DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The amendments to the claims filed 01/05/2026 were received and have been entered. Claims 1 and 16 have been amended. Claim 4 has been canceled. Therefore, claims 1-3 and 5-20 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3 and 5-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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(s) 1-3 and 5-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2018/0173036) in view of Wang et al. (US 2021/0408169).
As to claim 1, Kim teaches a display device (a display device and a multiscreen display device including the same. See abstract and See also Figures 2-3 and 10).
a backlight module (a backlight 160, see ¶51);
a first circuit substrate (a lower substrate 111, see ¶44-¶45) having a central portion (Par. 75 and 139-141 and Figs 2 and 10 explained a display 110 or a screen 600a is a center among four edge display modules 200 a,b,c,d ) and a first extending portion (Par. 46, 77-81 explained the lower substrate 111 extending to a pad part PP),
wherein the central portion has a first pixel area (Par. 44-45 explained the image display panel 110 has pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d) and a second pixel area (Par. 72 explained bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d ) above the backlight module (160), the first pixel area has a plurality of first pixel units (the display 110 or the pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d), the second pixel area has a plurality of second pixel units (the bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d ), and the second pixel units collectively surround the first pixel units (the bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d surround the pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d),
Kim annotation Fig 2 and Par. 78 showed a first bending portion (a first bend) connected to a first side of the central portion (110) and configured to be bent to a side surface (a side wall 123, ¶52) of the backlight module (160);
a second bending portion (a second bend) connected to the central portion (110) through the first bending portion (the first bend) and configured to be bent below the backlight module (160),
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the second bending portion has a first gate on array (the data driving ICs 330 and the embedded gate driving circuit unit mounted on the first bend ), wherein the first gate on array is communicatively connected to at least one of the first pixel units (Par. ¶79-¶83 explained the data driving ICs 330 and the embedded gate driving circuit unit connected to the pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d or the display 110).
Kim does not disclose in the above-cited embodiment "the first gate on array is communicatively connected to the second pixel units."
However, in another embodiment Figure 6 of Kim does suggest the light source circuit ICs 253 connected to the LEDs 230. See ¶74, and ¶111.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to have the light source circuit ICs 253 connected to the LEDs 230, as Kim teaches in Fig 6, to modify the embodiment of Fig 2. The motivation for doing so would conceal a boundary portion between adjacent display devices among a plurality of display devices. See Kim ¶ 9.
Kim fails to teach one of second pixel units is at least partially on the first bending portion and is tilted relative to another one of the second pixel units disposed on the central portion.
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Figure 16 of Wang teaches at least one of pixels 88 is partially on the edge bending portion 116 is tilted relative to another one of the pixels 88 disposed on the central portion 112. See Wang at least ¶72.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to implement at least one of pixels 88 is partially on the edge bending portion 116 is tilted relative to another one of the pixels 88 disposed on the central portion 112, as Wang teaches in Fig. 16, to modify the embodiment of Fig. 2 of Kim. As one of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have known to employ the pixels 88 taught by Wang small enough to fit in a housing wall of Kim. The suggestion or motivation for doing so would have been improve pixel-free border areas that run along the edges on the array of pixels with an edge illuminator, while providing the edge illuminator illumination to the border areas during operation of the display device. Wang ¶ 6.
As to claim 2, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the second pixel units of the second pixel area at least partially between the first extending portion and the first pixel area (Par. 87 shows the bezel pixels 200a is between the extending board 360 and the pixel area 110 or 600a).
As to claim 3, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first pixel units (600a) and the second pixel units (200a) are electrically connected to the first circuit substrate (250, 300).
As to claim 5, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first gate on array extends from the second bending portion to the first bending portion. (Par. 78-81 and Fig 2 explained the data driving ICs 330, the gate driving circuit unit, the control board 500 and the data processing circuit 510 extend from the second bend to the first bend ).
As to claim 6, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein some of the first pixel units and some of the second pixel units are communicatively connected to the first gate on array (Par. 77-81, 115 and Figs 3-6 showed the display 110 and the bezel pixels 230 connected to the data driving ICs 330, the gate driving circuit unit, the control board 500 and the data processing circuit 510 ).
As to claim 7, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first circuit substrate has a second gate on array (500, 510, Fig 2) on the first bending portion (the first bend), wherein some of the first pixel units (the pixel areas 600a) are connected to the second gate on array (500, 510), and some of the second pixel units (230) are connected to the first gate on array (253, Fig 6).
As to claim 8, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first circuit substrate has a first chip on film, wherein some of the first pixel units and some of the second pixel units are communicatively connected to the first chip on film (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 9, Kim teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein the first circuit substrate further has a second extending portion connected to a second side of the central portion that is different from the first side, and the first chip on film is on the second extending portion (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 10, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first circuit substrate further has a first chip on film and a second chip on film, wherein some of the first pixel units are communicatively connected to the first chip on film, and some of the second pixel units are communicatively connected to the second chip on film (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 11, Kim teaches the display device of claim 10, wherein the first circuit substrate further has a second extending portion connected to a second side of the central portion that is different from the first side, wherein the first chip on film and the second chip on film are on the second extending portion (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 12, Kim teaches the display device of claim 10, wherein the first circuit substrate further has a second extending portion and a third extending portion connected to opposite sides of the central portion that are different from the first side, respectively, wherein the first chip on film is on the second extending portion, and the second chip on film is on the third extending portion (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 13, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a second circuit substrate, wherein the second circuit substrate has a central portion and a first extending portion connected to a first side of the central portion of the second circuit substrate, wherein the first extending portion of the first circuit substrate is at a second side of the second circuit substrate that is different from the first side of the second circuit substrate, and the first extending portion of the first circuit substrate is adjacent to the central portion of the second circuit substrate (see ¶84-¶88, ¶113-¶114 and Figs 3-6).
As to claim 14, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a glass substrate (164, see ¶70) between the first circuit substrate (111) and the backlight module (160).
As to claim 15, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a color filter and a polarizer (see Kim ¶48-¶49) extending from above the central portion (110, 600a) of the first circuit substrate (111) to a side of the first extending portion (123, ¶52) of the first circuit substrate (111) that is away from the backlight module (160).
As to claim 16, Kim teaches a display device (a display device and a multiscreen display device including the same, See abstract and See also Figures 2-3 and 10).
a driving circuit board (a control circuit board 500, see ¶115);
a backlight (160, see ¶51) above the control circuit board 500;
a first circuit substrate (a lower substrate 111, see ¶44-¶45) having a central portion (Par. 75 and 139-141 and Figs 2 and 10 explained a display 110 or a screen 600a is a center among four edge display modules 200 a,b,c,d ) and a first extending portion (Par. 46, 77-81 explained the lower substrate 111 extending to a pad part PP),
wherein the central portion has a first pixel area (Par. 44-45 explained the image display panel 110 has pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d) and a second pixel area (Par. 72 explained bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d ) above the backlight module (160), the first pixel area has a plurality of first pixel units (the display 110 or the pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d), the second pixel area has a plurality of second pixel units (the bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d), and the second pixel units collectively surround the first pixel units (the bezel pixels 200 a,b,c,d surround the pixel areas 600 a,b,c,d),
Kim annotation Fig 2 and Par. 78 showed a first bending portion (a first bend) connected to a first side of the central portion (110) and configured to be bent to a side surface (a side wall 123, ¶52) of the backlight module (160);
a second bending portion connected to the central portion through the first bending portion and extending from the first bending portion to the driving circuit board
(a second bend connected to the central display 110 through the first bend and extending from the first bend to the panel driving circuit 300 shown in Fig 2),
the second bending portion has a first gate on array (Par. 76-77 explained the second bend has the control board 500 ), wherein the first gate on array is connected to at least one of the first pixel units and the second pixel units (Par. ¶79-¶83 explained the data driving ICs 330 and the embedded gate driving circuit unit connected to the display 110).
Kim does not disclose in the above-cited embodiment "the first gate on array is communicatively connected to the second pixel units."
However, in another embodiment Figure 6 of Kim does suggest the light source circuit ICs 253 connected to the LEDs 230. See ¶74 and ¶111.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to have the light source circuit ICs 253 connected to the LEDs 230, as Kim teaches in Fig 6, to modify the embodiment of Fig 2. The motivation for doing so would conceal a boundary portion between adjacent display devices among a plurality of display devices. See Kim ¶ 9.
Kim fails to teach one of second pixel units is at least partially on the first bending portion and is tilted relative to another one of the second pixel units disposed on the central portion.
At least Figure 16 of Wang teaches at least one of pixels 88 is partially on the edge bending portion 116 is tilted relative to another one of the pixels 88 disposed on the central portion 112. See Wang at least ¶72.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to implement at least one of pixels 88 is partially on the edge bending portion 116 is tilted relative to another one of the pixels 88 disposed on the central portion 112, as Wang teaches in Fig. 16, to modify the embodiment of Fig. 2 of Kim. As one of ordinary skill in the art, furthermore, would have known to employ the pixels 88 taught by Wang small enough to fit in a housing wall of Kim. The suggestion or motivation for doing so would have been improve pixel-free border areas that run along the edges on the array of pixels with an edge illuminator, while providing the edge illuminator illumination to the border areas during operation of the display device. Wang ¶ 6.
As to claim 17, Kim teaches the display device of claim 16, wherein the first circuit substrate (111) further comprises a first gate on array (510, 250, Fig 2, 6) and a flexible circuit board (400, ¶117, Fig 2) on the second bending portion (the second bend), wherein the at least one of the first pixel units (110) and the second pixel units (230) is communicatively connected to the first gate on array (510, 250), and the first gate on array (510, 250) is communicatively connected to the driving circuit board (300) through the flexible circuit board (400).
As to claim 18, Kim teaches the display device of claim 17, wherein some of the first pixel units (600a) and some of the second pixel units (230) are communicatively connected to the first gate on array (300, 250).
As to claim 19, Kim teaches the display device of claim 17, wherein the first circuit substrate (111) has a second gate on array (330) on the first bending portion (the first bend) and communicatively connected to the driving circuit board (300) through the flexible circuit board (210), wherein some of the first pixel units (600a) are communicatively connected to the second gate on array (330), and some of the second pixel units (230) are communicatively connected to the first gate on array (250).
As to claim 20, Kim teaches the display device of claim 16, wherein the first circuit substrate (210) has a chip on film (330, 253), wherein some of the first pixel units (600a) and some of the second pixel units (230) are communicatively connected to the chip on film (330, 253).
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7697, and email is kevin.nguyen2@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8am-5pm Eastern Time.
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KEVIN M NGUYEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2628
/Kevin M Nguyen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628