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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract contains a typo, stating, "an option conversion unit arranged on the first electrode, …" Examiner believes the statement should read, "an optical conversion unit arranged on the first electrode, …"
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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 Objections
Claims 18 and 22 are objected to for minor informalities.
Regarding claim 18, the claim states, " the optical control layer, , " Examiner believes there is a mistake in punctuation and the claim should read, " the optical control layer,[[ ,]] " Proper correction is required.
Regarding claim 22, the claim states, " … refraction from the second member. is greater in height …" Examiner believes there is a mistake in punctuation and the claim should read, "… refraction from the second member [[.]] and is greater in height …" Proper correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 24 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.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kim and Campisi in the 103 rejection below does not teach the first member between second members since they are vertically separated in Campisi. The only prior art found in the search that has a display panel more analogous to the instant application was Zheng (US 20230080781 A1), which teaches banks in Figs 12-14 in a light control film, but Zheng only teaches one type of bank or member.
Regarding claim 24, as discussed above, Zheng is similar to the instant application, however, while Zheng does teach that the banks are made of thermosetting plastic, there is no index taught. Zheng, nor any other prior art found in the search teaches two transparent members as well as their associated index of refractions with different values to each other and the optical control fluid.
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.
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 18 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 20140185129 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Kim teaches a display device (200, Fig 2a) comprising:
a display panel (210) comprising a display area (EA) in which a plurality of pixels (Px: layers 218-221; plurality of pixels, [0100]) are positioned and a transparent area (TA) around (shown nearby) the display area (EA);
an optical control film (230) positioned below (shown below) the display panel (210),
wherein the optical control film (230) comprises:
a first substrate (231);
a second substrate (239) facing (shown facing) the first substrate (231);
an optical control layer (244) between (shown between) the first (231) and second substrates (239); and
a plurality of light-absorbing particles (245) dispersed in (shown dispersed in) the optical control layer (244), ,
wherein the plurality of light-absorbing particles (245) are positioned in the display area (EA) in a first mode (various modes, [0101]) and in the transparent area (TA) depending on the application of an electric field (Kim is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]).
Regarding claim 21, Kim teaches A display device (100, Fig 1) comprising:
a display panel (210, Fig 2a) having a plurality (Figure 2a would repeat to form device 100 making a plurality of EA and TA areas) of display areas (EA) and a plurality (Figure 2A would repeat to form device 100 making a plurality of EA and TA areas) of transparent areas (TA) in between (when repeated, transparent areas TA would be between respective display areas EA) respective display areas (EA);
a plurality (Figure 2a would repeat to form device 100 making a plurality of pixels positioned within each respective display area) of light emitting pixels (Px: layers 218-221; plurality of pixels, [0100]) positioned within (shown in) each respective display area (EA);
an optical control film (230) positioned adjacent (shown adjacent) to the display panel (210),
wherein the optical control film (230) comprises:
a first substrate (231);
a second substrate (239) facing (shown facing) the first substrate (231);
an optical control fluid layer (244) positioned between (shown between) the first (231) and second (239) substrates;
a plurality of electrically responsive light-absorbing particles (245) positioned in (shown in) the optical control fluid layer (244);
a first electrode (238) adjacent (shown adjacent) to the first substrate (231);
a second electrode (240) adjacent (shown adjacent) to the second substrate (239);
wherein the plurality of light-absorbing particles (245) are configured to be positioned in the display area (EA) in a first mode (various modes, [0101]) and in the transparent area (TA) in a second mode (various modes, [0101]) depending on the application of an electric field (Kim is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]) applied between the first (238) and second (240) electrodes.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 4-17, and 19, 20, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20140185129 A1), and further in view of Campisi (US 20120206328 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a display device (200, Fig 2a) comprising:
a display panel (210) having a display area (EA) in which a plurality of pixels (Px: layers 218-221; plurality of pixels, [0100]) are positioned and a transparent area (TA) adjacent (shown adjacent) to the display area (EA); and
an optical control film (230) arranged below (shown below) the display panel (210),
wherein the optical control film (230) comprises:
a first substrate (231);
a second substrate (239) facing (shown facing) the first substrate (231).
Kim fails to explicitly teach a first member positioned to overlap the display area on the first substrate; and a second member positioned adjacent to the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member is greater in height than the second member.
However, Campisi teaches a first member (18, Fig 1B) positioned to overlap (positioned to overlap; when combined with Kim, the left side of 100' would overlap EA of Kim and the right side would overlap TA of Kim; please see annotated figure below) the display area on (shown on) the first substrate; and
a second member (47) positioned adjacent (shown adjacent) to the first member (18) on (shown indirectly on) the first substrate,
wherein the first member (18) is greater in height (shown greater in height) than the second member (47).
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Kim and Campisi are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of light control film devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Kim with the features of Campisi to create a first member positioned to overlap the display area on the first substrate; and a second member positioned adjacent to the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member is greater in height than the second member with faster response time that can be manufactured for low cost (Campisi, [0009]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 1. Kim teaches the second substrate (239, Fig 2a).
Campisi goes on to teach wherein the first member (18, Fig 1B) is in contact (shown in indirect contact with the top surface of second substrate 38), on the top surface (38T: top of second substrate 38) thereof, with the second substrate.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 1. Kim teaches the display area (EA, Fig 2a) and the transparent area (TA).
Campisi goes on to teach wherein the second member (47, Fig 1B) is positioned with a first side (47R: right side of 47 at the boundary between EA and TA; please see annotated figure above) located at a boundary between (shown at a boundary between) the display area and the transparent area.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 1. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a first lower electrode (238A, Fig 2a; electrode 238 is comprised of multiple subparts: 238A are the 238 electrodes positioned in EA, 238B are the plurality of 238 electrodes positioned in TA) positioned in (shown in) the display area (EA) on (shown on) the first substrate (231).
Campisi goes on to teach the first lower electrode being arranged between (shown arranged diagonally between, Fig 1B; please see annotated figure below) the first (18) and second (47) members.
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Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 5. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a second lower electrode (238B, Fig 2a; electrode 238 is comprised of multiple subparts: 238A are the 238 electrodes positioned in EA, 238B are the plurality of 238 electrodes positioned in TA) positioned in (shown in) the transparent area (TA) on (shown on) the first substrate (231).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 6. Kim goes on to teach further including a plurality (plurality shown, Fig 2a) of second lower electrodes (238B).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 6. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a first upper electrode (240A, Fig 2a; electrode 240 is comprised of multiple subparts: 240A are portions surrounding 240B portions positioned in the transparent area TA; please see annotated figure below) positioned in (shown in) the transparent area (TA) on (shown on) a bottom surface (239B: bottom surface of 239) of the second substrate (239).
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Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 8. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a second upper electrode (240B, Fig 2a; electrode 240 is comprised of multiple subparts: 240A are portions surrounding 240B portions positioned in the transparent area TA; please see annotated figure above) around (shown nearby) the first upper electrode (240A) in (shown in) the transparent area (TA) on (shown on) the bottom surface (239B) of the second substrate (239).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 9. Kim goes on to teach wherein the first upper electrode (240A, Fig 2a; electrode 240 is comprised of multiple subparts: 240A are portions surrounding 240B portions positioned in the transparent area TA; please see annotated figure above) is provided in plurality (shown in plurality), and the second upper electrode (240B) is positioned between (shown between) the plurality of first upper electrodes (240A).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 9. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a bonding layer (240*, Fig 2a; *mislabeled by Kim, the layer directly above the second substrate 239; the transparent display is disposed on the light control unit by an adhesive layer, [0073]; please see annotated figure above) covering (shown covering) the first (240A) and second (240B) upper electrodes.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 11. Kim goes on to teach further comprising a dispersion liquid (244, Fig 2a) positioned between (shown between) the bonding layer (240*) and the first substrate (231) and a plurality of light-absorbing particles (245) dispersed in (shown dispersed) the dispersion liquid (244).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 12. Campisi teaches the first (18, Fig 1B) and second members (47).
Kim goes on to teach wherein the light-absorbing particles (245, Fig 2a) are positioned on (shown on) the first lower electrode (238A) between the first and second members based on the first (240A) and second (240B) upper electrodes and the first (238A) and second lower electrodes (238B) being powered off (The combination is capable of this function).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 13. Kim goes on to teach wherein the light-absorbing particles (245, Fig 2a) are positioned on a bottom surface (240AB: bottom of 240A) of the first upper electrode (240A) based on a positive (+) voltage being applied (The combination is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]) to the first upper electrode (240A).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 14. Kim goes on to teach wherein the light-absorbing particles (245, Fig 2a) are positioned on a top surface (238BT: top of 238B) of the second lower electrode (238B) based on the positive (+) voltage being applied (The combination is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]) to the second lower electrode (238B).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 15. Kim goes on to teach wherein the light-absorbing particles (245, Fig 2a) are positioned on the bottom surface (240AB) of the first upper electrode (240A) and a bottom surface (240BB: bottom of 240B) of the second upper electrode (240B) based on the positive (+) voltage being applied (The combination is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]) to the first (240A) and second (240B) upper electrodes.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 12. Kim goes on to teach wherein the light-absorbing particles (245, Fig 2a) are positioned on a first lower electrode (238A) based on a positive (+) voltage being applied (The combination is capable of this function; movement of particles distributed in the fluid is controlled by the applied voltage (Kim, [0099]) to the first lower electrode (238A).
Regarding claim 19, Kim teaches the device of claim 18, the display area (EA, Fig 2a), and the first substrate (231).
Kim fails to explicitly teach further comprising a first member arranged in the display area on the first substrate and a second member arranged around the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member is greater in height than the second member.
However, Campisi teaches further comprising a first member (18, Fig 1B) arranged in (arranged in; when combined with Kim, the left side of 100' would overlap EA of Kim and the right side would overlap TA of Kim; please see annotated figure above) the display area on the first substrate and a second member (47) arranged around (shown nearby) the first member (18) on the first substrate,
wherein the first member (18) is greater in height (shown greater in height) than the second member (47).
Kim and Campisi are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of light control film devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Kim with the features of Campisi to create a first member arranged in the display area on the first substrate and a second member arranged around the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member is greater in height than the second member with faster response time that can be manufactured for low cost (Campisi, [0009]).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Kim and Campisi discloses the device of claim 19. Kim teaches the second substrate (239, Fig 2a).
Campisi goes on to teach wherein the first member (18, Fig 1B) is in, on a top surface (38T: top of second substrate 38) thereof, contact (shown in indirect contact with top surface of second substrate 38) with the second substrate.
Regarding claim 22, Kim teaches the device of claim 21, the first substrate (231, Fig 2a), and the display area (EA).
Kim fails to explicitly teach a first member adjacent to the first substrate and positioned to overlap the display area on the first substrate; and a second member arranged adjacent to the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member has different light refraction from the second member. is greater in height than the second member.
However, Campisi teaches a first member (18, Fig 1B) adjacent (shown adjacent) to the first substrate and positioned to overlap (positioned to overlap; when combined with Kim, the left side of 100' would overlap EA of Kim and the right side would overlap TA of Kim; please see annotated figure above) the display area on the first substrate; and
a second member (47) arranged adjacent (shown adjacent) to the first member (18) on (shown indirectly on) the first substrate,
wherein the first member (18, Fig 1B) has different light refraction (different light refraction; walls 18 are comprised of a conductive material, [0031]; walls 47 are comprised of a non-conductive material, [0040]; inherently the light refraction of these two materials would be different - for example if walls 18 were comprised of gold, it is well known the index of refraction of this conductor is approximately 0.5, and if walls 47 were comprised of silicon dioxide, it is well known the index of refraction of this insulator is approximately 1.5) from the second member (47). is greater in height (shown greater in height) than the second member (47).
Kim and Campisi are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of light control film devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Kim with the features of Campisi to create a first member adjacent to the first substrate and positioned to overlap the display area on the first substrate; and a second member arranged adjacent to the first member on the first substrate, wherein the first member has different light refraction from the second member. is greater in height than the second member with faster response time that can be manufactured for low cost (Campisi, [0009]).
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20140185129 A1), and further in view of Kobayashi (US 20130335810 A1).
Regarding claim 23, Kim teaches the device of claim 21 and the optical control fluid layer (244, Fig 2a).
Kim fails to explicitly teach wherein the optical control fluid layer has a first refractive index.
However, Kobayashi teaches wherein the optical control fluid layer has a first refractive index (n: refractive index; refractive index of the liquid is as low as possible. The reason is that mobility of the electrophoretic particles improves and energy necessary for movement of the electrophoretic particles decreases accordingly. (Kobayashi, [0031]).
Kim and Kobayashi are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of light control film devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Kim with the features of Kobayashi to create a device wherein the optical control fluid layer has a first refractive index with rapid response while consuming low power (Kobayashi, [0004]). The reason is that mobility of the electrophoretic particles improves and energy necessary for movement of the electrophoretic particles decreases accordingly (Kobayashi, [0031]).
Claims 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20140185129 A1), and further in view of Gotrik (US 20230350262 A1).
Regarding claims 25 and 26, Kim teaches the optical control fluid layer (244, Fig 2a).
Kim fails to explicitly teach wherein the optical control fluid layer is a liquid or a resin.
However, Gotrik teaches wherein the optical control fluid layer (244, Fig 2a) is a liquid (liquid; optical components assembled to form a light control film filled with liquid, [0043]) meeting the limitations of claim 25; and
wherein the optical control fluid layer (244, Fig 2a) is a resin (resin; optical components assembled to form a light control film filled with liquid, liquid can be a resin, [0043]) meeting the limitations of claim 26.
Kim and Gotrik are considered analogous to the claimed invention because both are from the same field of endeavor of light control film devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the device of Kim with the features of Gotrik to create a device wherein the optical control fluid layer is a liquid or a resin so that the particles can be moved within the liquid of the optical cavities to change a full viewing angle of the light control film by applying an electric field (Gotrik [0003]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gotrik (US 20230350107 A1) - shows two different charged particles in light control fluid
Zheng (US 20230080781 A1) - banks on sides of lower electrodes to catch particles
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jeremy D Watts whose telephone number is (703)756-1055. The examiner can normally be reached M-R 8:00am-4:30pm, F 8:00-3pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEREMY DANIEL WATTS/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897