diffusion particle, and further comprise a fifth subtype light diffusion particle having different shapes from each other; and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections of the first subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 0.3 m along an extension direction of a major axis of the first subtype light diffusion particle; a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a middle portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 µm along an extension direction of a major axis of the second subtype light diffusion particle; in a direction away from the middle portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle, a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a first end portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease, and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a second end portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 µm; a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a middle portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 µm along an extension direction of a major axis of the third subtype light diffusion particle; in a direction away from the middle portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle, a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a first end portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease, and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a second end portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease; a first end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle is connected to a second end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle, and diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction from the first end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle to the second end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle; and a first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle is connected to a second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle, diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at the first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction away from the second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle, and diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at the second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction away from the first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Regarding claims 18-20, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a display device recited in claim 17, respectively, wherein “a mass fraction of the light diffusion particles in the substrate is less than 3%, and a difference in refractive index between the substrate and the light diffusion particles is greater than or equal to 0.1, the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the substrate, and the refractive index of the second light diffusion particles is greater than the refractive index of the first light diffusion particles, the first light diffusion particles have a plurality of first cross-sections, each of the first cross-sections has a first circumcircle, a ratio of a length of a major axis of the first light diffusion particle to a diameter of a greatest first circumcircle of the first light diffusion particle is greater than or equal to 5, and less than 100, and the first cross-section is perpendicular to an extension direction of the major axis of the first light diffusion particle; wherein the first light diffusion particles are selected from at least one of a first subtype light diffusion particle, a second subtype light diffusion particle, a third subtype light diffusion particle, a fourth subtype light diffusion particle, and a fifth subtype light diffusion particle having different shapes from each other;-and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections of the first subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 0.3 um along an extension direction of a major axis of the first subtype light diffusion particle; a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a middle portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 pm along an extension direction of a major axis of the second subtype light diffusion particle; in a direction away from the middle portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle, a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a first end portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease, and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a second end portion of the second subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 µm; a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a middle portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle is less than or equal to 1 µm along an extension direction of a major axis of the third subtype light diffusion particle; in a direction away from the middle portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle, a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a first end portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease, and a variation value of diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at a second end portion of the third subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease; a first end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle is connected to a second end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle, and diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction from the first end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle to the second end portion of the fourth subtype light diffusion particle; and a first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle is connected to a second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle, diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at the first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction away from the second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle, and diameters of first circumcircles of first cross-sections at the second end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle gradually decrease in a direction away from the first end portion of the fifth subtype light diffusion particle” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Conclusion
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/Shan Liu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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