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 .
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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, Zheng et al. (US Pub. 20240168328) teaches (in figures 1-3) a display module comprising: a backlight module (light-emitting module 102) having a light exiting region (region overlapping backlight module 1021) and a fringe region (region overlapping display module 1022) adjacent to the light exiting region; a LCD panel (display panel 101) disposed on the backlight module, wherein the LCD panel comprises a sealant (sealant 1014); and a LED display panel (display module 1022, see paragraphs 55-56) disposed on the fringe region of the backlight module, wherein the LED display panel has a surface (upper surface of display module 1022), and at least a part of the sealant (sealant 1014) overlaps the LED display panel in a normal direction of the surface (figure 1 and paragraph 43).
Sun (US 20240160062 A1) teaches (in figures 1-2) a display module comprising: a backlight module (backlight module 60 and light emitting devices 50) having a light exiting region (region overlapping first display area AA1) and a fringe region (region overlapping second display area AA2) adjacent to the light exiting region; a LCD panel (formed of frame sealant 40, first substrate 10, second substrate 20, and liquid crystal layer 30) disposed on the backlight module (backlight module 60), wherein the LCD panel comprises a sealant (frame sealant 40); and a LED display panel (light emitting devices 50) disposed on the fringe region of the backlight module, wherein the LED display panel has a surface (upper surface of light emitting devices 50), and at least a part of the sealant (frame sealant 40) overlaps the LED display panel (see paragraph 45 and figure 2 which teach that the sealant covers the plurality of light emitting devices) in a normal direction of the surface (see paragraph 38 and figure 2 which teaches that sealant surrounds LEDs); wherein the backlight module comprises at least an optical film (optical film 65) disposed on the light exiting region, and the optical film is located at one side of the backlight module facing to the LCD panel, wherein the optical film extends from the light exiting region to the fringe region of the backlight module and covers the LED display panel (see figure 2); two polarizers (upper and lower polarizers 70 and 80) disposed on two opposite sides of the LCD panel separately (see figures 1-2 and paragraph 60), and the polarizers overlap the LED display panel in the normal direction (see figures 1-2 and paragraph 60 which teach/show that the edges of the polarizers are flush with the edge of the display module).
Symons (EP 0625721) teaches (in figure 8) providing a depolarizer (layer of white ink 22) between an upper and lower polarizer (front and rear polarizers 5 and 6) in order to transmit light in the region of the depolarizer regardless of the state of the liquid crystal (Col. 5 lines 20-33).
However, it would not have been obvious to first modify the device of Zheng such that the polarizers extend to the edge of the display module such that they overlap the LED display panel and then further modify the device of Zheng to include a depolarizer in order to make the LED display functional when overlapped with two polarizers.
As such, the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to teach or fairly suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing a display module in which there is a depolarizer located inside a sealant overlapping an LED display panel and between two oppositely positioned polarizers, in combination with the required elements of claim 7 and claims 6 and 1 from which claim 7 depends.
Claims 8-10 would be allowable by virtue of their dependency.
.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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6, and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun (US 20240160062 A1).
As per claim 1, Sun teach teaches (in figures 1-2) a display module comprising: a backlight module (backlight module 60 and light emitting devices 50) having a light exiting region (region overlapping first display area AA1) and a fringe region (region overlapping second display area AA2) adjacent to the light exiting region; a LCD panel (formed of frame sealant 40, first substrate 10, second substrate 20, and liquid crystal layer 30) disposed on the backlight module (backlight module 60), wherein the LCD panel comprises a sealant (frame sealant 40); and a LED display panel (light emitting devices 50) disposed on the fringe region of the backlight module, wherein the LED display panel has a surface (upper surface of light emitting devices 50), and at least a part of the sealant (frame sealant 40) overlaps the LED display panel (see paragraph 45 and figure 2 which teach that the sealant covers the plurality of light emitting devices) in a normal direction of the surface (see paragraph 38 and figure 2 which teaches that sealant surrounds LEDs); wherein the backlight module comprises at least an optical film (optical film 65) disposed on the light exiting region, and the optical film is located at one side of the backlight module facing to the LCD panel, wherein the optical film extends from the light exiting region to the fringe region of the backlight module and covers the LED display panel (see figure 2).
As per claim 3, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that the LCD panel comprises: a TFT array substrate (Figure 4: 12, paragraph 50 – first substrate, comprising a thin film transistor); a light filter substrate (Figure 1-2: 20, paragraph 39 – second substrate, comprising a color filter) disposed on the TFT array substrate Figure 1, paragraphs 38-39 – first substrate (containing color filter) on second substrate (containing TFT substrate); and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the light filter substrate (Figure 1: 30, paragraph 38 – liquid crystal layer located between first and second substrate), wherein the liquid crystal layer is disposed between the TFT array substrate and the light filter substrate (Figure 1, paragraph 38 – liquid crystal layer located between 1st and 2nd substrate).
As per claim 4, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that the sealant of the LCD panel is disposed between the TFT array substrate and the light filter substrate (Figure 2: 40, paragraph 38 – frame sealant located between first and second substrate), and the sealant of the LCD panel covers the liquid crystal layer (Paragraph 38 – frame sealant surrounds the liquid crystal layer).
As per claim 5, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that the liquid crystal layer is located above the light exiting region of the backlight module (Figure 1: 30 – liquid crystal layer shown is above/behind AA1 display area), and the sealant is located above the fringe region of the backlight module (Figure 2: 40 – sealant shown in fringe/edge region).
As per claim 6, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) two polarizers disposed on two opposite sides of the LCD panel separately (Figure 1-2: 70, 80, paragraph 60 – an upper and a lower polarizer), and the polarizers overlap the LED display panel in the normal direction (Figure 1-2, paragraph 60 – edges of the polarizers are flush with the edge).
As per claim 11, Sun teaches (in figures 1-3) a display module comprising: a backlight module (backlight module 60 and light emitting devices 50) having a light exiting region (region overlapping first display area AA1) and a fringe region (region overlapping second display area AA2) adjacent to the light exiting region; a LCD panel (formed of frame sealant 40, first substrate 10, second substrate 20, and liquid crystal layer 30) disposed on the backlight module (backlight module 60), wherein the LCD panel comprises a sealant (frame sealant 40); and a LED display panel (light emitting devices 50) disposed on the fringe region of the backlight module, wherein the LED display panel has a surface (upper surface of light emitting devices 50), and at least a part of the sealant (frame sealant 40) overlaps the LED display panel (see paragraph 45 and figure 2 which teach that the sealant covers the plurality of light emitting devices) in a normal direction of the surface (see paragraph 38 and figure 2 which teaches that sealant surrounds LEDs); and the LED display panel comprises: a plurality of LED components (light emitting devices 50) disposed on the fringe region of the backlight module, wherein the plurality of LED components are arranged in at least two lines along with an extending direction of the sealant (see figures 2-3) wherein the backlight module comprises at least an optical film (optical film 65) disposed on the light exiting region, and the optical film is located at one side of the backlight module facing to the LCD panel, wherein the optical film extends from the light exiting region to the fringe region of the backlight module and covers the LED display panel (see figure 2).
As per claim 12, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) an encapsulation material encapsulating a surface of the plurality of LED components (see paragraph 47 – encapsulation structure).
As per claim 13, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) a width of the fringe region is larger than two widths of one of the plurality of LED components (see figures 2, 3: 50, 40 – as shown, at least two LED components are in the fringe region, with room on either side).
As per claim 14, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that each of the plurality of LED components is a white light LED component (figure. 5, paragraph 59 – Sun discloses that there are three light-emitting devices which emit red, green, and blue light. The combination of these elements when activated together will produce white light, and thus this embodiment satisfies the limitations of this claim).
As per claim 15, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that the plurality of LED components emit a plurality of light rays having different wavelengths (figure 5, paragraph 59 – three light-emitting devices that emit red, green, and blue light)
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) 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 20240160062 A1) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Cheng (US 11880058 B2).
As per claim 2, Sun teaches (in figures 1-2) that the optical film includes a diffuser sheet (figures 1 and 2 and paragraph 41 – optical film includes a diffuser)
Sun does not disclose that the claimed optical film includes a prism sheet.
However, Cheng teaches a liquid crystal display device in which the optical film may include a prism sheet (Cheng Fig. 4: 42, col. 7 lines 49-53).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention include a prism with a diffuser in an optical film.
The motivation would have been to improve the uniformity of light from a light source.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER P GROSS whose telephone number is (571)272-5660. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-6pm EST.
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/ALEXANDER P GROSS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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