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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
In response to a restriction requirement dated December 23, 2025, the Applicants elected Invention II of claims 1-10 and 18 without traverse in a reply filed on February 13, 2026. The non-elected claims 11-17 and 19-20 are withdrawn.
Pending elected claims 2-10 and 18 of which claim 1 is an independent claim, are examined on their merits, infra.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), and based on application # 10-2024-0098141 filed in Korea on July 24, 2024 which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Oath/Declaration
The Office acknowledges receipt of a properly signed Oath/Declaration submitted February 11, 2025.
Drawings
The drawings filed February 11, 2025 are accepted by the examiner.
Abstract
The abstract filed February 11, 2025 is accepted by the examiner.
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 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 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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20240045523 Al) in view of Kishimoto (US 20230114397 A1).
As to Claim 1:
Kim et al. discloses a display device (Kim, see Abstract, where Kim discloses that a pen and touch input system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a touch input device including a sensor unit and a control unit for controlling the sensor unit and a stylus pen interacting with the touch input device), comprising: a display panel (Kim, see 20 in figure 1D) including a folding area (Kim, see FA in figure 1D and paragraphs [0159] and [0161], where Kim discloses that Referring to FIG. 1D, a touch input device 2 is foldable. A stylus pen 10 may receive a signal outputted from the touch input device 2 or a touch screen 20 around the touch screen of the touch input device 2 and transmit a signal to the touch screen 20. In a member such as the rectangular foldable touch input device 2 or the touch screen contained therein, a long
side disposed at a left side on a plane is referred to as a first long side LS1, a long side disposed at a right side is referred to as a second long side LS2, a short side disposed at an upper side is referred to as a first short side SS1, and a short side disposed at a lower side is referred to as a second short
side SS2); an input sensor (Kim, see input sensor 20b in figure 2A) disposed on the display panel (Kim, see display panel 251 in figure 2A and paragraph [0168], where Kim discloses referring to (b) of FIG. 2A, a touch screen 20b includes a display panel 251, a sensor unit 21, and a window
22), and configured to sense a first input by a touch of a user and a second input by a pen or stylus (Kim, see paragraph [0185], where Kim discloses that a touch electrode layer 21 or a touch electrode may
be disposed on the encapsulation layer (not shown). The touch electrode layer 21 that recognizes a touch input may perform a function of a touch member. The touch electrode layer 21 may include a plurality of touch areas and touch electrodes. Since the touch electrode layer 21 recognizes a touch input of an object such as a finger or a stylus pen, the touch electrode layer 21 may also be referred to as a 'sensor unit' or a 'sensor layer'); a base film (Kim, see 264 in (c) in figure 2A and paragraph [0174], where Kim discloses that the loop coil 264 may include a substrate on which the antenna loop is disposed and a ferrite sheet) disposed under the display panel (Kim, see display panel 251 on base substrate 264 in (c) of figure 2A); an electromagnetic shield layer disposed under the base film (Kim, see 24 in figure 2B and paragraph [0188], where Kim discloses that a magnetic field shielding layer 24 may be disposed below the display panel 251).
Kim differs from the claimed subject matter in that Kim does not explicitly disclose a support plate disposed under the electromagnetic shield layer, and in which openings overlapping the folding area are defined; and an adhesive layer disposed between the electromagnetic shield layer and the support plate.
However in an analogous art, Kishimoto discloses a support plate (Kishimoto, see RHL1 and RHL2 in figure 6 and paragraph [0181], where Kishimoto discloses a support plate) disposed under the electromagnetic shield layer (Kishimoto, see EMS1 and EMS2 in figure 6), and in which openings (Kishimoto, see OP in figure 6) overlapping the folding area are defined (Kishimoto, see FA in figure 6); and an adhesive layer (Kishimoto, see adhesive AL8-2 in figure 6) disposed between the electromagnetic shield layer (Kishimoto, see EMS1 and EMS2 in figure 6) and the support plate (Kishimoto, see RHL1 and RHL2 in figure 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kim with Kishimoto. One would be motivated to modify Kim by disclosing a support plate disposed under the electromagnetic shield layer, and in which openings overlapping the folding area are defined; and an adhesive layer disposed between the electromagnetic shield layer and the support plate as taught by Kishimoto, and thereby improving the flexible electronic device by having various changeable shapes which improve user's convenience (Kishimoto, see paragraph [0004]).
As to Claim 2:
Kim in view of Kishimoto discloses a display device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic shield layer is imperforate (Kishimoto, see imperforated shield layer EMS1 and EMS2 in figure 6).
As to Claim 3:
Kim in view of Kishimoto discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic shield layer includes a magnetic metal powder (Kishimoto, see paragraph [0179], where Kishimoto discloses that the electromagnetic shielding layer EMS may include a magnetic metal powder ("MMP") layer. The magnetic metal powder layer may be provided or formed directly on a lower surface of the digitizer DGZ through coating and curing processes), and the base film includes a plastic material (Kishimoto, see paragraph [0097], where Kishimoto discloses that the base layer may include a plastic film).
As to Claim 4:
Kim in view of Kishimoto discloses that the display device of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic shield layer directly contacts a lower surface of the base film (Kim, see 24 in figure 2B and paragraph [0188], where Kim discloses that a magnetic field shielding layer 24 may be disposed below the display panel 251. The magnetic field shielding layer 24 may include a ferrite sheet that blocks a magnetic field. In addition, the magnetic field shielding layer 24 may include ferrite powder bonded to a lower portion of the substrate 2510. The magnetic field shielding layer 24 may block an eddy current generated in other electrical elements and components when the touch electrode layer 21 and/or the stylus pen 10 form a magnetic field).
As to Claim 9:
Kim in view of Kishimoto discloses that the display device of claim 1, further comprising: a dummy base film disposed between the electromagnetic shield layer and the adhesive layer, wherein the dummy base film includes a same material as that of the base film (Kim, see 2510 and 24 in figure 2B and paragraph [0181], where Kim discloses that referring to FIG. 2B, the display panel 251 may include a circuit driving layer 2512 disposed on a substrate 2510. The circuit driving layer 2512 may include a circuit for driving a light emitting layer 2514 of a pixel displaying an image. For example, the circuit driving layer 2512 may include a plurality of thin-film transistors and a capacitor, thus substrate 2510 not operational thus a dummy base film).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 18 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.
Referring to claim 5, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the base film has a thickness within a range of 5 micrometers (μm) to 50 micrometers (μm), inclusive, and has an elastic modulus within a range of 2 gigapascal (GPa) to 10 gigapascal (GPa), inclusive, wherein the electromagnetic shield layer has a thickness within a range of 25 micrometers (μm) to 36 micrometers (μm), inclusive, and wherein the support plate includes a stainless steel, and has a thickness within a range of 80 micrometers (μm) to 150 micrometers (μm), inclusive”.
Referring to claim 6 and dependent claims 7 and 8, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the support plate includes a folding part, in which the openings are defined, wherein the folding part includes: a first inverse curvature portion; a second inverse curvature portion; and a curved portion disposed between the first inverse curvature portion and the second inverse curvature portion, and in which the openings are defined, wherein grooves are defined on lower surfaces of the first inverse curvature portion and the second inverse curvature portion, and wherein when the folding part is folded, the curved portion is curved to a predetermined level of curvature, and the first inverse curvature portion and second inverse curvature portion are curved in an opposite direction to the curved portion”.
Referring to claim 10, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “a dummy adhesive layer disposed between the electromagnetic shield layer and the base film, wherein a thickness of the dummy adhesive layer is smaller than each of a thickness of each of the electromagnetic shield layer and the base film”.
Referring to claim 18, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the support plate includes: a first metal layer; a second metal layer disposed under the first metal layer, and having an electrical conductivity that is higher than that of the first metal layer; and a metal adhesive layer disposed between the first metal layer and the second metal layer”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure. Choi (US 12238879 B2) discloses the support member includes a matrix, a first supporter disposed in the matrix and including first extension parts, each extending in a first direction and spaced apart from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction, and a second supporter disposed in the matrix and including second extension parts, each extending in the first direction and spaced apart from each other in the second direction, and connection parts disposed between the second extension parts, where the second extension parts and the connection parts define openings in the second supporter.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON ROSARIO whose telephone number is (571)270-1866. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 7:30am- 5:00pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Eason can be reached on (571) 270-7230. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NELSON M ROSARIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624