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 .
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-19 and 22 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12124142. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Regarding claim 1, Claim 1 of the patent recites a display device comprising: a color display element including pixels; and a liquid crystal display panel stacked with the color display element, the liquid crystal display panel including a TFT substrate, a counter substrate, and a liquid crystal layer between the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, the pixels including sub-pixels of different colors, the sub-pixels of all the pixels, viewed as a whole, being arranged in a pattern including arrays of sub-pixels of different colors placed in a first direction and arrays of sub-pixels of same colors placed in a second direction intersecting the first direction, the TFT substrate including first bus lines extending in the first direction, second bus lines extending in the second direction, and display electrodes each at a position corresponding to an intersection of one of the first bus lines and one of the second bus lines, at least one of the first bus lines and at least one of the second bus lines each overlapping at least some sub-pixels of all colors among the sub-pixels of different colors of the color display element in a plan view, at least one of the second bus lines extending in the second direction while bending (lines 1-24 of claim 1 are identical to the above limitations), and all the arrays of the sub-pixels of the same colors each overlapping a portion of a corresponding one of the second bus lines (lines 25-26 of claim 1 recite the limitation “all the arrays of the sub-pixels of the same colors overlapping a portion of one of the second bus lines” which while not identical in phrasing covers an identical scope).
Regarding claim 2, Claim 2 of the patent recites: the display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first bus lines extends in the first direction while bending, at least one of the first bus lines and at least one of the second bus lines each include linear portions, the first direction and at least one of the linear portions of the first bus line with bending form a bending angle within a range of 45° ± 15°, and the second direction and at least one of the linear portions of the second bus line with bending form a bending angle within a range of 45° ± 15° (claim 2 lines 1-11).
Regarding claim 3, Claim 3 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first bus lines extends in the first direction while bending, a sum of bending widths of the first bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is 0.75 or more and 1.25 or less times a length of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel in the direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a sum of bending widths of the second bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the second direction is 0.75 or more and 1.25 or less times a length of a display region of the liquid crystal display panel in the direction perpendicular to the second direction (claim 3 lines 1-13).
Regarding claim 4, Claim 4 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first bus lines extends in the first direction while bending the liquid crystal display panel includes display units each provided with a corresponding one display electrode, the first bus line with bending has a bending period of three or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the first direction, and the second bus line with bending has a bending period of three or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the second direction (claim 4 lines 1-11).
Regarding claim 5, Claim 5 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first bus lines extends in the first direction while bending, two adjacent first bus lines among the first bus lines have a varying distance therebetween and a portion with a shortest distance between the two adjacent first bus lines is superimposed with one of the display electrodes in a plan view, or two adjacent second bus lines among the second bus lines have a varying distance therebetween and a portion with a shortest distance between the two adjacent second bus lines is superimposed with one of the display electrodes in a plan view (claim 5 lines 1-13).
Regarding claim 6, Claim 6 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first bus lines extends in the first direction while bending the liquid crystal display panel includes display units each provided with a corresponding one display electrode, with a rectangular region whose short side corresponds to a bending width of one of the first bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and whose long side corresponds to a length of the first bus line in the first direction defined as a present region of the first bus line, and with a rectangular region whose short side corresponds to a bending width of one of the second bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the second direction and whose long side corresponds to a length of the second bus line in the second direction defined as a present region of the second bus line, two first bus lines adjacent in the direction perpendicular to the first direction have present regions satisfying one of the following relations A to C in a plan view: A: the present regions of the two adjacent first bus lines are in contact with each other; B: the present regions of the two adjacent first bus lines do not overlap each other and are spaced by a distance of 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the first direction; and C: the present regions of the two adjacent first bus lines overlap each other and their overlapping width is 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the first direction, and two second bus lines adjacent in the direction perpendicular to the second direction have present regions satisfying one of the following relations D to F in a plan view: D: the present regions of the two adjacent second bus lines are in contact with each other; E: the present regions of the two adjacent second bus lines do not overlap each other and are spaced by a distance of 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the second direction; and F: the present regions of the two adjacent second bus lines overlap each other and their overlapping width is 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the second direction (claim 6 lines 1-47).
Regarding claim 7, Claim 7 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display panel includes display units each provided with a corresponding one display electrode, the first bus lines each include bending points, a distance between two closest bending points of two adjacent first bus lines among the first bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the first direction is 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second bus lines each include bending points, and a distance between two closest bending points of two adjacent second bus lines among the second bus lines in a direction perpendicular to the second direction is 0.25 or less times a maximum length of one of the display units in the direction perpendicular to the second direction (claim 7 lines 1-17).
Regarding claim 8, Claim 8 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein, in the sub-pixels of different colors of the color display element, same-color effective transmissive areas of each color satisfy the following formula (1) and the following formula (2): (SMax - SAve)/SAve ≤ 0.25 (1) (SAve - SMin)/SAve ≤ 0.25 (2) wherein SMax represents a maximum value of same-color effective transmissive areas of respective measurement points, SMin represents a minimum value of the same-color effective transmissive areas of the respective measurement points, and SAve represents an average value of the same-color effective transmissive areas of the respective measurement points, wherein the same-color effective transmissive areas each mean a sum of all sub-pixel effective transmissive areas of a same color in N2 pixels in a region consisting of N rows and N columns in the color display element, where N is an integer of 2 or greater, the sub-pixel effective transmissive areas each mean an area obtainable by subtracting an area of a portion overlapping any of the first bus lines and any of the second bus lines of the liquid crystal display panel from an area of an aperture region of one of the sub-pixels in a plan view, and the same-color effective transmissive areas are determined for the respective measurement points while the liquid crystal display panel is moved in the row direction and in the column direction with the color display element being fixed, wherein the measurement points are arranged in a grid pattern on the N2 pixels with a certain width in the row direction and a certain width in the column direction (claim 8 lines 1-35).
Regarding claim 9, Claim 9 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display panel includes display units each provided with a corresponding one display electrode, and at least one of the display units has an area greater than one of the pixels of the color display element (claim 9 lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 10, Claim 10 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the sub-pixels of the color display element each include a pixel electrode having an outline including at least one linear portion, and in a plan view, the linear portion of the pixel electrode extends in a direction intersecting each side forming the outline of the display electrode of the liquid crystal display panel (claim 10 lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 11, Claim 11 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display electrodes each have a substantially tetragonal shape that can be within a rectangular frame whose long side has a length 1.5 or more and 2.5 or less times a length of its short side or within a rectangular frame whose long side has a length 1.25 or less times a length of its short side (claim 11 lines 1-7).
Regarding claim 12, Claim 12 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, at least one of the first bus lines and the second bus lines includes at least one electrode-overlapping portion that overlaps one of the display electrodes, and a total length of the at least one electrode-overlapping portion of one of the bus lines is 75% or more of a total length of the one of the bus lines (claim 12 lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 13, Claim 13 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, at least one of the first bus lines and the second bus lines includes at least one electrode-overlapping portion that overlaps one of the display electrodes, the at least one electrode-overlapping portion includes a first electrode-overlapping portion and a second electrode-overlapping portion, the first electrode-overlapping portion is a portion where at least one of the first bus lines overlaps one of the display electrodes, and the second electrode-overlapping portion is a portion where at least one of the second bus lines overlaps one of the display electrodes (claim 13 lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 14, Claim 14 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, at least one of the first bus lines and the second bus lines includes at least one electrode-overlapping portion that overlaps one of the display electrodes, the TFT substrate of the liquid crystal display panel further includes a transparent conductive layer and a third insulating layer, a support substrate, the first bus lines, a first insulating layer, the second bus lines, a second insulating layer, the transparent conductive layer, the third insulating layer, and the display electrodes are sequentially disposed, and in a plan view, the transparent conductive layer is superimposed with the electrode-overlapping portion (claim 14 lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 15, Claim 15 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view, the liquid crystal display panel does not include a light-shielding component between two adjacent display electrodes among the display electrodes (claim 15 lines 1-5).
Regarding claim 16, Claim 16 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein with the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel defined as a first liquid crystal layer, the color display element is a liquid crystal element that includes a second liquid crystal layer between paired substrates, and the display device includes a stack sequentially including a first polarizing plate, the color display element, a second polarizing plate, the liquid crystal display panel, and a third polarizing plate (claim 16 lines 1-10).
Regarding claim 17, Claim 17 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein with the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel defined as a first liquid crystal layer, the color display element is a liquid crystal element that includes a second liquid crystal layer and a color filter substrate provided with a color filter, the second liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the color filter substrate and the counter substrate of the liquid crystal display panel, the display device sequentially includes a first polarizing plate, the color filter substrate, the second liquid crystal layer, a polarizing layer, the counter substrate, the first liquid crystal layer, the TFT substrate, and a second polarizing plate, and the counter substrate includes, on a surface closer to the polarizing layer, switching elements for controlling voltage applied to the second liquid crystal layer (claim 17 lines 1-17).
Regarding claim 18, Claim 18 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein liquid crystal display panel is a front panel and the color display element is a rear panel, with the liquid crystal layer of the liquid crystal display panel defined as a first liquid crystal layer, the color display element is a liquid crystal element that includes a second liquid crystal layer between paired substrates, and a substrate constituting the paired substrates and located on a back surface side of the display device includes a reflector on a side facing the second liquid crystal layer (claim 18 lines 1-11).
Regarding claim 19, Claim 19 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the color display element is a front panel and the liquid crystal display panel is a rear panel, and the display device sequentially includes the color display element, the liquid crystal display panel, and a backlight (claim 19 lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 20, Claim 22 of the patent recites: The display device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display panel is a front panel and the color display element is a rear panel, and the color display element includes a light-emitting layer (claim 22 lines 1-4).
Conclusion
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/ALEXANDER P GROSS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871