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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0162570 (hereinafter Shin) in view of Kim et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0187694 (hereinafter Kim).
Consider claim 1, Shin teaches a semiconductor device comprising: a first substrate (Figure 10, 100); a second substrate (Figure 10, 200); a liquid crystal between the first substrate and the second substrate [0112]; a spacer between the first substrate and the second substrate (Figure 10, 250); a plurality of pixel circuits each comprising a transistor and a pixel electrode, over the first substrate (Figure 10, transistor 135,130,133,110,137, pixel electrode 150), a touch sensor comprising a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes (Figure 10 and [0044], plurality of 180), the touch sensor being over the first substrate (Figure 10, 180 and 100); a wiring electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes (Figure 10, 160b. Figure 2a, 160 and 180); the transistor comprising: a gate electrode; a semiconductor film having a channel formation region; a gate insulating film between the gate electrode and the semiconductor film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are electrically connected to the semiconductor film (Figure 10, 110, 120, 130, 135, 137), a first insulating film over the semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode (Figure 10, 140); a first metal oxide film and a second metal oxide film (Figure 10 and [0056], 180 and ITO) which are over and in contact with the first insulating film (Figure 10, 180 and 140); and a second insulating film over the first metal oxide film and the second metal oxide film (Figure 10, 170), wherein the second insulating film is a planarization film (Figure 10, 170), wherein the pixel electrode is over and in contact with the second insulating film (Figure 10, 150), wherein the spacer is over and in contact with the second insulating film (Figure 10, 250 and 170), wherein the first metal oxide film is configured to function as the first electrode, wherein the second metal oxide film is configured to function as the second electrode (Figure 10 and [0044], plurality of 180), wherein the wiring comprises an aluminum film (Figure 10, 160b. [0056], 160, Al), wherein the wiring extends in a first direction in a plan view (Figure 2a, 160 in the Y-direction), wherein the second electrode extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the plan view (Figure 2a, plurality of 180 that extends in the x-direction (e.g. first row)), and wherein the wiring overlaps with a region between first electrodes adjacent to the second direction among the plurality of first electrodes in the plan view (Figure 2a, 160 in between 180).
Shin does not appear to specifically disclose configured to detect a touch input by a change in capacitance between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Kim teaches a touch panel in figure 3 and further teaches configured to detect a touch input by a change in capacitance between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes ([0035-0036], mutual capacitive type).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a mutual capacitive type as taught by Kim with the benefit that the mutual type may include a plurality of driving electrodes, to which a touch driving signal is sequentially supplied, and a plurality of receiving electrodes which transfer the sensing signals generated based on the touch driving signal to the touch sensing unit as suggested in [0036].
Consider claim 3, Shin and Kim teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Shin teaches wherein the semiconductor film comprises oxide semiconductor ([0077], oxide).
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin and Kim as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lim et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0303193 (hereinafter Lim).
Consider claim 2, Shin and Kim teach all the limitations of claim 1.
Kim does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the spacer overlaps with the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Lim teaches a touch screen display device (abstract) and further teaches wherein the spacer overlaps with the other of the source electrode and the drain electrode (Figure 5, 93 and 66).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a spacer as shown in Lim for the purpose of support and forms a predetermined cell gap as suggested in [0052].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 4 is related to a semiconductor device comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal between the first substrate and the second substrate; a spacer between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of pixel circuits each comprising a transistor and a pixel electrode, over the first substrate, a touch sensor comprising a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, the touch sensor being over the first substrate; a wiring electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes; the transistor comprising: a gate electrode; a semiconductor film having a channel formation region; a gate insulating film between the gate electrode and the semiconductor film; and a source electrode and a drain electrode which are electrically connected to the semiconductor film, a first insulating film over the semiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a first metal oxide film and a second metal oxide film which are over and in contact with the first insulating film; and a second insulating film over the first metal oxide film and the second metal oxide film, wherein the second insulating film is a planarization film, wherein the pixel electrode is over and in contact with the second insulating film, wherein the spacer is over and in contact with the second insulating film, wherein the first metal oxide film is configured to function as the first electrode, wherein the second metal oxide film is configured to function as the second electrode, wherein the wiring comprises an aluminum film, wherein the wiring extends in a first direction in a plan view, wherein the second electrode extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the plan view, wherein the wiring overlaps with a region between first electrodes adjacent to the second direction among the plurality of first electrodes in the plan view, wherein the wiring overlaps with a light shielding film disposed on the second substrate, and wherein the transistor does not overlap with the touch sensor.
Prior arts do not appear to specifically disclose all the above underlined limitations in combination to other limitations in the claim.
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.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/07/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 2, Applicant argues that “One of ordinary skill in the art would have had no reason to modify Shin's LCD device, which implements a sensing circuit 400 and MUX 300 for sensing the user's touch, with Kim's mutual capacitive type touch panel since doing so would change the principle of operation of Shin's LCD device and render Shin inoperable for its intended purpose.” The Office respectfully disagrees for the following reasons.
Shin does not appear to exclude mutual capacitive sensing. In addition, Kim teaches in figure 3 and [0035], mutual type or self-capacitive type as alternatives.
On page 2, Applicant argues that “Since replacing the fundamental operation of Shin's LCD device, which implements a sensing circuit 400 and MUX 300 for sensing the user's touch, with Kim's mutual capacitive type touch panel by not providing a sensing electrode for sensing a user's touch, the teachings of Kim are not sufficient to render the features of claim 1 prima facie obvious.” The Office respectfully disagrees for the following reasons.
Kim provides sensing electrodes TE for sensing a user’s touch in figure 3 (see also figure 2 and [0048]). In addition, Examiner is not using Kim for the purpose of showing a sensing circuit and/or MUX as appear to be argued. In addition, Kim provides a similar sensing circuit or touch sensing unit 600 in figure 3. Consequently, these arguments have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 ROBERTO W FLORES whose telephone number is (571)272-5512. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7am-4pm, EST.
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/ROBERTO W FLORES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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