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 § 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.
Claims 1-3, 8-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (20050270802), Hsu hereinafter.
Regarding claim 1, Hsu discloses a light guide plate (11, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) that allows light received and guided through one side surface (11s, hereinafter as denoted on the figures below) to be reflected and/or refracted by a bottom surface (111, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) and to be emitted through a top surface (112, ¶ [19], fig. 3A), wherein the bottom surface (111) comprises a plurality of engraved light emission patterns (113, ¶ [19], figs. 3A & 4B), wherein the bottom surface (111) comprises a plurality of outer inclined surfaces (1134, ¶ [24], figs. 4B & 5B) that define the light emission patterns (113), wherein the plurality of outer inclined surfaces (1134) comprises a first outer inclined surface (1134a, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), a second outer inclined surface (1134b, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), a third outer inclined surface (1134c, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), and a fourth outer inclined surface (1134d, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), wherein the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) each protrude in an outward direction and are disposed to face each other (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted below), and one of the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) is disposed to face the one side surface (11s) (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted below), and wherein the second and fourth outer inclined surfaces (1134b & 1134d) are disposed to face each other and disposed between the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) (see fig. 4B depicted below).
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Regarding claim 2, Hsu discloses that the bottom surface (111) further comprises a flat inner top surface (111s, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a protrusion (1131, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) that protrudes upward from the inner top surface (111s), and wherein the protrusion (1131) has a frustum shape having a width that gradually deceases in a direction in which the protrusion (1131) protrudes (see fig. 3A).
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Regarding claim 3, Hsu discloses that each of the second and fourth outer inclined surfaces (1134b & 1134d) is recessed in an inward direction (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted above).
Regarding claim 8, Hsu discloses a backlight unit (10, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) comprising: the light guide plate (11) of claim 1; and a light source (12, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) disposed on one side surface (11s) of the light guide plate (11).
Regarding claim 9, Hsu discloses a light guide member (10, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) comprising: a light guide plate (11, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) configured to receive light through one side surface (11s, hereinafter as denoted on the figures below) and emit light through a top surface (112, ¶ [19], fig. 3A); and a light emission pattern layer disposed on a bottom surface (111, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) of the light guide plate (11), wherein the light emission pattern layer comprises a bottom surface (111) having a plurality of engraved light emission patterns (113, ¶ [19], figs. 3A & 4B), wherein the bottom surface (111) of the light emission pattern layer comprises a plurality of outer inclined surfaces (1134, ¶ [24], figs. 4B & 5B) that define the light emission patterns (113), wherein the plurality of outer inclined surfaces (1134) comprises a first outer inclined surface (1134a, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), a second outer inclined surface (1134b, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), a third outer inclined surface (1134c, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), and a fourth outer inclined surface (1134d, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below), wherein the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) each protrude in an outward direction to face each other (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted below), and one of the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) faces toward a surface parallel to the one side surface (11s) (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted below), and wherein the second and fourth outer inclined surfaces (1134b & 1134d) are disposed to face each other and disposed between the first and third outer inclined surfaces (1134a & 1134c) (see fig. 4B depicted below).
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Regarding claim 10, Hsu discloses that the bottom surface (111) of the light emission pattern further comprises a flat inner top surface (111s, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a protrusion (1131) that protrudes upward from the inner top surface (111s), and wherein the protrusion (1131) has a frustum shape having a width that gradually deceases in a direction in which the protrusion (1131) protrudes (see fig. 3A).
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Regarding claim 11, Hsu discloses that each of the second and fourth outer inclined surfaces (1134b & 1134d) is recessed in an inward direction (see fig. 5B, and 4B depicted above).
Regarding claim 16, Hsu discloses a backlight unit (10, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) comprising: the light guide plate (11) of claim 9; and a light source (12, ¶ [19], fig. 3A) disposed on one side surface (11s) of the light guide plate (11).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 and 12-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if at least one the limitations indicated below were included in the base claim.
Regarding claim 4, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 4, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to a light distribution of the light guide plate is formed such that a light distribution in a horizontal direction parallel to the one side surface is relatively wider than that in a vertical direction perpendicular to the one side surface.
Regarding claim 5, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 5, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to a central angle of a fan using, as an arc, a line in contact with the bottom surface in the first or third outer inclined surface is an acute angle or an obtuse angle.
Regarding claim 6, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 6, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to each of the light emission patterns has a predetermined distortion within an angular range from -θ to +θ based on a reference axis parallel to the one side surface, and wherein the θ corresponds to a divergence angle of light incident to one side surface of the light guide plate in the light guide plate.
Regarding claim 7, the claim is allowable for the reasons given in claim 6 because of their dependency status from claim 6.
Regarding claim 12, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 12, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to a light distribution of the light guide plate is formed such that a light distribution in a horizontal direction parallel to the one side surface is relatively wider than that in a vertical direction perpendicular to the one side surface.
Regarding claim 13, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 13, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to a central angle of a fan using, as an arc, a line in contact with the bottom surface of the light emission pattern layer in the first or third outer inclined surface is an acute angle or an obtuse angle.
Regarding claim 14, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 14, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to each of the light emission patterns has a predetermined distortion within an angular range from -θ to +θ based on a reference axis parallel to the one side surface, and wherein the θ corresponds to a divergence angle of light incident to one side surface of the light guide plate in the light guide plate.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is allowable for the reasons given in claim 14 because of their dependency status from claim 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE M. DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9822. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00.
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/JOSE M DIAZ/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ANNE M HINES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875