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 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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters 401-404 have been used to designate various features in both FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 with apparent distinctiveness between features given the same reference numbers.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because:
they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 501-506; and
they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 405-406.
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. 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.
It is the examiner’s opinion that the use of reference numbers 40X in FIG. 5 is a typo which should be corrected to 50X to overcome the objections of the preceding paragraphs.
Claim Objections
Applicant is advised that should claims 3 and/or 7 be found allowable, claims 12 and/or 14, respectively, will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding both claims 1 and 5, each of these claims recite the following language which renders the respective claim and dependent claims thereof indefinite:
“a peripheral region…” (singular), followed by, “peripheral regions…” (plural), and later, “the peripheral region…” (singular; emphasis mine). Claims containing use of the term peripheral region(s) in both singular and plural are indefinite in scope because it is unclear whether the limitations associated with these terms pertain to the peripheral region as a whole or one or more unrelated regions or subregions therein. For the purpose of examination, the examiner interprets “peripheral regions” (plural) as referring to peripheral subregions, which may or may not be included in the aforementioned “a peripheral region” (singular) and “the peripheral region” (singular) as referring back to the “a peripheral region” (singular) as a whole, regardless of whether the latter comprises the peripheral subregions.
“…comprise all GOA circuits”. Claims containing this phrase are indefinite in scope because it is unclear which of the possible interpretations of the phrase is claimed. Possible interpretations include: a) the set of aforementioned peripheral subregions as a whole comprise GOA circuits, but individual subregions do not necessarily comprise GOA circuits; b) each of the aforementioned peripheral subregions comprise GOA circuits; c) all GOA circuits are in the set of aforementioned peripheral subregions; or d) all GOA circuits are in the set of aforementioned peripheral subregions, each of which individually comprise GOA circuits. For the purpose of examination, the examiner interprets the limitations according to b).
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.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Ochi et al. (US 20210296425 A1, hereinafter Ochi).
Regarding independent claim 1, Ochi discloses in Ochi FIG. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8, and associated text a display panel, comprising:
a display region, wherein the display region comprises a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, wherein the first edge is disposed opposite to the second edge, the third edge is disposed opposite to the fourth edge (display region 5 has four edges (FIG. 2)), and a corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is curved (corners 5a are curved (FIG. 2)), and wherein the display region comprises a plurality of pixel units (display region 5 includes a plurality of pixels 12 (FIG. 4)); and
a peripheral region that at least partially surrounds the display region (frame region 6 (FIG. 2));
wherein peripheral subregions corresponding to the first edge, the second edge, and the third edge each comprise a gate driver on array (GOA) circuit and a GOA signal line (gate drivers 72 and 73, and gate wires 21g and routed wires 80 (GOA signal lines) are present in parts of frame region 6 corresponding to three edges (GOA circuits and GOA signal lines corresponding to first and second edges in FIG. 2; GOA signal lines corresponding to third edge in FIG. 8)), wherein each GOA circuit is configured to drive a corresponding pixel unit of the plurality of pixel units, and each GOA signal line is used to connect the GOA circuit and the corresponding pixel unit (each unit circuit 71 of the gate drivers 72/73 has a corresponding gate wire 21g ([0102]), and each gate wire 21g corresponds to a pixel circuit 35 ([0055])); wherein the peripheral subregions corresponding to the first edge, the second edge, and the third edge each comprise GOA circuits (gate drivers 72/73 are present in subregions of frame region 6 corresponding to the first through third edge);
wherein the peripheral region comprises a signal providing region, the signal providing region is adjacent to the fourth edge, and a length of the signal providing region is smaller than or equal to a length of the fourth edge (terminal unit 7 is a region which provides signals through terminals 21t connected to source wires 21s, is adjacent to the fourth edge, and is in one or more dimensions smaller than a length of the fourth edge as depicted (FIG. 2));
wherein the display region further comprises K data connection lines disposed between the plurality of pixel units, and K is a natural number (source wires 21s, which are physical and discrete units and therefore must inherently come in a natural number (FIG. 2));
wherein each pixel unit comprises M columns*N rows of light-emitting devices (pixels 12 comprise a 1x3 matrix of sub-pixels 13 and each of the sub-pixels has a corresponding light-emitting element 37 (FIG. 4, [0067])), M columns*N rows of bottom drive circuits (pixel circuit 35 serves as the sub-pixel 13, therefore shares the same 1x3 matrix (FIG. 6, [0054])), and M*N anode leads, wherein the anode leads are used to connect the light-emitting devices to the bottom drive circuits (first electrode 38 of organic EL element 37 (a.k.a. light-emitting device 37) is an anode ([0061]), which is connected to TFT 19f, which is a component of pixel circuit 35 (FIG. 5 and 6)), the bottom drive circuits are disposed at lower layers of the light-emitting devices (as depicted in FIG. 5, where components of the pixel circuit are below the light-emitting device 37), and both M and N are natural numbers (1 and 3 are natural numbers),
wherein an interval between adjacent light-emitting devices in each pixel unit of the plurality of pixel units is larger than a dimension of the bottom drive circuits corresponding to the adjacent light-emitting devices in the pixel unit (as depicted, an interval between left edges of light-emitting devices 37 is greater than a dimension of the pixel circuit 35 components connected to each light-emitting device 37 (FIG. 5; please also refer to the following figure)), to enable a gap to exist between the pixel units (a gap between pixel units 12 exists (FIG. 4, regions not enclosed by 12)); and
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wherein the K data connection lines are used to pass through gaps between the plurality of pixel units in the display region (source wires 21s depicted passing through gaps between pixel units 12 (FIG. 4)), and to connect pixel units in Q columns in the plurality of pixel units to the signal providing region (source wires 21s connect to the terminal unit 7 (FIG. 2) and the pixel circuits 35 (FIG. 6)), and the pixel units in Q columns comprise pixel units corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge, and Q is a natural number less than or equal to K (FIG. 4 shows at least three source wires 21s per column of pixels 12, therefore Ochi discloses K is greater than Q by at least 3 times).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Ochi further discloses in Ochi FIG. 8 and associated text a width of the peripheral region at the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is smaller than a width of the peripheral region at the first edge (The length A between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the frame corner 6a of the frame region 6 may be shorter than the length B between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the first frame side 6c, and than the length C between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the second frame side 6d ([0123])).
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, 3, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ochi, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 20200135595 A1, hereinafter Kim).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Ochi discloses the display panel of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose a peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge comprises a panel crack detection (PCD) lead and a water-and-oxygen dam (Dam) region and a distance between the PCD lead and the corner is less than a distance between the Dam region and the corner, to enable the PCD lead not to pass through the Dam region.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim discloses a peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge comprises a panel crack detection (PCD) lead and a water-and-oxygen dam (Dam) region and a distance between the PCD lead and the corner is less than a distance between the Dam region and the corner, to enable the PCD lead not to pass through the Dam region (the main crack detection lines MCDa and MCDb may be disposed in an inner region of the peripheral area PA such that the main crack detection lines MCDa and MCDb are disposed between the dam portion 350d and the display area DA (Kim [0090])).
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 teachings of Ochi and Kim to provide the display panel of Ochi surrounded by the Dam region and PCD lead of Kim to prevent organic material from flowing outside (Kim [0097]) and enable detection of defects in the edge area (Kim [0006]).
Regarding dependent claim 3, Ochi, as modified by Kim, further discloses the peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge further comprises an isolation column, and the isolation column is disposed on both sides of the Dam region (Kim discloses at least one dam portion 350d (Kim [0089]). In embodiments containing three or more, the portions on either side of a middle dam portion are considered isolation columns.).
Regarding dependent claim 12, Ochi, as modified by Kim, further discloses the peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge further comprises an isolation column, and the isolation column is disposed on both sides of the Dam region (Kim discloses at least one dam portion 350d (Kim [0089]). In embodiments containing three or more, the portions on either side of a middle dam portion are considered isolation columns.).
Regarding dependent claim 13, Ochi, as modified by Kim, further discloses in Ochi FIG. 8 and associated text a width of the peripheral region at the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is smaller than a width of the peripheral region at the first edge (The length A between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the frame corner 6a of the frame region 6 may be shorter than the length B between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the first frame side 6c, and than the length C between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the second frame side 6d (Ochi [0123])).
Claim 5, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ochi, and further in view of Hosoyachi et al. (US 20190259345 A1, hereinafter Hosoyachi).
Regarding independent claim 5, Ochi discloses in Ochi FIG. 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8, and associated text a display panel, comprising:
a display region, wherein the display region comprises a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, wherein the first edge is disposed opposite to the second edge, the third edge is disposed opposite to the fourth edge (display region 5 has four edges (FIG. 2)), and a corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is curved (corners 5a are curved (FIG. 2)), and wherein the display region comprises a plurality of pixel units (display region 5 includes a plurality of pixels 12 (FIG. 4)); and
a peripheral region that at least partially surrounds the display region (frame region 6 (FIG. 2));
wherein peripheral subregions corresponding to the first edge and the second edge each comprise a gate driver on array (GOA) circuit and a GOA signal line (gate drivers 70/72 (GOA circuits), and gate wires 21g (GOA signal lines) are present in parts of frame region 6 corresponding to both edges in FIG. 2), wherein each GOA circuit is configured to drive a corresponding pixel unit of the plurality of pixel units, and each GOA signal line is used to connect the GOA circuit and the corresponding pixel unit (each unit circuit 71 of the gate drivers 70/72 has a corresponding gate wire 21g ([0102]), and each gate wire 21g corresponds to a pixel circuit 35 ([0055]));
peripheral subregions corresponding to the first edge and the second edge each comprise GOA circuits (gate drivers 72 are present in subregions of frame region 6 corresponding to the first and second edge);
wherein the peripheral region comprises a signal providing region, the signal providing region is adjacent to the fourth edge, and a length of the signal providing region is smaller than or equal to a length of the fourth edge (terminal unit 7 is a region which provides signals through terminals 21t connected to source wires 21s, is adjacent to the fourth edge, and is in one or more dimensions smaller than a length of the fourth edge as depicted (FIG. 2));
wherein the display region further comprises K data connection lines disposed between the plurality of pixel units, and K is a natural number (source wires 21s, which are physical and discrete units and therefore must inherently come in a natural number (FIG. 2));
wherein each pixel unit comprise M columns*N rows of light-emitting devices (pixels 12 comprise a 1x3 matrix of sub-pixels 13 and each of the sub-pixels has a corresponding light-emitting element 37 (FIG. 4, [0067])), M columns*N rows of bottom drive circuits (pixel circuit 35 serves as the sub-pixel 13, therefore shares the same 1x3 matrix (FIG. 6, [0054])), and M*N anode leads, wherein the anode leads are used to connect the light-emitting devices to the bottom drive circuits (first electrode 38 of organic EL element 37 (light-emitting device) is an anode ([0061]), which is connected to TFT 19f, which is a component of pixel circuit 35 (FIG. 5 and 6)), the bottom drive circuits are disposed at lower layers of the light-emitting devices (as depicted in FIG. 5, where components of the pixel circuit are below the light-emitting device 37), and both M and N are natural numbers (1 and 3 are natural numbers),
wherein an interval between adjacent light-emitting devices in each pixel unit is larger than a dimension of the bottom drive circuits corresponding to the adjacent light-emitting devices in the pixel unit (as depicted, an interval between left edges of light-emitting devices 37 is greater than one or more dimensions of the pixel circuit 35 components connected to each light-emitting device 37 (FIG. 5; please also refer to the following figure)), to enable a gap to exist between the pixel units (a gap between pixel units 12 exists (FIG. 4, regions not enclosed by 12)); and
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wherein the K data connection lines are used to pass through gaps between the plurality of pixel units in the display region (source wires 21s depicted passing through gaps between pixel units 12 (FIG. 4)), and to connect pixel units in Q columns in the plurality of pixel units to the signal providing region (source wires 21s connect to the terminal unit 7 (FIG. 2) and the pixel circuits 35 (FIG. 6)), and the pixel units in Q columns comprise pixel units corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge, and Q is a natural number less than or equal to K (FIG. 4 shows at least three source wires 21s per column of pixels 12, therefore Ochi discloses K is greater than Q by at least 3 times).
Ochi does not explicitly disclose a longitudinal dimension of the GOA circuit is smaller than a longitudinal dimension of a pixel unit corresponding to the GOA circuit.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Hosoyachi discloses in Hosoyachi FIG. 2 and associated text a longitudinal dimension of the GOA circuit is smaller than a longitudinal dimension of a pixel unit corresponding to the GOA circuit (Hosoyachi FIG. 2 shows the length of output circuits Xn in gate driver GD1 are shorter than pixels PX in the D2 direction).
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 teachings of Ochi and Hosoyachi to provide the display panel of Ochi with the smaller GOA circuits of Hosoyachi to provide gate drivers that do not overlap with irregularly shaped edges/rounded corners, increasing the degree of freedom in panel layout and reducing the size of the frame (Hosoyachi [0052]).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi, further discloses in Ochi FIG. 8 and associated text a width of the peripheral region at the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is smaller than a width of the peripheral region at the first edge (The length A between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the frame corner 6a of the frame region 6 may be shorter than the length B between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the first frame side 6c, and than the length C between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the second frame side 6d (Ochi [0123])).
Regarding dependent claim 11, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi, further discloses a display device, comprising: a display configured to display an image, wherein the display comprises the display panel according to claim 5 (A display device […] includes […] a display panel including: a region displaying an image (Ochi [0010])).
Claims 6, 7, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ochi, and further in view of Hosoyachi and Kim.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi, discloses the display panel of claim 5, but does not explicitly disclose a peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge comprises a panel crack detection (PCD) lead and a water-and-oxygen dam (Dam) region and a distance between the PCD lead and the corner is less than a distance between the Dam region and the corner, to enable the PCD lead not to pass through the Dam region.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim discloses a peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge comprises a panel crack detection (PCD) lead and a water-and-oxygen dam (Dam) region and a distance between the PCD lead and the corner is less than a distance between the Dam region and the corner, to enable the PCD lead not to pass through the Dam region (the main crack detection lines MCDa and MCDb may be disposed in an inner region of the peripheral area PA such that the main crack detection lines MCDa and MCDb are disposed between the dam portion 350d and the display area DA (Kim [0090])).
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 teachings of Ochi, Hosoyachi, and Kim to provide the display panel of Ochi and REF surrounded by the Dam region and PCD lead of Kim to prevent organic material from flowing outside (Kim [0097]) and enable detection of defects in the edge area (Kim [0006]).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi and Kim, further discloses the peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge further comprises an isolation column, and the isolation column is disposed on both sides of the Dam region (Kim discloses at least one dam portion 350d (Kim [0089]). In embodiments containing three or more, the portions on either side of a middle dam portion are considered isolation columns.).
Regarding dependent claim 14, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi and Kim, further discloses the peripheral region corresponding to the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge further comprises an isolation column, and the isolation column is disposed on both sides of the Dam region (Kim discloses at least one dam portion 350d (Kim [0089]). In embodiments containing three or more, the portions on either side of a middle dam portion are considered isolation columns.).
Regarding dependent claim 15, Ochi, as modified by Hosoyachi and Kim, further discloses in Ochi FIG. 8 and associated text a width of the peripheral region at the corner between the first edge and the fourth edge is smaller than a width of the peripheral region at the first edge (The length A between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the frame corner 6a of the frame region 6 may be shorter than the length B between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the first frame side 6c, and than the length C between the outer end edge and the display region 5 in the second frame side 6d (Ochi [0123])).
Conclusion
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure:
US 20200066196 A1, pertaining to display panel crack detection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EVERETT TRAJAN RIRIE whose telephone number is (571)272-9559. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thu: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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/EVERETT T RIRIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897