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 Invention I in the reply filed on 3/4/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 12-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/4/2026.
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 1-11 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 1, the limitation is unclear to the examiner “a display panel including a display area and a peripheral area adjacent to the display area and including an upper surface having a first concave-convex pattern protruding or recessed in a thickness direction” because claim does not specify that the concave-convex pattern is in an upper surface of the display panel in the peripheral area. According to application’s own disclosure, the first concave-convex pattern is protruding or recessed in the peripheral area.
Examiner requests applicant to clarify the claim further.
Furthermore the limitation is unclear to the examiner “a polarization member disposed on the display panel, overlapping the display area and a portion of the peripheral area and including an upper surface having a second concave-convex pattern protruding or recessed in a thickness direction” because claim does not specify that the concave-convex pattern is in an upper surface of the display panel in the peripheral area. According to application’s own disclosure, the second concave-convex pattern is protruding or recessed in the peripheral area.
Examiner requests applicant to clarify the claim further.
Furthermore the limitation is unclear to the examiner “a light blocking layer disposed on a lower surface of the cover window and overlapping a portion of the peripheral area” because it is unclear whether this part of the claim is referring to a same “a portion of the peripheral area” disclosed earlier in the claim or a different a portion of the peripheral area.
Note: The dependent claims necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Lee et al (US 2020/0105859)
Kim et al (US 2019/0006626)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RATISHA MEHTA whose telephone number is (571)270-7473. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos Feliciano can be reached at 571-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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