Detailed Action
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
2. Applicant’s election of Species B of Figs. 8-11 and 16-19, corresponding to claims 1-20, in the reply filed on 06/02/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.03(a)).
Drawings
3. Figs. 3-20 of the drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because the drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Specifically, Figs.3-20 should show “an orthographic projection of the third touch electrode (the third touch electrode 331) and the fourth touch electrode (the fourth touch electrode 341) on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the light emitting layer (the light emitting layer 222) on the base substrate”, or the feature(s) should be canceled or amended from claim 10. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as "amended." If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either "Replacement Sheet" or "New Sheet" pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
4. 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.
5. Claims 9-10 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 9 and claim 10 recite the limitation “the third touch electrode, the fourth touch electrode, the third connecting part, and the fourth connecting part”, respectively. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation. For the purpose of the examination, the limitation is interpreted as “a third touch electrode, a fourth touch electrode, a third connecting part, and a fourth connecting part”. Claim 18 is rejected as being dependent upon rejected base claims.
6. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. (FP 7.30.01)
7. Claims 9-10, 13, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. (FP 7.31.01).
Claim 9 depends on claim 1. Claim 1 recites the limitation “…… a display structure layer and a touch structure layer disposed on the base substrate sequentially; the first display region comprises a first touch assembly …… the first touch assembly is located in the touch structure layer”. According to claim 1, the touch structure layer including the first touch assembly is disposed on the display structure layer in the first display region. Claim 9 and claim 12 further recites the limitation “…… the touch structure layer further comprises the third touch electrode, the fourth touch electrode, the third connecting part, and the fourth connecting part; the third touch electrode, the fourth touch electrode, and a connecting part disposed in a same layer as the third touch electrode are located between the touch insulating layer and the protective layer, and the connecting part disposed in the different layer from the third touch electrode is located between the buffer layer and the touch insulating layer ……”, respectively, which is not supported by the original disclosure and therefore constitutes new matter (See also 37 C.F.R. 1.121(f), MPEP 608.04, 706.03(o)). Specifically, nowhere in the specification and drawings discloses the touch structure layer that comprises the first touch assembly further comprises the third touch electrode, the fourth touch electrode, the third connecting part, and the fourth connecting part in the first display region as claimed. Therefore, claim 9 contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art, at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 18 is rejected as being dependent upon rejected base claim.
Claim 10 and claim 13 recite the limitation “an orthographic projection of the third touch electrode and the fourth touch electrode on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the light emitting layer on the base substrate”, respectively. However, according to the specification (e.g., Species B of Figs. 8-11 and 16-19 selected by applicant), applicant merely discloses the third touch electrode 331 and the fourth touch electrode 341 disposed below the light emitting layer 222, but fails to clearly disclose the corresponding structure that an orthographic projection of the light emitting layer 222 on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with both the third touch electrode 331 and the fourth touch electrode 341.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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 of this title, 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.
9. Claims 1-2, 4, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over LEE (US 20220406851 A1) in view of DING (US 20240029629 A1).
Regarding claim 1, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses a touch display substrate, comprising:
a display region (display region comprises a display area MA and a component area CA; Fig. 5 and [0110]) and a non-display region (peripheral area PRA; Fig. 5 and [0110]), wherein the display region comprises a first display region (display area MA) and a second display region (component area CA), the first display region (display area MA) surrounding at least one side of the second display region (component area CA);
the touch display substrate comprises a base substrate (substrate 100) and a display structure layer (display layer 200) and a touch structure layer (touch sensor layer 400) disposed on the base substrate sequentially (Figs. 7, 10, and 12-14);
the first display region (display area MA) comprises a first touch assembly (Figs. 8 and 10; first touch sensor structure), and the second display region (component area CA) comprises a second touch assembly (Figs. 11-14; second touch sensor structure);
the display structure layer (display layer 200) comprises a plurality of pixel circuits (pixel circuits PC) located in the first display region (display area MA) and a plurality of light emitting elements (OLEDs) located in the first display region (display area MA) and the second display region (component area CA);
the first touch assembly (Figs. 8 and 10; first touch sensor structure in display area MA) is located in the touch structure layer (touch sensor layer 400).
LEE does not disclose the second touch assembly is located in the display structure layer. However, DING (Figs. 2-17) discloses a touch display device comprising a display region, wherein the display region comprises a first display region (display area A1; [0065]) and a second display region (display area A2; [0065]), the first display region (display area A1) surrounding at least one side of the second display region (display area A2); a display structure layer comprises a plurality of pixel circuits (pixel circuits 220) and a plurality of light emitting elements (light emitting elements 230). LEE further discloses a second touch assembly (touch sensor 300) is located in the display structure layer (Figs. 2, 8, 10-11, and 17 and [0067]-[0068]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from DING to the touch display device of LEE. The combination/motivation would be to provide an alternative arrangement of touch electrodes of an OLED display device integrated with an optical sensor.
Regarding claim 2, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 1, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the light emitting element comprises a first light emitting element disposed in the first display region (Figs. 9-10; OLED in display area MA) and the second light emitting element disposed in the second display region (Figs. 9 and 12-14; OLED in component area CA), and the display structure layer comprises a plurality of first sub-pixels located in the first display region (Figs. 9-10; sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb in display area MA) and a plurality of second sub-pixels located in the second display region (Figs. 9 and 12-14; sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb in component area CA); the first sub-pixel comprises a first pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC) and a first light emitting element (OLED in display area MA) connected with the first pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC), and the second sub-pixel comprises a second light emitting element (OLED in component area CA), wherein the first pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC) is disposed in the first display region (display area MA); a plurality of second sub-pixels constitute one pixel island (Figs. 9 and 15; pixel island PA), and a distance between adjacent pixel islands (Figs. 9 and 15; adjacent pixel islands PA has a larger distance) is greater than a distance between adjacent second sub-pixels located in a same pixel island (Figs. 9 and 15; adjacent sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb in pixel island PA has a smaller distance).
Regarding claim 4, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the second sub-pixel (Figs. 9 and 12-14; sub-pixels Pr, Pg, and Pb in component area CA) further comprises a second pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC) connected with the second light emitting element (OLED in component area CA), wherein the second pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC) is disposed in the second display region (component area CA), and an orthographic projection of the second pixel circuit (pixel circuit PC) on the base substrate (substrate 100) is overlapped with an orthographic projection of the pixel island (pixel island PA) on the base substrate (substrate 100).
Regarding claim 20, LEE in view of DING discloses a touch display apparatus, comprising: the touch display substrate of claim 1. LEE (e.g., Figs. 5-5 and 8-15) discloses the touch display apparatus, comprising a photosensitive sensor (optical sensor COMP; [0107]), wherein an orthographic projection of the photosensitive sensor (optical sensor COMP) on the base substrate (substrate 100) is at least partially overlapped with the second display region (component area CA).
10. Claims 3, 5-6, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over LEE (US 20220406851 A1) in view of DING (US 20240029629 A1) and further in view of MA (CN 112038373 A).
Regarding claim 3, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, but does not disclose wherein the pixel circuit comprises a second pixel circuit disposed in the first display region and connected with the first light emitting element through a transparent anode connecting line. However, MA (e.g., Figs. 3-10, 12, and 16) discloses a display device similar to that disclosed by Lee, wherein the display structure layer further comprises an anode connecting line (anode connecting line F12), and the pixel circuit comprises a second pixel circuit (pixel circuit C22) disposed in the first display region (first display region including display regions A1 and A21), wherein the second pixel circuit (pixel circuit C22) is connected with the second light emitting element (OLED in display region A1 and A21) through the anode connecting line (anode connecting line F12), and the anode connecting line comprises a transparent wire ([0085]; transparent connection wire). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from MA to the display device of LEE in view of DING. The combination/motivation would be to increase a light transmittance of the component area.
Regarding claim 5, LEE in view of DING and further in view of MA discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the display structure layer comprises a circuit structure layer (circuit layer 210) and a light emitting structure layer (light emitting element layer 220) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 100); the circuit structure layer comprises a first pixel circuit (first pixel circuit PC) and the second pixel circuit (second pixel circuit PC); the first pixel circuit and the second pixel circuit comprise a transistor (transistor TFT); the circuit structure layer comprises an active layer (active layer ACT), a first insulating layer (insulation layer 212), a gate electrode (gate electrode GE), a second insulating layer (insulation layer 213), a source-drain electrode (source electrode (SE)-drain electrode (DE)), a first planarization layer (planarization layer 217), an anode connecting line (anode connecting line CM), and a second planarization layer (planarization layer 218 or 219) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 100) (planarization layer 217), an anode connecting line (anode connecting line CM), and a second planarization layer (planarization layer 218 or 219) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 100); the light emitting element (light emitting element 220) comprises an anode (anode 221), a light emitting layer (light emitting layer 223), and a cathode (cathode 225), and the light emitting structure layer comprises a first light emitting element (OLED in display area MA) and a second light emitting element (OLED in component area CA).
Regarding claim 6, LEE in view of DING and further in view of MA discloses the touch display substrate of claim 5, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein a cathode of the second light emitting element is in a planar structure (alternative limitation, it is interpreted as optional); or, the circuit structure layer (circuit layer 210) further comprises a cathode connecting line (connecting line connected adjacent cathodes 225), cathodes (cathodes 225) of a plurality of second light emitting elements (OLEDs in component area CA) are in a block-shaped structure (Figs. 9 and 11-12) and disposed at an interval (Figs. 9 and 11-14), wherein cathodes (cathodes 225) of adjacent second light emitting elements (OLEDs in component area CA) are electrically connected through the cathode connecting line (connecting line connected adjacent cathodes 225), and the cathode connecting line (connecting line connected adjacent cathodes 225) is disposed in a same layer as the cathodes (cathodes 225) and is a transparent wire ([0180]).
Regarding claim 19, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, but does not disclose the transition area as claimed. However, MA (e.g., Figs. 3-10, 12, and 16) discloses a display device similar to that disclosed by LEE, wherein the first display region comprises: a normal display region (display region A1) and a transition display region (display region A21), wherein the normal display region (display region A1) surrounds at least one side of the transition display region (display region A21), the transition display region (display region A21) surrounds at least one side of the second display region (display region A221), and a light emitting element (OLED Q) in the second display region (display region A22) is electrically connected with a pixel circuit (pixel circuit C22) in the transition display region (display region A21); a sub-pixel density of the normal display region (display region A1) is greater than a sub-pixel density of the transition display region (display region A21). MA discloses the sub-pixel density of the transition display region is about same as a sub-pixel density of the second display region. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from MA to the display device of LEE in view of DING. The combination/motivation would be to increase a light transmittance of the component area.
11. Claims 7, 11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over LEE (US 20220406851 A1) in view of DING (US 20240029629 A1) and further in view of KIM (US 20230259239 A1).
Regarding claim 7, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the first touch assembly (Figs. 8 and 10; touch sensor structure in display area MA) comprises: a plurality of first touch structures (touch electrodes SP1) extending along a first direction (X direction) and a plurality of second touch structures (touch electrodes SP2) extending along a second direction (Y direction), wherein the plurality of first touch structures (touch electrodes SP1) are arranged along the second direction (Y direction), and the plurality of second touch structures (touch electrodes SP2) are arranged along the first direction (X direction); the first touch structure comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes (touch electrodes SP1) and a plurality of first connecting parts (connecting parts CP1), and a second touch structure comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes (touch electrodes SP2) and a plurality of second connecting parts (connecting parts CP2), wherein the first direction (X direction) and the second direction (Y direction) intersect, and a first touch electrode (touch electrode SP1) and a second touch electrode (touch electrode SP2) constitute a first touch electrode unit; the touch structure layer comprises the first touch electrode (touch electrode SP1), the second touch electrode (touch electrode SP2), the first connecting part (connecting part CP1), and the second connecting part (connecting part CP2); the touch structure layer further comprises a buffer layer (layer 410), a touch insulating layer (insulation layer 430), and a protective layer (layer 450) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 100); the first touch electrode (touch electrode SP1) and the second touch electrode (touch electrode SP2) are metal touch electrodes ([0129]), the first connecting part (connecting part CP1) and the second connecting part (connecting part CP1) are metal touch connecting part ([0129]).
LEE does not disclose the first touch electrode, the second touch electrode, and one connecting part of the first connecting part and the second connecting part are disposed in a same layer, and are disposed in a different layer from the other connecting part of the first connecting part and the second connecting part. However, the claimed features are well known in a capacitive touch sensor. As a reference. KIM (Figs. 2-3) discloses an OLED display device including a touch assembly, wherein the first touch assembly comprises: a plurality of first touch structures (touch electrodes 540) extending along a first direction (X direction) and a plurality of second touch structures (touch electrodes 520) extending along a second direction (Y direction), wherein the plurality of first touch structures (touch electrodes 540) are arranged along the second direction (Y direction), and the plurality of second touch structures (touch electrodes 520) are arranged along the first direction (X direction); the first touch structure comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes (touch electrodes 540) and a plurality of first connecting parts (connecting parts 541), and a second touch structure comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes (touch electrodes 520) and a plurality of second connecting parts (connecting parts 521), wherein the first direction (X direction) and the second direction (Y direction) intersect, and a first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) and a second touch electrode (touch electrode 520) constitute a first touch electrode unit; the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540), the second touch electrode (touch electrode 520), and one connecting part (connecting part 521) of the first connecting part and the second connecting part are disposed in a same layer ([0057]), and are disposed in a different layer from the other connecting part (connecting part 541) of the first connecting part and the second connecting part ([0057]); the touch structure layer comprises the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540), the second touch electrode (touch electrode 520), the first connecting part (connecting part 541), and the second connecting part (connecting part 521); the touch structure layer further comprises a buffer layer (layer 430), a touch insulating layer (insulation layer 450b), and a protective layer (layer 470) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 110); the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540), the second touch electrode (touch electrode 520), and the connecting part (connecting part 521) disposed in the same layer as the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) are located between the touch insulating layer (insulation layer 450b) and the protective layer (layer 470), and the connecting part (connecting part 541) disposed in the different layer from the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) is located between the buffer layer (layer 430) and the touch insulating layer (insulation layer 450b); the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) and the second touch electrode (touch electrode 520) are metal touch electrodes ([0081]), the connecting part (connecting part 521) disposed in the same layer as the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) is a metal touch connecting part ([0081]), and the connecting part (connecting part 541) disposed in the different layer from the first touch electrode (touch electrode 540) is a metal touch connecting part or a transparent touch connecting part ([0081]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from KIM to the touch sensor of LEE in view of DING. The combination/motivation would be to provide an electrode connection of a single layer touch sensor.
Regarding claim 11, LEE in view of DING and further in view of KIM discloses the touch display substrate of claim 7, DING (Figs. 2-17) discloses wherein the second touch assembly (e.g., Fig. 12; touch structure in area A2) comprises: a plurality of third touch structures (touch structure 311G) extending along the first direction and a plurality of fourth touch structures (touch structure 312G) extending along the first direction, wherein the plurality of third touch structures (touch structure 311G) are arranged along the second direction, the plurality of fourth touch structures (touch structure 312G) are arranged along the second direction, and the third touch structures (touch structure 311G) and the fourth touch structures (touch structure 312G) are alternately disposed along the second direction; the third touch structure (touch structure 311G) comprises a plurality of third touch electrodes (touch electrodes 311) and a plurality of third connecting parts (connection line 312), and the fourth touch structure comprises a plurality of fourth touch electrodes (touch electrodes 312) and a plurality of fourth connecting parts (connection line 322), wherein the third touch electrode (touch electrodes 311) and the fourth touch electrode (touch electrodes 312) constitute a second touch electrode unit; and the third touch electrode (touch electrodes 311), the fourth touch electrode (touch electrodes 312), the third connecting part (connection line 312), and the fourth connecting part (connection line 322) are disposed in a same layer (e.g., Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 14, LEE in view of DING and further in view of KIM discloses the touch display substrate of claim 11, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the third touch structure and the fourth touch structure (touch electrodes 420 and 440) are symmetrical with respect to a virtual straight line extending along the first direction (e.g., Fig. 11); and a shape of a region surrounded by the third touch structure and an adjacent fourth touch structure is adapted to a shape of the pixel island (e.g., Fig. 11; pixel island and touch electrodes 420 and 440).
Regarding claim 17, LEE in view of DING and further in view of KIM discloses the touch display substrate of claim 7, LEE (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses the touch display substrate further comprising: a filter structure layer (filter structure layer 500) located at one side of the touch structure layer (touch structure layer 400) away from the display structure layer (display structure layer 200), wherein the filter structure layer comprises a filter layer (filter layer 530) and a black matrix layer (black matrix layer 510); the light emitting structure layer further comprises: a pixel defining layer (pixel defining layer 227); an orthographic projection of the filter layer (filter layer 530) on the base substrate (substrate 100) is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of a light emitting layer (light emitting layer 223) of the light emitting element (OLED) on the base substrate (substrate 100), and an orthographic projection of the black matrix layer (black matrix layer 510) on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the pixel defining layer (pixel defining layer 227) on the base substrate (substrate 100); and an orthographic projection of the black matrix layer (black matrix layer 510) on the base substrate (substrate 100) is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the metal touch electrode (metal touch electrodes 420/440) and/or the metal touch connecting part on the base substrate (substrate 100).
12. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over LEE (US 20220406851 A1) in view of DING (US 20240029629 A1) and further in view of MA (US 20240028153 A1).
Regarding claim 8, LEE in view of DING discloses the touch display substrate of claim 2, Lee (e.g., Figs. 5 and 8-15) discloses wherein the touch structure layer further comprises a buffer layer (layer 410) and a protective layer (layer 450) which are sequentially stacked on the base substrate (substrate 100); the first touch electrode (touch electrode SP1), the second touch electrode (touch electrode SP2), the first connecting part (connecting part CP1), and the second connecting part (connecting part CP1) are located between the buffer layer (layer 410) and the protective layer (layer 450); the first touch electrode (touch electrode SP1) and the second touch electrode (touch electrode SP2) are metal touch electrodes ([0081]), and the first connecting part (connecting part CP1) and the second connecting part (connecting part CP1) are metal touch connecting parts ([0081]). Lee discloses a first touch assembly having a structure different from the first touch assembly as claimed. However, Ma (Figs. 4-6) discloses an OLED display device including a touch sensor, wherein the first touch assembly comprises: a plurality of first touch structures (first touch electrode structures 32) extending along a first direction (X direction) and a plurality of second touch structures (second touch electrode structures 32) extending along the first direction (X direction), wherein the plurality of first touch structures (first touch electrode structures 32) are arranged along a second direction (Y direction), and the plurality of second touch structures (second touch electrode structures 32) are arranged along the second direction (Y direction); the first touch structure comprises a plurality of first touch electrodes (first touch electrodes L21) and a plurality of first connecting parts touch electrodes (first connecting parts L22), and the second touch structure comprises a plurality of second touch electrodes (second touch electrodes L21) and a plurality of second connecting parts (second connecting parts L22), wherein the first touch electrodes (first touch electrodes L21) and the second touch electrodes (second touch electrodes L21) are alternately disposed along the second direction (Y direction), the first direction (X direction) and the second direction (Y direction) intersect, and the first touch electrode (first touch electrodes L21) and the second touch electrode (second touch electrodes L21) constitute a first touch electrode unit (e.g., Fig. 5); the first touch electrode (first touch electrodes L21), the second touch electrode (second touch electrodes L21), the first connecting part (first connecting parts L22), and the second connecting part (second connecting parts L22) are disposed in a same layer (e.g., Fig. 5); the touch structure layer comprises the first touch electrode (first touch electrodes L21), the second touch electrode (second touch electrodes L21), the first connecting part (first connecting parts L22), and the second connecting part (second connecting parts L22). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from MA to the touch sensor of LEE in view of DING. The combination/motivation would be to provide an alternative design choice of touch electrode structure for a touch sensor of an OLED display device.
13. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over LEE (US 20220406851 A1) in view of DING (US 20240029629 A1) and KIM (US 20230259239 A1) and further in view of MA (US 20240028153 A1).
Regarding claim 15, LEE in view of DING and further in view of KIM discloses the touch display substrate of claim 14, but does not disclose wherein when the shape of the pixel island is a circle, shapes of the third touch electrode and the fourth touch electrode are circular arc shapes, and shapes of the third connecting part and the fourth connecting part are straight line shapes and extend along the first direction. However, MA (Figs. 4-6) discloses a touch sensor, wherein when the shape of the pixel island is a circle, shapes of the third touch electrode (top electrode L21) and the fourth touch electrode (bottom electrode L21) are circular arc shapes (Figs. 4-6), and shapes of the third connecting part (top connecting part L22) and the fourth connecting part (bottom connecting part L22) are straight line shapes and extend along the first direction (connecting part L22). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of MA to the touch sensor of LEE in view of DING and KIM because it has been held that design and fabrication of sensors in different shapes that does not modify the operation of the device involves only routine skill in the art, which is not a patentable improvement (In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966) and In reDailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966)).
Allowable Subject Matter
14. Claim 16 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The present invention is directed to an OLED display device including an optical sensor and a touch sensor. The closet prior arts, LEE (US 20220406851 A1), DING (US 20240029629 A1), MA (US 20240028153 A1), MA (CN 112038373 A), ZHANG (CN 111752417 A), and KIM (US 20230259239 A1), individually or in combination, discloses an OLED display device similar to the claimed invention, but fails to teach wherein the anode connecting line comprises circular arc connecting parts and straight line connecting parts disposed at an interval; a bending direction of a circular arc connecting part is consistent with a bending direction of the third touch electrode, and the circular arc connecting part is disposed in parallel with the third touch electrode, and the straight line connecting part is disposed in parallel with the third connecting part and the fourth connecting part.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUZHEN SHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1407. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-18:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YUZHEN SHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
Prosecution Insights