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
Claim 20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species 2, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 09/21/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species 1 (claims 1-19) in the reply filed on 09/21/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“drive module” in claims 5 and 7.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
“drive module” (claims 5 and 7) is interpreted as “a driver chip and/or a heating chip” [0061] of instant publication application.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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) 1 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 109031813 A) in view of Lu et al. (US 2020/0279820).
Regarding claim 1, Zhao discloses “a display panel” (abstract, i.e., a liquid crystal display panel and the liquid crystal display device. On page 9, i.e., Specifically, in FIG. 7, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 in the liquid crystal display panel), comprising
“a display region” (fig.9, a display region AA) and “a non-display region” (fig.9, a non-display region BB), wherein “at least part of the non-display region” (fig.9, a non-display region BB)
“the display panel further comprises a plurality of heating wires” (151) located in “the display region” (AA) and “the non-display region” (on page 10, i.e., the part of the heating electrode can be partially or totally located in the non-display area BB), wherein “in a same area, resistance of heating wires located in the non-display region is higher than resistance of heating wires located in the display region” (on page 10, i.e., the unit display area, the resistance of the first portion 151a is large, high energy, and the resistance of the second part 151b is small, speed of generating heat energy is low, so at the same time display region AA4 except corners of the region AA4 compared to the peripheral region outside the heating electrode 151 the corner display area AA4 ' is quick, can effectively cope with heat loss and fast corner of display area problem and improve temperature distribution uniformity of the liquid crystal display panel. Of course, the part of the heating electrode can be partially or totally located in the non-display area BB). Examiner noted that the purpose for the corner region which can include the non-display area BB having at least portion of electrode 151a extended partially in the non-display area BB is to effectively cope with heat loss and improve temperature distribution uniformity of the display panel. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Zhao to have part of the heating electrode 151a extended to the non-display area (i.e., on page 10, i.e., the part of the heating electrode can be partially or totally located in the non-display area BB), to effectively cope with heat loss and improve temperature distribution uniformity of the display panel (on page 10) as taught by Zhao.
Zhao is silent regarding at least part of the non-display region is configured to be attached to a backlight module.
Lu et al. teaches “at least part of the non-display region is configured to be attached to a backlight module” ([0057] of instant publication application] and fig.6, 101 pointed at the non-display region having a stepped area (stepped area is the non-display area 101) includes a first edge 1021 of first notch 101a. The backlight module 200 has a second notch 102a corresponding to a position of a first notch 101a of the display panel 100. See figs.6-8 with respect to the backlight module 200 in relation to non-display region (i.e.,101a, 1015, 1021 pointed at the non-display region). Fig.8 shows the backlight module 200 attached to the non-display region of the display 100). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Zhao with Lu et al., by adding Lu et al.’s backlight module in connection with Zhao’s display panel, to make essential illumination needed to make transparent liquid crystal layer visible.
Regarding claim 17, modified Zhao discloses “at least one of the following applies: at least part of the non-display region surrounds the display region” (Zhao, BB surrounds the display region AA), or the display region surrounds at least part of the non-display region
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 109031813 A) in view of Lu et al. (US 2020/0279820) as applied in claims 1 and 17 above, and further in view of Design Choice.
Regarding claim 2, modified Zhao discloses “the plurality of heating wires comprise first heating wires and second heating wires” (151a and 151b), “the first heating wires” (151b) are located in “the display region” (AA), and “the second heating wires are located in the non-display region” (as explained claim 1 above, on page 10 of Zhao teaches the part of the heating electrode can be partially or totally located in the non-display area BB and the purpose of electrode 151a on the corner. In this case, the second heating wires 151a can be at non-displayed region); and
at least one of the following applies:
“in a same area, a length of second heating wires of the second heating wires is in relation to a length of first heating wires of the first heating wires” (the second heating wires 151a is in relation to a length of first heating wires 151b), or
a width of a second heating wire of the second heating wires is smaller than a width of a first heating wire of the first heating wires.
Zhao is silent regarding a length of second heating wires of the second heating wires is greater than a length of first heating wires of the first heating wires. However, Zhao discusses about an equation W = U2 / R (on page 10) which is in relation to length of the resistor. For example: R =
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ρ (L/A) (known equation),
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ρ (rho): The resistivity of the material.
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𝐿: The length of the conductor.
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𝐴: The cross-sectional area (which is width × cross × thickness). Thus, changes in length will inherently increase resistance. In this case, Zhao’s resistor 151a is intended to have larger resistance (on page 10) which implies to have longer length and the resistance of the second part 151b is small (on page 10) which implies to have smaller length. Then, it would have been It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have made the length of second heating wires of the second heating wires is greater than a length of first heating wires of the first heating wires because Zhao’s second heating wire resistance to intended to set greater than first heating wire resistance and resistance is in relation to the length in order to have Zhao’s the second heating wires is greater than a length of first heating wires of the first heating wires.
Regarding claim 3, modified Zhao discloses the first heating wires (fig.9, 151b) extend along a straight line in the display region, and “the second heating wires” (fig.9, 151a) extend in a bending manner in the non-display region.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-16 and 19 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY CHOU whose telephone number is (571)270-7107. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edward Landrum can be reached at (571) 272-5567. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JIMMY CHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
