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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/28/2026 has been entered.
Allowable Subject Matter
The indicated allowability of claims 7-20 are withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Xie and Tran (see below). Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 4-7, 11-13, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoon et al. (hereinafter “Yoon”), US Patent No. 10,203,433.
Regarding claim 1, Yoon teaches a wristwatch (fig. 1, col. 4, lines 30-31), comprising: a housing wall (fig. 1, display housing); a flexible display having an array of pixels (fig. 1, display 1000; fig. 2, display area DA), wherein the flexible display has a curved edge and wherein a group of the pixels are located on the curved edge (fig. 2, BDA1, BDA2); and a cover layer overlapping the flexible display, wherein the cover layer has a curved portion that is mounted to the housing wall and wherein the group of the pixels is configured to display images through the curved portion of the cover layer (figs. 1, 2; col. 5, line 62 – col. 6, line 2), wherein the cover layer comprises glass, wherein the cover layer has first and second perpendicular edges that meet at a corner with a compound curvature (fig. 3, Yoon teaches a corner region of the cover layer 100 that is curved in multiple directions. The corner includes curvature along the edge direction and curvature along a perpendicular direction defining the rounder corner profile creating a three-dimensional curved surface with curvature in more than one direction; multiple radii (LB1, LB2), layered deformation across the corner, and arc geometry in two directions; edges are not limited to sharp, planar intersections; the boundary regions (BA1/BA2, TA) define orthogonal directions; the corner region inherently represents where two perpendicular edge directions meet; fig. 3), and wherein the first and second perpendicular edges are coplanar (the edges defining the display boundary originate from the same general surface region, wherein the curvature occurs at the corner transition, not necessarily along the entire edge; the claim does not require the entire edge length to remain planar and does not exclude curved transitions; “coplanar” can reasonably refer to the underlying edge alignment or portions thereof; therefore, under BRI, it is reasonable to interpret the first and second edges as lying in the same plane (at least in portions), even if the corner region is curved; further, the figures of Yoon show continuous transitions, but that does not negate the existence of edges in perpendicular directions, figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 4, Yoon teaches wherein the pixels comprise organic light-emitting diode pixels (fig. 2, display panel 400 is an organic light emitting display panel (col. 6, lines 10-11).
Regarding claim 5, Yoon teaches wherein the flexible display has an inactive tail portion extending from the curved edge and wherein the inactive tail portion comprises signal paths that are coupled to display driver circuitry (fig. 2, non-display area).
Regarding claim 6, Yoon teaches attaching the curved portion of the cover layer to the housing wall (col. 7, lines 42-45).
Regarding claim 7, Yoon teaches a wristwatch (fig. 1, column 4, line 31), comprising: a housing wall (fig. 2, case 600); a flexible display having an array of pixels (fig. 2, display panel 400, display area DA, which inherently includes an array of pixels), wherein the flexible display has a curved edge and wherein a group of the pixels are located on the curved edge (fig. 1, BA1, BA2, col. 5, line 62 – col. 6, line 2); and a cover layer overlapping the flexible display (fig. 1, window 100, cover 500), wherein the cover layer has a curved portion that is mounted to the housing wall (fig. 1, window 100, cover 500 are part of overall structure supported by case 600), wherein the group of the pixels is configured to display images through the curved portion of the cover layer (fig. 2, display area DA transmits images through the light transmission area TA of the window 100 including portions in curved regions, BDA1, BDA2), and wherein the flexible display has an additional curved edge that is separated from the curved edge by a gap (fig. 1, flat portion FA disposed between first and second curved portions BA1 and BA2, col. 4, lines 38-48; under broadest reasonable interpretation, BA1 and BA2 correspond to first and second curved edges, wherein the intervening flat portion FA defines a separation (gap) between the curved edges; in particular, the claim does not require the “gap” to be empty space or devoid of structure).
Regarding claim 11, Yoon teaches a wristwatch (fig. 1, col. 4, line 31), comprising: a flexible display having an array of pixels (fig. 2, display panel 400, display area DA, which inherently includes an array of pixels), wherein the flexible display has first and second bent edges separated by a gap, wherein at least some of the pixels extend onto the first and second bent edges, and wherein the pixels on the first and second bent edges are configured to display content that blends in with the gap (fig. 1, flat portion FA disposed between first and second curved portions BA1 and BA2, col. 4, lines 38-48; under broadest reasonable interpretation, BA1 and BA2 correspond to first and second curved edges, wherein the intervening flat portion FA defines a separation (gap) between the curved edges, pixel content blends from BA1 and BA2 into FA; in particular, the claim does not require the “gap” to be empty space or devoid of structure); and a cover glass overlapping the flexible display (fig. 2, window 100 or cover 500).
Regarding claim 12, Yoon teaches wherein the cover glass comprises a corner with compound curvature overlapping the gap (figs. 1-3, in particular under BRI, a corner of the cover glass exhibits curvature along intersecting directions constitutes a “corner with compound curvature”; Yoon teaches a corner region that includes both edge directions and perpendicular directions, resulting in curvature in more than one direction; further, as stated in claim 7, Yoon teaches a separation between portions (BA1, BA2) and an intervening portion (FA), which reasonably corresponds to “gap).
Regarding claim 13, Yoon teaches wherein the cover glass has curved inner and outer surfaces (fig. 3).
Regarding claim 18, it has similar limitations to those of claim 12 and is rejected on the same grounds presented above.
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 8-10, 14-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon (see above), in view of Xie, US Pub. No. 2016/0271914.
Regarding claim 8, Yoon fails to explicitly teach comprising a structure that hides the gap from view, wherein the structure is selected from the group consisting of: ink, light-emitting diodes, and housing structure.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Xie teaches a display device including a black matrix disposed on a surface of a display, wherein the black matrix defines a non-display region (NDA) or bezel region, see [0059]; Xie further teaches that the black matrix may include a colored organic layer and may be formed via a coating process; this reads on a structure that masks or obscures underlying regions form view, including boundaries or transitions between display regions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoon to include the black matrix of Xie, to hide the gap from view. As such, a person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the motivation for doing so would have been to improve display aesthetics by concealing visually undesirable areas.
Regarding claim 9, Xie teaches further comprising a metal bezel that hides the gap from view ([0059], bezel region defined by black matrix; well known in the art that bezel structures defining non-display regions may be implemented using metal housing structures or frames).
Regarding claim 10, Yoon teaches wherein the group of pixels on the curved edge is configured to display content that blends in with the gap (fig. 1, curved portions BA1, BA2, flat portion FA).
Regarding claim 14, Xie teaches wherein the flexible display has an inactive tail portion that folds under the first bent edge and wherein the inactive tail portion has data lines and gate lines coupled to display driver circuitry (figs. 2A, 5B, 7).
Regarding claim 15, Xie teaches further comprising a housing wall that is attached to the cover glass with adhesive ([0060]).
Regarding claim 16, Yoon teaches a wristwatch (fig. 1, col. 4, line 31), comprising: a flexible display having first and second bent edges separated by a gap, wherein the flexible display comprises a pixel array that extends onto the first and second bent edges (fig. 1, flat portion FA disposed between first and second curved portions BA1 and BA2, col. 4, lines 38-48; under broadest reasonable interpretation, BA1 and BA2 correspond to first and second curved edges, wherein the intervening flat portion FA defines a separation (gap) between the curved edges, pixel content blends from BA1 and BA2 into FA; in particular, the claim does not require the “gap” to be empty space or devoid of structure); and a display cover layer that overlaps the flexible display and that has curved edges overlapping the first and second bent edges (fig. 1, window 100, cover 500).
Yoon fails to explicitly teach a metal housing structure that hides the gap from view.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Xie teaches a display device including a black matrix disposed on a surface of a display, wherein the black matrix defines a non-display region (NDA) or bezel region, see [0059], case 600, col. 7, lines 60-65); Xie further teaches that the black matrix may include a colored organic layer and may be formed via a coating process; this reads on a structure that masks or obscures underlying regions form view, including boundaries or transitions between display regions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoon to include the black matrix of Xie, to hide the gap from view. As such, a person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the motivation for doing so would have been to improve display aesthetics by concealing visually undesirable areas.
Regarding claim 17, Xie teaches wherein the metal housing structure comprises a bezel (fig. 2, case 600 could be metal or plastic, col. 7, lines 60-65).
Regarding claim 20, Yoon teaches wherein the pixel array comprises organic light-emitting diode pixels (col. 6, lines 10-13).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon in view of Xie as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Tran et al. (hereinafter “Tran”), US Pub. No. 2018/0117447.
Regarding claim 19, Yoon and Xie fail to explicitly teach a wrist strap coupled to the metal housing structure; and wireless transceiver circuitry configured to transmit and receive wireless signals.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Tran teaches a wearable smart device including a wrist band/strap coupled to a housing (see fig. 7) and further teaches wireless communication components including transceivers configured to transmit and receive signals via wireless communication (see [0095]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoon and Xie to include the wrist strap and wireless transceiver circuitry to enable the device to be worn on a user’s wrist and to provide wireless communication functionality.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Park et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0343755) teaches a display with bendable display areas.
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/KENNETH B LEE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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