DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Claims 7-16, 24-37 and 29-32 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected group I – display devices, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on March 17, 2026.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 17-23 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yamano (US 8,912,986).
Referring to claim 1, Yamano discloses a display apparatus (fig. 1, display device 100), comprising
a working area (fig. 1, area of display unit 120) and a non-working area (fig. 1, border area of casing 110),
wherein the non-working area presents a first color or a first pattern (fig. 1, color/pattern of casing 110, e.g., black), and
wherein the display apparatus comprises a display module (fig. 2, display unit 120), and the display module comprises a transparent display unit (fig. 2, transparent display 124) located in the working area (fig. 1, area of display unit 120).
As to claim 2, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the display module comprises an electronic paper unit (fig. 2, electronic paper 122) located at a side of the transparent display unit (fig. 3, lower side of transparent unit 124) away from a display surface of the transparent display unit (fig. 3, away from display surface above transparent unit 124), and
the electronic paper unit (fig. 6A, electronic paper 122) comprises a first sub-portion (fig. 6A, areas C1/C2/C3) located in the working area.
As to claim 3, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the display module has a first state (fig. 5, displaying A1; 4:1-6, display-on state), and
wherein, in the first state, the transparent display unit displays working image (fig. 5, displaying news journal; fig. 6B, displaying areas D1/D2/D3;), while the first sub-portion displays dark-colored image (fig. 6A, areas C1/C2/C3; 8:6-9, in black or dark color).
As to claim 4, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the display module comprises a second state (4:1-6, display-off state), and
wherein, in the second state, the transparent display unit does not display working image (4:66-5:7, transparent display 124 being transparent), while image displayed by the first sub-portion is related to (6:3-7, displayed electronic paper 122) the first color or the first pattern.
As to claim 5, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein in the second state, a texture of a pattern displayed by the first sub-portion has a same background color and texture color (fig. 6A, areas C1/C2/C3; 8:6-9, in black or dark color) as a texture of the first pattern.
As to claim 6, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein, in the second state, the first sub-portion displays the first color (fig. 6A, areas C1/C2/C3; 8:6-9, in black or dark color).
As to claim 17, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display apparatus comprises a carrier module (fig. 7, casing 110), and a portion of the carrier module (fig. 7, casing 110 around display 120) exposed by the display module is located in the non-working area and presents the first color or the first pattern (fig. 1, color/pattern of casing 110, e.g., black).
As to claim 18, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display module is embedded into the carrier module (fig. 1, display 120 embedded into casing 110).
As to claim 19, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 17,
wherein the carrier module comprises a first surface (fig. 1, top surface of casing 110), the display module has a light exiting surface (fig. 3, top surface of display unit 120), the first surface and the light exiting surface face to a same direction (fig. 1, top/surface direction), the first surface is exposed by the light exiting surface, and the first surface has the first pattern (fig. 1).
As to claim 20, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 19, wherein a segment difference between the first surface and the light exiting surface is less than 100um (fig. 1, continuous surfaces for 110/120).
As to claim 21, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first surface and the light exiting surface are continuous (fig. 1, continuous surfaces for 110/120).
As to claim 22, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 17,
wherein the display module comprises an ink layer (fig. 3, electronic paper 122 layer) located at a side (fig. 3, bottom side of transparency display unit 122) of the display surface of the transparent display unit,
the ink layer presents the first color or a pattern of the ink layer is related to the first pattern (fig. 6A, areas C1/C2/C3; 8:6-9, in black or dark color).
As to claim 23, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the display module comprises a cover plate (fig. 1, casing 110) located at a side of the display module and in the working area (fig. 1, inner side surrounding transparent display unit 120); and
the display apparatus comprises a first module (fig. 3, operation unit 160, sound output unit 130 etc.; fig. 1, buttons) located at a side (fig. 1, bottom of casing 110) of the cover plate and in the non-working area, and the first module presents the first color or the first pattern.
As to claim 28, Yamano discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electronic paper unit comprises a second sub-portion (fig. 3, top border area of casing 110) located in the non-working area, and the second sub-portion presents the first color or the first pattern (fig. 1, color/pattern of casing 110, e.g., black).
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 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) 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):
(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). The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) 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). The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) 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) 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) 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), because the claim limitation 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 is:
“display region configured to display …” in claims 9, 13 and 27.
Because this claim limitation is being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), it is being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this limitation interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation recites sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
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 .
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to examiner Cheng-Yuan Tseng whose telephone number is (571)272-9772, and fax number is (571)273-9772. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 17:30 Eastern Time. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alicia Harrington can be reached on (571)272-2330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at (866)217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call (800)786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or (571)272-1000.
/CHENG YUAN TSENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2615
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