Th largest prizeDETAILED 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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 20 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 20 recites “the first display area” and “the second display area”, which should be “the first display region” and “the second display region”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4, 13, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Zhang, Chun-fang et al. (CN-114497167-A; hereinafter Zhang).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses a display device, comprising:
a display panel including:
a first display region (display area 20; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0034]) in which a plurality of first pixels (in layer 200 of 20; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0034-35]) are disposed,
a second display region (camera region 10; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0034]) including pixel regions (210; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0043]) and a plurality of light-transmitting regions (220; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0043]), wherein a plurality of second pixels (in region 210; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0043]) are disposed in the pixel regions, and
an opening/closing module (electrochromic layer 340; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0043]) configured to control light passing through the plurality of light transmitting regions; and
an optical sensor disposed below the display panel (under-screen camera; ¶ [0052]),
wherein the opening/closing module is configured to open the light-transmitting region when the optical sensor is driven (shooting state; Fig 5; ¶ [0043]), and block the light-transmitting region when the optical sensor is not driven (colored state; Fig 6; ¶ [0043]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein a pixel density of the second display region is lower than a pixel density of the first display region (as depicted in Fig 5 and described in ¶ [0047]), there are fewer light emitting elements in layer 200 {pixel regions 210} of region 10 than in region 20).
Regarding claim 3, Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel includes a plurality of third pixels (342 can serve as a display pixel; Figs 5,6; ¶ [0047]) disposed in the plurality of light-transmitting regions (220; Figs 5,6).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang discloses the display device of claim 3, wherein a pixel density of the second display region is equal to a pixel density of the first display region (as depicted in Fig 6 and described in ¶ [0047], 342 serving as display pixels compensate for the lack of light emitting elements in layer 200 {in light-transmitting regions 220} of region 10 than as compared to region 20).
Regarding claim 13, Zhang discloses the display device of claim 3, wherein the opening/closing module (340; Figs 5,6) includes:
a first transparent electrode (420; Figs 5-6; ¶ [0049]);
a light-blocking layer (341,342; Figs 5-6; ¶ [0049]) disposed on the first transparent electrode; and
a second transparent electrode (350,360; Figs 5-6; ¶ [0048-49]) disposed on the light-blocking layer,
wherein the light-blocking layer includes a first light-blocking portion (342 {in transparent region 220}; Fig 5,6; ¶ [0043]) disposed at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of light-transmitting regions.
Regarding claim 18, Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor (under-screen camera) is located under the second display region (10; camera area 10 is provided with an under-screen camera; ¶ [0052]).
Claims 1 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Bang; Joohyuk et al. (US 2022/0189373; hereinafter Bang).
Regarding claim 1, Bang discloses a display device, comprising:
a display panel (10A; Figs 1-3; ¶ [0058-59]) including:
a first display region (120A; Figs 1-3; ¶ [0060]) in which a plurality of first pixels (PX2; Fig 3; ¶ [0063]) are disposed,
a second display region (110A/110A2; Figs 1-3/6-7; ¶ [0020,0080-81]) including pixel regions (31; Fig 6; ¶ [0074,0081]) and a plurality of light-transmitting regions (32; Fig 6; ¶ [0074,0081]), wherein a plurality of second pixels (PX1; Fig 3; ¶ [0062]) are disposed in the pixel regions, and
an opening/closing module (20A Figs 1-3; ¶ [0058]) configured to control light passing through the plurality of light transmitting regions (¶ [0064]); and
an optical sensor disposed below the display panel (30A; Figs 1-3; ¶ [0058,0067]),
wherein the opening/closing module is configured to open the light-transmitting region when the optical sensor is driven (20A in transparent state when 30A driven; ¶ [0068]) and block the light-transmitting region when the optical sensor is not driven (20A in opaque state when 30A not driven; ¶ [0068]).
Regarding claim 19, Bang discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising a high light-transmitting region located under the plurality of light-transmitting regions, and
wherein the high light-transmitting region has a higher light-transmittance than a region located under the plurality of second pixels. (Region 32 of Fig 6 does not have any transistors (TR) or wirings of the circuit area 311, as compared to region 31 {0075-76}, thereby enabling a higher light-transmittance.)
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 2 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang; Joohyuk et al. (US 2022/0189373; hereinafter Bang) in view of Zhang; Guofeng et al. (US 2020/0251538; hereinafter ZhangG).
Regarding claim 2, Bang discloses the display device of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a pixel density of the second display region is lower than a pixel density of the first display region.
In the same field of endeavor, ZhangG discloses a display device and display panel similarly having a first display region (10; Figs 1-2; ¶ [0027-33]), a second display region (20; Fig 1; ¶ [0027-33]) having light-transmitting regions (22; Fig 2; ¶ [0033]) to facilitate an optical sensor (¶ [0028]),
wherein a pixel density of the second display region is lower than a pixel density of the first display region (¶ [0037-38]).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have configured the display device of Bang so that a pixel density of the second display region is lower than a pixel density of the first display region. One would have been motivated to do this as a suitable means of increasing transmittance of the second display region to ensure sufficient light may reach the optical sensor (ZhangG; ¶ [0038]). One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because of the similar display devices of Bang and ZhangG, and because this method of increasing transmittance to facilitate a sensor is well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 20, Bang discloses the display device of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein the first display region surrounds the second display region.
In the same field of endeavor, ZhangG discloses a display device and display panel similarly having a first display region (10; Figs 1-2; ¶ [0027-33]), a second display region (20; Fig 1; ¶ [0027-33]), wherein the first display region surrounds the second display region. (Fig1; ¶ [0029]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art that the first display region of Bang may surround the second display region of Bang. One would have been motivated to do this, with a reasonable expectation of success because it is a well-known configuration in the art (for example, to facilitate a camera in a smart phone display.)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-12 and 14-17 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 claims 5-6, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the opening/closing module is configured to open the light-transmitting regions when an image is output from the third pixels”.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein a first anode driving the second pixels is a reflective electrode, and a second anode driving the third pixels is a transparent electrode”.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the light-transmitting region includes … a cathode disposed on the gate insulating film” and “wherein the opening/closing module is disposed on the cathode”.
Regarding claims 9-12, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the light-transmitting region includes … a cathode disposed on the organic emission layer” and “wherein the opening/closing module is disposed on the cathode”.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the light-transmitting region includes … a cathode disposed on the gate insulating film”.
Regarding claims 14-17, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the light-blocking layer includes a second light-blocking portion disposed outside the light-transmitting region, wherein the second light-blocking portion includes openings disposed on the plurality of second pixels”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Liu; Yuhao et al. (US 2021/0091147; the prior art discloses a related display device and display panel).
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/B.A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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