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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on December 22, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-21 are currently pending. Applicant’s amended claims are addressed herein below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 20220197440) in view of An et al. (US 20230051260).
As to claim 14, Son discloses an electronic device (Figs. 1A(ED), 9A, 15) comprising:
a display panel (Fig. 1A(DA)) comprising a first non-folding area (Fig. 1A(NFA1)), a folding area (Fig. 1A(FA)), and a second non-folding area (Fig. 1A(NFA2)) sequentially arranged in a first direction ([0064], [0208], [0218]);
a first digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-1)) overlapping the first non-folding area (Fig. 1A(NFA1)) and at least a portion of the folding area (Fig. 1A(FA), [0186], [0218]); and
a second digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-2)) comprising a main part (Fig. 9A(NSA2)) overlapping the second non-folding area (Fig. 1A(NFA2)), and a connecting part (Fig. 9A (NSP)) extending from the main part (Fig. 9A (NSA2)) and overlapping the first digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-1), [0186], [0192], [0218]).
Son does not expressly teach a connecting part electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer.
An teaches a connecting part (Fig. 6(4711, 4721)) electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer ([0073]: the first digitizer 471 and the second digitizer 472 may be electrically connected to substrates (e.g., the substrates 271 and 272 of FIG. 3) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 3) through FPCB connection portions (e.g., the first FPCB connection portion 4711 and the second FPCB connection portion 4721 of FIG. 6), respectively, so as to operate as a single digitizer).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Son’s electronic device by incorporating An’s idea of including a connecting part electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer in order to in order to improve the device structure design and provide user flexibility.
As to claim 15, Son (as modified by An) teach the electronic device of claim 14, wherein, in a first state in which the folding area of the display panel has a flat shape, a length of the connecting part between an edge of the connecting part and a boundary between the main part and the connecting part is greater than or equal to a distance in the first direction between the boundary and the edge (Son: Figs. 1A, 9A, 15).
Claims 1-2, 4-6, 13, 16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son et al. (US 20220197440) in view of Yoo et al. (US 20220397972) and in further view of An et al. (US 20230051260).
As to claim 1, Son teaches an electronic device (Figs. 1A(ED), 9A, 15) comprising:
a display panel (Fig. 1A(DA));
a first digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-1)) under the display panel (Fig. 1A(DA), [0186], [0218]); and
a second digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-2)) under the display panel (Fig. 1A(DA)), electrically connected to the first digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-1)), and comprising a main part (Fig. 9A(NSA2)) spaced apart from the first digitizer in a first direction, and a connecting part (Fig. 9A (NSP)) extending from the main part toward the first digitizer to overlap the first digitizer (Fig. 9A(DTM-1), [0186], [0192], [0218]).
Son does not explicitly teach a connecting circuit film under the first digitizer.
Yoo teaches a connecting circuit film under the first digitizer (Fig. 6A, [0019]: first flexible circuit board electrically connected to the first digitizer and disposed under the first digitizer, [0162]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Son’s electronic device by incorporating Yoo’s idea of including flexible circuit board under the first digitizer in order to improve the device structure design and minimize device area.
Son (as modified by Yoo) do not expressly teach a connecting part electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer.
An teaches a connecting part (Fig. 6(4711, 4721)) electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer ([0073]: the first digitizer 471 and the second digitizer 472 may be electrically connected to substrates (e.g., the substrates 271 and 272 of FIG. 3) of an electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 200 of FIG. 3) through FPCB connection portions (e.g., the first FPCB connection portion 4711 and the second FPCB connection portion 4721 of FIG. 6), respectively, so as to operate as a single digitizer).
Therefore, 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 Son (as modified by Yoo) by incorporating An’s idea of including a connecting part electrically connecting the second digitizer to the first digitizer in order to further improve the device structure design and provide user flexibility.
As to claim 2, Son (as modified by Yoo and An) teach the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display panel (Son: Fig. 1A(DA)) comprises a first non-folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(NFA1)), a folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(FA)), and a second non-folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(NFA2)) sequentially arranged in the first direction (Son: [0064], [0208], [0218]),
wherein the first digitizer (Son: Fig. 9A(DTM-1)) overlaps the first non-folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(NFA1)),
wherein the main part of (Son: Fig. 9A(NSA2)) the second digitizer (Son: Fig. 9A(DTM-2)) overlaps the second non-folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(NFA2), [0186], [0192], [0218]), and
wherein the connecting part (Son: Fig. 9A (NSP)) overlaps the folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(FA)) and the first non-folding area (Son: Fig. 1A(NFA1), [0186], [0192], [0218]).
As to claim 4, Son (as modified by Yoo and An) teach the electronic device of claim 2, wherein, in a first state in which the folding area of the display panel has a flat shape, a length of the connecting part between an edge of the connecting part and a boundary between the main part and the connecting part is greater than or equal to a distance between the boundary and the edge in plan view (Son: Figs. 1A, 9A, 15).
As to claim 5, Son teaches the electronic device of claim 4, wherein the connecting part (Fig. 9A (NSP)).
Son does not explicitly teach at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state.
Yoo teaches at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state (Figs. 1B-1C, [0062]: folding area FA can have a curvature with a radius R1; therefore, it is obvious that at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Son’s electronic device by adapting Yoo’s idea of having a portion of the connecting part as a curved shape in order to further improve the device structure design.
As to claim 6, Son (as modified by Yoo and An) teach the electronic device of claim 4, wherein the distance is in a direction parallel to the first direction (Son: Figs. 1A, 9A, 15).
As to claim 13, Son (as modified by Yoo and An) teach the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first digitizer (Son: Fig. 9A(DTM-1)) and the second digitizer (Son: Fig. 9A(DTM-2)) are spaced apart from each other in the first direction (Son: Figs. 1A, 9A, 15), and wherein a width of the connecting part in a second direction crossing the first direction is less than a width of the main part (Son: Figs. 1A, 9A, 15).
As to claim 16, Son teaches the electronic device of claim 15, wherein the connecting part (Fig. 9A (NSP)).
Son does not explicitly teach at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state.
Yoo teaches at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state (Figs. 1B-1C, [0062]: folding area FA can have a curvature with a radius R1; therefore, it is obvious that at least a portion of the connecting part has a curved shape in the first state).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Son’s electronic device by adapting Yoo’s idea of having a portion of the connecting part as a curved shape in order to further improve the device structure design.
As to claim 21, Son (as modified by Yoo and An) teach the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a smartphone, a television, a monitor, a tablet, an electric vehicle, a mobile phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile communication terminal, an electronic notebook, an electronic book, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, an ultra-mobile PC (UMPC), a laptop computer, a billboard, an Internet of Things (loT) device, a smartwatch, a watch phone, or a head-mounted display (HMD) (Son: [0003]: multimedia electronic devices such as televisions, mobile phones, tablets, computers, navigation systems, game machines, and the like; Note: since there is “or” with a list, Examiner can pick one item from the list to reject th entire limitation).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-12 are allowed.
Claims 3, 7-8 and 17-20 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AFROZA Y CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-1543. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nitin Patel can be reached at (571)272-7677. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AFROZA CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628