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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 04/24/2026 and 10/21/2025, 2/12/2025 and 7/30/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4- 6 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable by Kim et al. (US 20220413653).
As to claim 1, a touch display device, comprising:
a display panel ([0077] display panel 10) including a substrate ([0077] substrate 100) having a first area (Fig. 8 first area DA2) in a center of the substrate and a second area (Fig. 8 second area DA1) that surrounds the first area (Fig. 8 DA2)
a plurality of first pixels ([0133] Fig. 8, first pixels PX2) in the first area (DA2) of the substrate, and a plurality of second pixels ([0133] Fig. 8, second pixels PX1) in the second area DA1 of the substrate; and
a touch sensor (Fig. 2 [0077 touch sensing layer 40) on the display panel (10), the touch sensor (40) configured to sense touch ([0084] “The touch sensing layer 40 may obtain coordinate information according to an external input, for example, a touch event”) and includes a plurality of first sensing electrodes ([0136] (410 and/or 420)) DA2)
in the first area and a plurality of second sensing electrodes ([0136] (410 and/or 420)) in the second area, wherein
a density of the plurality of first pixels (PX2) in the first area is different from a density of the plurality of second pixels (PX1) in the second area, and
Kim does not appear to expressly disclose:
a density of the plurality of first sensing electrodes in the first area is different from a density of the plurality of second sensing electrodes in the second area.
However, Kim does disclose in [0129] “The first sensing electrode 410, the second sensing electrode 420, and the second connection electrode 421 may include a first conductive line CL1 having a mesh pattern, and may include openings 410OP, 420OP, and 421OP surrounded by the first conductive line CL1, respectively. The openings 410OP, 420OP, and 421OP may be arranged to overlap the first pixel PX1 of the display panel 10.” Thus, it is understood that since the touch sensors correspond to pixels and the electrodes correspond to pixels, the areas that show density difference in pixels will also have a difference in the density of the first and second sensing electrodes. .
It would have been obvious to one who is skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that a density of the plurality of first sensing electrodes in the first area is different from a density of the plurality of second sensing electrodes in the second area.
As to claim 4, the touch display device according to claim 3, wherein
each of the plurality of second sensing electrodes ([0136] (410 and/or 420)) overlaps an area where a second pixel from the plurality of second pixels is disposed. ([0136] “FIG. 8 that the first sensing electrode 410, the second sensing electrode 420, the first connection electrode 411, and the second connection electrode 421 at least partially overlap the second display area DA2.”)
As to claim 5 , the touch display device according to claim 1, wherein
the touch sensor (40) further comprises: a connection line ([0129] the touch sensing layer 40 may include a first sensing electrode 410, a second sensing electrode 420, and a second connection electrode 421. The first sensing electrode 410, the second sensing electrode 420, and the second connection electrode 421 may include a first conductive line CL1) in the second area,
the connection line (CL1 and/or CL2) connecting together second sensing electrodes from the plurality of second sensing electrodes that are adjacent to each other in the second area.
As to claim 6, the touch display device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a pattern layer ([0116] one of the insulating layers of Fig. 7 includes fist insulating layer 41, second insulating layer 43 and/or third insulating layer 45) including an insulating material ([0121] Each of the first to third insulating layers 41, 43, and 45 may include an inorganic insulating material and/or an organic insulating material),
the pattern layer including a plurality of plate patterns (Fig. 12, 113-119 pattern) in the second area of the substrate,
a plurality of first connection patterns (WL1) on the second area of the substrate, and
a plurality of second connection patterns (WL2) on the second area of the substrate.
As to claim 20, a touch display device, comprising:
a display panel ([0077] display panel 10) comprising
a first area (Fig. 8 first area DA2) of the display panel and
a second area (Fig. 8 second area DA1) corresponding to a curved edge of the display panel that surrounds the first area,
a plurality of first pixels([0133] Fig. 8, first pixels PX2) in the first area of the display panel that are configured to emit light and a plurality of second pixels in the second area of the display panel that are configured to emit light ([0192] “the first pixel PX1 corresponds to an emission area of an organic light-emitting diode OLED arranged in the first display area DA1, and the second pixel PX2 corresponds to an emission area of an organic light-emitting diode OLED arranged in the second display area DA2”),and
a touch sensor on the display panel, the touch sensor (Fig. 2 [0077 touch sensing layer 40)including:
a plurality of first sensing electrodes ([0136] (410 and/or 420) in DA2) in the first area, the plurality of first sensing electrodes configured to sense touch of the first area ([0084] “The touch sensing layer 40 may obtain coordinate information according to an external input, for example, a touch event”);
a plurality of second sensing electrodes([0136] (410 and/or 420) in DA1) that are spaced apart from each other in the second area,
the plurality of second sensing electrodes configured to sense touch of the second area ([0084] “The touch sensing layer 40 may obtain coordinate information according to an external input, for example, a touch event”); and
a plurality of connection lines (CL1 and/or CL2) in the second area, at least one connection line from the plurality of connection lines between a pair of second sensing electrodes from the plurality of second sensing electrodes and electrically connecting together the pair of second sensing electrodes ([0129] the touch sensing layer 40 may include a first sensing electrode 410, a second sensing electrode 420, and a second connection electrode 421. The first sensing electrode 410, the second sensing electrode 420, and the second connection electrode 421 may include a first conductive line CL1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2, 3, 7-19, is/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.
As to claim 2, Kim teaches the touch display device according to claim 1; however,
Kim does not teach that the density of the plurality of first pixels in the first area is greater than the density of the plurality of second pixels in the second area.
As to claim 11, Kim teaches the touch display device according to claim 6; however,
Kim does not teach each of the plurality of first connection patterns and each of the plurality of second connection patterns has a wavy shape.
As to claim 7, Kim teaches the touch display device according to claim 6 and the plurality of plate patterns are spaced apart from each other, however:
Kim does not teach each of the plurality of first connection patterns connects together a corresponding pair of plate patterns from the plurality of plate patterns that are adjacent to each other, nor a second connection pattern that connects together a corresponding pair of plate patterns from the plurality of plate patterns that are also connected together by one of the plurality of first connection patterns
WL1 and WL2 are within the pattern , but do not connect the pair of plates.
As to claim 12, Kim teaches the touch display device according to claim 6; however,
Kim does not teach the display panel further comprises: a first buffer layer on the pattern layer
As to claim 17, Kim teaches the touch display device according to claim 6; however,
Kim does not teach a plurality of bridge electrodes on the third buffer layer;
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAWN SHAW MUSLIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0071. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7 am - 4 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fernando Toledo can be reached on (571) 272-1867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FERNANDO L TOLEDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/SHAWN SHAW MUSLIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
Prosecution Insights