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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Applicant is advised that the new art unit number is 2692. Please use the new art unit number for all future communications.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification - Title
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.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Examiner’s Comment
Out of the three different embodiments shown in Figs. 3-4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6, respectively, the current claims are all directed to the embodiment of Figure 6, and not all directed to the embodiments of Figs. 3-4 or Fig. 5 (e.g., see claim 15), which is why a species restriction was not made among species of Figs. 3-4, Fig. 5, and Fig. 6. However, if applicant amends the claims such that there are claims that are no longer directed to the embodiment of Figure 6, then these claims will be withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
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) 1-14, 18-28, 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ham et al. (US 2022/0181403).
Regarding claim 1, Ham discloses an apparatus (Fig. 24B), comprising:
a vibration member (100) (¶ 0095: display panel 100 can be vibration member);
a vibration apparatus (Fig. 24B: 200 on left side) configured to vibrate the vibration member (¶ 0091), the vibration apparatus including a long side (along vertical direction) and a short side (along horizontal direction) (see Fig. 24B, and note that 210-1 and 210-3 together for the vibration apparatus 200); and
a pad member (701) connected to a rear surface of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 24B and 21A-23C),
wherein the pad member comprises a line shape which is parallel to a long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 24B), or is inclined from the long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus.
Regarding claim 2, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the vibration apparatus further comprises a middle portion (portion of 200 that overlaps 221) and a periphery portion (peripheral portion of 200 that doesn’t overlap 221) surrounding the middle portion (see Fig. 22A-23C and 24B), and
wherein the pad member is configured at the middle portion except the periphery portion of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 24B and 21A-23C).
Regarding claim 3, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the vibration apparatus further comprises a first region and a second region parallel to the long-side length direction (¶ 0449: Fig. 24B can be modified such that 210-1 and 210-3 are disposed in one row in the X-direction. Under this modification, the upper half region of 210-1 and 210-3 that overlaps 221 and the lower half region of 210-1 and 210-3 that overlaps 221 can be the claimed first and second region, respectively.), and
wherein the pad member is configured at each of the first region and the second region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 24B modified according to ¶ 0449 (hereinafter referred to as “Modified-Fig. 24B”)).
Regarding claim 4, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 3,
wherein the pad member comprises:
a first pad member configured at the first region of the vibration apparatus (Modified-Fig. 24B: e.g., the horizontally-extending portion of 701 of 210-1); and
a second pad member configured at the second region of the vibration apparatus (Modified-Fig. 24B: e.g., the horizontally-extending portion of 701 of 210-3), and
wherein each of the first pad member and the second pad member has the line shape extending along the long-side length direction (X-direction) of the vibration apparatus (see Modified-Fig. 24B).
Regarding claim 5, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the first pad member and the second pad member is spaced apart from a center line parallel to the long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus
(¶ 0392: “The end (or one side or one portion) of the first pad member 701 may not overlap with a second portion 221a2 and may overlap with the first portion 221a1” and “For example, the first pad member 701 may be configured to correspond to both sides of a plurality of first portions 221a1 of a first vibration generator 210 and/or the second vibration generator 230”); these two quotes indicate that 701 can be a plurality of strips that each overlap a 221a1 portion while none of the strips overlap a 221a2 portion. In Fig. 24B, this would be a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the first region and a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the second region, thus meeting the above claim limitations.).
Regarding claim 6, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the first pad member and the second pad member is configured closer to a center portion of the vibration apparatus than the long side of the vibration apparatus
(¶ 0392: “The end (or one side or one portion) of the first pad member 701 may not overlap with a second portion 221a2 and may overlap with the first portion 221a1” and “For example, the first pad member 701 may be configured to correspond to both sides of a plurality of first portions 221a1 of a first vibration generator 210 and/or the second vibration generator 230”); these two quotes indicate that 701 can be a plurality of strips that each overlap a 221a1 portion while none of the strips overlap a 221a2 portion. In Fig. 24B, this would be a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the first region and a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the second region, thus meeting the above claim limitations.).
Regarding claim 7, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first pad member and the second pad member are configured to be symmetric with respect to a center portion of the vibration apparatus (see Modified-Fig. 24B).
Regarding claim 8, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pad member comprises:
a pair of first pad members configured at the first region of the vibration apparatus; and
a pair of second pad members configured at the second region of the vibration apparatus
(¶ 0392: “The end (or one side or one portion) of the first pad member 701 may not overlap with a second portion 221a2 and may overlap with the first portion 221a1” and “For example, the first pad member 701 may be configured to correspond to both sides of a plurality of first portions 221a1 of a first vibration generator 210 and/or the second vibration generator 230”); these two quotes indicate that 701 can be a plurality of strips that each overlap a 221a1 portion while none of the strips overlap a 221a2 portion. In Fig. 24B, this would be a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the first region and a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the second region, thus meeting the above claim limitations.).
Regarding claim 9, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the pair of first pad members and the pair of second pad members comprises the line shape extending along a diagonal direction between the long-side length direction and a short-side length direction of the vibration apparatus (The plurality of horizontal pad strips of the first and second regions are considered to extend along a diagonal direction for the same reasons that in claim 4 and Fig. 6 of the instant application, pad members (801a-d and 802a-d) are considered to extend along the long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus.).
Regarding claim 10, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 9, wherein one end of each of the pair of first pad members and the pair of second pad members is spaced apart from a center portion of the vibration apparatus (The plurality of horizontal pad strips of the first and second regions include strips that are spaced apart from the center portion).
Regarding claim 11, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 9,
wherein the pair of first pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to the center portion of the vibration apparatus, and
wherein the pair of second pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to the center portion of the vibration apparatus
(Fig 22A: 221a1’s of 210C are symmetric with the 221a1’s of 210D with respect to a center of 200, and thus likewise the plurality of horizontal pad strips of the first and second regions that correspond to the 221a1’s will be symmetric with respect to a center of 200).
Regarding claim 12, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 9, wherein the pair of first pad members and the pair of second pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to the center portion of the vibration apparatus
(Fig 22A: 221a1’s of 210C are symmetric with the 221a1’s of 210D with respect to a center of 200, and thus likewise the plurality of horizontal pad strips of the first and second regions that correspond to the 221a1’s will be symmetric with respect to a center of 200).
Regarding claim 13, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pad member comprises:
a plurality of first pad members configured at the first region of the vibration apparatus; and
a plurality of second pad members configured at the second region of the vibration apparatus
(¶ 0392: “The end (or one side or one portion) of the first pad member 701 may not overlap with a second portion 221a2 and may overlap with the first portion 221a1” and “For example, the first pad member 701 may be configured to correspond to both sides of a plurality of first portions 221a1 of a first vibration generator 210 and/or the second vibration generator 230”); these two quotes indicate that 701 can be a plurality of strips that each overlap a 221a1 portion while none of the strips overlap a 221a2 portion. In Fig. 24B, this would be a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the first region and a plurality of horizontal pad strips over the second region, thus meeting the above claim limitations.).
Regarding claim 14, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of first pad members and the plurality of second pad members comprises the line shape extending along a diagonal direction between the long-side length direction and a short-side length direction of the vibration apparatus
(The plurality of horizontal pad strips of the first and second regions are considered to extend along a diagonal direction for the same reasons that in claim 4 and Fig. 6 of the instant application, pad members (801a-d and 802a-d) are considered to extend along the long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus.).
Regarding claim 18, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the vibration member comprises a long side (along X-direction) and a short side (along Y-direction) (Fig. 24B), and
wherein the long side of the vibration apparatus is parallel to the long side of the vibration member (¶ 0449: Fig. 24B can be modified such that 210-1 and 210-3 are disposed in one row in the X-direction. Under this modification, the long side of the vibration apparatus 200 is along the X-direction).
Regarding claim 19, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the vibration apparatus comprises:
a vibration part (221a) including a piezoelectric material (¶ 0293-0294) (Figs. 22A-23C); and
a cover member (1212-1215) covering at least one or more of a first surface of the vibration part and a second surface opposite to the first surface of the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C), and
wherein the pad member (701/801) is connected to the cover member to overlap the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 20, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 19,
wherein the cover member comprises a middle portion (portion of 1212-1215 that overlaps 221) covering the vibration part and a periphery portion (peripheral portion of 1212-1215 that doesn’t overlap 221) surrounding the middle portion (Figs. 22A-23C), and
wherein the pad member (701/801) is configured at the middle portion except the periphery portion of the cover member (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 21, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 19,
wherein the cover member comprises:
a first cover member (1212 and 1213) covering the first surface of the vibration part; and
a second cover member (1214 and 1215) covering the second surface of the vibration part, and
wherein the pad member is connected to one of the first cover member and the second cover member to overlap the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 22, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 19,
wherein the vibration apparatus further comprise a signal supply member (PL11 or PL21) electrically connected to the vibration part (¶ 0282), and
wherein a portion of the signal supply member is accommodated between the cover member and the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 23, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 19,
wherein the vibration apparatus comprises:
a first vibration generating part (210);
a second vibration generating part (230) stacked on the first vibration generating part (Figs. 22A-23C); and
an intermediate member (250) between the first vibration generating part and the second vibration generating part (Figs. 22A-23C), and
wherein each of the first vibration generating part and the second vibration generating part comprises the vibration member and the cover member (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 24, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the vibration member comprises a first region (A1) and a second region (A2) (Fig. 24B),
wherein the vibration apparatus comprises:
a first vibration apparatus (210-1 and 210-3) configured at the first region (A1) of the vibration member; and
a second vibration apparatus (210-2 and 210-4) configured at the second region (A2) of the vibration member, and
wherein the pad member (701 and 702) is connected to a rear surface of each of the first vibration apparatus and the second vibration apparatus (Fig. 24B).
Regarding claim 25, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 24,
wherein the vibration member comprises a long side (along X-direction) and a short side (along Y-direction), and
wherein the long side of each of the first vibration apparatus and the second vibration apparatus is parallel to the long side of the vibration member (¶ 0449: Fig. 24B can be modified such that 210-1 and 210-3 are disposed in one row in the X-direction, and likewise 210-2 and 210-4 are disposed in one row in the X-direction. Under this modification, the long side of the first and second vibration apparatus 200 is along the X-direction).
Regarding claim 26, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 24,
wherein each of the first vibration apparatus and the second vibration apparatus comprises:
a vibration part (221a) including a piezoelectric material (¶ 0293-0294) (Figs. 22A-23C); and
a cover member (1212-1215) covering at least one or more of a first surface of the vibration part and a second surface opposite to the first surface of the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C), and
wherein the pad member (701/801) is connected to the cover member to overlap the vibration part (Figs. 22A-23C).
Regarding claim 27, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration member comprises a display panel having a pixel configured to display an image (¶ 0095).
Regarding claim 28, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vibration member comprises one or more material of metal, plastic, fiber, leather, wood, cloth, rubber, carbon, glass, and paper (¶ 0095).
Regarding claim 30, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pad member is configured as one of a double-sided adhesive, a silicone-based polymer, paraffin wax, and an acrylic-based polymer (¶ 0451).
Claim(s) 1-3, 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi et al. (US 2018/0317011).
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses an apparatus (Figs. 21C and 14B), comprising:
a vibration member (100) (¶ 0060);
a vibration apparatus (1600, 1600’, 1600”, and 300) configured to vibrate the vibration member (Figs. 14B and 21C) (¶ 0176, 0060, 0062), the vibration apparatus including a long side and a short side (300 is the same shape as 100, so as seen in Fig. 21C, 100 has a long side in the horizontal direction, and a short side in the vertical direction, and thus 300 has the same); and
a pad member (1400, 1400’, and 1400” in Fig. 21C, which are the equivalent of 1700, 1700’, and 1700” in Fig. 14B) connected to a rear surface (upward-facing surface of 300 in Fig. 14B) of the vibration apparatus,
wherein the pad member comprises a line shape which is parallel to a long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus, or is inclined from the long-side length direction of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 2, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the vibration apparatus further comprises a middle portion (Fig. 21C: portion of 300 that is within and includes the outermost bounds defined by 1400, 1400’, and 1400”) and a periphery portion (Fig. 21C: portion of 300 that is outside of the outermost bounds defined by 1400, 1400’, and 1400”) surrounding the middle portion (see Fig. 21C), and
wherein the pad member is configured at the middle portion except the periphery portion of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 3, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the vibration apparatus further comprises a first region (upper half of 300 in Fig. 21C) and a second region (lower half of 300 in Fig. 21C) parallel to the long-side length direction (see Fig. 21C), and
wherein the pad member is configured at each of the first region and the second region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 13, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pad member comprises:
a plurality of first pad members configured at the first region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C); and
a plurality of second pad members configured at the second region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 14, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of first pad members and the plurality of second pad members comprises the line shape extending along a diagonal direction between the long-side length direction and a short-side length direction of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 15, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 14,
wherein the plurality of first pad members are disposed in an 'M'-shape at the first region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C), and
wherein the plurality of second pad members are disposed in an 'W'-shape at the second region of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 16, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 15,
wherein the plurality of first pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to a center portion (bisecting line that passes through 1430) of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C), and
wherein the plurality of second pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to the center portion of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
Regarding claim 17, Choi discloses the apparatus of claim 15, wherein the plurality of first pad members and the plurality of second pad members are configured to be symmetric with respect to a center portion (bisecting line that passes through 1430) of the vibration apparatus (see Fig. 21C).
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.
Claim(s) 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham in view of Han et al. (US 2022/0182744).
Regarding claim 29, Ham discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a supporting member (300) at a rear surface of the vibration member and the vibration apparatus (Fig. 2),
Ham is not relied upon to disclose wherein the pad member is spaced apart from the supporting member.
In a similar field of endeavor, Han discloses a supporting member (Fig. 2A: 300) at a rear surface of the vibration member and the vibration apparatus (Fig. 2A), wherein the pad member (701) is spaced apart from the supporting member (see Fig. 21B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to: wherein the pad member is spaced apart from the supporting member, the motivation being to provide a vibration space and/or sound resonance box (Han - ¶ 0132).
Conclusion
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/MARK FISCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692