Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-5 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2021/0011571), herein after referred to as Zhang, in view of Minato et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2013/0002974), herein after referred to as Minato.
Regarding independent claim 1, Zhang discloses a display device (Figures 1 depicts a touch display substrate for a touch display device [0038]) comprising:
a plurality of scanning lines (12) extending along a first direction (X, horizontal, as oriented in the figure); a plurality of signal lines (13) extending along a second direction (Y, vertical, as oriented in the figure) intersecting the first direction (X) ([0038] gate lines 12 cross with and are insulated from the data lines 13 to define a plurality of pixel regions.);
a plurality of pixels (16) each provided at each respective one of intersections ([0038] gate lines 12 cross with and are insulated from the data lines 13 to define a plurality of pixel regions.) between the plurality of signal lines (13) and the plurality of scanning lines (12); and
a common electrode (17) including a slit (18) including a trunk portion and a plurality of branch portions (Figure 1 depicts slits 18 in common electrode 17. The Y vertical portions directly to slits 18 are considered the plurality of branch portions (four branches are depicted per pixel region 16) herein after referred to as 17B. The common electrode X horizontal portions that directly connect the vertical branches together are interpreted as the trunk portions, herein after referred to as 17T),
wherein
the plurality of pixels (16) have a shape of a rectangle, which has a different length along the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y) (depicted in figure 1),
the trunk portion (17T) extends along the first direction (X) (as depicted in figure 1),
each of the plurality of branch portions (17B) extends from the trunk portion (17T) along the second direction (Y) (as depicted in figure 1),
a part (15) of the signal lines (13) extends along the first direction (X) (Figure 1 and [0038] describes a switch circuit with depicted extension of the signal line 13 into the X direction in order to connect with the switch circuit 15.),
of the plurality of branch portions (17B), those located close to the signal lines (13) are shielded by a light shielding region (Figures 2A-2B light shielding layer 108 described in [0047]-[0049] to cover data line 103/13 at the region 110 (contact hole of switch 15)), which is the part (15) of the signal lines (13), and
[ ].
Zhang does not specifically disclose the plurality of pixels have a shape of a square, which has a same length along the first direction and the second direction or that the plurality of pixels are driven by a field sequential method.
Minato discloses a plurality of pixels have a shape of a square, which has a same length along the first direction and the second direction ([0085] pixels can be formed into a plane shape of a square); and
the plurality of pixels are driven by a field sequential method ([0198] pixels can display an image by field sequential drive.).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to enable Zhang’s pixels with the known technique of being square shaped and driven by field sequential method yielding the predictable results of shaping the pixel into known shapes for design preference for displaying a two-dimensional image as disclosed by Minato ([0085] and [0198]).
Regarding claim 5, Zhang discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding region is rectangular in shape ([0047] describes the light shielding layer 108 to be arranged in the gate line and data line directions described as a strip-shaped portion.).
4. Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Minato in view of Zhong (US Patent Application Publication 2017/0139278).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang-Minato discloses the display device according to claim 1.
Zhang does not specifically disclose a plurality of protrusion portions that extend in a direction opposite to a direction in which the branch portions extend from the trunk portion.
Zhong discloses a plurality of protrusion portions that extend in a direction opposite to a direction in which the branch portions extend from the trunk portion (Figure 13 reference common electrode 33 with horizontal thick trunk part and multiple branches generally (at an angle) extending in vertical directions north and south of trunk part as described in [0066]-[0070].).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to enable Zhang’s common electrode with the known technique of a plurality of protrusion portions that extend in a direction opposite to a direction in which the branch portions extend from the trunk portion yielding the predictable results of aligning liquid crystal molecules at predetermined pre-tilt angles as disclosed by Zhong ([0086]).
5. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Minato in view of Kimura et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2018/0341135), herein after referred to as Kimura.
Regarding claim 3, Zhang-Minato discloses the display device according to claim 1.
Zhang does not specifically disclose wherein each of the plurality of branch portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side.
Kimura discloses wherein each of the plurality of branch portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side ([0164] E1 may be the common electrode depicted in figure 4 to comprise a trunk 30 with tapered (trapezoidal) branches 40, with a narrowing shape (upper side longer than lower side)).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to enable Zhang’s common electrode with the known technique of a plurality of wherein each of the plurality of branch portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side yielding the predictable results of aligning liquid crystal molecules at predetermined pre-tilt angles and operation modes as disclosed by Kimura ([0068]-[0073]).
6. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Minato-Zhong in view of Kimura.
Regarding claim 4, Zhang-Minato-Zhong discloses the display device according to claim 2.
Zhang does not specifically disclose wherein each of the plurality of protrusion portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side.
Kimura discloses wherein each of the plurality of branch portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side ([0164] E1 may be the common electrode depicted in figure 4 to comprise a trunk 30 with tapered (trapezoidal) branches 40, with a narrowing shape (upper side longer than lower side)).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to enable Zhang’s common electrode with protrusion portions with the known technique of a plurality of wherein each of the plurality of branch portions has a trapezoidal shape in which an upper side is longer than a lower side yielding the predictable results of aligning liquid crystal molecules at predetermined pre-tilt angles and operation modes as disclosed by Kimura ([0068]-[0073]).
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E LEIBY whose telephone number is (571)270-3142. The examiner can normally be reached 11-7.
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/CHRISTOPHER E LEIBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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