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 .
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 1-10 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.
The limitation “a bottom surface that faces the top surface” in claim 1 renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear how the bottom surface faces the top surface and the structure implied. Appropriate correction is requested.
Claims 2-10 are also rejected as being dependent on claim 1 and including the indefinite aspects thereof.
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 1, 6 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao (CN110062077A).
With regard to independent claim 1, Liao discloses an electronic device, comprising a foldable area that is configured to be folded with respect to a folding axis that extends in a first direction and non-foldable areas that are spaced apart from each other with the foldable area therebetween (Figs. 3d and 4a-4d); a display module (1), and a support plate (2) disposed below the display module and in which an opening pattern (3) is formed that corresponds to the foldable area, wherein the support plate (2) includes a top surface adjacent to the display module (1) and a bottom surface that faces the top surface (Figs. 4a-4d), the opening pattern (3) includes an opening that passes through the support plate (2) from the top surface to the bottom surface and a plurality of support parts (4) around the opening, and in a cross-section (Fig. 5d), each of the plurality of support parts (4) includes at least one first support part (4) that includes a first curved edge at one side of the top surface and a second curved edge at one side of the bottom surface that faces the first curved edge is a diagonal direction (Fig. 5d).
Regarding claim 6, Liao discloses wherein, in the cross-section (Fig. 5d), the support plate (2) further comprises a second support part (4) that includes a third curved edge at one side of the top surface (a1) and fourth curved edge at an other side of the top surface (a1) that is spaced apart from the third curved edge (Fig. 5d).
Regarding claim 8, Liao discloses wherein, on a plane, a width of the opening (3) in the first direction is greater than a width of the opening (3) in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction (Figs. 5d, 6a-6b and 7a-7c).
Regarding claim 9, the support plate of Liao has a flatness of about 0.15 mm or less, since the structure of the support plate is substantially identical to that of the claimed support plate and has a high surface flatness and improved whole surface smoothness (Figs. 2d and 5d; abstract and description; claim 16).
Regarding claim 10, Liao discloses the support plate (2) comprising a foldable part that is configured to be folded with respect to the folding axis and first and second non-foldable parts that are spaced apart from each other with the foldable part therebetween, and an angle between an extension surface of the first non-foldable part and an extension surface of the second non-foldable part ranges from about 120 degrees to about 180 degrees (Figs. 3a-3d).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5 and 7 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The cited prior art, Liao, fails to teach or reasonably suggest the distinct feature of “each of the first flat top surface and the first flat bottom surface is inclined with respect to a virtual extension surface that is parallel to a surface of the support plate that corresponds to the non-foldable area”, as recited in dependent claim 2; and the distinct feature of “the second flat top surface is inclined with respect to a virtual extension surface that is parallel to a surface of the support plate that corresponds to the non-foldable area”, as recited in dependent claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CATHERINE A SIMONE whose telephone number is (571)272-1501. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-4pm.
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CATHERINE A. SIMONE
Examiner
Art Unit 1781
/Catherine A. Simone/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781
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