DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is in response to the amendment filed 4/19/2026.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/22/2023 and 10/24/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
In the response from applicant on the restriction requirement on 2/27/2026, applicant agrees to withdraw inventions of group 2 (claims 13-20) and elects group 1 (claims 1-12). Hence Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 4/19/2026.
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 1-12 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, cited term of “wherein a lens edge of each of the plurality of lenses extends while spaced apart from the corner edge by a uniform interval in a plan view…” (line 8-9) is vague and renders the claims indefinite. Claim cites “a corner edge” (line 3-4), and claims that for each of the plurality of lenses, a lens edge extends while spaced apart from the corner edge by a uniform interval in a plan view. It is unclear that cited “the corner edge” (line 8) refers to which one of the plurality of corner edges (see fig. 4 of instant disclosure); and how a plurality of lens edges extend while spaced apart from the corner edge by a uniform interval in a plan view. Do applicants mean ““wherein a lens edge of each of the plurality of lenses extends while spaced apart from a corresponding corner edge by a uniform interval respectively in a plan view …”?
Claims 2-12 are rejected as containing the deficiencies of claim 1 through their dependency from claim 1.
Therefore proper amendments are required in order to clarify the scopes of the claims and overcome the rejections.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1 is rejected as having 112 issues, but would be allowable if the 112 rejections are overcome by a proper amendment.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art taken singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper.
In regard to claim 1, the prior art (see below) taken either singly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest a display panel further comprise wherein a lens edge of each of the plurality of lenses extends while spaced apart from a corresponding corner edge by a uniform interval respectively in a plan view perpendicular to the central axis of the optical unit.
Examiner’s Note
Regarding the references, the Examiner cites particular figures, paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the reference(s), as applied to the claims above. Although the particular citations are representative teachings and are applied to specific limitations within the claims, other passages, internally cited references, and figures may also apply. In preparing a response, it is respectfully requested that the Applicant fully consider the references, in their entirety, as potentially disclosing or teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as fully consider the context of the passage as taught by the reference(s) or as disclosed by the Examiner.
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
(a) Makino et al (US 20140266990) is cited for teaching an electronic apparatus (abstract; fig. 1) comprising: a display panel comprising a first edge extending in a first direction, a second edge extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a corner edge extending from the first edge to the second edge and having a curved shape (fig. 1. 10; fig. 5B, 10); and an optical unit comprising a plurality of lenses facing the display panel and symmetrically arranged with respect to a central axis of the optical unit extending in a direction intersecting the first and second directions (fig. 6, 20a, 20b), wherein a lens edge of each of the plurality of lenses spaced apart from the corner edge by an interval in a plan view perpendicular to the central axis of the optical unit (fig. 16A-B, 10, 20).
(b) Shin et al (US 20190212561) is cited for teaching an electronic apparatus (abstract; fig. 1) comprising: a display panel comprising a first edge extending in a first direction, a second edge extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a corner edge extending from the first edge to the second edge and having a curved shape (fig.10, 240; fig. 14, 280); and an optical unit comprising a plurality of lenses facing the display panel and symmetrically arranged with respect to a central axis of the optical unit extending in a direction intersecting the first and second directions (fig. 3, 400; ¶[0105]), wherein a lens edge of each of the plurality of lenses spaced apart from the corner edge by an interval in a plan view perpendicular to the central axis of the optical unit (fig. 3, 200, 400).
(c) HU et al.is cited for teaching an electronic apparatus (abstract; figs. 1-5) comprising: a display panel comprising a first edge extending in a first direction, a second edge extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a corner edge extending from the first edge to the second edge and having a curved shape (fig. 1, 104, 105); and an optical unit comprising a plurality of lenses facing the display panel (fig. 1, 110, 111), wherein a lens edge of the plurality of lenses spaced apart from the corner edge by an interval in a plan view perpendicular to the central axis of the optical unit (fig. 1, 104, 110, 120, 111).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner should be directed to Jie Lei whose telephone number is (571) 272 7231. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon.-Thurs. 8:00 am to 5:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by the telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached on (571) 272 3689.The Fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is (571) 273 8300.
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/JIE LEI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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