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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites “black particles to a draw black pattern”. Examiner assumes this is a typographical error and Applicant intended to claim “black particles to draw a black pattern”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2021/0223648) in view of Bennett (US 2020/0251053).
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a display device comprising: a first display unit having capsules that include black particles to a draw black pattern and color particles to draw a predetermined pattern (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, electronic ink microcapsules display, e.g., a black-and-white image),
the first display unit having a plurality of openings, the first display unit being configured to switch between the black pattern and the predetermined pattern in response to application of a voltage (abstract, figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P1 and openings P2, first and second display modes disclosed wherein P1 displays an image and P2 is off or P2 displays an image and P1 is off);
a second display unit disposed adjacent to a rear side of the first display unit at a position where display contents are visible through the plurality of openings (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P2);
and a switching unit configured to switch the first display unit to a display state of the black pattern when the second display unit is turned on, and to switch the first display unit to a display state of the predetermined pattern when the second display unit is turned off (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P1 and openings P2, first and second display modes disclosed wherein P1 displays an image and P2 is off or P2 displays an image and P1 is off; see also fig. 11, ¶ 51).
Liu fails to explicitly disclose the first display unit having a pixel electrode, and application of a voltage to the pixel electrode; moving the black particles to a surface of the first display unit in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode, and moving the color particles to the surface of the first display unit in response to the application of the voltage to the pixel electrode.
Bennett teaches the first display unit having a pixel electrode, and application of a voltage to the pixel electrode (figs. 1A-D, ¶ 16-26, electrodes 106, 116, 118, 122, and 130b; see also figs. 2-6);
moving the black particles to a surface of the first display unit in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode, and moving the color particles to the surface of the first display unit in response to the application of the voltage to the pixel electrode (figs. 1A-D, ¶ 16-26, e.g., EPD mode with negative differential moves black particles to front, positive differential moves white particles to front; see also figs. 2-6).
Liu and Bennett are both directed to stacked displays with electronic paper. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the device of Liu with the device of Bennett since such a modification provides interactions between various charged elements of the same pixel and with other pixels are managed through proper selection of the charge of the various elements (Bennett, ¶ 20) and provides multi-modal operation (Bennett, ¶ 32).
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses wherein the first display unit is an electronic paper configured to maintain the display state of the predetermined pattern when the application of the voltage is stopped (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, electronic ink microcapsules disclosed; see also ¶ 62).
Regarding claim 4, Liu discloses wherein the first display unit is disposed so as to overlap a black matrix of the second display unit (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, black matrix BM).
Regarding claim 5, Bennett further teaches wherein the first display unit is configured to apply the voltage to the pixel electrode, which is disposed on the surface of the first display unit (figs. 1A-D, ¶ 16-26, e.g., EPD mode with negative differential moves black particles to front, positive differential moves white particles to front; see also figs. 2-6).
Regarding claim 6, Liu discloses a display device comprising: a first display unit, the first display unit having black particles to draw a black pattern (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, electronic ink microcapsules display, e.g., a black-and-white image),
the first display unit having a plurality of openings, the first display unit being configured to switch between black pattern and a predetermined pattern (abstract, figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P1 and openings P2, first and second display modes disclosed wherein P1 displays an image and P2 is off or P2 displays an image and P1 is off);
a second display unit disposed adjacent to a rear side of the first display unit at a position where display contents are visible through the plurality of openings (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P2);
and a switching unit configured to switch the first display unit to a display state of the black pattern when the second display unit is turned on, and to switch the first display unit to a display state of the predetermined pattern when the second display unit is turned off (figs. 1-5, ¶ 36-43, display with light emitting portions P1 and openings P2, first and second display modes disclosed wherein P1 displays an image and P2 is off or P2 displays an image and P1 is off; see also fig. 11, ¶ 51).
Liu fails to explicitly disclose a first display unit having a pixel electrode and a common electrode, moving the black particles in response to application of a voltage to the pixel electrode which is disposed on bottom of the first display unit, moving the black particles to the pixel electrode in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode, and moving the black particles to the common electrode in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode.
Bennett teaches a first display unit having a pixel electrode and a common electrode, moving the black particles in response to application of a voltage to the pixel electrode which is disposed on bottom of the first display unit (figs. 1A-D, ¶ 16-26, electrodes 106, 116, 118, 122, and 130b; see also figs. 2-6),
moving the black particles to the pixel electrode in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode, and moving the black particles to the common electrode in response to application of the voltage to the pixel electrode (figs. 1A-D, ¶ 16-26, e.g., EPD mode with negative differential moves black particles to front, positive differential moves white particles to front; OLED mode pulls particles to the walls 116; see also figs. 2-6).
Liu and Bennett are both directed to stacked displays with electronic paper. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the device of Liu with the device of Bennett since such a modification provides interactions between various charged elements of the same pixel and with other pixels are managed through proper selection of the charge of the various elements (Bennett, ¶ 20) and provides multi-modal operation (Bennett, ¶ 32).
Regarding claim 7, this claim is rejected under the same rationale as claim 2.
Regarding claim 9, this claim is rejected under the same rationale as claim 4.
Claims 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Bennett as applied to claims 1 and 6 above, and further in view of Wu et al. (US 2024/0176204).
Regarding claim 3, Liu in view of Bennett fails to disclose wherein the predetermined pattern is a woodgrain pattern.
Wu teaches wherein the predetermined pattern is a woodgrain pattern (fig. 8, ¶ 71-74, electronic paper displays wood grain pattern to present a complete wood veneer appearance; see also figs. 30-31).
Liu in view of Bennett and Wu are both directed to stacked displays with electronic paper. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the device of Liu in view of Bennett with the pattern of Wu since such a modification increases the harmony between the display and the surrounding decorative environment and improves the visual effect (Wu, ¶ 73).
Regarding claim 8, this claim is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 6 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEITH L CRAWLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-7616. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10-6 ET.
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, Temesghen Ghebretinsae can be reached at 571-272-3017. 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.
/KEITH L CRAWLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626
Prosecution Insights