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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not sufficiently descriptive. “The title should be brief but technically accurate and descriptive and should contain fewer than 500 characters,” MPEP §606. Specifically, statements concerning the general type or nature of the entire system or its components that are common to many other similar elements or systems that are known in the art are not sufficiently descriptive to provide “informative value in indexing, classifying, searching, etc.,” MPEP §606.01. Examiner recommends directing the title to what Applicant believes is the point of novelty, including key structural features, since it is by the novelty that "indexing, classifying, searching, etc.” is generally accomplished. Nevertheless, it should be noted that, pursuant to MPEP §606.01, “[i]f a satisfactory title is not supplied by the applicant, the examiner may, at the time of allowance, change the title by examiner' s amendment.”
A new title is required that is more clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 8 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 states, in part: “whose external dimension in the first direction changes depending on a position in a second direction intersecting the first direction.” It is unclear if the position is defined at a singular point or continuously along either the first or second direction or what shape is intended to result. For examination purposes, it will be interpreted as a shape with at least two dimensions.
Claim 8 has no dependents to inherit the same deficiencies.
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 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fujikawa (US 20150194109).
Regarding Claim 1, Fujikawa discloses:
A display device (Title – Display Device) comprising:
a display panel including a main surface (Fig. 1: 11 – liquid crystal display panel)
including a display region in which an image is displayed (Fig. 1: AA – display region)
and a non-display region surrounding the display region (Fig. 1: NAA – non-display region);
a driver attached to the non-display region (Fig. 1, 4: 21 – driver in non-display region NAA);
a control terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 24B – control output terminals overlapping driver)
and connected to the driver (para. 53 – control output terminals 24B connected to driver 21);
a first circuit portion arranged to be interposed between the display region and the driver in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 27 – column control circuit located between driver 21 and display region AA);
and a control wiring line provided in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 31 – control signal lines),
connected to each of the control terminal portion and the first circuit portion (Fig. 4 – control signal lines 31A and 31B connect to control output terminals 24B and column control circuit 27),
and configured to transmit a control signal for controlling operations of the first circuit portion (para. 55 – control signals transmitted by control signal line 31 include driving voltage signals for driving column control circuit 27),
wherein a planar shape of the driver takes a rectangular shape (Fig. 4: 21 – driver has rectangular shape),
and a side portion closest to the display region of an outer peripheral portion of the driver is taken as a first side portion (Fig. 4: 21L – first side portion closest to display region AA),
the first circuit portion extends from a center side toward an end side in a first direction along the first side portion in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 27 – column control circuit 27 extends in horizontal [x-axis] direction from center portion to a side portion),
and includes at least a first end portion located at the center side in the first direction in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 27 – end portion of column control circuit located away from edge of display, in horizontal [x-axis] direction),
and the control wiring line is arranged extending from the control terminal portion to the first end portion of the first circuit portion across the first side portion (Fig. 4: 31A – control signal line 31A connects to side end of column control circuit 27).
Regarding Claim 6, Fujikawa discloses:
The display device according to claim 1 (Fig. 1, 4), further comprising:
a third terminal portion (Fig. 4: 23 – panel-side input terminals)
provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Fig. 4 – panel-side input terminals overlapping driver 21),
wherein the control terminal portion is arranged to be located on a display region side with respect to the third terminal portion in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fig. 4 – panel-side input terminals 23 placed farther from display region AA than control output terminals 24B in a vertical [y-axis] direction).
Regarding Claim 7, Fujikawa discloses:
The display device according to claim 1 (Fig. 1, 4), further comprising:
a first signal wiring line arranged in the display region (Fig. 4: 20 – source lines in display region AA)
and extending along a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fig. 4: 20 – source lines extend along vertical [y-axis] direction);
a second signal wiring line arranged in the display region (Fig. 4: 20 – multiple source lines in display region AA)
and extending along the second direction (Fig. 4: 20 – multiple source lines extend in vertical [x-axis] direction);
and a signal connection wiring line arranged in the non-display region (Fig. 4: 30 – image signal lines)
and configured to transmit a signal to be supplied to a plurality of the signal wiring lines (para. 53 – image signal lines 30 connect to column control circuit 27 to transmit image signals; para. 51 – column control circuit 27 distributes image signals to source lines 20),
wherein the control terminal portion includes a first control terminal portion (Fig. 4: 24B1 – first panel-side control output terminals)
and a second control terminal portion (Fig. 4: 24B2 – second panel-side control output terminals),
the control wiring line includes a first control wiring line connected to the first control terminal portion (Fig. 4: 31A – first control signal lines connected to first panel-side control output terminals 24B1),
and a second control wiring line connected to the second control terminal portion (Fig. 4: 31B – second control signal lines 31B connected to second panel-side control output terminals 24B2),
and the first circuit portion includes a first switching element (Fig. 3: 17 – plurality of TFTs [switching components])
connected to the first signal wiring line, the signal connection wiring line, and the first control wiring line (para. 70 – TFTs connected to control signal lines 31 and the image signal lines 30; para. 51 – multiple source lines 20 connected to their respective TFTs 17),
and a second switching element (Fig. 3: 17 – plurality of TFTs [switching components])
connected to the second signal wiring line, the signal connection wiring line, and the second control wiring line (para. 70 – TFTs connected to control signal lines 31 and the image signal lines 30; para. 51 – multiple source lines 20 connected to their respective TFTs 17).
Regarding Claim 8, as best understood, Fujikawa discloses:
The display device according to claim 1 (Fig. 1, 4), wherein the display panel includes
a variable outer shape portion (para. 110 – vertically long rectangular shape, horizontally long rectangular shape, and square shape of liquid crystal panels included in scope of invention)
whose external dimension in the first direction changes depending on a position in a second direction intersecting the first direction (para. 110 – vertically long rectangular shape, horizontally long rectangular shape, and square shape of liquid crystal panels included in scope of invention [displays of different shapes may change their external dimensions in first and second directions to a variety of arrangements]),
and the first circuit portion extends following an outer shape of the variable outer shape portion (Fig. 4 – column control circuit 27 follows outer [rectangular] shape of the outer shape portion of the display]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujikawa (US 20150194109) as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Deng (WO 2025001584).
Regarding Claim 2, the Fujikawa discloses:
The display device according to claim 1 (Fujikawa: Fig. 1, 4).
Fujikawa does not disclose: a first terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region; and a second terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region, wherein the first terminal portion is arranged closer to the center side in the first direction than the control terminal portion in the non-display region, the second terminal portion is arranged being distanced from the first terminal portion with a space on the center side of the first terminal portion in the first direction in the non- display region, and the control wiring line is arranged in such a manner as to pass through between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion and cross the first side portion.
Fujikawa and Deng are related in that they both disclose liquid crystal display panels.
Deng discloses:
a first terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Deng: Fig. 4: 2012 – plurality of first dummy terminals 2012 in driver region);
and a second terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Deng: Fig. 7: 27 – plurality of second dummy terminals 27 in driver region),
wherein the first terminal portion is arranged closer to the center side in the first direction than the control terminal portion in the non-display region (Deng: Fig. 4 – some of the first dummy terminals 2012 placed closer to center than control terminal 303),
the second terminal portion is arranged being distanced from the first terminal portion with a space on the center side of the first terminal portion in the first direction in the non-display region (Deng: Fig. 7: 27 – second dummy terminals 27 placed closer to center side than first dummy terminals 2012, in horizontal [x-axis] direction),
and the control wiring line is arranged in such a manner as to pass through between the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion and cross the first side portion (Deng: Fig. 4: 5 – plurality of signal lines 5 pass between first and second dummy terminals 2012 and 27 to exit driver region in vertical [y-axis] direction).
The benefit of configuring a first and a second terminal portion to be in a driver, would be to support the driving, balance the thickness of the driver structure, and provide a signal to the driving chip from outside of the display, or from the driving chip to the outside, as taught by Deng (Deng: para. 131 – support the driving chip, balance the thickness of the structure, provide a signal to driving chip from outside of the substrate, or lead tout the signal of the driving chip through the terminal).
Furthermore, the benefit of disposing the first and second terminals away from the control terminals and such that a control wiring line passes between them would be to avoid interference from other electrically connected terminals in the driver and reasonably utilize substrate space, as taught by Deng (Deng: para. 135 – first region [of control signal wires] passes through region between adjacent first dummy terminals instead of between two input terminals, thereby avoiding interference while reasonably utilizing display substrate space).
Therefore, it would be obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for an ordinarily skilled artisan to add the first and second terminal of Deng, with a control wiring running between them, into the display device of Fujikawa, in order to support the driving, balance the thickness of the driver structure, and provide a signal to the driving chip from outside of the display, or from the driving chip to the outside; while also avoiding interference and reasonably utilizing the display substrate space.
Regarding Claim 3, the Fujikawa-Deng combination discloses:
The display device according to claim 2 (Fujikawa: Fig. 1, 4; Deng: Fig. 4, 7), further comprising:
a signal wiring line arranged in the display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 20 – source lines in display region AA)
and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 20 – source lines extend along vertical [y-axis] direction);
a signal terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 24A – panel-side image output terminals 24A overlap with driver 21)
and connected to the driver (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image output terminals 24A connected to driver 21);
and a signal connection wiring line provided in the non-display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 30 – image signal lines),
connected to the signal terminal portion and the signal wiring line (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image signal lines 30 connect panel-side image output terminals 24A to column control circuit 27 to transmit image signals to source lines 20),
and configured to transmit a signal to be supplied to the signal wiring line (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image signal lines 30 connect panel-side image output terminals 24A to column control circuit 27 to transmit image signals to source lines 20),
and a plurality of the signal terminal portions are arranged side by side at intervals in the first direction (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 24A – plurality of panel-side image output terminals 24A arranged side by side in horizontal [x-axis] direction).
Fujikawa does not disclose: wherein the signal terminal portion is located between the control terminal portion and the first terminal portion in the first direction.
Deng discloses: wherein the signal terminal portion is located between the control terminal portion and the first terminal portion in the first direction (Deng: Fig. 4, 7: 2012, 2011, 303 – first dummy terminals 2012 interspersed with first input terminals 2011 along horizontal line to right of control terminals 303).
The benefit of disposing a first terminal portion between a control terminal portion and a signal terminal portion along a first direction would be to effectively and reasonably utilize the space in the non-display region.
Therefore, it would be obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for an ordinarily skilled artisan to arrange the first terminal portion of Deng to be disposed between the control terminal portion and the signal terminal portion of Fujikawa in a first direction, in order to effectively and reasonably utilize the space in the non-display region.
Regarding Claim 4, the Fujikawa-Deng combination discloses:
The display device according to claim 2 (Fujikawa: Fig. 1, 4; Deng: Fig. 4, 7), further comprising:
a signal wiring line arranged in the display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 20 – source lines in display region AA)
and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 20 – source lines extend along vertical [y-axis] direction);
a signal terminal portion provided at a position overlapping the driver in the non-display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 24A – panel-side image output terminals 24A overlap with driver 21)
and connected to the driver (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image output terminals 24A connected to driver 21);
and a signal connection wiring line provided in the non-display region (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 30 – image signal lines),
connected to the signal terminal portion and the signal wiring line (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image signal lines 30 connect panel-side image output terminals 24A to column control circuit 27 to transmit image signals to source lines 20),
and configured to transmit a signal to be supplied to the signal wiring line (Fujikawa: para. 53 – image signal lines 30 connect panel-side image output terminals 24A to column control circuit 27 to transmit image signals to source lines 20),
wherein a plurality of the signal terminal portions are arranged side by side at intervals in the first direction (Fujikawa: Fig. 4: 24A – plurality of panel-side image output terminals 24A arranged side by side in horizontal [x-axis] direction).
Fujikawa does not disclose: the first terminal portion, the second terminal portion, and the signal terminal portion are arranged in a row along the first direction, and the control terminal portion is arranged to be located on an opposite side to a display region side in the second direction with respect to the first terminal portion, the second terminal portion, and the signal terminal portion.
Fujikawa and Deng are related in that they both disclose liquid crystal display devices.
Deng discloses:
the first terminal portion, the second terminal portion, and the signal terminal portion are arranged in a row along the first direction (Deng: Fig. 4, 7: 2012, 2011, 27 – first dummy terminals 2012 and second dummy terminals 27 interspersed with first input terminals 2011 in horizontal line),
and the control terminal portion is arranged to be located on an opposite side to a display region side in the second direction with respect to the first terminal portion, the second terminal portion, and the signal terminal portion (Deng: Fig. 4: 303 – control terminal located farther from the display region than first and second dummy terminals 2012 and 27, and input terminals 2011, in the vertical [y-axis] direction).
The benefit of disposing first and second terminal portions and a signal terminal portion along a line, with a control terminal portion disposed farther from the display region would be to effectively and reasonably utilize the space in the non-display region.
Therefore, it would be obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for an ordinarily skilled artisan to arrange the first terminal portion and second terminal portion of Deng in a row with the signal terminal portion of Fujikawa, and to place the control terminal portion of Fujikawa farther from the display portion, in order to effectively and reasonably utilize the space in the non-display region.
Regarding Claim 5, the Fujikawa-Deng combination discloses:
The display device according to claim 2 (Fujikawa: Fig. 1, 4; Deng: Fig. 4, 7).
Fujikawa does not disclose: wherein both the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are dummy terminal portions that are electrically isolated.
Fujikawa and Deng are related in that they both disclose liquid crystal display devices.
Deng discloses: wherein both the first terminal portion and the second terminal portion are dummy terminal portions that are electrically isolated (Deng: para. 131-132 – first and second dummy terminals 2012 and 27 do not need to be electrically connected to any conductive structure of the display substate).
The benefit of configuring a first and a second terminal portion to be dummy terminal portions, would be to support the driving, balance the thickness of the driver structure, and provide a signal to the driving chip from outside of the display, or from the driving chip to the outside, as taught by Deng (Deng: para. 131 – support the driving chip, balance the thickness of the structure, provide a signal to driving chip from outside of the substrate, or lead tout the signal of the driving chip through the terminal).
Therefore, it would be obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for an ordinarily skilled artisan to configure the first and second terminal of Deng to be dummy terminals in the display device of Fujikawa, in order to support the driving, balance the thickness of the driver structure, and provide a signal to the driving chip from outside of the display, or from the driving chip to the outside; while also avoiding interference and reasonably utilizing the display substrate space.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAZERAE AYODELE PIERCE-WALKER whose telephone number is (571)270-7492. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am - 4:00pm Monday-Thursday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Carruth can be reached at 5712729791. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.A.P./Examiner, Art Unit 2871
/JENNIFER D. CARRUTH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2871
