DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-7 and 9-18 are pending.
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ response to the last Office Action, dated Feb. 25, 2026 has been entered and made of record. In view of the Applicant’s amendments of title, the objection to the specification is expressly withdrawn. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office Action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, dated Feb. 25, 2026 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to all of the references being used in the current rejection. Please see the following claim rejections for detailed analysis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Claims 1-4, 9-10, 12 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2021/0325758 A1) in view of Hsieh et al. (US 2012/0098739 A1).
As to claim 1, Huang teaches an electronic paper display device (Huang, FIG. 3, [0015], “electronic paper package structure 100”), comprising:
a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110 … thin-film transistor array (TFT array)”), wherein a top surface of the TFT array substrate has a bottom electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “a conductive graphite is disposed on the upper surface 1102 of the substrate 110 configured as a lower electrode plate”);
a light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”) located above (Huang, see FIG. 3) the TFT array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110”);
a top electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”) located on a bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “a transparent electrode layer 113 formed of such as indium tin oxide (ITO) is disposed on the lower surface 1142 of the cover plate 114 and configured as an upper electrode plate”);
a display medium layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “electronic ink layer 112”) located between (Huang, see FIG. 3) the top electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”) and the bottom electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “a conductive graphite is disposed on the upper surface 1102 of the substrate 110 configured as a lower electrode plate”); and
a barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) directly formed on at least one of a top surface and the bottom surface of (Huang, see FIG. 3) the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”), wherein the barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) is in direct contact with (Huang, see FIGS. 2-3, [0021], “the electronic ink layer 112 is correspondingly displayed in a display area D1 of the cover plate 114, and the adhesive layer 117 is correspondingly bonded to a non-display area D2 of the cover plate 114”; there is no “adhesive layer 117” between “cover plate 114” and “transparent electrode layer 113”, and it is reasonably inferred that “cover plate 114” is in direct contact with “transparent electrode layer 113”) the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”), and is configured to resist moisture (Huang, FIG. 3, [0019], “the water vapor barrier capacity of the electronic paper package structure 100 can be increased”).
Huang does not teach “wherein the light-transmitting substrate and the top electrode layer have different materials”; and “wherein a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate, an edge of the barrier layer, and an edge of the top electrode layer are aligned with each other in a vertical direction”.
However, Hsieh teaches the concepts that the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”) and the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “common electrode 214”) have different materials (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “a transparent base and can be made of glass, quartz, plastic” and “a transparent conductive layer and can be made of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO)”, respectively); and
a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0045], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210”, whereas “first substrate 210” comprises “first base 212”) and an edge of the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0045], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210”, whereas “first substrate 210” comprises “common electrode 214”) are aligned with each other in a vertical direction (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0045]).
At the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to (1) substitute the “transparent electrode layer 113” taught by Huang with the “first substrate 210” comprising “first base 212” and “common electrode 214”; and (2) align an edge of the barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) taught by Huang with the “edge 210a of the first substrate 210”, as taught by Hsieh, in order to provide that “Thereby, the first substrate in the electrophoretic display unit can be closely connected to the adjacent first substrate(s). As such, a user is rather unlikely to perceive the untidy splice between adjacent electrophoretic display units when the user views a display image via the first substrate” (Hsieh, [0010]).
As to claim 2, Huang in view of Hsieh teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) is directly formed on the top surface of (Huang, see FIG. 3) the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”), and the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “common electrode 214”) is directly formed on the bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1.
As to claim 3, Hsieh teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 2, wherein the bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”) has a functional area extending outward from the display medium layer (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0030], “electrophoretic display layer 230”), and the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “common electrode 214”) extends to the functional area (Hsieh, see FIG. 3). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1.
As to claim 4, Huang teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 2, wherein a top surface of the barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) is exposed (Huang, e.g., see FIG. 3).
As to claim 9, Huang in view of Hsieh teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 1, wherein an edge of the display medium layer (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0030], “edge 230a of the electrophoretic display layer 230”) is recessed from a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0034], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210a”) so that the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”) has a protruding portion (Hsieh, see FIG. 2), and
the electronic paper display device (Huang, FIG. 3, [0015], “electronic paper package structure 100”) further comprises a sealant (Huang, FIG. 3, [0023], “sealant 118”) located between the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], the left sidewall of “transparent electrode layer 113”) and the TFT array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110”), and the sealant (Huang, FIG. 3, [0023], “sealant 118”) surrounds the display medium layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “electronic ink layer 112”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1.
As to claim 10, Huang in view of Hsieh teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 9, wherein the sealant (Huang, FIG. 3, [0023], “sealant 118”) is in contact with a bottom surface of the top electrode layer (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0031], the bottom surface of “common electrode 214”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1.
As to claim 12, Huang teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 1, wherein the display medium layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “electronic ink layer 112”) comprises a plurality of microcapsules (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “may include millions of microcapsules”) or a plurality of microcups, and each of the microcapsules (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “millions of microcapsules”) or each of the microcups has charged particles with different colors (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “can be a tri-color or multi-color electronic ink layer”).
As to claim 16, it differs from claim 1 only in that it is the manufacturing method of the electronic paper display device of claim 1. It recites substantially the same limitations as in claim 1, and Huang in view of Hsieh teaches them. Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1. Please see claim 1 for detailed analysis.
As to claim 17, Hsieh teaches the manufacturing method of the electronic paper display device of claim 16, wherein the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “common electrode 214”)) is directly formed on the bottom surface of (Hsieh, see FIG. 2) the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1. Please see claim 1 for detailed analysis.
Claims 5-7 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2021/0325758 A1) in view of Hsieh et al. (US 2012/0098739 A1) and Kwon (US 2011/0026097 A1).
As to claim 5, Huang in view of Hsieh does not teach the electronic paper display device of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer is directly formed on the bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate, and the top electrode layer is directly formed on a bottom surface of the barrier layer, such that the top electrode layer is in direct contact with the barrier layer.
However, Kwon teaches the concept that the barrier layer (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0011], “protective film 20”) is directly formed on the bottom surface of (Kwon, see FIG. 1A) the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”), and the top electrode layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0033], “The upper array unit 180 can further include a common electrode (not shown)”) is directly formed on a bottom surface of the barrier layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0040], “protective film 120”), such that the top electrode layer is in direct contact with (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0037], “The EPD with such a configuration applies voltages to the pixel electrode 121 and the common electrode (not shown) opposite to each other”) the barrier layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0040], “protective film 120”).
At the time of effective filing date, considering that Kwon teaches the concept of “the pixel electrode 121 and the common electrode (not shown) opposite to each other” in FIG. 3, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the stack of “first substrate 210” and “cover plate 114” taught by Huang in view of Hsieh with the stack of “upper substrate 12”, the “protective film 120” and the “common electrode”, as taught by Kwon, in order to “substantially obviate the problems” that “the thinned electrophoretic film causes step coverage in a protective film or a substrate, which is adhered to it, to be lowered. Moreover, the step coverage in the protective film or the substrate can lose uniformity due to fine alien substances attached to the protective film or the substrate. As such, a non-injection defect of sealant is caused during a process of forming a seal pattern on the outer-circumferential surface of the electrophoretic film” (Kwon, [0016]).
As to claim 6, Kwon teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 5, wherein the bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”) has a functional area extending outward from the display medium layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0033], e.g., “The upper array unit 180 includes color filter patterns 127 and a protective film 120 … further include a common electrode (not shown)”), and the barrier layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0040], “protective film 120”) and the top electrode layer (Kwon, FIG. 3, [0033], e.g., the “common electrode (not shown)”) extend to the functional area (Kwon, see FIG. 3). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5.
As to claim 7, Kwon teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 5, wherein the top surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”) is exposed (Kwon, see FIG. 1A). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5.
As to claim 18, it recites substantially the same limitations as in claim 5, and Kwon teaches them. Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5. Please see claim 5 for detailed analysis.
Claims 11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2021/0325758 A1) in view of Hsieh et al. (US 2012/0098739 A1) and Kwon (US 2011/0026097 A1).
As to claim 11, Huang in view of Hsieh does not teach the electronic paper display device of claim 10, wherein the sealant extends to a lower portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate, such that an upper portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate is exposed.
However, Kwon teaches the concept that the sealant (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “sealant 16”) extends to a lower portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, see FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”), such that an upper portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”) is exposed (Kwon, see FIG. 1A). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5.
As to claim 13, Huang teaches an electronic paper display device (Huang, FIG. 3, [0015], “electronic paper package structure 100”), comprising:
a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110 … thin-film transistor array (TFT array)”), wherein a top surface of the TFT array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110 … thin-film transistor array (TFT array)”) has a bottom electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “a conductive graphite is disposed on the upper surface 1102 of the substrate 110 configured as a lower electrode plate”);
a light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”) located above (Huang, see FIG. 3) the TFT array substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “substrate 110 … thin-film transistor array (TFT array)”);
a top electrode layer located on a bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”);
a display medium layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0018], “electronic ink layer 112”) located between the top electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”) and the bottom electrode layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0017], “a conductive graphite is disposed on the upper surface 1102 of the substrate 110 configured as a lower electrode plate”); and
a barrier layer (Huang, FIGS. 2-3, [0019], “cover plate 114”) directly formed on at least one of a top surface and the bottom surface of the light-transmitting substrate (Huang, see FIGS. 2-3, [0017], “transparent electrode layer 113”).
Huang does not teach “wherein the light-transmitting substrate and the top electrode layer have different materials”; “wherein an edge of the display medium layer is recessed from a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate so that the light-transmitting substrate has a protruding portion”; and “wherein a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate, an edge of the barrier layer, and an edge of the top electrode layer are aligned with each other in a vertical direction”.
However, Hsieh teaches the concepts that the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”) and the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “common electrode 214”) have different materials (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “a transparent base and can be made of glass, quartz, plastic” and “a transparent conductive layer and can be made of indium tin oxide (ITO), indium zinc oxide (IZO)”, respectively);
an edge of the display medium layer (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0030], “edge 230a of the electrophoretic display layer 230”) is recessed from a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0034], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210a”) so that the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”) has a protruding portion (Hsieh, see FIG. 2); and
a sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0045], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210”, whereas “first substrate 210” comprises “first base 212”) and an edge of the top electrode layer (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0045], “edge 210a of the first substrate 210”, whereas “first substrate 210” comprises “common electrode 214”) are aligned with each other in a vertical direction (Hsieh, see FIG. 2, [0045]).
Please see the obviousness statement and motivation to combine Hsieh on claim 1 above.
Huang in view of Hsieh does not teach “a sealant located between the protruding portion of the light-transmitting substrate and the TFT array substrate, surrounding the display medium layer, and extending to a lower portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate”.
However, Kwon teaches the concept of a sealant (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “sealant 16”) located between the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”) and the TFT array substrate (Kwon, FIG. 1A, [0009], “lower substrate 10”), surrounding the display medium layer (Kwon, see FIG. 1A, [0009], “electrophoretic film 14”), and extending to a lower portion of the sidewall of the light-transmitting substrate (Kwon, see FIG. 1A, [0009], “upper substrate 12”).
Please see the obviousness statement and motivation to combine Kwon on claim 11 above.
As to claim 14, Huang in view of Hsieh teaches the electronic paper display device of claim 13, further comprising:
a barrier layer (Huang, FIG. 3, [0016], “cover plate 114”) directly formed on a top surface of (Huang, see FIG. 3) the light-transmitting substrate (Hsieh, FIG. 2, [0031], “first base 212”). Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 1.
As to claim 15, it recites substantially the same limitations as in claim 5, and Kwon teaches them. Examiner renders the same motivation as in claim 5. Please see claim 5 for detailed analysis.
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: Tsai et al. (US 2022/0244611 A1) teaches the concept of “electrophoretic display device including … an upper substrate and an upper electrode” (Abs.).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD J HONG whose telephone number is (571) 270-7765. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Oct. 4, 2024
/RICHARD J HONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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