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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the election of Species A and the withdrawal of claims 1-15 and 17-20, applicant argues that since the Requirement for Restriction/Election filed 01/08/2026 recites “claims 1-12 and 17-20 are generic”, claims 1-12 and 17-20 are eligible to be elected.
However, MPEP § 806.04(d) recites the definition of a generic claim as “In an application presenting three species illustrated, for example, in Figures 1, 2, and 3, respectively, a generic claim should read on each of these views; but the fact that a claim does so read is not conclusive that it is generic. It may define only an element or subcombination common to the several species.” Thus, the statement “claims 1-12 and 17-20 are generic” does not necessarily indicate claims 1-12 and 17-20 are generic to all species. To be clear, claims 1-12 and 17-20 are generic to several species. Species A is not drawn to claims 1-12 and 17-20, only claim 16.
Applicant further argues dependent claim 13 recites an element of Species A including “wherein the base further comprises one or more hollow portions”. Thus, Applicant argues, Species A is drawn to claim 1 from which claim 13 depends.
However, claim 1 recites the limitation “the first sub-portions are concave and/or convex relative to the outer contour of the first bonding portion.” FIG. 2 shows Species A which does not include concave and/or convex first sub-portions. Thus, Species A is not drawn to claims 1 and 13.
Claim 16 recites “bonding terminals… the first bonding portion and the second bonding portion are provided with the bonding terminals thereon… the second bonding portion comprises one or more second sub-portions, the base further comprises one or more hollow portions, and each of the second sub-portions comprises inner edges of the base surrounding one of the hollow portions.” The above limitation is shown exclusively in FIG. 2 which illustrates Species A. Thus, Species A is properly drawn to claim 16 and is not drawn to claims 1-15 and 18-20. Claims 1-15 and 18-20 stand withdrawn.
Regarding claim 16, applicant argues the bonding terminals 21a-21b, 312-315, 322-325 are not provided on the display bonding area 32 corresponding to bonding positions of the display panel.
However, FIG. 3 of Fujikawa teaches the display bonding area 32 bonded to the display panel 100 via terminal group 162. Therefore, the display bonding area (32) corresponds to bonding positions (positions of 162) of the display panel (100) and the bonding terminals (21a-21b, 312-315, 322-325) must also correspond to bonding positions (positions of 162) of the display panel (100).
Applicant further argues the flexible wiring substrate 31/32 (identified in the anticipation rejection as part of the chip on film) is partially disposed on the display panel 100, rather than being entirely disposed on the chip on film.
However, claim 16 recites “a chip on film, entirely disposed on a side of the substrate away from the driving circuit layer”. As shown in FIGS. 2-4 of Fujikawa, the chip on film (e.g. 32, 22, etc.) is entirely disposed on a side of the substrate (side of 101 not covered by 102) away from the driving circuit layer (layer comprising 160 between 101-102).
Thus, the anticipation rejection over Fujikawa stands. See below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujikawa (US 20200203281 A1; hereinafter Fujikawa).
Regarding claim 16, FIGS. 1-7 of Fujikawa teach a display device (1 ¶ [0049],[0071]), comprising: a display panel (100 ¶ [0071]), comprising signal terminals (161-162 ¶ [0054]), and comprising: a substrate (101 ¶ [0052]); and a driving circuit layer (layer comprising 160 ¶ [0071], [0079]), disposed on a side of the substrate (first side of 101 covered by 102 ¶ [0052],[0071], see Examiner annotated FIG. 2 below, “the liquid crystal panel 100 according to the present embodiment is transparent, and includes an element substrate 101 and a counter substrate 102 that are constituted by using a light-transmitting substrate such as a quartz substrate, for example, and are disposed so as to face each other, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates”); and a chip on film (e.g. FIG. 7), entirely disposed on a side of the substrate (second side of 101 not covered by 102) away from the driving circuit layer (layer comprising 160, see Examiner annotated FIG. 2 below), comprising a display bonding area (32 ¶ [0055]) corresponding to bonding positions (162 of FIG. 3 ¶ [0054],[0056]) of the display panel (100), and comprising: a base (31A ¶ [0089]); and bonding terminals (21a-21b, 312-315, 322-325 ¶ [0089]-[0090],[0099]), disposed on a side of the base (31A) and connected to the signal terminals (161-162 ¶ [0056],[0091],[0137]), wherein in the display bonding area (32), the base (31A) comprises a first bonding portion (first bonding portion including 21, 21a-21b, 311a-311b) and a second bonding portion (second bonding portion including 312-315, 322-325), and both of the first bonding portion (first bonding portion including 21, 21a-21b, 311a-311b) and the second bonding portion (second bonding portion including 312-315, 322-325) are provided with the bonding terminals (21a-21b, 312-315, 322-325, respectively) thereon; the first bonding portion (first bonding portion including 21, 21a-21b, 311a-311b) has an outer contour (outer edge of 31A) and comprises one part of outer edges of the base (31A); and the second bonding portion (second bonding portion including 312-315, 322-325) comprises one or more second sub-portions (second sub-portions including 322-325), the base (31A) further comprises one or more hollow portions (H1-H2 ¶ [0089]), and each of the second sub-portions (second sub-portions including 322-325) comprises inner edges of the base (inner edges of 31A) surrounding one of the hollow portions (one of H1-H2, see Examiner annotated FIG. 7 below).
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Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nora T Nix whose telephone number is (571)270-1972. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at (571) 272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nora T. Nix/Assistant Examiner, Art Unit 2891
/MATTHEW C LANDAU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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