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 § 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 1-10 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1, line 7 comprises the limitation “absorbing member”. The Specification states that the absorbing member may be hygroscopic. However, there is no indication for what other substances may be absorbed, or if light can be absorbed. As almost any substance is capable of a certain level of absorption of light or another substance, the metes and bounds of the term have not been properly set forth. As the metes and bounds of the term have not been set forth, the term is properly rejected as being indefinite. Claims 2-10 are rejected as being dependent on rejected Claim 1.
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 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 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hirakata (US 2005/0140265).
With respect to Claim 1, Hirakata discloses a display device (Figures 1A-1C) comprising:
a display panel (Figure 1A, 10 and 20) including at least one corner; a side frame (Figure 1A-1C, 12) including a horizontal part (Figure 1B, 12) extending along one side of the display panel from the at least one corner and facing a rear surface of the display panel, and a vertical part (Figure 1C, 12) extending in a direction intersecting the horizontal part and covering the one side of the display panel; and a absorbing member (Figures 1A-1C, 13) being in contact with the vertical part and fixed to the horizontal part at a position between the rear surface of the display panel, which is adjacent to the at least one corner, and the horizontal part of the side frame. See Figures 1A-1C, and corresponding text, especially paragraphs 64-68.
With respect to Claim 2, Hirakata discloses the display panel comprises: an active area displaying an image (Figure 1A, 11, pixel area); and a de-active area forming a periphery of the active area (Figure 1A, 14), wherein the one side of the display panel forms a side surface of the de-active area. See Figure 1A and corresponding text.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER G GHYKA whose telephone number is (571)272-1669. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Kim can be reached at 571 272-8458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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AGG
June 16, 2026
/ALEXANDER G GHYKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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