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.
The following title is suggested: OUTER SURFACE ROUTING LINES FOR DISPLAY PANEL, WIRING SUBSTRATE, AND DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING THE SAME
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being clearly anticipated by Jeong; Yoonseob et al. (US 2021/0202676; hereinafter Jeong).
Regarding claim 1, Jeong discloses a display device comprising:
a display panel (100,AA; Figs 1A-1B,4,5,15; ¶ [0084]) having a plurality of pixels (P; Fig 1A; ¶ [0084,0098]);
a plurality of routing lines (410,430,450,470,490; Fig 5; ¶ [0160-173]) disposed on an outer surface (OS; Fig 5; ¶ [0158]) at one side of the display panel;
a wiring substrate (200; Fig 5; ¶ [0128,146-147]) disposed on a lower surface of the display panel and having a plurality of connection lines (250; Fig 5; ¶ [0155]) respectively connected to the plurality of routing lines (through 210; ¶ [0161-173]) and
a printed circuit board (550; Fig 5; ¶ [0176]) disposed at one side of the wiring substrate.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong; Yoonseob et al. (US 2021/0202676; hereinafter Jeong) in view of Ban; MyungHo et al. (US 2021/0202685; hereinafter Ban).
Regarding claim 2, Jeong discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the display panel comprises:
a first substrate (100 {100a – 100b, beneath 101; ¶ [0085])}; Fig 15; ¶ [0528-529]); and
an element layer (AA; Fig 15; ¶ [0528-589]), and a functional film (108; Fig 15; ¶ [0600-610]) on the element layer.
Jeong does not disclose a second substrate disposed opposite to the first substrate; and, the element layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. However, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have included a second substrate, such as a cover glass, in addition to or as a replacement for the functional film 108 of Jeong, thereby satisfying the additional limitations of claim 2. One may have been motivated to do this in order to provide mechanical protection for the display panel (see, for example, the cover plate CS {Fig 1; ¶ [0068]) of Ban, having protection function or optical function, which is included over the display panels SDP.) One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because a cover plate is well-known in the art, and because of the similar tiled (multi-panel) displays of Ban and Jeong.
Regarding claim 3, Jeong in view of Ban discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the element layer comprises a thin film transistor (TFT) element layer (Jeong; 101; Fig 15; ¶ [0529-550]), a light-emitting element layer (Jeong; 103; Fig 15; ¶ [0552-565]), and an encapsulation layer (Jeong; 106; Fig 15; ¶ [0582-589]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-20 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 claims 4-20, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “wherein the second substrate has a smaller size than the first substrate, and one side of the first substrate is exposed, and wherein a first pad part is disposed at one side of the exposed first substrate”, in combination with the additional limitations of claims 1 and 2.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee; Seungchul et al. (US 10522524; the prior art discloses a display device having wiring electrodes disposed on an outer surface of a display substrate and connection electrodes on an outer surface of one side of a circuit board);
Jung; Somi et al. (US 2021/0265447; the prior art discloses a display device including a display panel having a first and a second substrate, and a flexible circuit board connected to an outer surface at one side of the display panel)
Son; Yong Duck et al. (US 2023/0326932; the prior art discloses a display device having a side wiring which connects pads on a front surface of a light-emitting substrate to pads on a back surface of the light-emitting substrate).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRAD KNUDSON whose telephone number is (703)756-4582. The examiner can normally be reached Telework 9:30 -18:30 ET; M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos Feliciano can be reached at 571-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/B.A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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