DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
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.
2. Claims 1-4, 6, 9-10, 17 and 26-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jiang, CN 112258994 A (cited as D1 in the European Search Report mailed January 10, 2025), Stretch Display Panel And Stretchable Display Device, Published January 22, 2021, the following rejections are based on an English translation by USPTO-PE2E.
Jiang discloses in Figs. 4-12, page 5, 5th paragraph and other text a display device as claimed
Referring to claim 1, Jiang discloses in Fig. 4 and page 5, 5th paragraph a display device including a display area (K1) and a non-display area (K2) outside the display area, the display device comprising:
first island portions (11) arranged in the display area (K1), the first island portions being spaced apart from each other in row and column directions;
first bridge portions (13 in K1) respectively connecting two first island portions (11) among the first island portions;
second island portions (12) arranged in the non-display area (K2), the second island portions being spaced apart from each other; and
second bridge portions (13 in K2) respectively connecting two adjacent second island portions (12) among the second island portions,
wherein a first width of each of the first island portions (11) is less than a second width of each of the second island portions (12), and
one (on the left edge) of the second island portions (12) corresponds to a first island portion in an (i)th row among the first island portions and a first island portion in an (i+1)th row among the first island portions, where i is a positive integer.
Referring to claim 2, Fig. 4 further depicts that the one (on the left edge) of the second island portions (12) is connected to the first island portion (11) in the (i)th row and the first island portion (11) in the (i+1)th row through third bridge portions (13, in an area overlapping K1 and K2).
Referring to claim 3, Jiang further discloses that an elongation of the non-display area (K2) is less than an elongation of the display area (K1) (page 5, 5th paragraph, “relatively reducing the stretchability of the non-display area K2”.
Referring to claim 4, Jiang further discloses that the non-display area comprises:
a first sub-non-display area (K23, Fig. 9) in which the second island portions (12) and the second bridge portions (13) are arranged; and
a second sub-non-display area (K22) disposed between the first sub-non-display area (K23) and the display area (K1), wherein the third bridge portions (13) are arranged in the second sub-non-display area, and
wherein an elongation of the first sub-non-display area (K23) is different from an elongation of the second sub-non-display area (K22) (because the number of stretchable bridge portions 13 are different in the first sub-non-display area K23 and the second sub-non-display area K22).
Referring to claim 6, Jiang further discloses that the elongation of the second sub-non-display area (K22) is greater than the elongation of the first sub-non-display area (K23) and less than an elongation of the display area (K1) (because K22 has more stretchable bridge portions 13 than those in K23) and less stretchable bridge portions than those in the display area.
Referring to claim 9, Fig. 9 further depicts that a width of each of the first bridge portions (13 in K1) is less than a width of each of the second bridge portions (13 in K23).
Referring to claim 10, Jiang further discloses that each of the first bridge portions (13 in K1) and the second bridge portions (13 in K2) has a serpentine shape.
Referring to claim 17, Jiang further discloses that each of the second bridge portions (13 in K2 (Fig. 4) or 13 in K23 (Fig. 9)) has a shape different from a shape of each of the first bridge portions (13 in K1).
Referring to claim 26 and using the same reference characters, interpretations, and citations as detailed above for claims 1 and 17 where applicable, Jiang discloses a display device including a display area (K1) and a non-display area (K2, K23) outside the display area, the display device comprising:
first island portions (11) arranged in the display area (K1), the first island portions being spaced apart from each other in row and column directions;
first bridge portions (13 in K1) respectively connecting two adjacent first island portions among the first island portions;
second island portions (12 in K2 (Fig. 4), 12 in K22 or 12 in K23 (Fig. 9)) arranged in the non-display area, the second island portions being spaced apart from each other; and
second bridge portions (13 in K2, 13 in K22, or 13 in K23) respectively connecting two adjacent second island portions among the second island portions,
wherein a shape of each of the second bridge portions (13 in K2, 13 in K22, or 13 in K23) is different from a shape of each of the first bridge portions (13 in K1).
Referring to claim 27, Fig. 9 further depicts that each of the first bridge portions (13 in K1) and each of the second bridge portions (13 in K23) have a serpentine shape, and a width of each of the second bridge portions is greater than a width of each of the first bridge portions.
Referring to claim 28, Jiang further discloses that an elongation of the non-display area (K2) is less than an elongation of the display area (K1) (page 5, 5th paragraph, “relatively reducing the stretchability of the non-display area K2”.
Referring to claim 29, Jiang further discloses that a first width of each of the first island portions (11) is less than a second width of each of the second island portions (12), and one (on the left edge of Fig. 4; or in K22 of Fig. 9, with Fig. 9 being rotated 90 degree) of the second island portions (12) corresponds to a first island portion in an (i)th row among the first island portions and a first island portion in an (i+1)th row among the first island portions, where i is a positive integer.
Referring to claim 30, for the display device of claim 29, Jiang further discloses third bridge portions (13, in an area overlapping K1 and K2 (Fig. 4), in an area overlapping K1 and K22) respectively connecting the one of the second island portions to the first island portion in the (i)th row, and the first island portion in the (i+1)th row.
3. Claims 1-4, 9-10, 17 and 26-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yin U.S. Patent Application Publication 20240031463 A1 (cited as D2a in the European Search Report mailed January 10, 2025).
Yin discloses in Fig. 6 and related text a display device as claimed
Referring to claim 1, Yin discloses a display device including a display area (AA, para [81] (paragraph(s) [0081])) and a non-display area (transition area 10a, para [46]) outside the display area, the display device comprising:
first island portions (201, para [72]) arranged in the display area (AA), the first island portions being spaced apart from each other in row and column directions;
first bridge portions (301 in AA, para [72]) respectively connecting two first island portions (201) among the first island portions;
second island portions (left 202, para [72]) arranged in the non-display area (10a), the second island portions being spaced apart from each other; and
second bridge portions (301 in 10a) respectively connecting two adjacent second island portions (left 202) among the second island portions,
wherein a first width of each of the first island portions (201) is less than a second width (along the vertical direction of Fig. 6) of each of the second island portions (left 202), and
one (left 202) of the second island portions (202) corresponds to a first island portion (201) in an (i)th row among the first island portions and a first island portion (201) in an (i+1)th row among the first island portions, where i is a positive integer.
Referring to claim 2, Fig. 6 further depicts that the one (on the left edge) of the second island portions (202) is connected to the first island portion (201) in the (i)th row and the first island portion (201) in the (i+1)th row through third bridge portions (301, in an area overlapping AA and 10a) (and through 202 in 102a area).
Referring to claim 3, Yin further discloses that an elongation of the non-display area (10a) is less than an elongation of the display area (AA) (para [81]: “so as to reduce the stretchability of the display panel far away from the transition sub-area 102a”.
Referring to claim 4, Yin further discloses that the non-display area comprises:
a first sub-non-display area (left area of 10a) in which the second island portions (202) and the second bridge portions (201 in left area of 10a) are arranged; and
a second sub-non-display area (102a) disposed between the first sub-non-display area (the left area of 10a) and the display area (AA), wherein the third bridge portions (301, in the area overlapping AA and 10a) are arranged (partly) in the second sub-non-display area, and
wherein an elongation of the first sub-non-display area (the left area of 10a) is different from an elongation of the second sub-non-display area (102a) (because the number of stretchable bridge portions 201 are different in the first sub-non-display area (the left area of 10a) and the second sub-non-display area 102a).
Referring to claim 9, Fig. 6 further depicts that a width of each of the first bridge portions (301 in AA) is less than a width of each of the second bridge portions (301 in 10a).
Referring to claim 10, Yin further discloses that each of the first bridge portions (301 in AA) and the second bridge portions (301 in 10a) has a serpentine shape.
Referring to claim 17, Yin further discloses that each of the second bridge portions (301 in 10a) has a shape different from a shape of each of the first bridge portions (301 in AA).
Referring to claim 26 and using the same reference characters, interpretations, and citations as detailed above for claims 1 and 17 where applicable, Yin discloses a display device including a display area (AA) and a non-display area (10a) outside the display area, the display device comprising:
first island portions (201) arranged in the display area (AA), the first island portions being spaced apart from each other in row and column directions;
first bridge portions (301 in AA) respectively connecting two adjacent first island portions among the first island portions;
second island portions (202) arranged in the non-display area, the second island portions being spaced apart from each other; and
second bridge portions (301 in 10a) respectively connecting two adjacent second island portions among the second island portions,
wherein a shape of each of the second bridge portions (301 in 10a) is different from a shape of each of the first bridge portions (301 in AA).
Referring to claim 27, Fig. 6 further depicts that each of the first bridge portions (301 in AA) and each of the second bridge portions (301 in 10a) have a serpentine shape, and a width of each of the second bridge portions is greater than a width of each of the first bridge portions.
Referring to claim 28, Yin further discloses that an elongation of the non-display area (10a) is less than an elongation of the display area (AA) (para [81]: “so as to reduce the stretchability of the display panel far away from the transition sub-area 102a”.
Referring to claim 29, Yin further discloses that a first width of each of the first island portions (201) is less than a second width (in the vertical direction) of each of the second island portions (202), and one (on the left edge) of the second island portions (202) corresponds to a first island portion (201) in an (i)th row among the first island portions and a first island portion (201) in an (i+1)th row among the first island portions, where i is a positive integer.
Referring to claim 30, for the display device of claim 29, Yin further discloses third bridge portions (301, in an area overlapping AA and 10a) respectively connecting (via island portions 202 in area 102a) the one of the second island portions (202) to the first island portion (201) in the (i)th row, and the first island portion (201) in the (i+1)th row.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 5, 7-8, 11-16, 18-25 and 31-45 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The cited art, whether taken singularly or in combination, especially when all limitations are considered within the claimed specific combination, fails to teach or render obvious a display device with all exclusive limitations as recited in claims 5, 7, 11, 18, 21, 25, 31, 33, 38, 41 and 45, which may be characterized (claim 5) in that the elongation of the second sub-non-display area is less than the elongation of the first sub-non-display area and an elongation of the display area, (claims 7 and 31) each of the first bridge portions is arranged between two adjacent first island portions immediately next to each other among the first island portions, each of the second bridge portions is arranged between two adjacent second island portions immediately next to each other among the second island portions, and a first distance between the two adjacent first island portions immediately next to each other is less than a second distance between the two adjacent second island portions immediately next to each other, (claims 11 and 33) in that each of the first bridge portions comprises two first rounded portions and a straight portion between the two first rounded portions, (claims 18 and 38) each of the second bridge portions comprises two first rounded portions, a first straight portion between the two first rounded portions, two second straight portions respectively connected to the two first rounded portions, and two second rounded portions respectively connected to the two second straight portions, (claims 21 and 41) each of the first island portions includes an inorganic insulating layer including an inorganic insulating material, and an edge of the inorganic insulating layer is spaced apart from an edge of each of the first island portions, and (claims 25 and 45) in that each of the first island portions comprises a transistor, and a light-emitting diode electrically connected to the transistor, in that a portion of a wiring electrically connected to the transistor of one of the first island portions is disposed on a first bridge portion connected to the one of the first island portions among the first bridge portions, and in that a first separation distance between an inner edge of the first bridge portion and the wiring is greater than a second separation distance between an outer edge of the first bridge portion and the wiring.
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TU TU V HO whose telephone number is (571)272-1778. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday 6:30 - 15:00, Monday through Thursday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeff W Natalini can be reached on 571-272-2266. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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10-07-2026
/TU-TU V HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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