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 § 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.
Claim 15 is 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 15 recites the limitation “wherein the liquid crystal cell is a horizontal alignment liquid crystal cell.”, this is indefinite in that it contradicts the limitation of “the liquid crystal cell is a vertical alignment liquid crystal cell” recited in claim 1 from which claim 15 depends.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 and 17-19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Winker et al. (USP 5557434, Winker) teaches (in figure 3) a display device, wherein the display device comprises and a display panel (liquid crystal display 300), wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal cell (LC cell 360), a first polarizer (polarizer 305), a second polarizer (analyzer 355), and a first phase retardation film (O-plate compensator layer 313); the first polarizer and the second polarizer are respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell, and; and the first phase retardation film is disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, wherein an axial direction of an optical axis of the first phase retardation film is inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the first phase retardation film (tilt angle of about 40 degrees see Col. 7 lines 29-32), and the first phase retardation film is directly adjacent to the liquid crystal cell (see figure 3), wherein the first phase retardation film is an O-plate.
Iwasaki (US Pub. 20150036086) Iwasaki teaches (in figures 1-2) teaches (in figures 1-2) a display device, wherein the display device comprises and a display panel (first polarizer 1, first compensation film 2, IPS-mode liquid crystal cell 8, and second polarizer 7), wherein the display panel comprises a liquid crystal cell (IPS-mode liquid crystal cell 8), a first polarizer (first polarizer 1), a second polarizer (second polarizer 7), and a first phase retardation film (first compensation film 2); the first polarizer and the second polarizer are respectively disposed at two opposite sides of the liquid crystal cell, and the first phase retardation film is disposed between the first polarizer and the second polarizer, wherein an axial direction of an optical axis of the first phase retardation film is inclined with respect to a thickness direction of the first phase retardation film (tilt angle theta see paragraphs 54 and 86), and the first phase retardation film is directly adjacent to the liquid crystal cell (see figure 1), wherein the first phase retardation film is an O-plate (see paragraph 86).
Fang et al. (US Pub. 20180210243 and hereafter Fang’243) teaches (in figures 1 and 7) providing a backlight module (140) as the lowermost layer of a display device (100) in addition to viewing angle switching device (120) and a light scattering switching device (130) wherein the backlight modules comprises a light guide plate (142), a light source (141), and a first optical film (145), the light guide plate has a light incident surface (SI) and a light exit surface (SE) connected to the light incident surface; the light source is disposed at one side of the light incident surface of the light guide plate; and the first optical film is overlapped with the light exit surface of the light guide plate, and has a plurality of first optical microstructures (“prisms” see figure and paragraph 43) facing the light exit surface.
However, Winker teaches twisted nematic aligned liquid crystal (Col. 4 line 51- Col. 5 line 2) and providing the first phase retardation film (O-plate) in order to widen the viewing angle (Col. 2 lines 60-67) and Iwasaki teaches a horizontally aligned liquid crystal (paragraph 53) and providing the first phase retardation film (first compensation film 2) in order to correct color correction at wide angles (paragraphs 67-69).
As such, the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to teach or fairly suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing a display in which the liquid crystal cell is a vertical alignment liquid crystal cell or providing a viewing angle limiting optical film overlapped with the display panel and located between the display panel and the backlight module, and the viewing angle limiting optical film comprises a second phase retardation film and a third polarizer, wherein the second phase retardation film is disposed between the third polarizer and the first polarizer in combination with the other required elements of claims 1 and 11 respectively.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 8-12 of applicant’s response, filed 12/15/2025, with respect to claims 1-14 and 17-19 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections under nonstatutory double patenting and 35 U.S.C 103 of claims 1-14 and 17-19 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/ALEXANDER P GROSS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871