DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-23 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-3, 11-12, 21, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Sung et al. (US 2008/0024056 – hereinafter “Sung”) in view of Mazur et al. (US 2005/0225345 – hereinafter “Mazur”).
Per claim 1, Sung teaches a system comprising:
a display device (Fig. 1; ¶47) comprising:
a panel cover (Fig. 1; panel cover 300; ¶48) on a back surface of a display panel (Fig. 1; display panel 100; ¶48);
a printed circuit board (Figs. 1 and 6; circuit board 126; ¶48) on a back surface of the panel cover (The circuit board 126 is folded such that it is disposed on a back surface of the panel cover 300 (Figs. 1 and 6; ¶72)); and
a protective member (Figs. 1 and 6; circuit board cover 400; ¶48) on a front surface of the printed circuit board (The circuit board cover 400 is disposed on a front surface of the circuit board 126 (Figs. 1 and 6; ¶48)).
However, Sung does not explicitly teach the system comprising: an inspection device configured to determine conductivity between the panel cover, the printed circuit board, and the protective member based on a resistance measured from a first area of the protective member, a second area of the panel cover, and a third area of the printed circuit board.
In contrast, Mazur teaches an apparatus for performing a sheet resistance test of a sample 4 comprising contacts 10, 28, and 12 that are brought into contact with a surface of the sample 4. A means for applying electrical stimulus 32 applies an electrical stimulus to contacts 10 and 12 to cause a current to flow in a volume 36 of the sample 4 between the contacts 10 and 12. A resulting voltage is measured by a measurement means 34 using the contact 28. A sheet resistance of the volume 36 is determined based on the current and measured voltage (Fig. 3; ¶58 and 72-79).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sung such that an inspection device is provided and configured to determine conductivity between the panel cover 300, the circuit board 126, and the circuit board cover 400 based on a resistance measured from a first area of the circuit board cover 400, a second area of the panel cover 300, and a third area of the circuit board 126, such as at the external voltage input section 131. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of determining an electrical characteristic of a volume of a sample under test (Mazur; ¶73).
Per claim 2, Sung in view of Mazur teaches the inspection system of claim 1, wherein the inspection device: includes a first pin in contact with the first area, a second pin in contact with the second area, and a third pin in contact with the third area, and simultaneously contacts the first to third pins to the first to third areas and determines the conductivity based on a measured resistance (In the inspection system of Sung in view of Mazur, three pins of the inspection device are configured to simultaneously contact the first to third areas, respectively (Mazur; ¶73)).
Per claim 3, Sung in view of Mazur teaches the inspection system of claim 2, wherein based on the first to third pins being simultaneously contacted to the first to third areas and the measured resistance being ‘0’, the inspection device is configured to determine that conductivity exists between the panel cover, the printed circuit board, and the protection member (In the inspection system of Sung in view of Mazur, a resistance measurement of “0” in response to an applied electrical stimulus would indicate conductivity exists (Mazur; ¶58)).
Per claim 11, Sung in view of Mazur teaches the inspection system of claim 2, wherein the inspection device includes a first wire connecting the first and second pins, a second wire connecting the second and third pins, and a third wire connecting the first and third pins (A first wire connects contacts 10 and 12, a second wire connects contacts 12 and 28, and a third wire connects contacts 10 and 28 (Mazur; Figure 3)).
Per claim 12, Sung in view of Mazur teaches the inspection system of claim 1, wherein the display panel further includes a bending area extending from the display panel, and wherein the printed circuit board is positioned on a back surface of the panel cover as the bending area is bent (A soft member 124 connecting the display panel 100 to the circuit board 126 is configured to bend to allow the circuit board 126 to be positioned on a back surface of the panel cover 300 (Sung; Figs. 1 and 6; ¶69 and 72)).
Per claim 21, Sung teaches an electronic device, comprising:
a processor to provide input image data (Image signals are provided at an external voltage input section 131 (¶71)); and
a display device (Fig. 1; ¶47) to display an image based on the input image data, the display device comprising:
a panel cover (Fig. 1; panel cover 300; ¶48) on a back surface of a display panel
a printed circuit board (Fig. 1; circuit board 126; ¶48) on a back surface of the panel cover (The circuit board 126 is folded such that it is disposed on a back surface of the panel cover 300 (Figs. 1 and 6; ¶72)); and
a protective member (Figs. 1 and 6; circuit board cover 400; ¶48) on a front surface of the printed circuit board (The circuit board cover 400 is disposed on a front surface of the circuit board 126 (Figs. 1 and 6; ¶48)).
However, Sung does not explicitly teach determining a conductivity between the panel cover, the printed circuit board, and the protective member based on a resistance measured from a first area of the protective member, a second area of the panel cover, and a third area of the printed circuit board.
In contrast, Mazur teaches an apparatus for performing a sheet resistance test of a sample 4 comprising contacts 10, 28, and 12 that are brought into contact with a surface of the sample 4. A means for applying electrical stimulus 32 applies an electrical stimulus to contacts 10 and 12 to cause a current to flow in a volume 36 of the sample 4 between the contacts 10 and 12. A resulting voltage is measured by a measurement means 34 using the contact 28. A sheet resistance of the volume 36 is determined based on the current and measured voltage (Fig. 3; ¶58 and 72-79).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the electronic device of Sung such that a conductivity is determined between the panel cover 300, the circuit board 126, and the circuit board cover 400 based on a resistance measured from a first area of the circuit board cover 400, a second area of the panel cover 300, and a third area of the circuit board 126, such as at the external voltage input section 131. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of determining an electrical characteristic of a volume of a sample under test (Mazur; ¶73).
Per claim 23, Sung in view of Mazur teaches the electronic device of claim 21, wherein the display panel further includes a bending area extending from the display panel, and wherein the printed circuit board is positioned on a back surface of the panel cover as the bending area is bent (A soft member 124 connecting the display panel 100 to the circuit board 126 is configured to bend to allow the circuit board 126 to be positioned on a back surface of the panel cover 300 (Sung; Figs. 1 and 6; ¶69 and 72)).
6. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Sung in view Mazur, in further view of Fujii (US 2006/0114008).
Per claim 10, Sung in view of Mazur does not explicitly teach the inspection system of claim 2, wherein the inspection device includes an upper cover in contact with the first to third pins.
In contrast, Fujii teaches a test apparatus 1 for testing a semiconductor wafer 2 comprising measuring probes 13 that are secured to a base plate 12. The base plate 12 is attached to a probe card attachment plate 8 (Fig. 3; ¶19-20 and 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Sung in view of Mazur such that it includes an upper cover in contact with the first to third pins. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of connecting probes to predetermined wirings (Fujii; ¶31).
7. Claims 13-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Mazur in view of Sung.
Per claim 13, Mazur teaches an inspection device comprising:
a first pin (Fig. 3; contact 10; ¶72) in contact with a first area of a device (Fig. 3; sample 4; ¶53 and 72);
a second pin (Fig. 3; contact 28; ¶72) in contact with a second area of the device; and
a third pin (Fig. 3; contact 12; ¶72) in contact with a third area of the device,
wherein conductivity of the device is determined based on a resistance measured from the first to third areas (A means for applying electrical stimulus 32 applies an electrical stimulus to contacts 10 and 12 to cause a current to flow in a volume 36 of a sample 4 between the contacts 10 and 12. A resulting voltage is measured by a measurement means 34 using the contact 28. A sheet resistance of the volume 36 is determined based on the current and measured voltage (Fig. 3; ¶58 and 72-79)).
However, Mazur does not explicitly teach the first area as being a first area of a protective member of a display device; the second area as being a second area of a panel cover of the display device; and the third area as being a third area of a printed circuit board of the display device, wherein conductivity between the panel cover, the printed circuit board, and the protective member is determined based on a resistance measured from the first to third areas.
In contrast, Sung teaches a display comprising a panel cover 300, a circuit board 126 disposed on the panel cover 300, and a circuit board cover 400 disposed on the circuit board 126 (Figs. 1 and 6; ¶47).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection device of Mazur such that the first area corresponds to an area of the circuit board cover 400, the second area corresponds to an area of the panel cover 300, and the third area corresponds to an area of the circuit board 126, such as the external voltage input section 131. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of determining an electrical characteristic of a volume of a sample (Mazur; ¶73).
Per claim 14, Mazur in view of Sung teaches the inspection device of claim 13, wherein the inspection device simultaneously contacts the first to third pins to the first to third areas and determines the conductivity based on a measured resistance (In the inspection device of Mazur in view of Sung, three pins of the inspection device are configured to simultaneously contact the first to third areas, respectively (Mazur; ¶73)).
Per claim 15, Mazur in view of Sung teaches the inspection device of claim 13, wherein based on the first to third pins being simultaneously contacted to the first to third areas and the measured resistance being ‘0’, the inspection device is configured to determine that conductivity exists between the panel cover, the printed circuit board, and the protection member (In the inspection device of Mazur in view of Sung, a resistance measurement of “0” in response to an applied electrical stimulus would indicate conductivity exists (Mazur; ¶58)).
Per claim 20, Mazur in view of Sung teaches the inspection device of claim 13, wherein the panel cover is on a back surface of the display panel, wherein the printed circuit board is on a back surface of the panel cover, and wherein the protective member is on a front surface of the printed circuit board (The panel cover 300 is disposed on a back surface of the display panel 200, the circuit board 126 is folded such that it is disposed on a back surface of the panel cover 300, and a circuit board cover 400 is disposed on a front surface of the circuit board 126 (Sung; Figs. 1 and 6; ¶48 and 72)).
8. Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Mazur in view Sung, in further view of Fujii.
Per claim 19, Mazur in view of Sung does not explicitly teach the inspection device of claim 13, further comprising: an upper cover in contact with the first to third pins.
In contrast, Fujii teaches a test apparatus 1 for testing a semiconductor wafer 2 comprising measuring probes 13 that are secured to a base plate 12. The base plate 12 is attached to a probe card attachment plate 8 (Fig. 3; ¶19-20 and 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection device of Mazur in view of Sung such that it includes an upper cover in contact with the first to third pins. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of connecting probes to predetermined wirings (Fujii; ¶31).
Claim Objections
9 Claims 4-9, 16-18, and 22 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.
Per claim 4, the prior art of record is silent on the inspection system of claim 1, wherein the protective member includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer, and wherein the first area is an area where a portion of the non-conductive layer is removed and the conductive layer is exposed. Claims 5-9 are consequently objected to due to their dependence on claim 4.
Per claim 16, the prior art of record is silent on the inspection device of claim 14, wherein the protective member includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer, and wherein the first area is an area where a portion of the non-conductive layer is removed and the conductive layer is exposed. Claims 17-18 are consequently objected to due to their dependence on claim 16.
Per claim 22, the prior art of record is silent on the electronic device of claim 21, wherein the protective member includes a conductive layer and a non-conductive layer, and wherein the first area is an area where a portion of the non-conductive layer is removed and the conductive layer is exposed.
Conclusion
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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