CTNF 19/344,652 CTNF 91331 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. All the claims have been examined on the basis of the merit of the claims. Priority The present application is a continuation from application 18/939735 filed 11/07/2024 now patent 12449923 which claims foreign priority benefit from KR-1020230159039 filed 11/16/2023 in Korea. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Double Patenting 08-33 AIA 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. 08-34 AIA Claim 11 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12449923 . Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claim the present application is anticipated by the patented claim . Allowable Subject Matter 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The invention of the independent claim 1 recites the features of “ [ A] display device, comprising: a display panel comprising a base layer, a circuit element layer on the base layer, a display element layer including a plurality of light-emitting elements, and an encapsulation layer on the display element layer, and an input sensor disposed on the display panel, and comprising at least one sensor insulating layer, at least one sensor conductive layer, a plurality of mesh lines on the same layer as the at least one sensor conductive layer, and a plurality of protruding portions on the same layer as at least one sensor conductive layer, wherein the display panel comprising a plurality of light-emitting regions, each of which is a region where light is emitted from the corresponding light-emitting element, wherein the plurality of mesh lines define a plurality of opening regions respectively overlapping the plurality of light-emitting regions, and the plurality of protruding portions having a shape protruding from at least one of the mesh lines into the opening regions, and wherein the plurality of protruding portions comprise: a first protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a first direction among the light-emitting regions; and a second protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is smaller than the first distance in the first direction among the light-emitting regions and has a smaller area than that the first protruding portion in a plan view.” The independent claim 1 is allowable for same reasons as proffered in the allowance of the independent claim 1 of parent application 18939735, see notice of allowance dated 07/02/2025, pages 2-3. The dependent claims 2-10 are also allowable based on their respective dependencies from the independent claim 1. The invention of the independent claim 11 recites the features of “ [ A] display device, comprising: a display panel comprising a plurality of light-emitting regions; and an input sensor disposed on the display panel and comprising a plurality of sensor conductive layers; wherein at least one of the sensor conductive layers comprising a plurality of mesh lines defining a plurality of opening regions respectively overlapping the plurality of light-emitting regions and a plurality of protruding portions having a shape protruding from at least one of the mesh lines into the opening regions, and wherein the plurality of protruding portions comprise: a first protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a first direction among the light-emitting regions; and a second protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is smaller than the first distance in the first direction among the light-emitting regions and has a smaller area than that the first protruding portion in a plan view.” The independent claim 11 is allowable for the same reasons as proffered in the allowance of the independent claim 1 of parent application 18939735, see notice of allowance dated 07/02/2025, pages 2-3. The dependent claims 12-14 are also allowable based on their respective dependences from the independent claim 11. The invention of the independent claim 15 recites the features of “[A]n electronic device, comprising: a display device including a display module; and a power module, wherein the display module comprising: a display panel comprising a base layer, a circuit element layer on the base layer, a display element layer including a plurality of light-emitting elements, and an encapsulation layer on the display element layer, and an input sensor disposed on the display panel, and comprising at least one sensor insulating layer, at least one sensor conductive layer, a plurality of mesh lines on the same layer as the at least conductive layer, and a plurality of protruding portions on the same layer as at least one conductive layer, wherein the display panel comprising a plurality of light-emitting regions, each of which is a region where light is emitted from the corresponding light-emitting element, wherein the plurality of mesh lines define a plurality of opening regions respectively overlapping the plurality of light-emitting regions, and the plurality of protruding portions having a shape protruding from at least one of the mesh lines into the opening regions, and wherein the plurality of protruding portions comprise: a first protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a first distance in a first direction among the light-emitting regions; and a second protruding portion disposed between light-emitting regions spaced apart from each other by a second distance that is smaller than the first distance in the first direction among the light-emitting regions and has a smaller area than that the first protruding portion in a plan view.” The independent claim 15 is allowable for the same reasons as proffered in the allowance of the independent claim 26 of parent application 18939735, see notice of allowance dated 07/02/2025, pages 5-6. The dependent claims 16-20 are also allowable based on their respective dependencies from the independent claim 15 . 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 12-14 are 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEEPROSE SUBEDI whose telephone number is (571)270-7977. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8AM-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 at 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. /DEEPROSE SUBEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 2 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 3 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 4 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 5 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 6 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 7 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 8 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 9 Art Unit: 2627 Application/Control Number: 19/344,652 Page 10 Art Unit: 2627
Prosecution Insights