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
This Application is a continuation of Parent Application No. 18/771,563, now US Patent No. 12,333,104. After comparison between pending claims and patent claims, the pending claims are not patentably distinct from the patent claims. Therefore, there is double patenting rejection below.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,333,104.
Pending claims
Patent claims
1. A touch module, comprising:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
at least one of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of first electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate; and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
at least one of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of third electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
2. The touch module according to claim 1, wherein in the same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes, each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is connected in series with an adjacent first electrode block;
in the same one of the second touch electrodes, each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is connected in series with an adjacent third electrode block.
3. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein,
in the same one of the first touch electrodes, the plurality of first electrode blocks arranged in sequence along the first direction are connected in series; and
in the same one of the second touch electrodes, the plurality of third electrode blocks arranged in sequence along the second direction are connected in series.
4. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes are in a same film layer.
5. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein,
the touch module further comprises a first bridge through which each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode blocks are connected in series; and
the touch module further comprises a second bridge through which each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and adjacent ones of the plurality of third electrode blocks are connected in series.
6. The touch module according to claim 5, wherein an orthographic projection of the first bridge on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the second bridge on the base substrate do not overlap with each other.
7. The touch module according to claim 5, wherein all electrode blocks are in an electrode layer, the first bridge and the second bridge are in a bridge layer, and the bridge layer and the electrode layer have an insulation layer therebetween.
8. The touch module according to claim 7, wherein the bridge layer is between the electrode layer and the base substrate.
9. The touch module according to claim 4, wherein the first hollow region is provided therein a first floating electrode at a periphery of the second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first floating electrode on the base substrate is a closed hollow pattern enclosing the second electrode block.
10. The touch module according to claim 4, wherein the second hollow region is provided therein a second floating electrode at a periphery of the fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second floating electrode on the base substrate is a closed hollow pattern enclosing the fourth electrode block.
11. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes are in different film layers.
12. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of third electrode blocks has two second electrode blocks belonging to different first touch electrodes, and the two second electrode blocks in a same third electrode block are insulated from each other.
13. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of first electrode blocks has two fourth electrode blocks belonging to different second touch electrodes, and the two fourth electrode blocks in a same first electrode block are insulated from each other.
14. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein opposite outer boundaries of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are in a concave- convex zigzag shape; and/or, opposite outer boundaries of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are in a concave-convex zigzag shape.
15. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of third electrode blocks is a rhombus, a shape of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is a triangle, and two sides of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and two sides of a corresponding third electrode block are set in parallel.
16. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of first electrode blocks is a rhombus, a shape of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is a triangle, and two sides of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and two sides of a first corresponding electrode block are set in parallel.
17. A touch display panel comprising a touch module, wherein the touch module comprises:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
at least one of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of first electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate;
and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
at least one of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of third electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
18. The touch display panel according to claim 17, further comprising:
a light emitting device on the base substrate; and
a packaging structure for packaging the light emitting device;
wherein the plurality of touch electrodes are on a side of the packaging structure facing away from the light emitting device.
19. The touch display panel according to claim 18, wherein the packaging structure comprises a first inorganic layer, an organic layer and a second inorganic layer that are stacked in sequence, wherein,
the touch display panel further comprises a buffer layer between the second inorganic layer and the plurality of touch electrodes.
20. A display device comprising a touch display panel, wherein the touch display panel comprises a touch module comprising:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
at least one of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of first electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate; and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
at least one of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block, adjacent to at least one of the plurality of third electrode blocks, is located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
1. A touch module, comprising:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block adjacent to the plurality of first electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate; and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block adjacent to the plurality of third electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
2. The touch module according to claim 1, wherein
in the same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes, each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is connected in series with an adjacent first electrode block;
in the same one of the second touch electrodes, each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is connected in series with an adjacent third electrode block.
3. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein,
in the same one of the first touch electrodes, the plurality of first electrode blocks arranged in sequence along the first direction are connected in series; and
in the same one of the second touch electrodes, the plurality of third electrode blocks arranged in sequence along the second direction are connected in series.
4. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes are in a same film layer.
5. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein,
the touch module further comprises a first bridge through which each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and adjacent ones of the plurality of first electrode blocks are connected in series; and
the touch module further comprises a second bridge through which each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and adjacent ones of the plurality of third electrode blocks are connected in series.
6. The touch module according to claim 5, wherein an orthographic projection of the first bridge on the base substrate and an orthographic projection of the second bridge on the base substrate do not overlap with each other.
7. The touch module according to claim 5, wherein all electrode blocks are in an electrode layer, the first bridge and the second bridge are in a bridge layer, and the bridge layer and the electrode layer have an insulation layer therebetween.
8. The touch module according to claim 7, wherein the bridge layer is between the electrode layer and the base substrate.
9. The touch module according to claim 4, wherein the first hollow region is provided therein a first floating electrode at a periphery of the second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first floating electrode on the base substrate is a closed hollow pattern enclosing the second electrode block.
10. The touch module according to claim 4, wherein the second hollow region is provided therein a second floating electrode at a periphery of the fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second floating electrode on the base substrate is a closed hollow pattern enclosing the fourth electrode block.
11. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of first touch electrodes and the plurality of second touch electrodes are in different film layers.
12. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of third electrode blocks has two second electrode blocks belonging to different first touch electrodes, and the two second electrode blocks in a same third electrode block are insulated from each other.
13. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of first electrode blocks has two fourth electrode blocks belonging to different second touch electrodes, and the two fourth electrode blocks in a same first electrode block are insulated from each other.
14. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein opposite outer boundaries of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are in a concave-convex zigzag shape; and/or, opposite outer boundaries of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are in a concave-convex zigzag shape.
15. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of third electrode blocks is a rhombus, a shape of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is a triangle, and two sides of each of the plurality of second electrode blocks and two sides of a corresponding third electrode block are set in parallel.
16. The touch module according to claim 2, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of first electrode blocks is a rhombus, a shape of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is a triangle, and two sides of each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and two sides of a first corresponding electrode block are set in parallel.
17. A touch display panel comprising a touch module, wherein the touch module comprises:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block adjacent to the plurality of first electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate; and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block adjacent to the plurality of third electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
18. The touch display panel according to claim 17, further comprising:
a light emitting device on the base substrate; and
a packaging structure for packaging the light emitting device;
wherein the plurality of touch electrodes are on a side of the packaging structure facing away from the light emitting device.
19. The touch display panel according to claim 18, wherein the packaging structure comprises a first inorganic layer, an organic layer and a second inorganic layer that are stacked in sequence, wherein,
the touch display panel further comprises a buffer layer between the second inorganic layer and the plurality of touch electrodes.
20. A display device comprising a touch display panel, wherein the touch display panel comprises a touch module comprising:
a base substrate; and
a plurality of touch electrodes on the base substrate; wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprise a plurality of first touch electrodes extending along a first direction and a plurality of second touch electrodes extending along a second direction;
each of the plurality of first touch electrodes comprises a plurality of first electrode blocks and a plurality of second electrode blocks, and each of the plurality of second touch electrodes comprises a plurality of third electrode blocks and a plurality of fourth electrode blocks;
in a same one of the plurality of first touch electrodes,
the plurality of first electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the first direction;
each of the plurality of second electrode blocks is located in an area where a third electrode block adjacent to the plurality of first electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of second electrode blocks and the plurality of third electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of third electrode blocks each has a first hollow region in an area corresponding to a second electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the first hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the second electrode block on the base substrate; and
in a same one of the second touch electrodes,
the plurality of third electrode blocks are arranged in sequence along the second direction;
each of the plurality of fourth electrode blocks is located in an area where a first electrode block adjacent to the plurality of third electrode blocks are located;
the plurality of fourth electrode blocks and the plurality of first electrode blocks are insulated from each other; and
the plurality of first electrode blocks each has a second hollow region in an area corresponding to a fourth electrode block, and an orthographic projection of the second hollow region on the base substrate is larger than an orthographic projection of the fourth electrode block on the base substrate.
As can be seen above, differences (bold portions) between pending independent claims 1, 17, 20 and patent independent claims 1, 17, 20 are minimal. Thus, the pending independent claims 1, 17, 20 recite the feature "at least partially overlaps" being modified broader than the patent independent claims 1, 17, 20 feature “is larger than”. The motivation for doing so would protect the pending claims as broad as possible in order to have more products in the industrial applicability.
In regards to the pending dependent claim(s) 2-16 and 18-19, these limitations are not patentably distinct from the patent dependent claim(s) 2-16 and 18-19, respectively.
Conclusion
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KEVIN M NGUYEN
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2628
/Kevin M Nguyen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628