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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 11 IS rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Specifically, it appears that claim 11 does not further limit the scope of the claim compared to claim 10. Appropriate correction is required.
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 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Izumi et al. (US Pub. No. 2002/0180902 A1) in view of Kuo et al. (US Pub. No. 2019/0179591 A1).
As to claim 1, Izumi shows a splicing display apparatus (i.e. a multi-panel display device, Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 and 11), comprising: a plurality of display panels (para. 7), wherein each of the plurality of display panels comprises: a circuit substrate 18 (Figs. 1 and 2 and paras. 70 and 71); and a plurality of pixel units 11, arranged in an array on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate (Figs. 1 and 2 and paras. 70 and 71), wherein each of the plurality of pixel units comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements (i.e. electrodes 12r, 12b, 12g, Fig. 1 and para. 75), wherein the plurality of display panels comprise a first display panel and a second display panel arranged in a first direction and spliced to each other (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 and 11), the first display panel and the second display panel having a splicing seam 44 (Fig. 13 and para. 108), wherein one of the pixel units of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam is substantially aligned in the first direction with one of the pixel units of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements of each of the plurality of pixel units comprise a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element for emitting a first color light and a second color light respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
Izumi does not show that the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element of one of the pixel units of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the first direction; and the second light-emitting element and the first light-emitting element of one of the pixel units of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the first direction.
Kuo shows that a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a first display panel 100A closest to a splicing seam are sequentially arranged in a first direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36); and a second light-emitting element and a first light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a second display panel 100B closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the same direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Izumi with those of Kuo because designing the system in this way allows the device to decrease the problem of color mismatching (para. 50).
As to claim 2, Izumi shows that the plurality of light-emitting elements of each of the plurality of pixel units further comprise a third light-emitting element for emitting a third color light (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
Izumi does not show that the first light-emitting element, the third light-emitting element, and the second light-emitting element of the pixel unit of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the first direction; and the second light-emitting element, the third light-emitting element, and the first light-emitting element of the pixel unit of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the first direction.
Kuo shows that a first light-emitting element, a third light-emitting element, and a second light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a first display panel 100A closest to a splicing seam are sequentially arranged in a first direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36); and a second light-emitting element, a third light-emitting element, and a first light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a second display panel 100B closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the same direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Izumi with those of Kuo because designing the system in this way allows the device to decrease the problem of color mismatching (para. 50).
As to claim 3, Izumi shows that the first display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the pixel unit column of the first display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in a second direction (i.e. vertical) , the first direction intersecting the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements of the plurality of pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam comprise a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 4, Izumi shows that the second display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the pixel unit column of the second display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in the second direction (i.e. vertical), and the plurality of light-emitting elements of the plurality of pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam comprise a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively(Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 5, Izumi shows that the plurality of pixel units of each of the plurality of display panels comprise a plurality of first pixel units and a plurality of second pixel units (i.e. groups of RGB sub-pixels, Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); the first display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of first pixel units and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are alternately arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fig. 22(a) and paras. 9 – 11); the second display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of first pixel units and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel are alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); the plurality of first pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of first pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 6, Izumi shows that the first color light is red light, and the second color light is blue light (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 7, Izumi shows that the first color light is red light, the second color light is blue light, and the third color light is green light (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 8, Izumi shows that each of the plurality of display panels further comprises an encapsulation layer 21 disposed on the circuit substrate and covering the plurality of pixel units (Fig. 2(a) and para. 94).
As to claim 9, Izumi shows a splicing display apparatus (i.e. a multi-panel display device, Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 and 11), comprising: a plurality of display panels (para. 7), wherein each of the plurality of display panels comprises: a circuit substrate 18 (Figs. 1 and 2 and paras. 70 and 71); and a plurality of pixel units 11, arranged in an array on the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the circuit substrate (Figs. 1 and 2 and paras. 70 and 71), wherein each of the plurality of pixel units comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements (i.e. electrodes 12r, 12b, 12g, Fig. 1 and para. 75), wherein the plurality of display panels comprise a first display panel and a second display panel arranged in a first direction and spliced to each other (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 and 11), the first display panel and the second display panel having a splicing seam 44 (Fig. 13 and para. 108), wherein one of the pixel units of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam is substantially aligned in the first direction with one of the pixel units of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); wherein one of the pixel units of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam is substantially aligned in the first direction with one of the pixel units of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements of each of the plurality of pixel units comprise a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element for emitting a first color light and a second color light respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); the first display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the pixel unit column of the first display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in a second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the first direction intersecting the second direction (i.e. horizontal and vertical, Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
Izumi does not show that the plurality of light-emitting elements of the plurality of pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel closest to the splicing seam comprise a plurality of first light- emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements alternately arranged in the second direction.
Kuo shows that a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a first display panel 100A closest to a splicing seam are sequentially arranged in a first direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36); and a second light-emitting element and a first light-emitting element of a pixel unit of a second display panel 100B closest to the splicing seam are sequentially arranged in the same direction (Figs. 1A and 1B and paras. 35 and 36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the teachings of Izumi with those of Kuo because designing the system in this way allows the device to decrease the problem of color mismatching (para. 50).
As to claim 10, Izumi shows that the second display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the pixel unit column of the second display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in the second direction (i.e. vertical), and the plurality of light-emitting elements of the plurality of pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam comprise a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively(Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 11, Izumi shows that the second display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the pixel unit column of the second display panel comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in the second direction (i.e. vertical), and the plurality of light-emitting elements of the plurality of pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel closest to the splicing seam comprise a plurality of first light-emitting elements and a plurality of second light-emitting elements alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of first light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively(Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the first display panel being substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of second light-emitting elements of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 12, Izumi shows that the plurality of pixel units of each of the plurality of display panels comprise a plurality of first pixel units and a plurality of second pixel units (i.e. groups of RGB sub-pixels, Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); the first display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of first pixel units and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are alternately arranged in a second direction intersecting the first direction (Fig. 22(a) and paras. 9 – 11); the second display panel comprises a pixel unit column closest to the splicing seam (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of first pixel units and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel are alternately arranged in the second direction (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11); the plurality of first pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11), and the plurality of second pixel units in the pixel unit column of the first display panel are substantially aligned in the first direction with the plurality of first pixel units in the pixel unit column of the second display panel respectively (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 13, Izumi shows that the first color light is red light, and the second color light is blue light (Figs. 21 – 23 and paras. 9 – 11).
As to claim 14, Izumi shows that each of the plurality of display panels further comprises an encapsulation layer 21 disposed on the circuit substrate and covering the plurality of pixel units (Fig. 2(a) and para. 94).
As to claim 15, Izumi shows that each of the plurality of display panels further comprises an optical film, the optical film is disposed on the encapsulation layer, and the plurality of pixel units are located between the optical film and the circuit substrate.
CONCLUSION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7448. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached on 571-272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CARL ADAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2627