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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2023 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the claim 9 the bezel of the auxiliary display device is not being shown, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shim et al. US Pub 2022/0050653.
Regarding claim 1, Shim discloses,
An auxiliary display device, which is connected to first and second display devices, the auxiliary display device comprising:
a display panel (figures 1-7, element 210 boundary display panel) ;
an upper holder and a lower holder (figure 7, region of 210b) respectively connected to upper and lower portions of the display panel (as seen in figure 3 and at least figure 7);
an upper fixing portion (figure 7, element 226; paragraph 71) connected to the upper holder, wherein the upper fixing portion fixes an upper end of the auxiliary display device to an upper end of the first display device and an upper end of the second display device in a state where one edge of the first display device and one edge of the second display device are adjacent to each other (as seen in figure 3 when assembled and figure 7 and paragraph 7 describes the fixing portion connecting to the edges of both the first (EP1) and second display (EP2) devices (as seen in figure 3 and 7)); and
a lower fixing portion (figure 7, element 226; paragraph 71 described connecting upper and lower seam area) connected to the lower holder, wherein the lower fixing portion fixes a lower end of the auxiliary display device to a lower end of the first display device and a lower end of the second display device in the state where the one edge of the first display device and the one edge of the second display device are adjacent to each other(as seen in figure 3 when assembled and figure 7 and paragraph 7 describes the fixing portion connecting to the edges of both the first (EP1) and second display (EP2) devices (as seen in figure 3 and 7)),
wherein when the first and second display devices are connected to each other by the upper fixing portion and the lower fixing portion, the display panel covers a bezel area (as seen in figures, 3, 5 and 7 the bezel areas (s1/S2) of the corresponding display devices are being covered) of the first display device corresponding to the one edge thereof and a bezel area (as seen in figures, 3, 5 and 7 the bezel areas (s1/S2) of the corresponding display devices are being covered) of the second display device corresponding to the one edge thereof.
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) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. US Pub 2022/0050653 in view of Applicant’s admitted prior art (paragraph 106 - KR 10-2405932, Kim et al. US equivalent is 2019/0081270).
Regarding claim 9,
Shim teaches the auxiliary display device as recited in claim 1, furthermore, as seen in figure 3, a width of a bezel of each of the first display device and the second display device is shown (
Shim does not provide teaching regarding a width of a bezel of the auxiliary display device is narrower than a width of a bezel of each of the first display device and the second display device.
Applicants admitted prior art (paragraph 106 of AAPA)- KR 10-2405932, Kim et al. US equivalent is 2019/0081270), where in paragraph 106 of the present application discloses that the bezel is same bezel as of the Korean registered patent no 10-2405932.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was to use the bezel as taught by applicants admitted prior art as the bezel configuration of Shim such that width of the bezel of the auxiliary display device is narrower than a width of a bezel of each of the first display device and the second display device, such modification will provide the device to have seamless viewing between the two display devices since the bezel will be limited in width.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. US Pub 2022/0050653 in view of Cho et al. US Pub 2022/0238821.
Regarding claim 14,
Shim teaches the auxiliary display device can be various different type of display panel device as described in paragraph 42 (LED< OLED< QDOLED, QNED, etc.), thus at least front protective layer (i.e., transparent window) is provided).
Shim does not teach specific of a front protective glass disposed on a front surface of the display panel; and
A rear protective glass disposed on a rear surface of the display panel.
Cho in similar field of a display device teaches a display device (figures 7-8) comprising a front protective glass (figures 7-8, element 2200, window made of glass; paragraph 84) disposed on a front surface of the display panel (display panel 1000); and a rear protective glass (element 3200, paragraph 114, made of glass disposed on the rear surface of the display 1000) disposed on a rear surface of the display panel.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide the front protective glass and the rear protective glass as taught by Cho such that the front protective layer is a front protective glass disposed on the front surface of the display panel of Shim and the rear protective glass is disposed on a rear surface of the display panel of Shim, such modification will provide proper transparent viewing and ensure that electrode patterns are not deformed (paragraph 114, Cho).
Regarding claim 15,
Shim as modified by Cho teaches the front and rear protective glass as taught in claim 14.
Cho furthermore teaches a heat dissipating plate (Cho, figure 7-8, element 3600; paragraph 155) disposed on a rear surface of the rear protective glass (element 3600 on the rear of element 3200).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to use the heat dissipating plate in the device of Shim as modified by Cho such that heat dissipation plate is on the rear surface of the rear protective glass such modification will provide heat dissipation to the outside (paragraph 155-156, Cho).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-8, 10-13 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.
The primary reason for allowance of independent claim 2 the prior art of record, individually or in combination does not teach or fairly suggest:
wherein the upper fixing portion includes: a first support member extending from a rear surface of the upper holder in a first direction perpendicular to the rear surface of the upper holder; a first rotation shaft extending from a lower surface of the first support member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a first arm with one end connected to the first rotation shaft, wherein the first arm rotates about the first rotation shaft; and a second arm with one end connected to the first rotation shaft, wherein the second arm rotates about the first rotation shaft in an opposite direction to the first arm, the first arm and the second arm are connected to the first rotation shaft through a first elasticity member, and the first elastic member provides an elastic force to an opposing end of the first arm and an opposing end of the second arm in a direction opposite to the first direction.
In examiners opinion the pertinent prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting all of the elements and features of the claimed inventions as arranged, disposed or provided in the manner as claimed by the applicant.
The primary reasons for claims 3-8 are same as of claim 2 since each of the claims 3-8 directly or indirectly dependent from claim 2.
The primary reason for allowance of independent claim 10 the prior art of record, individually or in combination does not teach or fairly suggest:
wherein the upper holder further includes a groove defined in a lower portion thereof and a first clamp disposed on an inner surface of the upper holder, the first clamp is connected to an upper end portion of the display panel inserted into the upper holder through the groove of the upper holder to fix the upper end portion of the display panel to the upper holder, the lower holder further includes a groove defined in an upper portion thereof and a second clamp disposed on an inner surface of the lower holder, and the second clamp is connected to a lower end portion of the display panel inserted into the lower holder through the groove of the lower holder to fix the lower end portion of the display panel to the lower holder.
In examiners opinion the pertinent prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting all of the elements and features of the claimed inventions as arranged, disposed or provided in the manner as claimed by the applicant.
The primary reasons for claims 11-13 are same as of claim 10 since each of the claims 11-13 directly or indirectly dependent from claim 10.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee US Pub 2016/0062163 – seam with optical apparatus (200).
KR10-2414596 (provided in the IDS) teaches shielding display device to cover the bezels of adjacent display device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABHISHEK M RATHOD whose telephone number is (571)270-3947. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30AM-5:00PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 303-297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ABHISHEK M. RATHOD
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/ABHISHEK M RATHOD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841