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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Double Patenting
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.
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Claim 1 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A).
Claim 1 of this application
claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457
1. A display device comprising:
a first data line group disposed in a fan-out area and including a plurality of first data lines extending to a display area;
a second data line group disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines extending to the display area;
a plurality of pixels disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group,
wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality, and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice.
1. display device comprising:
a first data line group disposed in a fan-out area and including a plurality of first data lines extending to a display area adjacent to the fan-out area;
a second data line group disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines extending to the display area adjacent to the fan-out area;
a plurality of pixels disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group,
wherein the dummy pattern is in a floating state,
wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality, and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is integrally formed as a single unitary indivisible part.
As can be seen from the above comparison, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 teaches each feature of claim 1 of this instant invention except the feature “wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice”.
However, the differentiating feature is not new in the related art.
Hu, for instance, teaches in Fig. 5 wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns (i.e., guide lines 23) is bent at least twice.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to modify the technique of claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 with Hu’s technique, which is a matter of design choice in terms of mitigating phenomenon of non-uniform brightness of the display area edge that affects the quality of the display panel.
Claim 2 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 4 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 4 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 9 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 8 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 8 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 10 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 9 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 11 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 10 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 10 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 12 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 13 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 12 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) because it recites the same features in claim 12 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457.
Claim 20 is rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 (resulting from APP. NO. 17/992,374) in view of Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A), and further in view of Lee et al. (US 2019/0318690 A1).
Claim 20 of this application
claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457
20. An electronic device comprising:
a processer;
a display device configured to display an image under control of the processer,
wherein the display device comprises:
a first data line group disposed in a fan-out area and including a plurality of first data lines extending to a display area;
a second data line group disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines extending to the display area;
a plurality of pixels disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group
wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality, and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice.
18. An electronic device comprising a display device, wherein the display device comprises:
a first data line group disposed in a fan-out area and including a plurality of first data lines extending to a display area adjacent to the fan-out area;
a second data line group disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines extending to the display area adjacent to the fan-out area;
a plurality of pixels disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group,
wherein the dummy pattern is insulated from surrounding conductors, and no voltage is applied to the dummy pattern, wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality, and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is integrally formed as a single unitary indivisible part.
As can be seen from the above comparison, claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 expressly and implicitly teaches each feature of claim 20 (Note: a display device is necessarily configured to display an image under control of a processor) except that
1) a processor comprised in the electronic device; and
2) each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice.
the differentiating feature 2) is not new in the related art.
Hu, for instance, teaches in Fig. 5 wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns (i.e., guide lines 23) is bent at least twice.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to modify the technique of claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 with Hu’s technique, which is a matter of design choice in terms of mitigating phenomenon of non-uniform brightness of the display area edge that affects the quality of the display panel.
the differentiating feature 1) is also not new in the related art.
It is noted that according to the original disclosure of this application, i.e., para. [0083], a processor is a timing controller for controlling operations of the scan driver SDV, the data drivers DDV, and the emission driver ED. However, it is not new including a processor (timing controller) in a display device.
Lee, for instance, teaches in Fig. 4 an electronic device 9 comprises a processor/timing controller 11 for controlling image displaying of the display panel.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to combine Lee’s technique with the technique of claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 by including a processor/timing controller in the electronic device of claim 18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,543,457 to enable an operation of the electronic device.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4, 9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A).
Regarding claim 1, Hu teaches a display device (Fig. 7: display panel 70; Page 2: “the aim of the invention is to provide an array substrate and manufacturing method thereof and display panel”) comprising:
a first data line group (Fig. 5: first conductor pattern 22B from left) disposed in a fan-out area (Fig. 5: fan-out area B) and including a plurality of first data lines (Fig. 5: multiple lead wires 22 in first conductor pattern 22B from left) extending to a display area (Fig. 5: display area A);
a second data line group (Fig. 5: second group of conductor pattern 22B from left) disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines (Fig. 5: multiple lead wires 22 in second conductor pattern 22B from left) extending to the display area;
a plurality of pixels (Fig. 5: pixels, not shown, in display area A) disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern (Fig. 5: guide wire 23 between two second conductor patterns 22B from left) disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group,
wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality (Fig. 5: a plurality of guide wire 23 between two conductor patterns 22B from left), and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice (Fig. 5: each guide wire 23 is bent at least twice).
Regarding claim 2, Hu further teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first data lines extend radially in the fan-out area toward the display area (Fig. 5), and the second data lines extend radially in the fan-out area toward the display area (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Hu further teaches the display device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of dummy patterns is disposed adjacent to a first first data line (Fig. 5: lead wire 22 on right edge of first conductor pattern 22B from left) adjacent to the second data line group among the first data lines and adjacent to a first second data line (Fig. 5: lead wire 22 on left edge of second conductor pattern 22B from left) adjacent to the first data line group among the second data lines.
Regarding claim 9, Hu further teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dummy patterns is insulated from surrounding conductors (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 12, Hu further teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dummy patterns is disposed in a layer different from a layer in which the first and second data lines are disposed (Page 5, 2nd paragraph: “lead 22 set on the substrate 21, the wire 22 is provided with an insulating layer (not shown), an insulating layer covering the conductor 22 and the surrounding area, the guide line 23 is provided on the insulating layer”).
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 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) in view of Xu (WO 2022/036910, to which US 2022/0199649 is equivalent; the latter being used for this examination).
Regarding claim 10, Hu further teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of dummy patterns is disposed in a same layer as the first and second data lines.
Xu, however, teaches in [0063] and [0065] wherein the plurality of dummy patterns is disposed in a same layer as the first and second data lines ([0063]: "In the present embodiment, the metal lines 200 and the floating metal lines 300 are arranged in the same layer"; [0065]: "the floating metal lines 300 comprise a plurality of first-layer metal lines arranged in the same layer as the first metal lines 201").
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to modify the technique of Hu with Xu’s technique disposing the plurality of dummy patterns in a same layer as the first and second data lines to simplify the manufacturing process and save manufacturing cost.
Regarding claim 11, Hu in view of Xu further teach the display device of claim 10, further comprising:
a substrate (Hu: Fig. 7, first substrate 71); and
an insulating layer (Hu: 2nd paragraph of Page 5, “an insulating layer covering the conductor 22 and the surrounding area”) disposed on the substrate,
wherein
the plurality of dummy patterns and the first and second data lines are directly disposed on the substrate (Xu: [0063], "In the present embodiment, the metal lines 200 and the floating metal lines 300 are arranged in the same layer"; [0065], "the floating metal lines 300 comprise a plurality of first-layer metal lines arranged in the same layer as the first metal lines 201"), and
the insulating layer is disposed on the plurality of dummy patterns and the first and second data lines.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu et al. (CN 110061012 A) in view of Lee et al. (US 2019/0318690 A1).
Regarding claim 20, Hu teaches an electronic device comprising:
a display device (Fig. 7: display panel 70; Page 2: “the aim of the invention is to provide an array substrate and manufacturing method thereof and display panel”) configured to display an image under control of the processer,
wherein the display device comprises:
a first data line group (Fig. 5: first conductor pattern 22B from left) disposed in a fan-out area (Fig. 5: fan-out area B) and including a plurality of first data lines (Fig. 5: multiple lead wires 22 in first conductor pattern 22B from left) extending to a display area (Fig. 5: display area A);
a second data line group (Fig. 5: second group of conductor pattern 22B from left) disposed in the fan-out area and including a plurality of second data lines (Fig. 5: multiple lead wires 22 in second conductor pattern 22B from left) extending to the display area;
a plurality of pixels (Fig. 5: pixels, not shown, in display area A) disposed in the display area and connected to the first and second data lines; and
a dummy pattern (Fig. 5: guide wire 23 between two second conductor patterns 22B from left) disposed in the fan-out area between the first data line group and the second data line group,
wherein the dummy pattern is provided in plurality (Fig. 5: a plurality of guide wire 23 between two conductor patterns 22B from left), and
wherein each of a plurality of dummy patterns is bent at least twice (Fig. 5: each guide wire 23 is bent at least twice).
Hu does not expressly teach the electronic device comprising a processor (Note: according to the original disclosure of this application, i.e., para. [0083], a processor is a timing controller for controlling operations of the scan driver SDV, the data drivers DDV, and the emission driver ED). However, it is not new including a processor (timing controller) in a display device.
Lee, for instance, teaches in Fig. 4 an electronic device 9 comprises a processor/timing controller 11 for controlling image displaying of the display panel.
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art to combine Lee’s technique with Hu’s technique to include a processor/timing controller in Hu’s electronic device to enable an operation of the electronic device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18-19 are allowed.
Claim 18 is allowed primarily because the prior art does not sufficiently teach or suggest the claimed invention as a whole with regard to the feature “wherein the dummy pattern extends parallel to a first first data line adjacent to the second data line group among the first data lines and adjacent to a first second data line adjacent to the first data line group among the second data line” (emphasis added). In the exemplary closest prior art, Hu teaches other feature (in substantially the same rationale as applied to claim 1) except the differentiating feature. It is rendered not obvious to further modify the technique of Hu to achieve the instant invention.
Claim 19 is allowed because it depends on claim 18
Claims 3, 5-8 and 13-17 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2016/0197127 by Park et al. discloses in Fig. 6 dummy patterns 500 in a fan-out area of a display.
US 2019/0229160 by Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 8 dummy active patterns DACT in rectangular shapes disposed in a fan-out area of a display and in [0176] “the dummy active pattern DACT may have various other shapes. For example, the dummy active pattern DACT may be shaped as a polygon, a circle, a semicircle, a half ellipse, etc.”. However, the dummy active patterns are not disposed between two data line groups.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XUEMEI ZHENG whose telephone number is (571)272-1434. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:30 pm-6:00 pm.
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, Benjamin Lee can be reached at 571-272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/XUEMEI ZHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
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