DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/10/2026 has been entered.
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, 14-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chung (US 20210175321).
As per claim 1, Chung discloses a display device (Fig. 1, #1000; [0069]), comprising:
a substrate (Fig. 2, #SUB) comprising a display area (#DM-DA) and a non-display area (#DM-NDA) that surrounds the display area ([0074]; [0084]);
a plurality of pixels (#PX) in the display area (#DA) of the substrate ([0093]);
a pad part (Fig. 3, #PD) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the pad part (#PD) supplied with a selection signal ([0100]; [0175]; [0194]);
a connection line (Fig. 3, i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) extending in a first direction (#DR1) and connected to the pad part (#PD; [0100]);
(Fig. 3 discloses) a selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) extending continuously along multiple pixels (#PX) of the plurality of pixels (#PX) in a second direction (i.e., diagonal direction) that is different from the first direction (#DR1) and connected to the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD); and
(Fig. 3 discloses) a plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) that extend from the non-display area (#NDA) to the display area (#DA) of the substrate, the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) connected to the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) and configured to provide the selection signal, which is supplied from the pad part (#PD), to the plurality of pixels ([0096]; [0100]; [0175]; [0194]).
As per claim 14, Chung discloses a display device (Fig. 1, #1000; [0069]), comprising:
a substrate (Fig. 2, #SUB) comprising a display area (#DM-DA) and a non-display area (#DM-NDA) that surrounds the display area ([0074]; [0084]);
a plurality of pixels (#PX) in the display area (#DA) of the substrate ([0093]);
a pad part (Fig. 3, #PD) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the pad part (#PD) supplied with a selection signal ([0100]; [0175]; [0194]);
a connection line (Fig. 3, i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) extending in a first direction (#DR1) and connected to the pad part (#PD; [0100]);
(Fig. 3 discloses) a selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) in the non-display area (#NDA) of the substrate, the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) extending continuously along multiple pixels (#PX) of the plurality of pixels (#PX) in a second direction (i.e., diagonal direction) that is different from the first direction (#DR1) and connected to the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD); and
(Fig. 3 discloses) a plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) that extend from the non-display area (#NDA) to the display area (#DA) of the substrate, the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) connected to the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) and configured to provide the selection signal, which is supplied from the pad part (#PD), to the plurality of pixels ([0096]; [0100]; [0175]; [0194]), wherein the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) are disposed for each pixel row of the display area (#DA).
As per claim 15, Chung discloses the display device of claim 14, wherein (Fig. 3 discloses) the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) extend in the first direction (#DR1) and the second direction (i.e., diagonal direction).
As per claim 19, Kim discloses a display device (Fig. 1, #1000; [0069]), comprising:
a display area (Fig. 2, #DM-DA) and a non-display area (#DM-NDA) that surrounds the display area ([0074]; [0084]);
a plurality of pixels (#PX) in the display area (#DA; [0093]);
a pad part (Fig. 3, #PD) in the non-display area (#NDA), the pad part (#PD) receiving a selection signal ([0100]; [0175]; [0194]);
a connection line (Fig. 3, i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) in the non-display area (#NDA), the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD) extending in a first direction (#DR1) and connected to the pad part (#PD; [0100]);
(Fig. 3 discloses) a selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) in the non-display area (#NDA) and connected with the pad part (#PD), the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) extending continuously along multiple pixels (#PX) of the plurality of pixels (#PX) in a second direction (i.e., diagonal direction) that is different from the first direction (#DR1) and connected to the connection line (i.e., vertical part of DL connected to PD); and
(Fig. 3 discloses) a plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) that extend from the non-display area (#NDA) to the display area (#DA), the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) connected to the selection signal pattern (i.e., diagonal part of DL) and the plurality of pixels (#PX), the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) providing the selection signal, which is supplied from the pad part (#PD), to the plurality of pixels ([0096]; [0100]; [0175]; [0194]), wherein the plurality of selection signal lines (#DL) are disposed for each pixel row of the display area (#DA).
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.
Claims 4 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung.
As per claims 4 and 16, Chung discloses the display device of claim 1 (claim 14) except for a width of the selection signal pattern in the first direction is larger than a width of (each of) the plurality of selection signal lines. Official Notice is taken that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to have a width of the selection signal pattern in the first direction is larger than a width of (each of) the plurality of selection signal lines since a mere scaling up of a prior art process capable of being scaled up would not establish patentability in a claim to an old process so scaled. In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Park (US 20220254816).
As per claim 5, Chung discloses the display device of claim 1.
However, Chung does not explicitly teach the selection signal pattern includes a metallic material.
Park teaches the selection signal pattern (Fig. 17, i.e., diagonal part of LP3 in SA1) includes a metallic material ([0172]; [0182]; [0440]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the selection signal pattern of Chung formed according to Park so as to include a low resistance material to reduce a line resistance (Park: [0172]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Lee (US 20210142702).
As per claim 12, Chung discloses the display device of claim 1.
However, Chung does not teach an illumination inspection part in the non-display area, the illumination inspection part connected to the connection line,
wherein the illumination inspection part comprises at least one mode illumination inspection switch configured to provide a mode illumination inspection signal to the connection line in response to an illumination inspection control signal.
Lee teaches an illumination inspection part (Fig. 2, #111) in the non-display area, the illumination inspection part (#111) connected to the connection line (i.e., data line; [0066]-[0067]; [0072]-[0073]),
wherein the illumination inspection part comprises at least one mode illumination inspection switch (#Tr) configured to provide a mode illumination inspection signal to the connection line in response to an illumination inspection control signal ([0072]-[0073]; [0093]-[0104]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have included the illumination inspection part disclosed by Lee connected to the connection line of Chung so as to provide a link line defect detection method which is capable of detecting a defect of a data link line.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung in view of Park in view of Marum (5,500,546).
As per claim 13, Chung discloses the display device of claim 1.
However, Chung does not teach an antistatic part in the non-display area, the antistatic part connected to the connection line,
wherein the antistatic part comprises a first antistatic element and a second antistatic element.
Park teaches an antistatic part (Fig. 10, #ESDP) in the non-display area (#NDA), the antistatic part (#ESDP) connected to the connection line ([0374]),
wherein the antistatic part (#ESDP) comprises a first antistatic element (#ESDP1) and a second antistatic element (#ESDP2; [0375]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the antistatic part of Chung configured according to Park so as to provide an antistatic portion connected to the data line and the first power line may be positioned in one area of the non-display area.
However, Chung in view of Park do not teach the antistatic part comprises a first antistatic element and a second antistatic element connected in series between a first voltage line to which a first voltage is provided and a second voltage line to which a second voltage lower than the first voltage is provided.
Marum teaches the antistatic part comprises a first antistatic element (Fig. 3, #30) and a second antistatic element (#40) connected in series between a first voltage line (#VCC line) to which a first voltage is provided and a second voltage line (#ground line) to which a second voltage lower than the first voltage is provided (col. 6, line 6-17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the antistatic part of Chung in view of Park configured according to Marum so as to provide an improvement in ESD protection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 14 and 19 have been considered but are moot because of the new grounds of rejection as presented above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nelson Lam whose telephone number is (571)272-8044. The examiner can normally be reached 1pm-9pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571 272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nelson Lam/
Examiner, Art Unit 2627
/KE XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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