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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I and Species A (Figs. 5-6B) in the reply filed on 7/28/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 10-12 and 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Therefore, claims 1-9 and 13-14 have been fully considered in examination.
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 2-3 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.
Claim 2 recites that "a thickness of the functional layer is uniform along the rear surface of the display panel." Claim 1, from which claim 2 depends, recites that the functional layer overlaps the central region, while the dam overlaps the edge region. It is therefore unclear whether the recited uniformity is required along the entire rear surface of the display panel, including the edge region in which the functional layer is not disposed, or only along the portion of the rear surface in which the functional layer is disposed.
Claim 3 is rejected as depending from a rejected claim 2.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-3 and 5-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 2021/0181383 A1, hereinafter "Cho") in view of Son et al. (US 2021/0109398 A1, hereinafter "Son").
Regarding claim 1, Cho teaches an electronic apparatus (Fig. 1, display device 1) comprising:
a display panel (display panel 100) in which a central region (region overlapped by rear protection layer 150) and an edge region (region overlapped by opening 155), adjacent to the central region, are defined;
a functional layer (rear protection layer 150) disposed on a rear surface of the display panel (Fig. 1, rear surface of the display panel 100) and overlapping the central region (Fig. 2); and
a dam (resin layer 15) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel (Fig. 1, rear surface of the display panel 100) and overlapping the edge region (Fig. 2),
wherein the functional layer (150) includes a shock-absorbing material (embossing layer 151, which reduces impact from the outside) and a light-shielding material (black material of the embossing layer 151), and
a side surface of the functional layer is in contact with the dam (Fig. 1, side surface of the rear protection layer 150 is in contact with the resin layer 15).
Cho does not expressly disclose that the dam includes the light-shielding material.
Son teaches a light-blocking member (light-blocking tape 1100) that is black in color and is disposed as a ring at the camera hole CH on a rear surface of the liquid crystal panel 200, so as to reduce light leakage at the hole (Fig. 15 and Para [0113]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the resin layer of the display device of Cho by incorporating the light shielding material of light blocking tape by Son, in order to reduce the light leakage at the opening (Son, Para [0065]).
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Regarding claim 2, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the functional layer is uniform along the rear surface of the display panel (Fig. 1, rear protection layer 150 extends along the rear surface with a constant thickness).
Regarding claim 3, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the functional layer is equal to or less than a height of the dam (Fig. 1, rear protection layer 150 is less than a height of the resin layer 15).
Regarding claim 5, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the functional layer (Fig. 9. rear protection layer 150) comprises:
a first functional layer (Fig. 9. cushion layer 152) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel (Para [0109], rear surface of the display panel 100); and
a second functional layer (Fig. 9. cushion layer 153) disposed on the first functional layer (cushion layer 152).
Regarding claim 6, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first functional layer (first cushion layer 152) and the second functional layer (second cushion layer 153) includes a same material as each other (Cho, Para [0110], cushion layers 152 and 153 may be formed of different materials from each other and/or may have different thicknesses from each other).
Alternatively, forming the first and second functional layers of the same material would have been an obvious matter of design choice, as the specification discloses no unexpected result attributable thereto. See In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975).
Regarding claim 7, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the edge region comprises a second edge region surrounded by the central region (Fig. 1, the region of the opening 155 of the rear protection layer 150), and the dam comprises a second dam overlapping the second edge region (Fig. 1, resin layer 15).
Cho does not expressly disclose a first edge region surrounding the central region, or a first dam overlapping the first edge region.
Son discloses a light-blocking member comprising a light-blocking tape 1100 disposed at a hole region surrounded by the display area, and a border mold 2100 disposed at a peripheral region surrounding the display area, whereby light leakage is reduced at both the hole and the periphery (Fig. 15).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic apparatus of Cho by incorporating a further light-shielding dam overlapping a first edge region surrounding the central region, as taught by Son, in order to reduce light leakage at the outer boundary of the functional layer in the same manner that Son reduces light leakage at both boundaries of its display area.
Regarding claim 8, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the side surface of the functional layer (Fig. 1, rear protection layer 150) comprises:
a first side surface in contact with the first dam (Fig. 1, the outer peripheral side surface of the rear protection layer 150, which the added first dam adjoins); and
a second side surface in contact with the second dam (Fig. 1, the side surface of the rear protection layer 150 in the opening 155, to a portion of which the resin layer 15 is attached).
Regarding claim 9, Cho discloses the electronic apparatus of claim 8, wherein the functional layer (150) is provided with a functional hole (opening 155) overlapping the second edge region, wherein the functional hole (155) is defined by the second side surface (Figs. 1-2, side surface of the rear protection layer 150 in the opening 155).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Son as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Lee et al. (US 2021/0202907 A1, hereinafter "Lee").
Regarding claim 4, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 1 respectively, but does not specify the dam comprises a plurality of sub-dams sequentially stacked one on another,
and the plurality of sub-dams includes a same material as each other.
However, Lee discloses a dam (dam pattern 105) comprising a plurality of sub-dams sequentially stacked one on another (Fig. 23, lower dam pattern LD and upper dam pattern UD stacked thereon).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the resin layer of Cho as a plurality of sequentially stacked sub-dams, as taught by Lee, in order to build the dam up to a desired height. The sub-dams would include a same materials as each other, each being formed by repeating the application and curing of the same resin layer of Cho . See MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B).
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Son as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Moon et al. (US 2021/0296421 A1, hereinafter "Moon").
Regarding claim 13, Cho in view of Son teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 1 respectively, but does not specify a heat dissipation layer spaced apart from the rear surface of the display panel and disposed under the functional layer and the dam.
However, Moon discloses a display apparatus 10 further comprising a heat dissipation member (Para [0085]) spaced apart from the rear surface of the display panel 300 and disposed under the shock absorbing member of the panel lower cover PB (Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to dispose the heat dissipation layer of Moon under the functional layer and the dam of Cho, in order to dissipate heat generated by the display panel (Moon, Para [0169]).
Regarding claim 14, Cho in view of Son and Moon teaches the electronic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the heat dissipation layer comprises a heat-dissipating material (Para [0088], first heat dissipation layer of graphite and/or carbon nanotube) and an electromagnetic shielding material (Para [0088], second heat dissipation layer of a metal thin film such as copper, nickel, ferrite, or silver capable of shielding electromagnetic waves).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAHAE KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-1844. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fernando Toledo can be reached on (571) 271-1867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FERNANDO L TOLEDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/JAHAE KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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