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 .
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.
Claims 1-2, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deng et al., hereinafter referred to as Deng (US 2019/0159350 A1).
As per claim 1, Deng discloses a display device (Deng: Abstract; [0003]; [0025]) comprising:
a display module (display) comprising side portions (Deng: Fig. 3 & Para. [0105] disclose a displaying device such as a mobile phone, a display or a tablet computer is mounted between the first clamping part 3233 and the second clamping part 343, which implies the displaying device has side portions engaged by the clamping parts.);
a side frame (member 32) supporting a portion of each of the side portions of the display module (Deng: Figs. 2-4 & Paras. [0081]-[0082], [0087] [0091] disclose the first clamping member 32 includes a top housing 3231 and a first clamping part 3233. These components form a clamping space that accommodates the display module.); and
at least one fixing unit (second clamping member 34) configured to fix the display module to the side frame, the at least one fixing unit pressing a surface of the display module on the side frame (Deng: Figs. 2-4 & Paras. [0025], [0081], [0089], [0105] disclose the second clamping member 34 is slidably mounted on the first clamping member and includes a second clamping part 343. In operation, this unit moves to abut against the displaying device and applies a clamping force, which presses the side surface of the display module against the first clamping member 32 [side frame] to fix it in position.).
As per claim 2, Deng discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein while the display module is coupled to the side frame (32), the at least one fixing unit (34) is configured to move toward the side frame along an upward incline (see Fig. 2, 325 and Fig. 5, 34) on the display module such that the at least one fixing unit presses the surface of the display module (Deng: Figs. 2-5 & Paras. [0025], [0081], [0089], [0105] disclose the second clamping member 34 is slidably mounted on the first clamping member 32 and includes a second clamping part 343. In operation, this unit moves to abut against the displaying device and applies a clamping force, which presses the side surface of the display module against the first clamping member [side frame] to fix it in position to move along an upward incline (Fig. 5, 34).).
As per claim 18, Deng discloses a fixing device of a display module (Deng: Abstract; [0003]; [0025]), the fixing device comprising:
a side frame (member 32) supporting a portion of each of side portions of a display module (Deng: Figs. 2-4 & Paras. [0081]-[0082], [0087] [0091] disclose the first clamping member 32 includes a top housing 3231 and a first clamping part 3233. These components form a clamping space that accommodates the display module.); and
at least one fixing unit (second clamping member 34) fixing the display module to the side frame by pressing a surface of the display module on the side frame (Deng: Figs. 2-4 & Paras. [0025], [0081], [0089], [0105] disclose the second clamping member 34 is slidably mounted on the first clamping member and includes a second clamping part 343. In operation, this unit moves to abut against the displaying device and applies a clamping force, which presses the side surface of the display module against the first clamping member 32 [side frame] to fix it in position.).
As per claim 19, The fixing device according to claim 18, wherein while the display module is coupled to the side frame, the at least one fixing unit (34) is configured to move along an upward incline (Fig. 5, 34) on the display module toward the side frame to press the surface of the display module (Deng: Figs. 2-5 & Paras. [0025], [0081], [0089], [0105] disclose the second clamping member 34 is slidably mounted on the first clamping member 32 and includes a second clamping part 343. In operation, this unit moves to abut against the displaying device and applies a clamping force, which presses the side surface of the display module against the first clamping member [side frame] to fix it in position to move along an upward incline (Fig. 5, 34).).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deng in view of Cho et al., hereinafter referred to as Cho (US 2018/0027672 A1).
As per claim 3, Deng discloses the display device according to claim 1 (Deng: Abstract.),
However, Deng does not explicitly disclose “… wherein the display module comprises:
an organic light-emitting display panel; and at least one of a back cover covering a surface of the organic light-emitting display panel and a heat dissipation plate between the organic light-emitting display panel and the back cover.”
Further, Cho is in the same field of endeavor and teaches wherein the display module comprises:
an organic light-emitting display panel (Cho: Para. [0039] discloses "The display panel 100 may be an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel.".); and
at least one of a back cover covering a surface of the organic light-emitting display panel and a heat dissipation plate between the organic light-emitting display panel and the back cover (Cho: Para. [0047] discloses "The back cover 200 may be provided on the rear surface of the display panel 100 … The back cover 200 can support the rear surface of the display panel 100".).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, and having the teachings of Deng and Cho before him or her, to modify the display holding device system of Deng to include the back cover covering a surface of the organic light-emitting display panel feature as described in Cho. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve energy efficiency by providing a thin profile suitable for portable applications that yields necessary structural support and protection against exerted forces on the display.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-17 & 20 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and can be viewed in the list of references.
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/PEET DHILLON/Primary Examiner
Art Unit: 2488
Date: 02-19-2026