DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/13/2026 has been entered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Figure 9 does not identify a first region with a reference character, where each of at least two display pixels are disposed and a second region with a reference character, where the light sensing pixel and one of the plurality of display pixels that is different from the at least two display pixels are disposed. 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 § 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 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bok (US 20210200366) in view of Kim (US 20180285619).
As per claim 11, Bok discloses a display device (Figs. 1-2, #10; [0371]) comprising:
a plurality of unit pixels arranged in a horizontal stripe structure (Fig. 11), in a vertical stripe structure, or in a pentile matrix structure, wherein each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels includes first to third display pixels and a light sensing pixel ([0449]-[0451]; [0481]);
a plurality of touch electrodes (Fig. 15, #SE) disposed above the first to third display pixels and the light sensing pixel to sense a touch ([0521]-[0523]; [1105]); and
a main driving circuit for receiving a light sensing signal from the light sensing pixel to sense a fingerprint ([0463]-[0466]; where a main driving circuit is inherently present),
wherein the plurality of touch electrodes (Fig. 67, #SE), when viewed in a plan view, surround a first region where each of the first display pixel and the third display pixel (i.e., first display pixel of first emission area GE and third display pixel of second emission area GE) are disposed and a second region where the light sensing pixel (i.e., light sensing pixel corresponding to PH1) and the second display pixel (i.e., display pixel corresponding to BE) are disposed ([0449]-[0451]; [0815]; [0866]-[0869]), and
wherein the first display pixel (#GE) and the third display pixel (#GE) disposed in the first region oppose each other in a first direction (i.e., X direction), and the light sensing pixel (#PH1) and the second display pixel (#BE) disposed in the second region oppose each other in the first direction (i.e., X direction), and
wherein (Fig. 67 below discloses) at least one open area corresponds to a space in which no touch electrode is formed between the light sensing pixel (#PH1) and the second display pixel (#BE) in each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels, and
wherein the plurality of touch electrodes (#SE) includes:
(Fig. 67 discloses) a first rectangular electrode with two openings including a first opening defined to expose the first display pixel (#GE) and a second opening defined to expose the third display pixel (#GE), and
(Fig. 67 discloses) a second rectangular electrode with a single opening defined to expose the light sensing pixel (#PH1) and the second display pixel (#BE).
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However, Bok does not teach the first display pixel is driven to emit red light during a fingerprint sensing period, and
wherein the second display pixel is driven to emit green light during the fingerprint sensing period, and
wherein the third display pixel is driven to emit blue light during the fingerprint sensing period, and
wherein the light sensing pixel comprises a light sensing area and the light sensing pixel is driven to sense light that is incident on the light sensing area from a front surface of the display device.
Kim teaches the first display pixel (Fig. 3, #PXL) is driven to emit red light during a fingerprint sensing period ([0065]; [0078]-[0079]; [0092]-[0093]), and
wherein the second display pixel (#PXL) is driven to emit green light during the fingerprint sensing period ([0065]; [0078]-[0079]; [0092]-[0093]), and
wherein the third display pixel (#PXL) is driven to emit blue light during the fingerprint sensing period ([0065]; [0078]-[0079]; [0092]-[0093]), and
wherein the light sensing pixel (Fig. 1, #PHS) comprises a light sensing area (#SA) and the light sensing pixel (#PHS) is driven to sense light that is incident on the light sensing area (#SA) from a front surface of the display device ([0061]-[0062]; [0064]; [0067]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the display pixels of Bok driven according to Kim so that a fingerprint of the user is detected using lights emitted from the pixels, so that a fingerprint sensor can be implemented without any separate external light source (Kim: [0075]).
As per claim 12, Bok in view of Kim discloses the display device of claim 11, wherein the first to third display pixels comprise first to third emission areas (Bok: [0449]-[0451]), respectively,
wherein the plurality of touch electrodes (Bok: #SE) comprise a plurality of driving electrodes (Bok: #TE), a plurality of sensing electrodes (Bok: #RE), and a plurality of dummy electrodes (Bok: #DE; [1110]; [1115]), and
wherein the plurality of driving electrodes, the plurality of sensing electrodes, and the plurality of dummy electrodes are formed in a mesh structure surrounding the light sensing area (Bok: Figs. 67 and 118; [0865]-[0866]; [1124]).
As per claim 13, Bok in view of Kim discloses the display device of claim 12, wherein (Bok: Fig. 67 discloses) at least one electrode of the plurality of driving electrodes, the plurality of sensing electrodes, and the plurality of dummy electrodes defines the at least one open area that corresponds to a space between the light sensing area (Bok: i.e., light sensing pixel corresponding to PH1) and the second emission areas (Bok: #RE) in each unit pixel of the plurality of unit pixels.
As per claim 14, Bok in view of Kim discloses the display device of claim 12, wherein (Fig. 67 discloses) the emission area of the second display pixel (Bok: i.e., second display pixel corresponding to GE) displays the green light (Bok: [0449]-[0451]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 and 16 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of a display device comprising a plurality of touch electrodes configured to sense a touch on the front surface and, when viewed in a plan view, surrounding a first region where each of at least two display pixels are disposed and a second region where the light sensing pixel and one of the plurality of display pixels that is different from the at least two display pixels are disposed does not teach or fairly suggest one of the at least two display pixel disposed in the first region oppose the light sensing pixel disposed in the second region in a second direction, and another of the at least two display pixels disposed in the first region oppose the one of the plurality of display pixels disposed in the second region in the second direction.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 11 have been considered but are moot because of the new grounds of rejection as presented above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nelson Lam whose telephone number is (571)272-8044. The examiner can normally be reached 1pm-9pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached on 571 272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nelson Lam/Examiner, Art Unit 2627
/KE XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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