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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: The term “first pal” in line 10 should read “first pad”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahata et al. (WO/2023157602A2) in view of Nagami (US 2010/0149477).
Regarding independent claim 1, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches in figures 3, 7, 18 and the corresponding text, a display device (1), comprising: an array substrate (2) including a plurality of pixel electrodes (24) provided in a display area (between seal (30)); a counter-substrate (3) overlapping the array substrate; a liquid crystal layer (1) including polymer dispersed liquid crystals and located between the array substrate and the counter-substrate, wherein the counter-substrate includes an electrode (35) facing the plurality of pixel electrodes and capable of heating the liquid crystal layer.
Takahata et al. (‘602) does not explicitly teach the electrode is transparent.
Further regarding claim 1, Nagami (‘477) teaches in at least paragraph 0091 a display device comprised of, in part, a counter electrode (304) formed of an ITO transparent conductive film for the purpose of allowing the transmitted light to pass through clearly.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the ITO material of Nagami for the counter electrode of Takahata et al. film for the purpose of allowing the transmitted light to pass through clearly.
Regarding dependent claim 2, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches the electrode is provided in the display area and a surrounding area surrounding the display area.
Regarding dependent claim 3, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches the array substrate further includes a first circuit portion (10) and a second circuit portion (20), and the display area is located between the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion.
The limitation of “when the liquid crystal layer is heated by the transparent electrode, the first circuit portion applies a first voltage to the transparent electrode, and the second circuit portion applies a second voltage different from the first voltage to the transparent electrode” is directed towards a method of operating and is not germane to the final structure. Therefore, the limitation has not been afforded patentable weight.
Regarding dependent claim 4, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches the transparent electrode includes: a first end portion facing the first circuit portion and supplied with the first voltage; and a second end portion facing the second circuit portion and supplied with the second voltage.
Regarding dependent claim 5, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches a first connection portion connecting the first circuit portion with the first end portion; and a second connection portion connecting the second circuit portion with the second end portion (see figure 4, wires 24 and 25).
Regarding dependent claim 6, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches a first pad (101) provided in the surrounding area and a second pad (102) facing the first pad, wherein the first pad is connected to the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion, the second pad is connected to the first end portion and the second end portion, the first connection portion connects the first circuit portion with the second end portion via the first pad and the second pad, and the second connection portion connects the second circuit portion with the second end portion via the first pad and the second pad (via wires 24 and 25).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches a temperature sensor (400) detecting a temperature around the liquid crystal layer.
Regarding dependent claim 8, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches a control circuit (62), wherein the array substrate further includes a first circuit portion and a second circuit portion.
The limitation of “when the liquid crystal layer is heated by the transparent electrode, the first circuit portion applies a first voltage to the transparent electrode and the second circuit portion applies a second voltage different from the first voltage to the transparent electrode, and the control circuit controls voltages applied to the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor”, is directed towards a method of operating and is not germane to the final structure. Therefore, the limitation has not been afforded patentable weight.
Regarding dependent claims 9 and 13, the limitations are directed towards a method of operating and are not germane to the final structure. Therefore, the limitation has not been afforded patentable weight.
Regarding dependent claim 10, Takahata et al. (‘602) teaches a first power circuit (800) to apply voltages and a second power circuit (801) to apply the first voltage to the first circuit portion and the second voltage to the second circuit portion.
The limitation of “having the same electric potential to the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion” is directed towards a method of operating and is not germane to the final structure. Therefore, the limitation has not been afforded patentable weight.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 AM- 5:00 PM.
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JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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