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 .
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.
Claims 1-3, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishimura et al (Publication number: US 2023/0006168) in view of Qin et al (Publication number: US 2022/0058366).
Consider Claim 1, Nishimura et al shows a display device (see figures 2, 11, and 13), comprising:
(a) A sub-pixel above a base layer, and comprising a light-emitting element (see paragraph 83); (The display area 100D includes a plurality of elements 115 arranged in the in-plane direction of the substrate. The elements 115 are, for example, pixels. The display area 100D includes a first display area 101 and a second display area 102 in plan view. The second display area 102 borders the first display area 101).
(b) A light-sensing pixel above the base layer, and comprising a light-receiving element configured to acquire a sensing signal corresponding to light emitted from the light-emitting element (see paragraph 89); (The second display area 102 is able to detect light and display an image. Examples of the function of the second display area 102, implemented by detecting light, include sensors, such as a camera, a fingerprint sensor and a face recognition sensor).
(c) A touch sensor layer configured to acquire information about a touch input, and comprising a conductive pattern layer forming sensing electrodes and comprising: a second conductive pattern layer comprising a body portion enclosing the light-receiving element in plan view, and arm portions extending from the body portion in respective directions (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140X has a first occupancy. The first occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140X located in the first display area 101 by the area of the first display area 101).
(d) A first conductive pattern layer in a different layer from the second conductive pattern layer (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140Y has a second occupancy. The second occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140Y located in the second display area 102 by the area of the second display area 102. The second occupancy may be lower than the first occupancy.
However, Nishimura et al does not specifically show that the first conductive pattern layer comprises segments apart from each other in respective areas between respective ones of the arm portions in plan view.
In related art, Qin et al shows the first conductive pattern layer comprises segments apart from each other in respective areas between respective ones of the arm portions in plan view (see figure 2; and paragraphs 23-25); (The display module 1 includes an array substrate 2 and a plurality of light-emitting units 3 disposed on the array substrate 2. A light-emitting unit 3 includes a reflecting electrode 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Qin et al into the teaching of Nishimura et al in order to improve the sensitivity of fingerprint detection (see Qin et al; paragraphs 3-5).
Consider Claim 17, Nishimura et al shows a display device (see figures 2, 11, and 13) comprising:
(a) A sub-pixel above a base layer, and comprising a light-emitting element (see paragraph 83); (The display area 100D includes a plurality of elements 115 arranged in the in-plane direction of the substrate. The elements 115 are, for example, pixels. The display area 100D includes a first display area 101 and a second display area 102 in plan view. The second display area 102 borders the first display area 101).
(b) A light-sensing pixel above the base layer, and comprising a light-receiving element configured to acquire a sensing signal corresponding to light emitted from the light-emitting element (see paragraph 89); (The second display area 102 is able to detect light and display an image. Examples of the function of the second display area 102, implemented by detecting light, include sensors, such as a camera, a fingerprint sensor and a face recognition sensor).
(c) A touch sensor layer configured to acquire information about a touch input, and comprising a conductive pattern layer forming sensing electrodes and comprising: a second conductive pattern layer having a portion forming a hole area overlapping the light-receiving element, and another portion forming a sidewall (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140X has a first occupancy. The first occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140X located in the first display area 101 by the area of the first display area 101).
(d) An intermediate insulating layer between the first conductive pattern layer and the second conductive pattern layer, and having a first thickness in a first area that overlaps the hole area (see paragraphs 110-115).
However, Nishimura et al does not specifically show a second thickness that is less than the first thickness in a second area, wherein the sidewall is between the first area and the second area.
In related art, Qin et al show a second thickness that is less than the first thickness in a second area, wherein the sidewall is between the first area and the second area (see figures 3 and 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Qin et al into the teaching of Nishimura et al in order to improve the sensitivity of fingerprint detection (see Qin et al; paragraphs 3-5).
Consider Claim 20, Nishimura et al shows an electronic device comprising: a processor configured to provide input image data; a power supply configured to supply power; a display device configured to receive the power, and to display an image based on the input image data (see figures 2, 11, and 13), and comprising:
(a) A sub-pixel above a base layer, and comprising a light-emitting element (see paragraph 83); (The display area 100D includes a plurality of elements 115 arranged in the in-plane direction of the substrate. The elements 115 are, for example, pixels. The display area 100D includes a first display area 101 and a second display area 102 in plan view. The second display area 102 borders the first display area 101).
(b) A light-sensing pixel above the base layer, and comprising a light-receiving element configured to acquire a sensing signal corresponding to light emitted from the light-emitting element (see paragraph 89); (The second display area 102 is able to detect light and display an image. Examples of the function of the second display area 102, implemented by detecting light, include sensors, such as a camera, a fingerprint sensor and a face recognition sensor).
(c) A touch sensor layer configured to acquire information about a touch input, and comprising a conductive pattern layer forming sensing electrodes and comprising: a second conductive pattern layer comprising a body portion enclosing the light-receiving element in plan view, and arm portions extending from the body portion in respective directions (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140X has a first occupancy. The first occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140X located in the first display area 101 by the area of the first display area 101).
(d) A first conductive pattern layer in a different layer from the second conductive pattern layer (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140Y has a second occupancy. The second occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140Y located in the second display area 102 by the area of the second display area 102. The second occupancy may be lower than the first occupancy.
However, Nishimura et al does not specifically show that the first conductive pattern layer comprises segments apart from each other in respective areas between respective ones of the arm portions in plan view.
In related art, Qin et al shows the first conductive pattern layer comprises segments apart from each other in respective areas between respective ones of the arm portions in plan view (see figure 2; and paragraphs 23-25); (The display module 1 includes an array substrate 2 and a plurality of light-emitting units 3 disposed on the array substrate 2. A light-emitting unit 3 includes a reflecting electrode 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Qin et al into the teaching of Nishimura et al in order to improve the sensitivity of fingerprint detection (see Qin et al; paragraphs 3-5).
Consider Claim 2, Nishimura et al shows a sensing area with the sensing electrodes therein; a display area with the sub-pixel therein, comprising an emission area, and overlapping the sensing area; and a fingerprint-sensing area with the light-sensing pixel therein, comprising a light- receiving area, and overlapping the display area (see paragraph 89); (The second display area 102 is able to detect light and display an image. Examples of the function of the second display area 102, implemented by detecting light, include sensors, such as a camera, a fingerprint sensor and a face recognition sensor).
Consider Claim 3, Nishimura et al shows that a second conductive pattern layer comprises a hole area overlapping the light-receiving area (see paragraphs 110-115).
Consider Claim 18, Nishimura et al shows that the first conductive pattern layer is not around a periphery of the hole area (see figure 2; and paragraphs 85-87); (The second electrode 140X has a first occupancy. The first occupancy is calculated by dividing the total area of the second electrode 140X located in the first display area 101 by the area of the first display area 101).
Consider Claim 19, Nishimura et al shows that the second conductive pattern layer comprises: an upper component above the intermediate insulating layer having the first thickness in the first area; and a lower component above the intermediate insulating layer having the second thickness in the second area, and wherein the sidewall is between the lower component and the upper component (see paragraphs 110-115).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishimura et al (Publication number: US 2023/0006168) in view of Qin et al (Publication number: US 2022/0058366) in view of You et al (Publication number: US 2021/0165528).
Consider Claim 15, Nishimura et al in view of Qin et al do not specifically show that the segments comprise electrically floating isolated portions.
In related art, You et al shows that the segments comprise electrically floating isolated portions (see paragraphs 150-155).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of You et al into the teaching of Nishimura et al and Qin et al in order for sensor patterns to not be visible (see You et al; paragraphs 150-155).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-14, and 16 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.
Conclusion
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/MICHAEL A FARAGALLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 05/02/2026
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