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
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.
Claim(s) 1,6,10,12,14,15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hong et al (PG Pub 2020/0259056 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hong teaches a display panel, comprising: a backplane (figs. 1-22), the backplane including a first main surface (101) and a second main surface (105) that are opposite, and a plurality of side surfaces (some or all of the four side surfaces) connecting the first main surface and the second main surface; wherein at least one side surface in the plurality of side surfaces is a selected side surface, the selected side surface protrudes from a first reference plane (an imaginary plane that is parallel to 103 and to the left of angles α1 and α2, fig. 6, for example), and the first reference plane is a plane and is connected to and adjacent to the first main surface and the second main surface; the selected side surface is composed of a plurality of first sub-surfaces connected in sequence; and the plurality of first sub-surfaces satisfy one of: the plurality of first sub-surfaces have same curvature; or each first sub-surface in the plurality of first sub-surfaces is a plane (121/103/123, fig. 6); or a part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are planes, and another part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are curved surfaces; a plurality of connecting lines, the plurality of connecting lines being disposed side by side and at intervals (fig. 1); wherein each connecting line in the plurality of connecting lines includes a first segment of line (241, fig. 5), a second segment of line (240) and a third segment of line (243) that are connected in sequence; first segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the first main surface, second segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the selected side surface, and third segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the second main surface; and a protective layer (181/182/183, fig. 9), the protective layer being at least disposed on the selected side surface and regions of the first main surface and the second main surface proximate to the selected side surface.
Regarding claim 6, Hong teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of side surfaces (two surfaces, figs. 21A to 22) are all selected side surfaces.
Regarding claim 10, Hong teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer further covers the plurality of connecting lines, and the protective layer is disposed on a side of the plurality of connecting lines away from the backplane (fig. 9).
Regarding claim 12, Hong teaches the display panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of first electrodes (130, fig. 2) disposed on the first main surface, wherein the plurality of first electrodes being disposed proximate to the selected side surface, and each connecting line is electrically connected to a first electrode in the plurality of first electrodes; and a plurality of light-emitting devices (161/163/165, fig. 3, paragraph [0086]) disposed on the first main surface of the backplane, wherein the plurality of light-emitting devices are electrically connected (paragraph [0077]) to the plurality of first electrodes.
Regarding claim 14, Hong teaches a display apparatus, comprising: the display panel according to claim 1; and a driver chip, wherein the driver chip is disposed on the second main surface (rear surface, paragraph [0067]) of the backplane in the display panel, and the driver chip is electrically connected to a plurality of connecting leads in the display panel (paragraph [0067]).
Regarding claim 15, Hong teaches (see claim 1) a method for manufacturing a display panel, comprising: providing an initial backplane, the initial backplane includes a first main surface and a second main surface that are opposite, and a plurality of initial side surfaces connecting the first main surface and the second main surface, wherein the plurality of initial side surfaces are perpendicular (fig. 12A, paragraph [0133]) or substantially perpendicular to the first main surface and the second main surface; grinding (paragraph [0133]) the plurality of initial side surfaces to form a plurality of side surfaces; wherein at least one side surface in the plurality of side surfaces is a selected side surface, the selected side surface protrudes from a first reference plane, and the first reference plane is a plane and is connected to and adjacent to the first main surface and the second main surface; the selected side surface is composed of a plurality of first sub-surfaces connected in sequence; and the plurality of first sub-surfaces satisfy one of: the plurality of first sub-surfaces have same curvature; each first sub-surface in the plurality of first sub-surfaces is a plane; and a part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are planes, and another part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are curved surfaces; forming a plurality of connecting lines on the first main surface, the selected side surface and the second main surface, wherein the plurality of connecting lines are disposed side by side and at intervals; each connecting line in the plurality of connecting lines includes a first segment of line, a second segment of line and a third segment of line that are connected in sequence; first segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the first main surface, second segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the selected side surface, and third segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the second main surface; and forming a protective layer, wherein the protective layer is at least disposed on the selected side surface and regions of the first main surface and the second main surface proximate to the selected side surface.
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) 3,17,18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al (PG Pub 2020/0259056 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tseng et al (PG Pub 2012/0135181 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Hong remains as applied in claim 1.
Hong further teaches each first sub-surface in the plurality of sub-surfaces is a plane (figs. 1-22)
Hong does not teach the selected side surface includes at least four planes.
In the same field of endeavor, Tseng teaches each first sub-surface in the plurality of sub-surfaces is a plane (fig. 1C); the selected side surface includes at least four planes (135/132/137) connected in sequence, a plane connected to the first main surface is a first connection plane (135a2), and a plane connected to the second main surface is a second connection plane (137a2); an angle between the first connection plane and the adjacent first main surface is greater than 135º (g1: 40º+180º=220º, when α4=α5=50º, paragraph [0033]), an angle between two adjacent planes of the selected side surface is greater than 135° (g2=190º; g3=220º; f2=190º; f3=220º), and an angle between the second connection plane and the adjacent second main surface is greater than 135º (f1: 40º+180º=220º), for the benefit of providing a panel with high reliability (paragraph [0008]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the selected side surface to include at least four planes connected in sequence, a plane connected to the first main surface was a first connection plane, and a plane connected to the second main surface is a second connection plane; an angle between the first connection plane and the adjacent first main surface was greater than 135º, an angle between two adjacent planes of the selected side surface was greater than 135°, and an angle between the second connection plane and the adjacent second main surface was greater than 135º, for the benefit of providing a panel with high reliability.
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Regarding claim 17, Hong (and Tseng) teaches the display panel according to claim 3, wherein the selected side surface is axisymmetric about a second reference plane (an imaginary plane midway between 101 and 105, fig. 6, paragraph [0099] of Hong; an imaginary plane midway between 110 and 120, fig. 1C of Tseng), the second reference plane is parallel to the first main surface, and a distance between the second reference plane and the first main surface is equal to a distance between the second reference plane and the second main surface.
Regarding claim 18, Hong does not teach a maximum vertical distance between an intersection line of the selected side surface and the second reference plane and the first reference plane is in a range of 40 µm to 50 µm, inclusive.
Tseng teaches a maximum vertical distance (“S” in figs. 2B and 2C below) between an intersection line of the selected side surface (322/422) and the second reference plane (a horizontal line parallel to surface 310) and the first reference plane (the vertical dotted line) to be a function of substrate thickness t1 (paragraph [0042]) by teaching d1, d2, d1’, and d2’ to be a function of t1, t2 (paragraph [0042]) and by requiring specific values of angles b1 to b6 (paragraphs [0033][0046]).
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to optimize the thickness of the substrate, and thus the maximum vertical distance, according to the size of the display according to its intended use of the device: larger display for outdoor stadiums or smaller display for handheld devices. “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
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Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al (PG Pub 2020/0259056 A1) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Chen et al (PG Pub 2020/0271977 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Hong remains as applied in claim 10.
Hong does not a thickness of the protective layer is in a range of 1.7 µm to 1.8 µm, inclusive.
In the same field of endeavor, Chen teaches a thickness of the protective layer (008, fig. 5) can be adjusted to reduce the stress of the conductive element (003, paragraph [0062]). Official notice: it is well known to adjust the thickness of the protective layer according to the intended use of the device. Making the protective layer thicker for outdoor use, for example, to protect against the weather.
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to optimize the thickness of the protective layer to reduce the stress of the conductive element underneath and according to the intended use of the device. “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al (PG Pub 2020/0259056 A1) as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Yokoyama et al (PG Pub 2020/0135126 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Hong remains as applied in claim 12.
Hong further teaches a driver chip (paragraphs [0014][0066]).
Hong does not teach a plurality of second electrodes disposed on the second main surface of the backplane.
In the same field of endeavor, Yokoyama teaches a plurality of second electrodes (9, fig. 3) disposed on the second main surface of the backplane; the plurality of second electrodes are configured to be electrically connected to a driver chip (6) or a flexible circuit board; and each connecting line (30) in the plurality of connecting lines is electrically connected to a second electrode in the plurality of second electrodes, for the benefit electrically connecting the connecting lines to the driver chip (paragraph [0049]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to dispose a plurality of second electrodes on the second main surface of the backplane; the plurality of second electrodes were configured to be electrically connected to a driver chip or a flexible circuit board; and each connecting line in the plurality of connecting lines was electrically connected to a second electrode in the plurality of second electrodes, for the benefit of electrically connecting the connecting lines, and the devices on the front surface of the panel, to the driver chip.
Claim(s) 1,2,4,5,19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (PG Pub 2019/0305073 A1) and Hong et al (PG Pub 2020/0259056 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches a display panel, comprising: a backplane (11, fig. 7), the backplane including a first main surface (111) and a second main surface (112) that are opposite, and a plurality of side surfaces (some or all of the vertical side surfaces) connecting the first main surface and the second main surface; wherein at least one side surface in the plurality of side surfaces is a selected side surface, the selected side surface protrudes from a first reference plane (VD1), and the first reference plane is a plane and is connected to and adjacent to the first main surface and the second main surface; the selected side surface is composed of a plurality of first sub-surfaces (surface from P2 to P3 and surface from P3 to P1) connected in sequence; and the plurality of first sub-surfaces satisfy one of: the plurality of first sub-surfaces have same curvature (parts of the same circle, fig. 7); or each first sub-surface in the plurality of first sub-surfaces is a plane; or a part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are planes, and another part of first sub-surfaces in the plurality of first sub-surfaces are curved surfaces.
Chen does not teach a plurality of connecting lines.
In the same field of endeavor, Hong teaches a plurality of connecting lines, the plurality of connecting lines being disposed side by side and at intervals (fig. 1); wherein each connecting line in the plurality of connecting lines includes a first segment of line (241, fig. 5), a second segment of line (240) and a third segment of line (243) that are connected in sequence; first segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the first main surface, second segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the selected side surface, and third segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines are disposed on the second main surface; and a protective layer (181/182/183, fig. 9), the protective layer being at least disposed on the selected side surface and regions of the first main surface and the second main surface proximate to the selected side surface, for the benefit of providing a bezel-less display (paragraph [0002]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include a plurality of connecting lines, the plurality of connecting lines being disposed side by side and at intervals ; wherein each connecting line in the plurality of connecting lines included a first segment of line, a second segment of line and a third segment of line that are connected in sequence; first segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines were disposed on the first main surface, second segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines were disposed on the selected side surface, and third segment of lines of the plurality of connecting lines were disposed on the second main surface; and a protective layer, the protective layer being at least disposed on the selected side surface and regions of the first main surface and the second main surface proximate to the selected side surface, for the benefit of providing a bezel-less display.
Regarding claim 2, Chen teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the selected side surface is a curved surface (portion of the circle connecting points P1 to P3, fig. 7).
Chen does not explicitly teach a central angle corresponding to the curved surface is in a range of 30º to 35º inclusive. Neither the claim, nor the specification, specifies what “a central angle” is. Thus, the BRI can be a point along the line halfway between planes 111 and 112. It is inherent that at a position along the halfway line a central angle, one example of a central angle is shown as α in fig. 7, is in a range of 30º to 35º inclusive. The further the point from P3, the smaller the angle. Furthermore, as can be seen in fig. 7, “a central angle” proportional to the thickness of substrate 11. On the same position PC, the thicker substrate 11 the larger the central angle is. It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to optimize the thickness of the substrate, thus the central angle, to the size of the display according to its intended use of the device: larger display for outdoor stadiums or smaller display for handheld devices. “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 4, Chen teaches the display panel according to claim 2, wherein the selected side surface is axisymmetric about a second reference plane (VD2, fig. 7), the second reference plane is parallel to the first main surface, and a distance between the second reference plane and the first main surface is equal to a distance between the second reference plane and the second main surface.
Regarding claim 5, Chen does not teach a maximum vertical distance between an intersection line of the selected side surface and the second reference plane and the first reference plane is in a range of 40 µm to 50 µm, inclusive. However, it can be seen in fig. 7 that “a maximum vertical distance,” the distance from point P3 to VD1 intersecting VD2 changes depending on the thickness of substrate 11.
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to optimize the thickness of the substrate, and thus the maximum vertical distance, according to the size of the display according to its intended use of the device: larger display for outdoor stadiums or smaller display for handheld devices. “[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.” In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 19, Chen teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of areas of any two first sub-surfaces is (one: surface of the circle from P2 to P3 equals P3 to P1, fig. 7) in a range of 0.5 to 2, inclusive.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9, 16, and 20 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: Prior art does not teach
“two side surfaces of at least one group of side surfaces are connected by a transition side surface; the transition side surface is composed of a plurality of second sub-surfaces connected in sequence; the plurality of second sub-surfaces have same curvature; or each second sub-surface in the plurality of second sub-surfaces is a plane; or a part of second sub-surfaces in the plurality of second sub-surfaces are planes, and another part of second sub-surfaces in the plurality of second sub-surfaces are curved surfaces” (claim 7);
“a boundary edge of two selected initial side surfaces in at least one group of initial side surfaces is ground to form a transition side surface; two adjacent side surfaces are connected by the transition side surface, and the transition side surface is composed of a plurality of second sub-surfaces connected in sequence; the plurality of second sub-surfaces have same curvature; or each second sub-surface in the plurality of second sub-surfaces is a plane; or a part of second sub-surfaces in the plurality of second sub-surfaces are planes, and another part of second sub-surfaces in the plurality of second sub-surfaces are curved surfaces” (claim 16).
Conclusion
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/FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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