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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-11 in the reply filed on February 9, 2024 is acknowledged.
Claims 12-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected method, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
1. Claim(s) 1, 3-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1 and a2) as being anticipated by Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159).
Regarding claim 1: Marshall teaches the following cover window comprising a base glass including a central region with a peripheral/exterior region surrounding the central region (0075-0076, Figures).
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Marshall teaches an embodiment wherein a crystal layer comprising ZrO2 can be disposed on the base glass overlapping the peripheral (exterior) region (see 0075-0076, 0161, 0164-0167) as shown below.
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Regarding claim 3: As the base glass is glass it will have less crystals than that of the crystal layer.
Regarding claim 4: Given that base glass is glass and the crystal layer is ceramic, they would be expected to have differing CTEs.
Regarding claim 5: As shown in the Figures above, the exterior has a corner region adjacent to a vertex of the central region and the ceramic crystal layer overlaps the corner.
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.
2. Claim(s) 6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159) as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 6: The crystal layer has a thickness less than the base glass (see Figures 17A-17B, 0006) and can be that overlapping Applicants (see discussion of the ceramic layer being 20-40% thickness of the cover glass part in combination with the cover glass thickness ranges of par 0006, 0059, 0063) (MPEP 2144.05).
Regarding claim 11: The window can have a transmittance in the visible range overlapping that claimed (0068) (MPEP 2144.05).
3. Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159) as applied to claim 1 above in view of USPub20190169060).
Regarding claim 2: While Marshall may not describe their embodiment mentioned above having their ceramic crystal layer not overlap the central region, Marshall does not exclude this and instead, only generally teaches their window being used as a cover for an electronic device having crystal regions for strength, etc..
As ‘060, who similarly teaches window being used as a cover for an electronic device having crystal regions for strength, etc., teach that crystals scatter light and create haze (0028) and given that the area of a cover sheet adjacent a display (i.e. this is the central region as understood in the cover glass art) is desirably transparent whereas the edges are less concerned with transparency and more concerned with strength, suggests it would be desirable to vary the properties across the cover such as selectively having crystals on the edges to make said edges less susceptible to damage while having none adjacent the display to maximize optical performance (see entire document 0024-0027, 0038-0039 and Figures 2A and 2B), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to include having their crystal layer on the edges (exterior region) to make said edges less susceptible to damage while having no crystals adjacent the display (central region) to maximize optical performance.
While it is noted for the record that the crystals in ‘060 are being grown from a base glass while that of Marshall’s embodiment is a crystal ceramic layer applied to a base glass, the concept and problem to be solved with crystal placement on a cover glass is still relevant and would be rendered obvious.
4. Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159) as applied to claim 1 above in view of in view of USPub20140233161 and/or USPub20170200914.
Regarding claims 9 and 10: While Marshall does not mention a bezel pattern being under the base glass, overlapping the exterior region, and a functional layer covering the crystal layer, Marshall does not exclude this and instead, only generally teaches a cover glass for an electronic display having an exterior region and interior region and wherein their surface having the crystal layer is an exterior surface and the surface opposite is an interior surface.
As ‘161 and ‘914, who each similarly teach a cover glass for an electronic display having an exterior region and interior region and having an exterior surface and a surface opposite being an interior surface, disclose it being desirable to have a bezel pattern on the interior surface overlapping the exterior (non-display) region surrounding the central (display) region (see entire document and Figures in ‘161 and ‘914) and a functional layer on the glass (see anti-finger layer discussion in ‘161 covering the exterior surface and all the layers having a function in the bezel region in ‘914), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to include a bezel pattern on the interior surface overlapping the exterior (non-display) region surrounding the central (display) region (and a functional layer on the glass according to ‘161 and/or ‘914 to obtain a desirable cover glass structure.
Note that modifying Marshall with the teachings of ‘161 will provide Marshall with the following wherein the bezel patter will be under the base glass and a functional layer will be on the base glass overing the top of the crystal layer thereby meeting claims 9 and 10,
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and modifying Marshall with the teachings of ‘914 will provide Marshall with the following meeting claims 9 and 10,
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Note that although the functional layers are under the base glass in the above modification, as they are on the base glass and will be covering the under portion of the crystal layer (note the claims do not prohibit intervening materials, does not require direct contact nor does it limit the orientation of the functional layer to that of the crystal layer coverage), the modification meet claims 9 and 10.
5. Claim(s) 1-8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159) in view of either on of US20200071225 or USPub20190169060.
The following is an alternative rejection to the rejections of Marshall above using Marshall’s alternative embodiment.
Regarding claim 1: Marshall teaches the following cover window comprising a base glass including a central region with a peripheral/exterior region surrounding the central region (0076, Fig 3).
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Marshall teaches an embodiment wherein crystal layer is nucleated from and disposed on a base glass overlapping the peripheral (exterior) region (0077-0084) as shown below.
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The crystal content of the base glass is different from that of the crystal layer (0072-0074).
While Marshall may not mention the crystal layer including one of the oxides claimed, Marshall does not exclude such oxides but instead, only merely teaches their window being used as a cover for an electronic device wherein their crystal layer is that of a glass ceramic, such as a LAS glass-ceramic, formed from heat treating the constituents of the base glass which can be LAS glass (0074, 0144).
As ‘225 and ‘060, who each similarly teach windows being used as covers for an electronic device wherein a glass ceramic, such as a LAS glass-ceramic, is produced from heat treating constituents of a base glass such as LAS (see 0085, 0125, 0127-0128, 0131 in ‘225 and 0041-0044), suggest that nucleating agents of TiO2, ZrO2 or P2O5 can be added to the base glass as nucleating agents to enhance the nucleation of the glass-ceramic during heating (see 0085 in ‘225 and 0042, 0044 in ‘225), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to include nucleating agents of TiO2, ZrO2 or P2O5 to their base glass to enhance the nucleation of their glass-ceramic crystal layer.
Note for the record that given that the glass ceramic crystal layer is nucleated/formed from the constituents of the base glass and the TiO2, ZrO2 or P2O5 nucleating agents are not only constituents of the base glass but are aiding in driving the nucleating/formation of the glass-ceramic crystal layer, one skilled in the art would expect these oxides to be present in the finally nucleated/formed glass ceramic crystal layer.
Regarding claim 2: While Marshall may disclose that a crystal layer is also nucleated/form on and overlapping the central region, note that as the crystal layer overlapping the exterior region relied upon for meeting claim 1 can differ in thickness and crystal volume from the layer portion overlapping the central region (see 0085, 0155, 0177) and the layer in the central region and the layer in the peripheral region can even be formed in different steps (see Fig 15, 0155-0157 for instance), they are considered different layers and the specific crystal layer overlapping the exterior relied upon to meet claim 1 is not the one overlapping Marshall’s central region thereby meeting claim 2.
Alternatively, in the instance Applicants argue against the above, the following is noted. Initially, Marshall is generally teaching a window being used as a cover for an electronic device having crystal regions for strength, etc..
As ‘060, who similarly teaches window being used as a cover for an electronic device having crystal regions for strength, etc., teach that crystals scatter light and create haze (0028) and given that the area of a cover sheet adjacent a display (i.e. this is the central region as understood in the cover glass art) is desirably transparent whereas the edges are less concerned with transparency and more concerned with strength, suggests it would be desirable to vary the properties across the cover such as selectively having crystals on the edges to make said edges less susceptible to damage while having none adjacent the display to maximize optical performance (see entire document 0024-0027, 0038-0039 and Figures 2A and 2B), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to include having their crystal layer on the edges (exterior region) to make said edges less susceptible to damage while having no crystals adjacent the display (central region) to maximize optical performance.
Regarding claim 3: The crystal content of the base glass is less than that of the crystal layer (0072-0074).
Regarding claim 4: The CTE of the base glass can be different from that of the crystal layer (see 0016, 0095, 0100, 0123, Marshall’s claim 12).
Regarding claim 5: As shown in the Figures above, the exterior has a corner region adjacent to a vertex of the central region and the crystal layer overlaps the corner.
Regarding claim 6: The crystal layer can have a thickness overlapping Applicants (see discussion of the layer being 20-40% thickness of the cover glass in combination with the cover glass thickness ranges of par 0006, 0059, 0063, 0073 or alternatively, an example range of 100-400micron is discussed in par 0073) (MPEP 2144.05).
Regarding claim 7: Marshall discloses that their crystal layer can comprise the following post an ion exchange step (see D1ions)
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Given that the crystal layer is nucleated/ formed from the base glass, both the above labeled first and second layers are necessarily inorganic.
Given that the ion exchange step exchanges ions only in the second layer, the first and second layer will necessarily have different compositions and therefore, different CTE’s.
Regarding claim 8: While Marshall may not discuss the crystal layer having another layer as claimed, Marshal does not exclude this and as mentioned above only generally teaches their window being used as a cover for an electronic device wherein their crystal layer is that of a glass ceramic formed from heat treating the constituents of the base glass (0074, 0144).
As ‘060, who each similarly teach windows being used as covers for an electronic device wherein a glass ceramic is produced from heat treating constituents of a base glass (see 0085, 0125, 0127-0128, 0131 in ‘225 and 0041-0044), teaches that the glass can be selectively heated during crystallization to form different material properties at different distances from the surface (i.e. this will form differing crystal content layers at different distances from the surface) (0063, 0065), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to selectively heat during crystallization to form different material properties at different distances from the surface (i.e. form different layers of differing crystal content at different distances from the surface) as desired.
The above would allow for, but not limited to, layer orientations such as that below.
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As noted above, given that the crystal layers will be nucleated/ formed from the base glass, the above labeled first, second and third layers are necessarily inorganic.
Given that the ion exchange step exchanges ions only in the third layer, the second and third layer will necessarily have different compositions and therefore, different CTE’s.
Regarding claim 11: The window can have a transmittance in the visible range overlapping that claimed (0068) (MPEP 2144.05).
6. Claim(s) 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (USPub20200095159) and either on of US20200071225 or USPub20190169060 as applied to claim 1 above, in view of USPub20140233161 and/or USPub20170200914.
Regarding claims 9 and 10: While Marshall does not mention a bezel pattern being under the base glass, overlapping the exterior region, and a functional layer covering the crystal layer, Marshall does not exclude this and instead, only generally teaches a cover glass for an electronic display having an exterior region and interior region and wherein their surface having the crystal layer is an exterior surface and the surface opposite is an interior surface.
As ‘161 and ‘914, who each similarly teach a cover glass for an electronic display having an exterior region and interior region and having an exterior surface and a surface opposite being an interior surface, disclose it being desirable to have a bezel pattern on the interior surface overlapping the exterior (non-display) region surrounding the central (display) region (see entire document and Figures in ‘161 and ‘914) and a functional layer on the glass (see anti-finger layer discussion in ‘161 covering the exterior surface and all the layers having a function in the bezel region in ‘914), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill at the time of invention to modify Marshall to include a bezel pattern on the interior surface overlapping the exterior (non-display) region surrounding the central (display) region (and a functional layer on the glass according to ‘161 and/or ‘914 to obtain a desirable cover glass structure.
Note that modifying Marshall with the teachings of ‘161 will provide Marshall with the following wherein the bezel patter will be under the base glass and a functional layer will be on the base glass overing the top of the crystal layer thereby meeting claims 9 and 10,
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and modifying Marshall with the teachings of ‘914 will provide Marshall with the following meeting claims 9 and 10,
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Note that although the functional layers are under the base glass in the above modification, as they are on the base glass and will be covering the under portion of the crystal layer (note the claims do not prohibit intervening materials, does not require direct contact nor does it limit the orientation of the functional layer to that of the crystal layer coverage), the modification meet claims 9 and 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN ROBINSON COLGAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3474. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 9AM to 5PM.
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LAUREN ROBINSON COLGAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1784
/LAUREN R COLGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1784