Detailed Action
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-6, 11, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by QI (US 20250138351 A1).
Regarding claim 1, QI discloses a display apparatus (e.g., Fig. 20B; display apparatus 1), comprising:
a back-light unit (backlight module 10) including a light source unit (light source unit comprising light emitting devices 130 and light emitting devices 140) and an optical sheet (optical sheet 153) on the light source unit;
a light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152) on the optical sheet (optical sheet 153) of the back-light unit (backlight module 10); and
a display panel (display panel 20) on the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152),
wherein the light source unit includes a plurality of first light source devices (light emitting devices 130), a plurality of second light source devices (light emitting devices 140), and a plurality of light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110),
wherein the first light source devices (light emitting devices 130) are spaced apart from the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140) and the light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110) and are configured to emit light toward the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152), and
wherein each of the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140) is configured to emit light toward a side of at least one of the light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110).
Regarding claim 2, QI (e.g., Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the light source unit further includes a base substrate (substrate 120) disposed parallel to the optical sheet (optical sheet 150); and the first light source devices (light emitting devices 130), the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140), and the light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110) are disposed side by side on the base substrate (substrate 120).
Regarding claim 3, QI (e.g., Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140) has a different planar shape (e.g., Fig. 20B) from each of the first light source devices (light emitting devices 130).
Regarding claim 4, QI (e.g., Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140) has a planar shape extending along a side of at least one of the light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110).
Regarding claim 5, QI (e.g., Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140) is different from a number of the first light source devices (light emitting devices 130).
Regarding claim 6, QI (e.g., Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a number of the light guide patterns (light guide patterns 110) is different from the number of the second light source devices (light emitting devices 140).
Regarding claim 11, QI discloses a display apparatus (Fig. 20A or Fig. 20B; display apparatus 1), comprising:
a back-light unit (backlight module 10);
a liquid crystal panel (LCD 20; [0092]) on the back-light unit; and
a light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152; [0272]) disposed between the back-light unit (backlight module 10) and the liquid crystal panel (LCD 20; [0092]),
wherein the back-light unit includes a base substrate (substrate 120), a light source unit (light source unit comprising light emitting device 130 and light emitting device 140) on an upper surface of a base substrate (substrate 120) toward the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152), and an optical sheet (optical sheet 153) between the light source unit (light source unit comprising light emitting devices 130 and light emitting devices 140) and the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152),
wherein the light source unit includes a first light source device (light emitting device 130) configured to emit light toward the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152), a light guide pattern (light guide pattern 110) spaced apart from the first light source device (light emitting device 130), and a second light source device (light emitting device 140) disposed at a side of the light guide pattern (light guide pattern 110), and
wherein light transmitted to the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152) by the second light source device (light emitting device 140) via the light guide pattern (light guide pattern 110) has a higher straightness (Fig. 20A or 20B; light L2 has a higher straightness than light L1) than the light emitted from the first light source device (light emitting device 130) to the light path conversion unit (prism sheet 152).
Regarding claim 13, QI (Fig. 20A or Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein: the optical sheet includes a base sheet and a plurality of prisms disposed on the base sheet (optical sheet 153 including a plurality of prisms on a base sheet 152); and the plurality of prisms extend parallel to each other in a first direction (Fig. 20A or Fig. 20B; arrangement of prisms).
Regarding claim 14, QI (Fig. 20A or Fig. 20B) discloses the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of prisms are disposed on a lower surface of the base sheet facing toward the light source unit (Fig. 20A or Fig. 20B; arrangement of prisms relative to the light source unit).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 of this title, 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.
6. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over QI (US 20250138351 A1) in view of LIM (KR 20220094859 A).
Regarding claim 7, QI discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, but does not disclose the light path conversion unit includes a first control electrode, a second control electrode, and a variable diffusion layer including a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). However, LIM discloses a display device (e.g., Figs. 2-3) similar to that disclosed by QI, comprising a display panel (display panel 100) and a back-light unit (backlight unit 200) including a light source unit (light source 210) and an optical sheet (optical sheet 230) on the light source unit; a light path conversion unit (viewing angle control film 420) on the optical sheet (optical sheet 230) of the back-light unit; and a display panel (display panel 100) on the light path conversion unit (viewing angle control film 420), wherein: the light path conversion unit (Figs. 3 and 5-6; viewing angle control film 420) includes a first control electrode (electrode 425; [0034]), a second control electrode (electrode 426; [0034]), and a variable diffusion layer (diffusion layer 423; [0034], [0042], and [0045]) disposed between the first control electrode and the second control electrode; and the variable diffusion layer includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) (viewing angle control film 420including PDLC; [0034]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from LIM to the backlight module of the display device of QI. The combination/motivation would be to provide a backlight to a display device with a controlled viewing angle (e.g., wide viewing angle and narrow viewing angle) for different operation modes (public share mode or private mode).
7. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over QI (US 20250138351 A1) in view of KIM (US 20180341130 A1).
Regarding claim 12, QI discloses the display apparatus of claim 11, but does not disclose wherein a corner area of the light guide pattern toward the first light source device has a chamfer shape. However, KIM discloses a display apparatus, wherein a corner area of the light guide pattern toward the first light source device has a chamfer shape (e.g., Fig. 8; light guide 310 has a chamfer shaper toward light source 200). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KIM to the backlight module of the display device of QI, which would provide an alternative arrangement of a backlight to couple light from a light source to a light guide.
7. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over QI (US 20250138351 A1) in view of QIAO (US 20140119051 A1).
Regarding claim 15, QI discloses the display apparatus of claim 13, but does not disclose an upper surface of the light guide pattern facing toward the optical sheet includes a plurality of protrusions as claimed. However, QIAO discloses a backlight unit of a display device, wherein: an upper surface of the light guide pattern facing toward the optical sheet includes a plurality of protrusions (e.g., Figs. 4 and 1; light guide having a plurality of protrusion surfaces 101/102); a cross-section of each of the plurality of protrusions has a shape corresponding to a cross-section of each of the plurality of prisms (e.g., Figs. 4 and 1; the plurality of protrusions has a shape corresponding to a cross-section of each of the plurality of prisms as disclosed by QI’s Fig. 20); and the plurality of protrusions extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction (e.g., Figs. 4 and 1; the plurality of protrusions extend in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the plurality of prisms as disclosed by QI’s Fig. 20). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from QIAO to the backlight module of the display device of QI, which would provide a uniform backlight illumination for a display device.
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 8-10 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The present invention is directed to a display device with a variable viewing angle. The closet prior arts, QI (US 20250138351 A1), LIAO (US 20210191027 A1), KIM (US 20180341130 A1), QIAO (US 20140119051 A1), and LIM (KR 20220094859 A), individually or in combination, discloses a display apparatus, comprising: a back-light unit including a light source unit and an optical sheet on the light source unit; a light path conversion unit on the optical sheet of the back-light unit; and a display panel on the light path conversion unit, wherein the light source unit includes a plurality of first light source devices, a plurality of second light source devices, and a plurality of light guide patterns, wherein the first light source devices are spaced apart from the second light source devices and the light guide patterns and are configured to emit light toward the light conversion unit, and wherein each of the second light source devices is configured to emit light toward a side of at least one of the light guide patterns, wherein: the light path conversion unit includes a first control electrode, a second control electrode, and a variable diffusion layer disposed between the first control electrode and the second control electrode; and the variable diffusion layer includes a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC), but fails to teach wherein: the first control electrode includes a plurality of electrode patterns spaced apart from each other; and each of the electrode patterns overlaps at least one of the light guide patterns, and wherein each of the first light source devices is surrounded by the second light source devices and the light guide patterns.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUZHEN SHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1407. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-18:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YUZHEN SHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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