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 .
Status of Claims
The amendment filed on 8/22/2024 has been entered. In the amendment, Applicant cancelled claims 1-24 and added new claims 25-44. Currently claims 25-44 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 29-30, 36-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 29 recites “the fourth shielding portion” and “the active portion” in last two lines. The instant claim, however, also recites in ll. 2 “a plurality of active portions” and in ll. 3 “a plurality of fourth shielding potions”. It is unclear which one of the plurality of active portions is referred to by “the active portion” and which one of the plurality of fourth shielding portions is referred to by “the fourth shielding poriton”.
Claim 30 is rejected because it depends on claim 29.
Claim 36 recites the elements “the first touch electrode”, “the second touch electrode”, “the first touch electrode block” and “the second touch electrode block”. There are insufficient antecedent bases for these limitations in the claim (note: a plurality of first touch electrodes, a plurality of second touch electrodes, a plurality of first touch electrode blocks and a plurality of second touch electrode blocks are recited in the instant claim).
Claim 37 recites the elements “the first touch electrode” in ll. 4 and “the second touch electrode” in ll. 5. There are insufficient antecedent bases for these limitations in the claim (note: a plurality of first touch electrodes and a plurality of second touch electrodes are recited in the instant claim).
Claims 38-40 are rejected because they depend on claim 37.
Claim 40 is further rejected for reciting “the first compensation structure” and “the anti-static structure”. There are insufficient antecedent bases for these limitations in the claim.
Claim 41 is further rejected for reciting “the first touch electrode block” and “the second touch electrode block”. There are insufficient antecedent bases for these limitations in the claim.
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.
Claims 25-28, 33, 37, 39-40 and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2020/0064968).
Regarding claim 25, Kim teaches a touch display panel (Abstract: “The display device includes a display unit which includes a display area and a first hole formed in the display area; and an input sensing unit which is disposed on the display unit and comprises a second hole corresponding to the first hole”; Fig. 1: display device 1), having a via-hole (Figs. 1-2: hole AH that penetrates display panel and input sensing unit/ input sensing panel)) penetrating through the touch display panel, a display region (Figs. 1-2: display area DA) outside the via-hole, and a first region (Fig. 2B: adjacent area AA located adjacent to hole area OA) between the via-hole and the display region; wherein the touch display panel comprises:
a substrate (Fig. 2B: substrate of display panel 100 according to [0085], i.e., “The panel includes a base layer that provides a base surface, such as a synthetic resin film, a composite film, or a glass substrate”; Figs. 12-13: first substrate BL or second substrate ENL disposed opposite the first substrate BL);
a shielding structure (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: second light shielding pattern 430 overlapping adjacent area AA of display device 1) on one side of the substrate, located in the first region and surrounding the via-hole; and
a touch structure layer (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: input sensing panel 200) on a same side of the substrate as the shielding structure; wherein the touch structure layer comprises: a first touch pattern (Figs. 5: touch pattern on first conductive layer 220 including first sensor parts SP1 and conductive layer 240 including second sensor parts SP2 in sensing area IS-DA) and a second touch pattern (Figs. 4-5: first and second connection wirings CL1 and CL2 in adjacent area IS-AA); wherein the first touch pattern is disposed in the display region (Figs. 4-5), and the second touch pattern is disposed in the first region (Figs. 4-5); wherein the first touch pattern and the second touch pattern are both a mesh structure comprising a plurality of first openings ([0025]: “the detection electrodes comprise a metal conductive layer of a metal mesh pattern, a portion of the connection wiring which overlaps one of the detection electrodes is a metal mesh pattern, and the detection electrodes do not overlap the light emitting element”; [0107] : ”As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 26, 27A, 27B, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33, the detection electrodes including the metal layer may have a mesh shape”; [0162]: “In order to improve flexibility, the first sensor parts SP1 and the second sensor parts SP2 may have a mesh shape and include a metal. The first sensor parts SP1 and the second sensor parts SP2 may be referred to as metal mesh patterns”; [0298]: “the first connection wiring CL1 may also have a metal mesh pattern in a portion”).
Regarding claim 26, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the display panel further comprises: a light-filtering structure layer (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: light-filtering structure layer including second light shielding pattern 430 and first light shielding pattern 420);
wherein the light-filtering structure layer comprises: a first shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: light-filtering structure layer including second light shielding pattern 430) in the first region;
wherein the shielding structure comprises the first shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22);
wherein the light-filtering structure layer is disposed on one side, facing away from the substrate, of the touch structure layer (Figs. 2B, 20, 22).
Regarding claim 27, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25,
wherein the touch display panel further comprises: a pixel defining layer (Fig. 2B: a display panel 100, the input sensing panel 200 and the antireflection panel 300 collectively form a pixel defining layer);
wherein the pixel defining layer comprises: a second shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: second light shielding pattern 430) in the first region;
wherein the shielding structure comprises the second shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22).
Regarding claim 28, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch display panel further comprises: an active layer (Fig. 2B: inherent active layer in display panel 100; Figs. 12-14, 16-18: circuit element layer DP-CL or display element layer DP-DL) between the substrate and the touch structure layer, and a first light-shielding layer (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: light-filtering structure layer including second light shielding pattern 430 and first light shielding pattern 420) between the active layer and the substrate;
wherein the first light-shielding layer comprises: a third shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22: light-filtering structure layer including second light shielding pattern 430) in the first region; and the shielding structure comprises the third shielding portion (Figs. 2B, 20, 22).
Regarding claim 33, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch structure layer further comprises: an anti-static structure (Figs. 4A and 5: second guard wiring GRL2; [0146]: “The second guard wiring GRL2 may protect other wirings (e.g., the connection wirings CL1 and CL2) and the sensor parts SP1 and SP2 from the shock transmitted from the first hole AH1, the static electricity flowing from the first hole AH1, etc.”);
wherein the orthographic projection of the second touch pattern on the substrate is at one side, facing away from the via-hole, of an orthographic projection of the anti-static structure on the substrate (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 37, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch structure layer comprises: a plurality of first touch electrodes (Fig. 4A: each row of first sensor parts SP1 (or sensing electrodes) and first connection parts CP1 form a first touch electrode) extending along a first direction (Fig. 4A: DR2/horizontal direction), and a plurality of second touch electrodes (Fig. 4A: each column of second sensor parts SP2 and second connection parts CP2 form a second touch electrode) extending along a second direction (Fig. 4A: DR1/vertical direction);
the first touch electrode comprises a plurality of first touch electrode blocks (Fig. 4A: first sensor parts SP1) sequentially arranged along the first direction and electrically connected, and the second touch electrode comprises a plurality of second touch electrode blocks (Fig. 4A: second sensor parts SP2) sequentially arranged along the second direction and electrically connected;
at least one of the plurality of second touch electrodes is divided by the via-hole into a first sub-touch electrode (Fig. 4A: SP2_A12) and a second sub-touch electrode (Fig. 4A: SP2_A22) which are discontinuous;
the touch structure layer further comprises: a connection structure (Fig. 5: second connection part CP2); wherein the connection structure is disposed in the first region, surrounds the via-hole (Fig. 5), and is electrically connected to the first sub-touch electrode and the second sub-touch electrode on both sides of the via-hole (Fig. 5); and
the second touch pattern is disposed on one side of the connection structure close to the via-hole, and is electrically connected to the connection structure (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 39, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch structure layer further comprises: an anti-static structure (Figs. 4A and 5: second guard wiring GRL2; [0146]: “The second guard wiring GRL2 may protect other wirings (e.g., the connection wirings CL1 and CL2) and the sensor parts SP1 and SP2 from the shock transmitted from the first hole AH1, the static electricity flowing from the first hole AH1, etc.”); and the anti-static structure is disposed at one side, facing the via-hole, of the second touch pattern (Figs. 4A and 5).
Regarding claim 40 Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 37, wherein the shielding structure comprises: at least one of (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 43, Kim further teaches a touch display device (abstract; Figs. 1-2: display device 1), comprising the touch display panel according to claim 25.
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 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2020/0064968) in view of Nishiyama et al. (US 2022/0163858).
Regarding claim 29, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 28, wherein the active layer comprises a plurality of active portions (Figs. 12-14, 16-18: circuit element layer DP-CL inherently including a plurality of active, semiconductor portions corresponding to transistors or display element layer DP-DL including a plurality of active portions corresponding to active, light-emitting portions) in the display region;
The differentiating limitations indicate additional light shielding structure disposed on the display region.
Nishiyama, for instance, teaches in [0068] a “light-shielding layer BM includes a light-shielding portion located in the display area DA to partition pixels”.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to combine Nishiyama’s technique with Kim’s technique including a plurality of fourth shielding portions in the display region such that an orthographic projection of a fourth shielding portion on the substrate covers an orthographic projection of a respective active portion on the substrate to improve visual aesthetics of the touch display panel.
Claims 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2020/0064968) in view of Han et al. (US 2020/0110495)
Regarding claim 31, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch display panel further comprises: a dam structure (Fig. 17: dams DAM1 and DAM2)
wherein the dam structure is disposed in the first region and surrounds the via-hole (Fig. 17);
wherein an orthographic projection of the second touch pattern on the substrate is at one side, facing away from the via-hole, of an orthographic projection of the dam structure on the substrate (Fig. 4A, 17).
Kim does not further teach the touch display panel further comprises a first isolation structure, wherein the first isolation structure is disposed between the dam structure and the via-hole and surrounds the via-hole.
The technique is not new, however.
Han, for instance, teaches in Fig. 14 a touch display panel comprise a first isolation structure (Fig. 14: structure between opening OA and partition wall/dam 510; [0151]), wherein the first isolation structure is disposed between the dam structure and the via-hole and surrounds the via-hole (Fig. 14).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to combine Han’s technique with Kim’s technique adding a first isolation between the dam structure and the via-hole and surrounds the via-hole in Kim’s touch display panel to east manufacturing complexity.
Regarding claim 32, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch display panel further comprises: a dam structure (Fig. 17: dams DAM1 and DAM2)
wherein the dam structure is disposed in the first region and surrounds the via-hole (Fig. 17);
wherein an orthographic projection of the second touch pattern on the substrate covers orthographic projections of the dam structure (Figs. 4A and 17).
Kim does not further teach the touch display panel comprise a first isolation structure and a first filling layer covering at least the first isolation structure, between the substrate and the touch structure layer,
Wherein the first isolation structure is disposed between the dam structure and the via-hole, and surrounds the via-hole;
wherein an orthographic projection of the second touch pattern on the substrate covers orthographic projections at least a portion of the first isolation structure on the substrate.
The differentiating limitations are not new, however.
Han, for instance, teaches a touch display panel comprise a first isolation structure (Fig. 14: structure between opening OA and partition wall/dam 510; [0151]) and a first filling layer (Fig. 14: ) covering at least the first isolation structure, between the substrate and the touch structure layer,
wherein the first isolation structure is disposed between the dam structure and the via-hole, and surrounds the via-hole (Fig. 14).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to combine Han’s technique with Kim’s technique adding a first isolation between the dam structure and the via-hole, in the manner taught by Han, in Kim’s touch display panel and providing a first filling layer in the manner taught by Han to east manufacturing complexity. The modification would result in the feature “wherein an orthographic projection of the second touch pattern on the substrate covers orthographic projections at least a portion of the first isolation structure on the substrate” (Kim: Fig. 2B; Examiner’s Note: second light shielding pattern 430 entirely covers adjacent area AA).
Claim 35 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2020/0064968) in view of Wang et al. (WO 2022/062843, to which US 2023/0049340 is equivalent)
Regarding claim 35, Kim does not further teach the ouch display panel according to claim 33, wherein the anti-static structure comprises: a plurality of arc segments spaced apart from each other and surrounding the via- hole.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches in [0131] it is an option that an protection ring/anti-static structure to be formed either in a one-piece structure or in a plurality of blocks spaced apart from each other and surrounding the via-hole (as illustrated in Fig. 9B).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to apply Wang’s teaching to Kim’s technique forming Kim’s anti-static structure in the form of a plurality of arc segments spaced apart from each other and surrounding the via- hole.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice.
Claims 36, 38 and 41-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2020/0064968) in view of Xu et al. (CN 113451385A, to which US 2024/0107850 is equivalent; the latter being used for this examination).
Regarding claim 36, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch structure layer comprises: a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction (Fig. 4A: each row of first sensor parts SP1 (or sensing electrodes) and first connection parts CP1 form a first touch electrode in DR2/horizontal direction or each column of second sensor parts SP2 and second connection parts CP2 form a second touch electrode in DR1/vertical direction), and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction (Fig. 4A: Fig. 4A: each column of second sensor parts SP2 and second connection parts CP2 form a second touch electrode in DR1/vertical direction or each row of first sensor parts SP1 (or sensing electrodes) and first connection parts CP1 form a first touch electrode in DR2/horizontal direction, which is different from definition of each first touch electrode);
wherein the first touch electrode comprises a plurality of first touch electrode blocks (Fig. 4A: first sensor parts SP1 or second sensor parts SP2) sequentially arranged along the first direction and electrically connected, and the second touch electrode comprises a plurality of second touch electrode blocks (Fig. 4A: second sensor parts SP2 or first sensor parts SP1, which is different from definition of a first touch electrode block) sequentially arranged along the second direction and electrically connected.
Kim does not further teach:
wherein one of the first touch electrode block and the second touch electrode block comprises a third touch electrode block, and the via-hole is disposed in the third touch electrode block;
wherein the third touch electrode block comprises the second touch pattern;
wherein the third touch electrode block has a first hollow portion; and an orthographic projection of the first hollow portion on the substrate covers an orthographic projection of the via-hole on the substrate.
The instant invention is different from Kim’s disclosure in that the latter has the via-hole cover a plurality of touch electrode blocks while the instant invention has the via-hole arranged within a signal touch electrode block. The differentiating limitation is not new, however.
Xu, for instance, teaches in Fig. 10A:
wherein one of the first touch electrode block and the second touch electrode block comprises a third touch electrode block (Fig. 10A: opening O), and the via-hole is disposed in the third touch electrode block (Fig. 10A; [0137]: “in some other embodiments, the opening O is immediately opened on only one sub-electrode of the first touch control electrode TX or opened on only one sub-electrode of the second touch control electrode RX”);
wherein the third touch electrode block comprises the second touch pattern (Fig. 10A);
wherein the third touch electrode block has a first hollow portion (Fig. 10A: opening O of respective touch electrode); and an orthographic projection of the first hollow portion on the substrate covers an orthographic projection of the via-hole on the substrate (Figs. 6 and 10A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to modify Kim’s technique with Xu’s technique, which is an obvious matter of design choice (as suggested by Xu).
Regarding claim 38, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 37, wherein the second touch pattern is a ring shape (Fig. 4A: guard wiring GRL2 in form of a ring shape) surrounding the via-hole.
Kim does not further teach:
wherein the touch structure layer further comprises: a plurality of first compensation structures at one side of the connection structure away from the via-hole; and the plurality of first compensation structures surround the via-hole;
wherein the first compensation structure is electrically connected to the first touch electrode block at the periphery of the via-hole.
The differentiating features are not new in the related art, however.
Xu, for instance, teaches a touch panel display comprises: a plurality of first compensation structures (Fig. 8: touch control compensation electrode TBC; Fig. 9A and [0129]-[0130]: touch control compensation electrode TBC includes a first touch control compensation electrode, which includes a first sub-compensation electrode TBC1, second sub-compensation electrode TBC2, and third sub-compensation electrode TBC3; FIG. 10B and [0139]: First touch control compensation electrode including sub-compensation electrode TBC11 to TBC15; Fig. 11: touch control compensation electrode TBC includes conductive plates CP1 to CP5, first conductive bridge CB1 and econd conductive bridge CB2) (Figs. 8, 9A);
wherein the first compensation structure is electrically connected to the first touch electrode block at the periphery of the via-hole (Figs. 8, 9A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to further modify the technique of Kim with Xu’s technique adding a plurality of first compensation structures enclosing all other wirings, which would result in the plurality of first compensations structures at one side of the connection structure away from the via-hole in Kim’s touch display panel, and surrounding the via-hole for Kim’s touch display panel to improve touch sensing accuracy and reliability to touch events around the via-hole area.
Regarding claim 41, Kim further teaches the touch display panel according to claim 36, herein the first touch electrode block and the second touch electrode block are disposed in a same layer (Fig. 5); and the second touch pattern and the first touch electrode block are in the same layer and have a same material (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 42, Kim does not further teach the touch display panel according to claim 25, wherein the touch structure layer further comprises: a second compensation structure;
wherein the second compensation structure is disposed on one side of the second touch pattern close to the via-hole, and is electrically connected to the second touch pattern.
The differentiating features are not new in the related art, however.
Xu, for instance, teaches a touch panel display comprises: a second compensation structure (Fig. 8: touch control compensation electrode TBC; Fig. 9A and [0129]-[0130]: touch control compensation electrode TBC includes a first touch control compensation electrode, which includes a first sub-compensation electrode TBC1, second sub-compensation electrode TBC2, and third sub-compensation electrode TBC3; FIG. 10B and [0139]: First touch control compensation electrode including sub-compensation electrode TBC11 to TBC15; Fig. 11: touch control compensation electrode TBC includes conductive plates CP1 to CP5, first conductive bridge CB1 and econd conductive bridge CB2);
wherein the second compensation structure is disposed on one side of the second touch pattern (Figs. 8, 9A).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to further modify the technique of Kim with Xu’s technique adding a plurality of first compensation structures enclosing all other wirings, which would result in the second compensation structure is disposed on one side of the second touch pattern close to the via-hole, to improve touch sensing accuracy and reliability to touch events around the via-hole area.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 34 and 44 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2024/0172528 (equivalent to WO2022193058A1) by Li et al. also teaches in Figs. 2-5 dam, isolation structure and filling layer claimed by claim 32 of the instant application.
WO 2021167373 by Shin teaches in Figs. 8-11 first light blocking unit 810 positioned in an area corresponding to the camera area NA1 and second light blocking part 820 may e positioned in the display area DA.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XUEMEI ZHENG whose telephone number is (571)272-1434. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:30 pm-6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lee can be reached at 571-272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XUEMEI ZHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
