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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 11-13 and 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Invention II and Species A, C and D, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 1/15/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I and Species B drawn to claims 1-10 and 14 in the reply filed on 1/15/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground that simultaneous examination would not present an undue burden. This is not found persuasive because simultaneous examination would present an undue burden as described in the requirement for restriction/election submitted on 1/15/2026.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-5, 8, 9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0208950 A1 to Park et al.
As to claim 1, Park discloses a display device comprising:
a display panel divided into a first display area, a second display area, and a peripheral area surrounding the first display area and the second display area, and including a first display panel disposed at a location corresponding to the first display area and a second display panel disposed at a location corresponding to the second display area (Fig. 1, paragraphs 0061-0065, where there are several display areas (DA) and non-display area (NDA) combining area (SM) are the peripheral areas); and
a first light control member disposed in the first display area (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0072-0074, where light emission areas (LA2, LA3) control light in the first area),
wherein the first display panel includes a first substrate and a first pixel defining layer disposed on the first substrate and that defines a pixel (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0072-0075 and 0090, where substrate (SUB) has light emitting elements (EL) on it, which define pixels), and
the second display panel includes a second substrate and a second pixel defining layer disposed on the second substrate and that defines a pixel (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0072-0075 and 0090, where substrate (SUB) has light elements (EL) on it, which define pixels), and
the second pixel defining layer is a black pixel defining layer (Fig. 6-8, paragraphs 0118-0119, where light blocking part (BK1) is black).
As to claim 2, Park discloses the display device, further comprising a window disposed on the display panel that covers the first display area and the second display area (Fig. 6, paragraph 0073, where encapsulation layer (TFE) is the window).
As to claim 3, Park discloses the display device, further comprising a light-blocking member that overlaps at least a portion of a periphery of the first display area and the second display area (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0118-0122, where light blocking part (BK1) overlaps in the non-display area (NDA)).
As to claim 4, Park discloses the display device, further comprising a light-blocking member that overlaps a boundary between the first display panel and the second display panel (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0118-0122 and 0149, where light blocking part (BK1) overlaps at the head-affected area (CTA)).
As to claim 5, Park discloses the display device, wherein the first light control member includes a light-absorbing layer that absorbs at least a portion of light emitted from the first display panel or external light (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0125-0129, where color filters (CF1-CF3) absorb light).
As to claim 8, Park discloses the display device, wherein the second pixel defining layer absorbs at least a portion of external light incident on the second display panel (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0125-0129, where color filters (CF1-CF3) absorb light).
As to claim 9, Park discloses the display device, wherein
the second display panel further includes a second wiring disposed between the second substrate and the second pixel defining layer (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0077-0078, where the second wiring includes connection lines (CWL1, CWL2)), and
external light incident on the second display panel does not reach the second wiring (Fig. 6, paragraphs 0117-0119, where light blocking part (BK1) blocks the light from wiring (CWL1, CWL2)).
As to claim 14, Park discloses the display device, wherein the first pixel defining layer is a black pixel defining layer (Fig. 6-8, paragraphs 0117-0119, where light blocking part (BK1) is black).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0208950 A1 to Park et al. in view of U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2023/0378405 A1 to Sun et al.
As to claim 6, Park is deficient in disclosing the display device, wherein the first light control member has a louver structure.
However, Sun discloses the display device, wherein the first light control member has a louver structure (Fig. 1 and 2, paragraph 0025, where display panel (14P) includes a layer (64) with an array of louvers).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the display device with a light control member as taught by Park by including a louver structure as taught by Sun. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to help prevent the reflection of sunlight (Sun, paragraph 0025).
As to claim 7, Park is deficient in disclosing the display device, wherein the louver structure is formed in a direction parallel to a width direction of the display panel.
However, Sun discloses the display device, wherein the louver structure is formed in a direction parallel to a width direction of the display panel (Fig. 1 and 2, paragraph 0025, where layer (64) which includes a louver structure is parallel to display panel (14P)). In addition, the same motivation is used as claim 6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record alone, or in combination, fail to teach, disclose, or render obvious, “wherein a difference between a specular component included_b* (SCI_b*) value of a first reflection color and a specular component included_b* (SCI_b*) value of a second reflection color is at least 0 and not more than 3, the first reflection color exhibited by external light reflected on the first display panel, and the second reflection color exhibited by external light reflected on the second display panel”, in combination with the other limitations in claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANEETA YODICHKAS whose telephone number is (571)272-9773. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
ANEETA YODICHKAS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2627
/ANEETA YODICHKAS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627