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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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, and
(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 12 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2019/0123094 by Foster (i.e., Ref. 1 hereinafter).
Referring to claim 12, Ref. 1 discloses a display device (500, Fig. 1A- Fig. 5) comprising:
a plurality of display modules (100);
a frame (506) that is fastened to the plurality of display modules (100);
a support member (backside housing, 420, Figs. 4A-4C) fastened to at least one of the frame or the plurality of display modules (100); and
a heat sink (430, Fig. 4B) fastened to the support member (at lower portion of 420),
wherein each of the plurality of display modules (100) includes:
a display panel (LEDs – 404);
a printed circuit board (405) on a rear surface of the display panel; and
a cover shield (406, Fig. 4B) that covers the printed circuit board,
wherein the heat sink (430) covers the cover shield (406) and is at least partially in contact with the cover shield.
Referring to claim 24, Ref. 1 discloses a display device (100, Fig. 1A- Fig. 5) comprising:
a display panel (LEDs 404, Fig. 4B);
a printed circuit board (405) electrically connected to the display panel, the printed circuit board (405) over a rear surface of the display panel; and
a heat sink (430, Fig. 4B) that overlaps the printed circuit board (405) such that the printed circuit board (405) is between the display panel (LEDs 404) and the heat sink (430), the heat sink (430) including a hollow portion (i.e., opening for cage 406) across a length of the heat sink (430). See [0083].
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 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ref. 1.
Referring to claims 13 and 14, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 12, as substantially claimed, including wherein for each of the plurality of display modules (100): the printed circuit board (405) and the cover shield (406) are biased (i.e., constrained by the frame 506) toward one side of the rear surface of the display panel, but does not expressly teach the plurality of display modules (100) are arranged in a plurality of numbered rows, such that (1),
the odd-numbered display modules from the plurality of display modules in odd-numbered rows and even-numbered display modules from the plurality of display modules in even-numbered rows are fastened to the frame in a same direction such that the printed circuit boards of the odd-numbered display modules and the printed circuit boards of the even-numbered display modules are spaced apart from each other, and
the plurality of display modules are arranged in a plurality of numbered rows and odd-numbered display modules arranged in odd-numbered rows and even-numbered display modules arranged in even-numbered rows are fastened to the frame in a reverse direction such that the printed circuit boards of the odd-numbered display modules and the printed circuit boards of the even-numbered display modules are adjacent to each other, respectively.
It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. See In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. As such, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Ref. 1 by arranging the display modules as claimed, since this would allow for heat dissipation to occur in a specific region of the frame of the device, thereby eliminating the need to place heat sinks throughout the framework (506).
Referring to claim 15, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 13, wherein the heat sink (430) covers cover shields (406) of the odd-numbered display modules (100) and cover shields (406) of the even-numbered display modules (100) and contacts the cover shields (406) of the odd-numbered display modules (100) and the cover shields (406) of the even-numbered display modules (100). That is, all cover shields (406) are covered by each respective heat sink cover in the same region with the framework (506).
Claims 21, 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ref. 1. in view of U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2018/0199468 to Hall, III et al. (i.e., Ref. 2 hereinafter).
Referring to claim 21, Ref. 1 discloses the device of claim 12, as substantially claimed, except for the heat sink (430) is configured to slide across the support member to fasten the heat sink to the support member.
Ref. 2 discloses a gage with an attached heat sink (20, Fig. 8), wherein the heat sink is configured to slide across a support member (14, Fig. 3), to fasten the heat sink (20) to the support member.
All of the component parts are known in the combined references. The only difference is the combination of the "old elements" into a single device. Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device of Ref. 1 to include a heat sink configured to slide across a support member, as taught by Ref. 2, in order to disengage the heat sink when needed (i.e., to allow for access to various components within the display system). See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. _, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Referring to claim 25, the Ref. 1 in view of Ref. 2 discloses the device as claimed, including a support member (14) having a first end (upper or top portion of 14, Ref. 2) that is disposed within the hollow portion and a second end (lower or bottom portion of 14, Ref. 2) wherein the heat sink (20) is configured to slide across the first end of the support member (14) to fasten the heat sink to the support member. See the rejection to claim 21 above.
Referring to claim 26, the Ref. 1 in view of Ref. 2 discloses the device as claimed, further comprising: a cover shield (406) that covers the printed circuit board (405), wherein the second end of the support member (i.e., bottom portion of 14) is fastened to at least one of the printed circuit board (405) or the cover shield.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: claim 1 includes the specific limitations “a cover bottom that covers a rear surface of the display panel, the cover bottom including an opening that exposes a portion of the display panel; a plate bottom in the opening; a printed circuit board electrically connected to the display panel and in the opening on the rear surface of the display panel.” These limitations, in combination with the remaining elements of claim 1, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 2-11 depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 1 and are allowed for at least the same reasons.
Claims 16-20, 22, 23 and 27-29 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 16, the specific limitations of “the heat sink comprises: a central portion including a hollow portion and a hole that extends from a surface of the central portion to the hollow portion, wherein a vertical support is disposed within the hollow portion via the hole; and a plurality of wing portions including a first wing portion connected to a first side of the central portion and a second wing portion connected to a second side of the central portion that is opposite the first side of the central portion,” in combination with the remaining elements, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 17-20 depend from 16 and are also allowable for at least the same reasons.
Regarding claim 22, the specific limitations of “a contact portion of the heat sink is configured to separate from the cover shield responsive to a center portion of the heat sink being pressed from the rear surface of the display module,” in combination with the remaining elements, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record.”
Regarding claim 23, the specific limitations of “the support member has one of a gull wing structure, a "T" shape cross-sectional structure and an arrow shape cross-sectional structure,” in combination with the remaining elements are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record.
Regarding claim 27, the specific limitations of “the heat sink comprises: a central portion including a hole that extends from a surface of the central portion to the hollow portion and the first end of the support member is disposed within the hollow portion via the hole; and a plurality of wing portions including a first wing portion connected to a first side of the central portion and a second wing portion connected to a second side of the central portion that is opposite the first side of the central portion, wherein the first wing portion and the second wing portion are at least partially in contact with the cover shield, in combination with the remaining elements, are not taught or adequately suggested in the prior art of record. Claims 28 and 29 depend from 27 and are also allowable for at least the same reasons.
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.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY Q EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2042. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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/Anthony Q Edwards/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
March 13, 2026