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
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and dependent claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, “the first portion of the display panel assembly is tilted downward relative to the second portion of the display panel assembly” are unclear. This limitation lack antecedent basis. Further clarification is required. It is unclear what these portions on the SPEC or drawing. Applicant indicated in the Remark. However, these limitations can be re-defined without any other record in the application documents. Especially, the 1st and 2nd positions are dynamic with transitions. Therefore, the definitions of the above limitations can be indefinite. If Applicant can’t clearly define the claimed limitations, a 112 rejections will be applied in the next office action.
The Examiner respectfully requests that the Applicant(s) review all claims for any such similar issues.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, all the limitations, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, and/or the claim objections (See above objections) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 1-5, 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by SWEENEY (US 20230064265).
With regard claim 1, SWEENEY discloses A slidable display device (abstract, see also fig 1-40) comprises: a display panel assembly having a first portion and a second portion (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23, the panel structure including 2306, Examiner consider as display panel assembly; see also fig 2-13 with another design; any portions on the display panel assembly; Examiner can consider as 1st and 2nd portions; no label); a mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; at least fig 23, frame structure including 2304 , or 804, and associated parts; see also fig 2-11 with another design); and a guide member tiltably connected to the mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; at least fig 23-29, the structure tiltably connected to the mounting frame, Examiner consider as a guide member; at least 826, 862, and associated part, 2628, 2328 and associated part; see also fig 2-11 with another design), the guide member being configured to support the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves between a first position and a second position with respect to the mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; compare fig 30-31 for fig 32-36; and other figures; see also fig 2-11 with another design), the guide member being configured to bend the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves from the first position to the second position so that the first portion of the display panel assembly is tilted downward relative to the second portion of the display panel assembly (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; compare fig 30-31 for fig 32-36; and other figures). Examiner’s note: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bend ; bend: to force a straight form into an angular one.
Regarding claim 2, SWEENEY further disclosed the first portion of the display panel assembly extends past the mounting frame at the second position (at least fig 6-13; fig 25-31; see also fig 24, fig 23; compare fig 30-31 for fig 32-36; and other figures; see also fig 2-13 with another design).
Regarding claim 3, SWEENEY further disclosed the guide member includes: a guide support connected to the display panel assembly (at least fig 25, 2344 or any structure can support the display; the guide support connected to the display panel assembly; see also Fig 13; any structure can support the display); a guide body located at one end of the mounting frame (at least fig 25, the body portion between 2328 and 2342; see also fig 13 the body portion near 826; no label); and a guide driver located at the mounting frame and the guide body (at least fig 25, 2324, 2328 and associate parts; see also paragraph [113]-[118]; [135-137]).
Regarding claim 4, SWEENEY further disclosed the guide driver further includes a link assembly, the link assembly configured to rotate the guide support and bend the display panel assembly (compare fig 24-31, fig 32-36; the link assembly configured to rotate the guide support and bend the display panel assembly in multiple different directions; no label; see also fig 13).
Regarding claim 5, SWEENEY further disclosed the guide member further comprises an opening and closing cover connected to the link assembly, the opening and closing plate being configured to rotate with the guide support (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23; Examiner consider any plate shape/structures and can open and close with the display structure is the “the opening and closing plate”; at least the 2306 is opening and closing cover as it is configured to rotate with the guide support and also covered or uncovered the view point when it changes the angles).
Regarding claim 21, SWEENEY further disclosed in the first position, the first portion and the second portion of the display panel assembly are horizontally disposed (at least fig 4-14; fig 26-31; fig 32-36; the 1st and 2nd portions can be defined by drawing a horizontal line).
Regarding claim 22, SWEENEY further disclosed in the first position, the first portion and the second portion of the display panel assembly are located within the mounting frame (at least fig 4-14; fig 26-31; fig 32-36; the 1st and 2nd portions can be defined by any two portions located within the mounting frame; viewed from any view point).
Regarding claim 23, SWEENEY further disclosed in the first position, the first portion and the second portion of the display panel assembly are coplanar (at least fig 4-14; fig 26-31; fig 32-36; the 1st and 2nd portions can be defined by drawing any lines/plane).
Regarding claim 24, SWEENEY further disclosed in the first position, the first portion and the second portion of the display panel assembly are located above the guide member (at least fig 4-14; fig 26-31; fig 32-39; the 1st and 2nd portions can be defined by the portions located above the guide member). Examiner’s note: this claim limitation depends on the orientation of the device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 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 allowance:
With respect to claim 6, the allowability resides in the overall structure of the device as recited in this independent claim and at least in part because the prior art does not teach or suggest a structure comprising: the guide driver further includes: a drive motor located at another end of the mounting frame opposite the one end of the mounting frame; a motor pulley connected to the drive motor; and a guide belt connecting the motor pulley to the link assembly, the guide belt being configured to rotate the link assembly, as set forth in the combination of the independent claims.
The aforementioned limitations in combination with all remaining limitations of independent claim are believed to render said independent claims and all claims dependent therefrom patentable over the art of record.
The closest prior art, SWEENEY (US 20230064265), discloses a similar structure but does not configure to have the above limitations. The above prior art thus fails to anticipate or render the above portions obvious, either singularly or in combination with other references.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the Applicants’ remarks that, “According to a non-limiting example of the present application, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, and 12 of the present application, reproduced below, a slidable display device (e.g., 1000) includes a display panel assembly (e.g., 1500) having a first portion (e.g., 1530 and/or 1540 in Figure l0A) and a second portion (e.g., 1560 in Figure l0A); a mounting frame (e.g., 1100); and a guide member (e.g., 1200) tiltably connected to the mounting frame. The guide member is configured to support the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves between a first position and a second position with respect to the mounting frame. The guide member is configured to bend the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves from the first position to the second position so that a first portion of the display panel assembly is tilted downward relative to the second portion of the display panel assembly. See Figures IA, 1B, and 12B, reproduced below.” (pages 9 to the end).
Examiner’s Answer: the Examiner respectfully disagrees and notes that:
The claimed limitations are unclear (two portions); see above objection.
SWEENEY discloses A slidable display device (abstract, see also fig 1-40) comprises: a display panel assembly having a first portion and a second portion (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23, the panel structure including 2306, Examiner consider as display panel assembly; see also fig 2-13 with another design; any portions on the display panel assembly; Examiner can consider as 1st and 2nd portions; no label); a mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; at least fig 23, frame structure including 2304 , or 804, and associated parts; see also fig 2-11 with another design); and a guide member tiltably connected to the mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; at least fig 23-29, the structure tiltably connected to the mounting frame, Examiner consider as a guide member; at least 826, 862, and associated part, 2628, 2328 and associated part; see also fig 2-11 with another design), the guide member being configured to support the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves between a first position and a second position with respect to the mounting frame (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; compare fig 30-31 for fig 32-36; and other figures; see also fig 2-11 with another design), the guide member being configured to bend the display panel assembly as the display panel assembly moves from the first position to the second position so that the first portion of the display panel assembly is tilted downward relative to the second portion of the display panel assembly (at least fig 6-13; fig 26-31; see also fig 24, fig 23,; compare fig 30-31 for fig 32-36; and other figures). Examiner’s note: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/bend ; bend: to force a straight form into an angular one.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY WU whose telephone number is (571)270-5420. The examiner can normally be reached on PHP: M-Th: 8:30-12:30; 2:30-8:30pm.
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, Imani Hayman can be reached on 571.270.5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERRY WU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
