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 .
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 filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual 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/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 4, 13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3, 4, 15, 16, 17 of U.S. Patent No. 11776496 A1.
Present Application
US Patent 11776496
1. A color electrophoretic display comprising: a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid;
(b) a plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and
(c) a plurality of third particles and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity;
wherein the first particles are white, and
the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and
each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color;
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
wherein the controller is configured to provide driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to enable color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
4. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
1. A color electrophoretic display comprising:
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid;
(b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
the first particle being a light-scattering particle and the second particle having one of the subtractive primary colors; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
[Claim 4] 4. The color electrophoretic display of claim 3, wherein the first particles are white and the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
[Claim 3] 3. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein at least two of the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
the third and fourth particles each having a subtractive primary color different from each other and from the second particles,
wherein the thin film transistors each comprise a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor configured to switch control voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than −25 Volts while the light-transmissive electrode is held at constant voltage to enable driving the four-particle electrophoretic medium at five or more different addressing voltage levels to facilitate color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among eight primary colors of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
2. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to-provide at least one-voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts or at least one voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts.
3. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
10. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
4. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
5. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
6. The color electrophoretic display of claim 5, wherein the first, second, third and fourth particles are respectively white, cyan, yellow and magenta in color, with the white and yellow particles being negatively charged and the magenta and cyan particles positively charged.
5. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein a first electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth types of particles is greater than a second electric field required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles.
2. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein a first electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth types of particles is greater than a second electric field required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles.
6. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged, and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
5. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
7. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
8. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
8. The color electrophoretic display of claim 7, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
9. The color electrophoretic display of claim 8, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight in excess of about 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
9. An electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label, or flash drive comprising a color electrophoretic display according to claim 1.
11. An electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label or flash drive comprising a color electrophoretic display according to claim 1.
10. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors each include a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, a metal source electrode, and a metal drain electrode, and wherein the metal oxide semiconductor layer is disposed over the gate-insulating film and at least partially over the gate electrode, the metal source electrode, and the metal drain electrode.
12. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors each include a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, a metal source electrode, and a metal drain electrode, and wherein the metal oxide semiconductor layer is disposed over the gate-insulating film and at least partially over the gate electrode, the metal source electrode, and the metal drain electrode.
11. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the five or more different voltage levels include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
13. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the five or more different addressing voltage levels include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
12. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors comprising the layer of the metal oxide semiconductor enable direct switching of the color optical state of the color electrophoretic medium among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase.
14. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors comprising the layer of the metal oxide semiconductor enable direct switching of the color optical state of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among the eight primary colors without a reset phase.
13. A method, comprising:
providing a color electrophoretic display comprising a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
wherein the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprises: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid,
the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
wherein the first particles are white, and
the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and
each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color; and
applying driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
15. A method, comprising:
providing a color electrophoretic display comprising
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid,
the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
the first particle being a light-scattering particle and the second particle having one of the subtractive primary colors; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
[Claim 17] 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first particles are white and the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
[Claim 16] 16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least two of the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
the third and fourth particles each having a subtractive primary color different from each other and from the second particles; and
driving the color electrophoretic display by applying a set of at least five different addressing voltages, including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than −25 Volts, to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among eight primary colors of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the driving voltages applied to the pixel electrodes include voltages between 25 Volts and 0 Volts and between-25 Volts and 0 Volts.
24. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least five different addressing voltages include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight in excess of about 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
6. The color electrophoretic display of claim 5, wherein the first, second, third and fourth particles are respectively white, cyan, yellow and magenta in color, with the white and yellow particles being negatively charged and the magenta and cyan particles positively charged.
7. The color electrophoretic display of claim 6, wherein the yellow, magenta and cyan pigments exhibit diffuse reflectances at 650, 550 and 450 nm, respectively, measured over a black background, of less than 2.5% when the pigment is approximately isotropically distributed at 15% by volume in a layer of thickness 1 μm comprising the pigment and a liquid of refractive index less than 1.55.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth particles are respectively white, cyan, yellow, and magenta in color, with the white and yellow particles being negatively charged and the magenta and cyan particles being positively charged.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the yellow, magenta and cyan pigments exhibit diffuse reflectances at 650, 550 and 450 nm, respectively, measured over a black background, of less than 2.5% when the pigment is approximately isotropically distributed at 15% by volume in a layer of thickness 1 μm comprising the pigment and a liquid of refractive index less than 1.55.
24. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least five different addressing voltages include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
25. The method of claim 15, wherein the color electrophoretic display is incorporated into an electronic book reader, a portable computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a smart card, a sign, a watch, a shelf label, or a flash drive.
26. The method of claim 15, wherein the optical states of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium are directly switched among the eight primary colors without a reset phase.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the scope of claims 1, 4, 13 of the present application overlap and encompass the scope of claims 1, 3, 4, 15, 16, 17 of US Patent 11776496, and vice-versa. Therefore, it would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill to broaden the scope of claims 1, 3, 4, 15, 16, 17 of US Patent 11776496 to that of claims 1, 4, 13 of the present application for the well-known purpose of having a larger scope of patent protection, and consequently, more products in the industrial applicability which are patent protected.
Claims 1-17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-5, 8, 11-18, 24-26 of U.S. Patent No. 12361902 in view of Telfer (US 2016/0085132 A1, Published March 24, 2016).
Present Application
US Patent 12361902
1. A color electrophoretic display comprising: a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid;
(b) a plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and
(c) a plurality of third particles and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity;
wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and
each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color;
wherein the controller is configured to provide driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to enable color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
1. A color electrophoretic display comprising: a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid;
(b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
the first particle being a light-scattering particle and the second particle having one of the subtractive primary colors; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
the third and fourth particles each having a subtractive primary color different from each other and from the second particles,
wherein the controller is configured to provide driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than −25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to enable color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
2. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to-provide at least one-voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts or at least one voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts.
2. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to provide at least one-voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts or at least one voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts.
3. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
3. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
4. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
4. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
5. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein a first electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth types of particles is greater than a second electric field required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles.
5. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein a first electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth types of particles is greater than a second electric field required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles.
6. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged, and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
8. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged, and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
7. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
11. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
8. The color electrophoretic display of claim 7, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
12. The color electrophoretic display of claim 11, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight in excess of about 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
9. An electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label, or flash drive comprising a color electrophoretic display according to claim 1.
13. An electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label, or flash drive comprising a color electrophoretic display according to claim 1.
10. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors each include a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, a metal source electrode, and a metal drain electrode, and wherein the metal oxide semiconductor layer is disposed over the gate-insulating film and at least partially over the gate electrode, the metal source electrode, and the metal drain electrode.
14. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors each include a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, a metal source electrode, and a metal drain electrode, and wherein the metal oxide semiconductor layer is disposed over the gate-insulating film and at least partially over the gate electrode, the metal source electrode, and the metal drain electrode.
11. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the five or more different voltage levels include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
15. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the five or more different voltage levels include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
12. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors comprising the layer of the metal oxide semiconductor enable direct switching of the color optical state of the color electrophoretic medium among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase.
16. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors comprising the layer of the metal oxide semiconductor enable direct switching of the color optical state of the color electrophoretic medium among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase.
13. A method, comprising:
providing a color electrophoretic display comprising a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
wherein the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprises: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid,
the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity, wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color; and
applying driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
17. A method, comprising:
providing a color electrophoretic display comprising a controller;
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface;
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes,
each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor; and
a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane,
wherein the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprises: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid,
the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity,
the first particles being light-scattering particles and the second particles having one of the subtractive primary colors; and
(c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity, the third and fourth particles each having a subtractive primary color different from each other and from the second particles; and
applying driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than −25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the driving voltages applied to the pixel electrodes include voltages between 25 Volts and 0 Volts and between-25 Volts and 0 Volts.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the driving voltages applied to the pixel electrodes include voltages between 25 Volts and 0 Volts and between −25 Volts and 0 Volts.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
24. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight in excess of about 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
26. The method of claim 17, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO).
6. The color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein at least two of the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
7. The color electrophoretic display of claim 6, wherein the first particles are white and the second, third and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
9. The color electrophoretic display of claim 8, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth particles are respectively white, cyan, yellow, and magenta in color, with the white and yellow particles being negatively charged and the magenta and cyan particles being positively charged.
10. The color electrophoretic display of claim 9, wherein the yellow, magenta, and cyan particles exhibit diffuse reflectances at 650, 550, and 450 nm, respectively, measured over a black background, of less than 2.5% when the particle is approximately isotropically distributed at 15% by volume in a layer of thickness 1 μm comprising the particle and a liquid of refractive index less than 1.55.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two of the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged, and the second and fourth particles are positively charged.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth particles are respectively white, cyan, yellow, and magenta in color, with the white and yellow particles being negatively charged and the magenta and cyan particles being positively charged.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the yellow, magenta, and cyan particles exhibit diffuse reflectances at 650, 550 and 450 nm, respectively, measured over a black background, of less than 2.5% when the particle is approximately isotropically distributed at 15% by volume in a layer of thickness 1 μm comprising the particle and a liquid of refractive index less than 1.55.
27. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least five different voltages include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts.
28. The method of claim 17, wherein the color electrophoretic display is incorporated into an electronic book reader, a portable computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a smart card, a sign, a watch, a shelf label, or a flash drive.
29. The method of claim 17, wherein the optical states of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium are directly switched among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase.
30. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white.
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the scope of claims 1-17 of the present application overlap and encompass the scope of claims 1-5, 8, 11-18, 24-26 of U.S. Patent No. 12361902, and vice-versa, with the exception that claims 1-5, 8, 11-18, 24-26 of U.S. Patent No. 12361902 do not disclose the claimed aspect of: wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering.
However, Telfer does disclose wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering (Telfer at Abstract discloses “An electrophoretic medium comprises a fluid, a first, light scattering particle (typically white) and second, third and fourth particles having three subtractive primary colors (typically magenta, cyan and yellow); at least two of these colored particles being non-light scattering. ”).
U.S. Patent No. 12361902 discloses a base display device upon which the claimed invention is an improvement. Telfer discloses a comparable display device which has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. Hence, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify or add to U.S. Patent No. 12361902 the teachings of Telfer for the predictable result of providing an electrophoretic medium as described above in which the electric field required to separate aggregates formed between the first and second particles is less than that required to separate aggregates formed between the third and the fourth particles, the first and fourth particles, and the second and third particles (Telfer at ¶ [0042]).
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki (US 2018/0046006 A1, Published February 15, 2018) in view of Telfer (US 2016/0085132 A1, Published March 24, 2016).
As to claim 1, Yamazaki disclose a color electrophoretic display comprising: a controller (Yamazaki at Figs. 1-3, in particular);
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface (Yamazaki at Fig. 1; ¶ [0054]-[0054]);
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes, each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor (Yamazaki at Figs. 1-3, in particular, backplane 10; ¶ [0097]).
Yamazaki does not disclose a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane, the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprising: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and (c) a plurality of third particles and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color; wherein the controller is configured to provide driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to enable color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
However, Telfer does disclose a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane (Yamazaki at Fig. 2) (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0037]),
the four-particle color electrophoretic medium (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0037]) comprising: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first particles and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and (c) a plurality of third particles and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity (Telfer at ¶ [0037]);
wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color (Telfer at ¶ [0055]);
wherein the controller is configured to provide driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to enable color optical state switching of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors (Telfer at Figs. 5-7; ¶ [0147]).
Yamazaki discloses a base electrophoretic display device upon which the claimed invention is an improvement. Telfer discloses a comparable electrophoretic display device which has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. Hence, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify or add to Yamazaki the teachings of Telfer for the predictable result of obviating the use for a stepwise waveform and addressing to all colors (Telfer at ¶ [0095]).
As to claim 2, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to-provide at least one-voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts or at least one voltage between 25 Volts and 0 Volts (Telfer at Figs. 5-7; ¶ [0147]).
As to claim 3, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) (The combination does not expressly disclose IGZO. However, Examiner takes an official notice that IGZO transistors in LCD and electrophoretic displays are well-known in the art).
As to claim 4, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0054]).
As to claim 5, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein a first electric field required to separate an aggregate formed by the third and the fourth types of particles is greater than a second electric field required to separate an aggregate formed from any other two types of particles (Telfer at Figs. 5-9).
As to claim 6, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the first and third particles are negatively charged, and the second and fourth particles are positively charged (Telfer at ¶ [0053]).
As to claim 7, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5 (Telfer at Claim 10 including claims 1, 9).
As to claim 8, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 7, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles (Telfer at ¶ [0072]).
As to claim 9, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses an electronic book reader, portable computer, tablet computer, cellular telephone, smart card, sign, watch, shelf label, or flash drive (Telfer at ¶ [0076]) comprising a color electrophoretic display according to claim 1 (See rejection of claim 1 above).
As to claim 10, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors each include a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, a metal source electrode, and a metal drain electrode, and wherein the metal oxide semiconductor layer is disposed over the gate-insulating film and at least partially over the gate electrode, the metal source electrode, and the metal drain electrode.
As to claim 11, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the five or more different voltage levels include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts (Telfer at ¶ [0138]).
As to claim 12, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the color electrophoretic display of claim 1, wherein the thin film transistors comprising the layer of the metal oxide semiconductor enable direct switching of the color optical state of the color electrophoretic medium among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase (Telfer at ¶ [0173]).
As to claim 13, Yamazaki discloses a method, comprising:
providing a color electrophoretic display comprising a controller (Yamazaki at Figs. 1-3, in particular);
a light-transmissive electrode at a viewing surface (Yamazaki at Fig. 1; ¶ [0054]-[0054]);
a backplane including an array of thin film transistors coupled to pixel electrodes, each thin film transistor comprising a layer of a metal oxide semiconductor (Yamazaki at Figs. 1-3, in particular, backplane 10; ¶ [0097]).
Yamazaki does not disclose a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane, wherein the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprises: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and (c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity, wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color; and applying driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors.
However, Telfer does disclose a four-particle color electrophoretic medium disposed between the light-transmissive electrode and the backplane (Yamazaki at Fig. 2) (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0037]),
wherein the four-particle color electrophoretic medium comprises: (a) a fluid; (b) a plurality of first and a plurality of second particles dispersed in the fluid, the first and second particles bearing charges of opposite polarity; and (c) a plurality of third and a plurality of fourth particles dispersed in the fluid, the third and fourth particles bearing charges of opposite polarity (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0037]),
wherein the first particles are white, and the second, third, and fourth particles are non-light-scattering, and each of the second, third, and fourth particles has a different color (Telfer at ¶ [0055]); and
applying driving voltages at five or more different voltage levels including voltages greater than 25 Volts and less than-25 Volts to the pixel electrodes while holding the light-transmissive electrode at constant voltage to switch optical states of pixels of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium among a plurality of primary colors (Telfer at Figs. 5-7; ¶ [0147]).
As to claim 14, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the driving voltages applied to the pixel electrodes include voltages between 25 Volts and 0 Volts and between-25 Volts and 0 Volts (Telfer at Figs. 5-7; ¶ [0147]).
As to claim 15, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the fluid is a non-polar liquid having a dielectric constant less than about 5 (Telfer at Claim 10 including claims 1, 9).
As to claim 16, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the fluid has dissolved or dispersed therein a polymer having a number average molecular weight more than 20,000 and being essentially non-absorbing on the particles (Telfer at ¶ [0072]).
As to claim 17, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the metal oxide semiconductor is indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) (The combination does not expressly disclose IGZO. However, Examiner takes an official notice that IGZO transistors in LCD and electrophoretic displays are well-known in the art).
As to claim 18, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the at least five different voltages include 30 Volts, 15 Volts, 0 Volts, −15 Volts, and −30 Volts (Telfer at ¶ [0138]).
As to claim 19, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the optical states of the four-particle color electrophoretic medium are directly switched among the plurality of primary colors without a reset phase (Telfer at ¶ [0173]).
As to claim 20, the combination of Yamazaki and Telfer discloses the method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of primary colors includes red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white (Telfer at Abstract; ¶ [0054]).
Conclusion
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/Sanjiv D. Patel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
05/16/2026
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