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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the application filed October 28, 2025, claims 1-20 are presented for examination. Claims 1, 17 and 18 are independent claims.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), and based on application # 10-2024-0180441 filed in the Republic of Korea on December 6, 2024 which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Oath/Declaration
The Office acknowledges receipt of a properly signed Oath/Declaration submitted October 28, 2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement filed (October 28, 2025) has been received, entered into the record, and considered.
Drawings
The drawings filed October 28, 2025 are accepted by the examiner.
Abstract
The abstract filed October 28, 2025 is accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 15, 17, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoo et al (US 20240365635 A1) in view of Suzuki (US 20250264770 A1).
As to Claim 1:
Yoo et al. discloses a touch display device (Yoo, see Abstract, where Yoo discloses that a display panel of a display device includes emission areas and a non-emission area between adjacent ones of the emission areas. A sensing electrode is disposed on the non-emission area of the display panel. A light blocking member is disposed on a portion of the sensing electrode. The light blocking member absorbs light of a specific wavelength, and another portion of the sensing electrode
that does not overlap with the light blocking member reflects light of the specific wavelength. When viewed on a plane, the light blocking member includes a first part and a second part having different line widths in a first direction) comprising: a display panel (Yoo, see display panel 100 in figure 19) comprising a plurality of subpixels that display an image (Yoo, see paragraph [0109], where Yoo discloses that each of the plurality of pixels may include first to third sub-pixels, and each of the first to third sub-pixels may include the first to third emission areas EA1, EA2, and EA3), a plurality of touch electrodes that perform touch sensing (Yoo, see touch electrodes SEN in figures 8-10 and paragraph [0143], where Yoo discloses that FIGS. 8 to 10, the touch sensing unit TSU may further include the light blocking member BK covering some of the plurality of touch electrodes SEN), a plurality of touch lines that are connected to the plurality of touch electrodes (Yoo, see paragraph [0073], where Yoo discloses that the touch sensing unit TSU (or input sensing unit) may be disposed on the encapsulation layer TFEL. The touch sensing unit TSU may include a plurality of touch electrodes and touch lines. The plurality of touch electrodes sense a user's touch in a capacitive manner. The touch lines connect the plurality of touch electrodes and the touch driver
400. For example, the touch sensing unit TSU may sense a user's touch in a mutual capacitance method or a self-capacitance method), and a dummy touch line (Yoo, see paragraph [0097], where Yoo discloses that each of the plurality of dummy electrodes DME may be surrounded by the driving electrode TE or the sensing electrode RE. Each of the plurality of dummy electrodes DME may be spaced apart from and insulated from the driving electrode TE or the sensing electrode RE.
Accordingly, the dummy electrodes DME may be electrically floated); and a touch driving circuit (Yoo, see touch driver 400 in figure 19 and paragraph [0064], where Yoo discloses that the touch driver 400 may be mounted on the circuit board 300. The touch driver 400 may be connected to
a touch sensing unit of the display panel 100) electrically connected to the plurality of touch electrodes through the plurality of touch lines (Yoo, see paragraph [0064], where Yoo discloses that the touch driver 400 may be mounted on the circuit board 300. The touch driver 400 may be connected to
a touch sensing unit of the display panel 100. The touch driver 400 may supply a touch driving signal to a plurality of touch electrodes of the touch sensing unit and sense a change amount of capacitance between the plurality of touch electrodes. For example, the touch driving signal may be a pulse signal having a predetermined frequency. The touch driver 400 may sense whether there is an input based on the amount by which the capacitance between the plurality of touch electrodes changes and then may calculate corresponding input coordinates. The touch driver 400 may be
formed of an integrated circuit (IC)).
Yoo differs from the claimed subject matter in that Yoo does not explicitly disclose that the touch driving circuit including at least one dummy touch terminal connected to the dummy touch line, wherein the dummy touch line overlaps the plurality of touch lines.
However in an analogous art, Suzuki discloses that the touch driving circuit (Suzuki, see 11 in figure 1) including at least one dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see CH2 in figure 1) connected to the dummy touch line (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1), wherein the dummy touch line (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1) overlaps the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see 30 in figure 1 and paragraph [0032], where Suzuki discloses that in FIG. 1, a plurality of dummy wiring lines (connection wiring lines) 32 provided in the liquid crystal panel 10 are connected to the plurality of touch electrodes 30. The dummy wiring lines 32 extend substantially along the Y-axis direction, similarly to the touch wiring lines 31. The dummy wiring line 32 overlaps the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto, and the formation range thereof in the Y-axis direction is limited to the formation range in the Y-axis direction of the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto. The dummy wiring line 32 is connected to the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto at a plurality of locations. Note that, in FIG. 1, a black dot represents the connection location (second contact hole CH2) of the dummy wiring line 32 to the touch electrode 30. A resistance distribution of the touch electrode 30 is reduced by such a dummy wiring line 32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yoo with Suzuki. One would be motivated to modify Yoo by disclosing that the touch driving circuit including at least one dummy touch terminal connected to the dummy touch line, wherein the dummy touch line overlaps the plurality of touch lines.as taught by Suzuki thereby suppressing the occurrence of display unevenness (Suzuki, see paragraph [0005]).
As to Claim 2:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch lines extend in a first direction (Suzuki, see 30 in figure 6) and the dummy touch line has a loop shape (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 6), the loop shape including a portion that extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction such that the portion of the loop shape overlaps the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see 30 and 32 in figure 6).
As to Claim 3:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 1, wherein both ends of the dummy touch line are connected to a same dummy touch terminal from the at least one dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 6).
As to Claim 4:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 1, wherein a first end of the dummy touch line is connected to a first dummy touch terminal from the at least one dummy touch terminal and a second end of the dummy touch line is connected to a second dummy touch terminal from the at least one dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see 32 and CH2 in figure 6).
As to Claim 6:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 1, wherein the dummy touch line is electrically connected to one touch line among the plurality of touch lines at an area overlapping with the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see 30 and 32 in figure 6).
As to Claim 9:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 6, wherein the dummy touch line is electrically connected to another touch line among the plurality of touch lines in the area overlapping with the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see 30 and 32 in figure 6).
As to Claim 15:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch lines and the dummy touch line are disposed in different layers (Yoo, see TLb and DME in figure 4).
As to Claim 17:
Yoo et al. discloses a touch display device Yoo, see Abstract, where Yoo discloses that a display panel of a display device includes emission areas and a non-emission area between adjacent ones of the emission areas. A sensing electrode is disposed on the non-emission area of the display panel. A light blocking member is disposed on a portion of the sensing electrode. The light blocking member absorbs light of a specific wavelength, and another portion of the sensing electrode
that does not overlap with the light blocking member reflects light of the specific wavelength. When viewed on a plane, the light blocking member includes a first part and a second part having different line widths in a first direction) comprising: a substrate (Yoo, see paragraph [0066], where Yoo discloses that referring to FIG. 2, the display panel 100 may include a display unit DU, a touch sensing unit TSU, and a polarizing film POL. The display unit DU may include a substrate SUB); a plurality of insulating layers on the substrate (Yoo, see paragraph [0113], where Yoo discloses a first
interlayer insulating layer ILDl and a second interlayer insulating layer ILD2); a light emitting element layer on the plurality of insulating layers, the light emitting element layer emitting light (Yoo, see paragraph [0112], where Yoo discloses that the display unit DU may include the substrate SUB, the transistor layer TFTL, the light emitting element layer EML, and the encapsulation layer TFEL. The substrate SUB may be a base substrate or a base member); a first touch insulating layer on the light emitting element layer (Yoo, see paragraphs [0134] and [0135], where Yoo discloses that the encapsulation layer TFEL may include at least one organic layer and may protect the light emitting
element layer EML from foreign substances such as dust. The touch sensing unit TSU may be disposed on the encapsulation layer TFEL. The touch sensing unit TSU may include a third buffer layer BF3, the bridge electrode CE, a first insulating layer SILi, the driving electrode TE,
the sensing electrode RE, and a second insulating layer SIL2); a plurality of touch lines on the first touch insulating layer; a second touch insulating layer on the first touch insulating layer (Yoo, see touch electrodes SEN in figures 8-10 and paragraph [0143], where Yoo discloses that FIGS. 8 to 10, the touch sensing unit TSU may further include the light blocking member BK covering some of the plurality of touch electrodes SEN), the second touch insulating layer covering the plurality of touch lines (Yoo, see paragraphs [0134] and [0135], where Yoo discloses that the encapsulation layer TFEL may include at least one organic layer and may protect the light emitting
element layer EML from foreign substances such as dust. The touch sensing unit TSU may be disposed on the encapsulation layer TFEL. The touch sensing unit TSU may include a third buffer layer BF3, the bridge electrode CE, a first insulating layer SILi, the driving electrode TE,
the sensing electrode RE, and a second insulating layer SIL2).
Yoo differs from the claimed subject matter in that Yoo does not explicitly disclose a dummy touch line at least partially overlapping with at least one of the plurality of touch lines, the dummy touch line connected to at least one dummy touch terminal in a touch driving circuit.
However in an analogous art, Suzuki discloses a dummy touch line at least partially overlapping with at least one of the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1), the dummy touch line (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1) connected to at least one dummy touch terminal in a touch driving circuit (Suzuki, see 30 in figure 1 and paragraph [0032], where Suzuki discloses that in FIG. 1, a plurality of dummy wiring lines (connection wiring lines) 32 provided in the liquid crystal panel 10 are connected to the plurality of touch electrodes 30. The dummy wiring lines 32 extend substantially along the Y-axis direction, similarly to the touch wiring lines 31. The dummy wiring line 32 overlaps the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto, and the formation range thereof in the Y-axis direction is limited to the formation range in the Y-axis direction of the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto. The dummy wiring line 32 is connected to the touch electrode 30 to be connected thereto at a plurality of locations. Note that, in FIG. 1, a black dot represents the connection location (second contact hole CH2) of the dummy wiring line 32 to the touch electrode 30. A resistance distribution of the touch electrode 30 is reduced by such a dummy wiring line 32).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yoo with Suzuki. One would be motivated to modify Yoo by disclosing a dummy touch line at least partially overlapping with at least one of the plurality of touch lines, the dummy touch line connected to at least one dummy touch terminal in a touch driving circuit.as taught by Suzuki thereby suppressing the occurrence of display unevenness (Suzuki, see paragraph [0005]).
As to Claim 18:
Yoo et al. discloses a touch display device (Yoo, see Abstract, where Yoo discloses that a display panel of a display device includes emission areas and a non-emission area between adjacent ones of the emission areas. A sensing electrode is disposed on the non-emission area of the display panel. A light blocking member is disposed on a portion of the sensing electrode. The light blocking member absorbs light of a specific wavelength, and another portion of the sensing electrode
that does not overlap with the light blocking member reflects light of the specific wavelength. When viewed on a plane, the light blocking member includes a first part and a second part having different line widths in a first direction) comprising: a display panel (Yoo, see display area DA in figure 3) comprising a plurality of subpixels that display an image (Yoo, see SP in figure 3 and paragraph [0109], where Yoo discloses that each of the plurality of pixels may include first to
third sub-pixels, and each of the first to third sub-pixels may include the first to third emission areas EA1, EA2, and EA3), a plurality of touch electrodes that perform touch sensing (Yoo, see touch electrodes SEN in figures 8-10 and paragraph [0143], where Yoo discloses that FIGS. 8 to 10, the touch sensing unit TSU may further include the light blocking member BK covering some of the plurality of touch electrodes SEN), a plurality of touch lines that are connected to the plurality of touch electrodes (Yoo, see paragraph [0073], where Yoo discloses that the touch sensing unit TSU (or input sensing unit) may be disposed on the encapsulation layer TFEL. The touch sensing unit TSU may include a plurality of touch electrodes and touch lines. The plurality of touch electrodes sense a user's touch in a capacitive manner. The touch lines connect the plurality of touch electrodes and the touch driver 400. For example, the touch sensing unit TSU may sense a user's touch in a mutual capacitance method or a self-capacitance method) and extend in a first direction (Yoo, see SEN in figure 4), and a dummy touch line (Yoo, see paragraph [0097], where Yoo discloses that each of the plurality of dummy electrodes DME may be surrounded by the driving electrode TE or the sensing electrode RE. Each of the plurality of dummy electrodes DME may be spaced apart from and insulated from the driving electrode TE or the sensing electrode RE. Accordingly, the dummy electrodes DME may be electrically floated); and a touch driving circuit (Yoo, see touch driver 400 in figure 19 and paragraph [0064], where Yoo discloses that the touch driver 400 may be mounted on the circuit board 300. The touch driver 400 may be connected to a touch sensing unit of the display panel 100) electrically connected to the plurality of touch electrodes through the plurality of touch lines (Yoo, see paragraph [0064], where Yoo discloses that the touch driver 400 may be mounted on the circuit board 300. The touch driver 400 may be connected to a touch sensing unit of the display panel 100. The touch driver 400 may supply a touch driving signal to a plurality of touch electrodes of the touch sensing unit and sense a change amount of capacitance between the plurality of touch electrodes. For example, the touch driving signal may be a pulse signal having a predetermined frequency. The touch driver 400 may sense whether there is an input based on the amount by which the capacitance between the plurality of touch electrodes changes and then may calculate corresponding input coordinates. The touch driver 400 may be formed of an integrated circuit (IC)).
Yoo differs from the claimed subject matter in that Yoo does not explicitly disclose that the touch driving circuit including at least one dummy touch terminal connected to the dummy touch line, wherein the dummy touch line includes a first portion and a second portion that extend in the first direction and a third portion that is connected to a first end of the first portion and a first end of the second portion, wherein the third portion of the dummy touch line extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction such that the third portion overlaps at least one of the plurality of touch lines.
However in an analogous art, Suzuki discloses the touch driving circuit (Suzuki, see 11 in figure 1) including at least one dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see CH2 in figure 1) connected to the dummy touch line (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1), wherein the dummy touch line (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 1) includes a first portion and a second portion that extend in the first direction and a third portion that is connected to a first end of the first portion and a first end of the second portion, wherein the third portion of the dummy touch line extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction such that the third portion overlaps at least one of the plurality of touch lines (Suzuki, see figure 6 claim mapping below).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Yoo with Suzuki. One would be motivated to modify Yoo by disclosing that the touch driving circuit including at least one dummy touch terminal connected to the dummy touch line, wherein the dummy touch line includes a first portion and a second portion that extend in the first direction and a third portion that is connected to a first end of the first portion and a first end of the second portion, wherein the third portion of the dummy touch line extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction such that the third portion overlaps at least one of the plurality of touch lines as taught by Suzuki thereby suppressing the occurrence of display unevenness (Suzuki, see paragraph [0005]).
As to Claim 19:
Yoo in view of Suzuki discloses that the touch display device of claim 18, wherein the touch driving circuit (Suzuki, see 11 in figure 6) includes a first dummy touch terminal and a second dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see 32 in figure 6), and a second end of the first portion of the dummy touch line is connected to the first dummy touch terminal and a second end of the second portion of the dummy touch line is connected to the second dummy touch terminal (Suzuki, see CH2 connected to 32 in figure 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 20 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.
Referring to claim 5, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the touch driving circuit comprises a plurality of touch driving terminals connected to the plurality of touch lines, and wherein the first dummy touch terminal is disposed on a first side of the plurality of touch driving terminals and the second dummy touch terminal is disposed on a second side of the plurality of touch driving terminals that is opposite the first side”.
Referring to claim 7, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the one touch line includes a cut at a location that is disposed between a location where the one touch line is connected to the dummy touch line and a location where the one touch line is connected to one touch driving terminal in the touch driving circuit”.
Referring to claim 8, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the touch driving circuit is configured to apply a touch driving signal to the dummy touch line through the at least one dummy touch terminal at a time corresponding to when the touch driving signal is supposed to be supplied to the one touch line”.
Referring to claim 10, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the dummy touch line is cut at a location of the dummy touch line, between the location where the dummy touch line is connected to the one touch line and a location where the dummy touch line is connected to the other touch line”.
Referring to claim 11, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the other touch line is cut at a location that is disposed between the location where the dummy touch line is connected to the other touch line and a location where the other touch line is electrically connected to another touch driving terminal in the touch driving circuit”.
Referring to claim 12, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the touch driving circuit is configured to apply a touch driving signal to the dummy touch line through the at least one dummy touch terminal at a time corresponding to when the touch driving signal is supposed to be supplied to the other touch line”.
Referring to claim 13, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the touch driving circuit comprises: a touch transmitting circuit connected to a plurality of touch transmitting lines among the plurality of touch lines, the touch transmitting circuit comprising at least one dummy touch transmitting terminal from the at least one dummy touch terminal that is connected to a first dummy touch line from the dummy touch line that overlaps the plurality of touch transmitting lines; and a touch receiving circuit connected to a plurality of touch receiving lines among the plurality of touch lines, the touch receiving circuit comprising at least one dummy touch receiving terminal from the at least one dummy touch terminal that is connected to a second dummy touch line from the dummy touch line that overlaps with the plurality of touch receiving lines”.
Referring to claim 14, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the plurality of touch electrodes comprises: a plurality of touch receiving electrodes extending in a first direction, the plurality of touch receiving electrodes having a bar shape; and a plurality of touch transmitting electrodes extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction, wherein each of the plurality of touch transmitting electrodes is connected to at least one adjacent touch transmitting electrode from the plurality of touch transmitting electrodes through at least one bridge pattern”.
Referring to claim 16, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the display panel comprises: a first touch insulating layer on which the plurality of touch lines are disposed; and a second touch insulating layer on the first touch insulating layer, the second touch insulating layer covering the plurality of touch lines, wherein the dummy touch line is on the second touch insulating layer such that the dummy touch line at least partially overlaps with one or more of the plurality of touch lines”.
Referring to claim 20, the following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fail to suggest limitations “wherein the dummy touch line is connected to a touch line from the plurality of touch lines and the touch line includes a cut that is located between where the dummy touch line is connected to the touch line and an end of the touch line that is connected to the touch driving circuit”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Zhang (US 20240370116 A1) discloses a first touch layer including a first touch line; a touch insulation layer provided with a via hole at least partially located in the non-display region; and a second touch layer including a second touch line with different resistance per unit length from the first touch line and at least partially located in the non-display region. Orthographic projections of the second touch line and the first touch line on the base substrate at least partially overlap with each other, the second touch line is connected to the first touch line through the via hole.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON ROSARIO whose telephone number is (571)270-1866. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 7:30am- 5:00pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Eason can be reached on (571) 270-7230. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NELSON M ROSARIO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
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