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 .
Claims 1-23 are present for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/24/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seomoon et al (US 2021/0319198), hereinafter as Seomoon, in view of Rieutort et al (US 2021/0305350), hereinafter as Rieutort.
RE claim 1, Seomoon discloses the invention substantially as claimed.
Seomoon discloses that a display device (see figures 1&2 and sections [0053], [0055], [0057]; i.e., display device 10), comprising: a display panel including a display area with a plurality of pixels (see figure 2 and sections [0057], [0060]; i.e., display panel 300 including display area DA with a plurality of pixels PX), a hole within the display area, and a hole bezel area surrounding the hole (see figures 2/3/7 and sections [0061], [0062], [0089], [0091], [0131]; i.e., the through hole TH within the display area DA, the hole bezel area NDA/LA surrounding the through hole TH, or the dead space area DSA arranged to surround the through hole TH), a plurality of scan lines extending in a first direction in the display area and disconnected by the hole (see figure 7 and sections [0132], [0133], [0134], [0136]; i.e., the scan lines SL extending in a first direction x-axis direction in the display aera PXA and disconnected/bypass the through hole TH); a plurality of bypass connection lines disposed in the display area, the plurality of bypass connection lines connecting disconnected portions of the plurality of scan lines (see figure 7 and sections [0133], [0134]; i.e., the bypassing connection lines GIp to GIp+4, GWp to GWp+4, GBp to GBp+4, connecting disconnected portions of the plurality of scan lines SL); and a plurality of data lines extending in a second direction in the display area and passing through the hole bezel area, the second direction intersecting the first direction (see figure 7 and sections [0135], [0138]; i.e., a plurality of data lines DL extending in a second direction y-axis direction in the display area PXA and passing through the hole bezel area LA, the second direction y-axis direction intersecting the first direction x-axis direction).
However, Seomoon does not specifically disclose that the through hole is an optical hole.
Rieutort teaches that an electronic device 10 having display 14, comprising of pixels 22 formed in the displaying active area AA (see figure 2 and section [0038]), wherein the display 14 including a through hole 300 (see figure 3 and section [0046]), and that the through hole 300 may be implemented as an optical window that allowing lights or other signals to pass through (see sections [0048], [0049], [0056]; i.e., the through hole 300 is an optical hole). The motivation of Rieutort is to help reducing the overall hole border width (see section [0049]).
Seomoon and Rieutort are combinable because they are from the same field of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seomoon by including the teaching from Rieutort in order to help reducing the overall hole border width.
RE claim 2, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that a plurality of lower bypass connection lines connecting disconnected portions of the plurality of scan lines disposed below a centerline of the optical hole; and a plurality of upper bypass connection lines connecting disconnected portions of the plurality of scan lines disposed above the centerline of the optical hole (see Seomoon, figure 7 and section [0134]; i.e., first scan lines and second scan lines forming staircase to bypass the through hole TH).
RE claim 3, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the plurality of lower bypass connection lines and the plurality of upper connection lines are arranged symmetrically relative to the centerline of the optical hole (see Seomoon, figure 7 and its associated depictions; i.e., the scan lines formed with respect to centerline II-II’).
RE claim 4, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein each scan line of the plurality of scan lines comprises a first portion disposed on a firs side of the optical hole and a second portion disposed on a second side of the optical hole, and wherein each lower bypass connection line of the plurality of lower bypass connection lines comprises a first lower connection portion connected to the first portion of a respective scan line of the plurality of scan lines disposed below the centerline of the optical hole, a second lower connection portion connected to the first lower connection portion, a third lower connection portion connected to the second lower connection portion, a fourth lower connection portion connected to the third lower connection portion, and a fifth lower connection portion connected to the fourth lower connection portion and the second portion of the respective scan line (see Seomoon, figure 7 and section [0134]; i.e., the scan lines forming staircase to bypass the through hole TH).
RE claim 5, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first lower connection portion, the third lower connection portion, and the fifth lower connection portion extend in the second direction, and the second lower connection portion and the fourth lower connection portion extend in the first direction (see Seomoon, figure 7 and its associated depictions; i.e., GIp to GIp+4, GWp to GWp+4, GBp to GBp+4).
RE claim 6, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first lower connection portion, the third lower connection portion, and the fifth lower connection portion are disposed on a same layer and above a layer of the respective scan line, and the second lower connection portion and the fourth lower connection portion are disposed on a same layer and above a layer of the first lower connection portion, the third lower connection portion, and the fifth lower connection portion (see Seomoon, figure 7 and section [0134]; i.e., the scan lines forming staircase to bypass the through hole TH).
RE claim 7, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the second lower connection portion and the fourth lower connection portion are disposed on the same layer as the plurality of data lines in the display area (see Seomoon, figure 7 and sections [0134], [0135]; i.e., scan lines GIp to GIp+4 and data lines DL).
RE claim 8, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first lower connection portion, the third lower connection portion, and the fifth lower connection portion are disposed on the same layer as source electrodes of a plurality of oxide-thin-film transistors disposed in the plurality of pixels (see Seomoon, sections [0168], [0170]).
RE claim 9, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein each scan line of the plurality of scan lines comprises a first portion disposed on a first side of the optical hole and a second portion disposed on a second side of the optical hole, and wherein each upper bypass connection line of the plurality of upper bypass connection lines comprises a first upper connection portion connected to the first portion of a respective scan line of the plurality of scan lines disposed above the centerline of the optical hole, a second upper connection portion connected to the first upper connection portion, a third upper connection portion connected to the second upper connection portion, a fourth upper connection portion connected to the third upper connection portion, and a fifth upper connection portion connected to the fourth upper connection portion and the second portion of the respective scan line (see Seomoon, figure 7 and section [0134]; i.e., the scan lines forming staircase to bypass the through hole TH).
RE claim 10, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first upper connection portion, the third upper connection portion, and the fifth upper connection portion extend in the second direction, and the second upper connection portion and the fourth upper connection portion extend in the first direction (see Seomoon, figure 7 and section [0134]; i.e., scan lines extending x-axis direction and y-axis direction).
RE claim 11, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first upper connection portion, the third upper connection portion, and the fifth upper connection portion are disposed on a same layer and above a layer of the respective scan line, and the second upper connection portion and the fourth upper connection portion are disposed on a same layer and above a layer of the first upper connection portion, the third upper connection portion, and the fifth upper connection portion (see Seomoon, figure 7 and its associated depictions).
RE claim 12, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the second upper connection portion and the fourth upper connection portion are disposed on the same layer as the plurality of data lines in the display area (see Seomoon, figure 7 and sections [0134], [0135]).
RE claim 13, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the first upper connection portion, the third upper connection portion, and the fifth upper connection portion are disposed on the same layer as source electrodes of a plurality of oxide thin-film transistors disposed in the plurality of pixels (see Seomoon, sections [0156], [0157], [0159], [0145]).
RE claim 14, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the plurality of scan lines are connected to gate electrodes of a plurality of oxide thin-film transistors disposed in the plurality of pixels (see Rieutort, sections [0039], [0080]).
RE claim 15, Seomoon discloses the invention substantially as claimed.
Seomoon discloses that a display device (see figures 1&2 and sections [0053], [0055], [0057]; i.e., display device 10), comprising: a display panel including a display area with a plurality of pixels (see figure 2 and sections [0057], [0060]; i.e., display panel 300 including display area DA with a plurality of pixels PX), a hole within the display area, and a hole bezel area surrounding the hole (see figures 2/3/7 and sections [0061], [0062], [0089], [0091], [0131]; i.e., the through hole TH within the display area DA, the hole bezel area NDA/LA surrounding the through hole TH, or the dead space area DSA arranged to surround the through hole TH), a plurality of scan lines that supply a scan signal to the plurality of pixels (see figure 7 and sections [0132], [0133]; i.e., the scan lines SL to supply scan signal to the plurality of pixels PX), a first part of a first scan line of the plurality of scan lines extending in a first direction (see figure 7 and sections [0132], [0133], [0134]; i.e., first part of a first scan line GIp extending in a first direction x-axis direction), a second part of the first scan line extending in the first direction and a second direction, and the second part of the first scan line being routed round the hole bezel area (see figure 7 and sections [0132], [0133], [0134]; i.e., GIp+1 being the second part of the first scan line extending in the first direction of x-axis direction and a second direction of being routed around the hole bezel area DSA).
However, Seomoon does not specifically disclose that the through hole is an optical hole.
Rieutort teaches that an electronic device 10 having display 14, comprising of pixels 22 formed in the displaying active area AA (see figure 2 and section [0038]), wherein the display 14 including a through hole 300 (see figure 3 and section [0046]), and that the through hole 300 may be implemented as an optical window that allowing lights or other signals to pass through (see sections [0048], [0049], [0056]; i.e., the through hole 300 is an optical hole). The motivation of Rieutort is to help reducing the overall hole border width (see section [0049]).
Seomoon and Rieutort are combinable because they are from the same field of endeavor. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seomoon by including the teaching from Rieutort in order to help reducing the overall hole border width.
RE claims 16 and 17, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein a first part of a second scan line of the plurality of scan lines extends in the first direction, wherein a second part of the second scan line extends in the first direction and the second direction, wherein the second part of the second scan line is routed around the hole bezel area and below the centerline of the optical hole, and wherein the second part of the first scan line and the second part of the second scan line are symmetrically routed relative to the centerline of the optical hole (see Seomoon, figure 7 and its associated depictions; i.e., scan lines extending in x-axis direction and y-axis direction to bypass the through hole TH, and symmetrically forming with respect to the centerline II-II’).
RE claim 18, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the second part of the second scan line is in a second layer, the second layer being disposed on the first layer (see Seomoon, sections [0142], [0144], [0146]).
RE claim 19, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the second part of the first scan line includes a first bypass portion extending in the second direction and a second bypass portion extending in the first direction (see Seomoon, section [0134]; i.e., x-axis direction, y-axis direction).
RE claims 20 and 23, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that wherein the second bypass portion is in a second layer, the second layer being disposed on the first layer, and wherein the first bypass portion is in a third layer, the third layer being disposed on the second layer (see Seomoon, section [0134]; i.e., the scan lines forming staircase to bypass the through hole TH).
RE claims 21 and 22, Seomoon in view of Rieutort disclose that a plurality of data lines that supply data voltages to the plurality of pixels, wherein a first data line of the plurality of data lines includes a first part extending in the second direction and routed outside of the hole bezel area, and wherein the first data line further includes a second part routed through the hole bezel area and around the optical hole (see Seomoon, figure 7 and its associated depictions; i.e., data line DL extending in x-axis direction, and y-axis direction outside of the through hole TH and through the hole bezel area LA).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gu et al (USPN 12,660,392)
An et al (US 2023/0172553)
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/FRED TZENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
FFT
July 25, 2026
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