`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
` FILING DATE
`
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`
`11/677,651
`
`02/22/2007
`
`Seiichi NISHIYAMA
`
`520.47163X00
`
`1310
`
`20457
`
`7590
`
`07/10/2012
`
`ANTONELLI, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP
`1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
`SUITE 1800
`ARLINGTON,VA 22209-3873
`
`NGUYEN, HOAN C
`
`2871
`
`MAIL DATE
`
`07/10/2012
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`PAPER
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`11/677,651
`Examiner
`HOAN C. NGUYEN
`
`NISHIYAMA ETAL.
`Art Unit
`2871
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTH(S) OR THIRTY(30) DAYS,
`WHICHEVER IS LONGER, FROM THE MAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Anyreply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1)X] Responsive to communication(s)filed on 18 August 2011.
`2a)L] This action is FINAL.
`2b)X] This action is non-final.
`3)L] An election was made bythe applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)_] Sincethis application is in condition for allowance exceptfor formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`
`5)X] Claim(s) 1-6 and 14-19 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`6)L] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`7)X] Claim(s) 1-6 and 14-19 is/are rejected.
`8)L] Claim(s) ___is/are objectedto.
`9)L] Claim(s)___ are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)[] The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)[_] accepted or b)[_] objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`12) The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner. Note the attached Office Action or form PTO-152.
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`13)[] Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`a)L] All
`)LJ Some * c)L] None of:
`1..] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.L] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.L] Copiesof the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`1) Xx Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2) [J Notice of Draftsperson’s Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)
`3) X] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 08/08/71.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`4) CT] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date. _
`5) L] Notice of Informal Patent Application
`6) Cc Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 03-11)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20120328
`
`
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`A requestfor continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), wasfiled in this application after final rejection. Since this
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`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has beentimely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
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`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on
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`08/18/2011 has been entered.
`
`Claims 7-13 are cancelled. Claims 1-6 and 14-19 are pending.
`
`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 madein this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`
`(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in
`public use or on sale in this country, more than one yearprior to the date of application for patent in
`the United States.
`
`1.
`
`Claims 1, 6, 14 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being
`
`anticipated by Leeet al. (US20040008524).
`
`In regard to claim 1, Lee et al. (US20040008524) disclose (Figs. 1-11) a liquid
`
`crystal display device comprising:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 3
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`a liquid crystal display panel 200 configured to havea liquid crystal layer
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`sandwiched betweena pair of transparent substrates having a pair of pixel-
`
`forming electrodes on an inner surface thereof (as Figs. 8-9 shown);
`
`a direct backlight 100 having at least one fluorescent lamp 120 [paragraph 7]
`
`disposed below and facing a rear face of the liquid crystal panel so as to at least
`
`emit illumination light toward the rear face of the liquid crystal display panel;
`
`FIG.7
`
`rolaineng member or
`
`onaecthan arian of frame
`
`an optical compensation sheet 135/133/130 interposed between the liquid crystal
`
`display panel and the at least one fluorescent lamp without at least one of a light
`
`guide plate and an optical plate being interposed between the liquid crystal panel
`
`and the at least one fluorescent lamp; and
`
`a frame housing the liquid crystal display panel and the at least one fluorescent
`
`lamp therein;
`
`wherein
`
`a light diffusion film 130 is interposed betweenthe optical compensation sheet
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`[paragraph 71: dual brightness-enhancedfilm 135 prevents the light from being
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 4
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`absorbed in the lowerpolarizing plate placed on the backlight assembly of the
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`LCD device. Also, the dual brightness-enhancedfilm 135 reproduceslight and
`
`enhances the intensity of light, and the enhanced light broadens the viewing
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`angle of the LCD device, so that unnecessary waste of power consumption is
`
`prevented; thus this behavioris similar to the optical compensation sheet] and
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`the at least one fluorescent lamp 120 without at least one of a light guide plate
`
`and
`
`e
`
`an optical plate 133 being interposed between the optical compensation sheet
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`135 and the at least one fluorescent lamp, the light diffusion film being fixedly
`
`retained on an upperside of a casing region of the frame by a retaining member;
`
`wherein
`
`e
`
`the optical compensation sheetis not fixedly retained on the upperside of the
`
`casing region of the frame by the retaining member.
`
`Claim 6:
`
`e
`
`the retaining memberis a projection portion of the frame or a packing.
`
`Claim 14:
`
`e
`
`the at least one fluorescent lamp 120 is arranged below and facing the rear face
`
`of the liquid crystal panel 200 so asto at least emit light directly to the rear face
`
`of the liquid crystal panelvia the light diffusion film and the optical compensation
`
`sheet.
`
`Claim 18:
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 5
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`e
`
`the light diffusion film is laminated onto a rear surface of the optical
`
`compensation sheet.
`
`Claim 19:
`
`e
`
`the optical compensation sheet includes a prism sheet and a diffusion sheet with
`
`the diffusion film being laminated onto a rear surface of the diffusion sheet.
`
`2.
`
`Claims 1, 6, 14-15 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being
`
`anticipated by Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1).
`
`FiG.?
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 6
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`In regard to claim 1, Lee et al. (US20040008524) disclose (Figs. 1-11) a liquid
`
`crystal display device comprising:
`
`
`
`e aliquid crystal display panel configured to havealiquid crystal layer sandwiched
`
`between a pair of transparent substrates having a pair of pixel-forming electrodes
`
`on an inner surface thereof;
`
`e
`
`adirect backlight having at least one fluorescent lamp 621 disposed below and
`
`facing a rear face of the liquid crystal panel so as to at least emitillumination light
`
`toward the rear face of the liquid crystal display panel;
`
`e
`
`an optical compensation sheet 622c-622e interposed between the liquid crystal
`
`display panel and the at least one fluorescent lamp without at least one of a light
`
`guide plate and an optical plate being interposed between the liquid crystal panel
`
`and the at least one fluorescent lamp; and
`
`e
`
`aframe housing the liquid crystal display panel and the at least one fluorescent
`
`lamp therein;
`
`wherein
`
`e
`
`alight diffusion film 622a-622b is interposed betweenthe optical compensation
`
`sheet andthe at least one fluorescent lamp 621 without at least one ofa light
`
`guide plate and
`
`e
`
`an optical plate being interposed between the optical compensation sheet 135
`
`and the at least one fluorescent lamp, thelight diffusion film being fixedly
`
`retained on an upperside of a casing region of the frame by a retaining member;
`
`wherein
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 7
`
`e
`
`the optical compensation sheetis not fixedly retained on the upperside of the
`
`casing region of the frame by the retaining member.
`
`Claim 6:
`
`e
`
`the retaining memberis a projection portion of the frame or a packing.
`
`Claim 14:
`
`e
`
`the at least one fluorescent lamp 120 is arranged below and facing the rear face
`
`of the liquid crystal panel 200 so asto at least emit light directly to the rear face
`
`of the liquid crystal panelvia the light diffusion film and the optical compensation
`
`sheet.
`
`Claim 15:
`
`e
`
`the at least one fluorescent lamp 120 is arranged immediately under the rear
`
`face of the liquid crystal panel 200 with onlythe light diffusion film and only the
`
`optical compensation sheet interposed therebetween, the light diffusion film
`
`being arranged on a rear surface of the optical compensation sheet.
`
`Claim 18:
`
`e
`
`the light diffusion film is laminated onto a rear surface of the optical
`
`compensation sheet.
`
`Claim 19:
`
`e
`
`the optical compensation sheet includes a prism sheet and a diffusion sheet with
`
`the diffusion film being laminated onto a rear surface of the diffusion sheet.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 8
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all
`
`obviousnessrejections setforth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set
`forth in section 102ofthis title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and
`the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obviousat the time the
`invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains.
`Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
`
`1.
`
`Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee
`
`et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] as applied to claim 1
`
`in
`
`view of Funamotoet al. (US 5949505).
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] fail to disclose
`
`the light diffusion film made of a PET resin material as a major ingredient (claim 2) or
`
`madeof a polycarbonate resin material as a main ingredient (claim 3), wherein the light
`
`diffusion film has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 mm (claim 4).
`
`Funamoto et al. teach the light diffusion film made of a PET resin material as a
`
`major ingredient (claim 2) or made of a polycarbonate resin material as a main
`
`ingredient (claim 3), wherein the light diffusion film has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to
`
`0.2 mm (claim 4) for diffusing the light that is reflected and radiated from light source
`
`(col. 7 lines 13-16), thus keeping within a fixed range for high incidentefficiency or
`
`realizing a highly efficient illumination device in small size (col. 2 lines 60-61).
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinaryskill in the art at
`
`the time the invention was madeto further modify a liquid crystal display device as Lee
`
`et al. disclosed with the light diffusion film made of a PET resin material as a major
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 9
`
`ingredient (claim 2) or made of a polycarbonate resin material as a main ingredient
`
`(claim 3), wherein the light diffusion film has a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 mm
`
`(claim 4) for diffusing the light that is reflected and radiated from light source (col. 7 lines
`
`13-16), thus keeping within a fixed range for high incidentefficiency or realizing a highly
`
`efficient illumination device in small size (col. 2 lines 60-61) as Funamotoetal. taught.
`
`2.
`
`Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Leeetal.
`
`(US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] as applied to claim 1
`
`in view of
`
`Katsuki et al. (JPO02005276716A).
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] fail to disclose
`
`the retaining member being a screw.
`
`Katsuki et al. teach the retaining memberbeing a screw for stabilizing brightness
`
`of a backlight device by improving dimensional precision of cross-sectional shape of a
`
`fixing metal in which edgesof a diffusion plate and/or respective optical sheets are
`
`pressed, without causing wrinkles at the a diffusion plate or optical sheets (abstract).
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinaryskill in the art at
`
`the time the invention was madeto further modify a liquid crystal display device as Lee
`
`et al. disclosed with the retaining memberbeing a screwfor stabilizing brightness of a
`
`backlight device by improving dimensional precision of cross-sectional shape ofa fixing
`
`metal in which edges of a diffusion plate and/or respective optical sheets are pressed,
`
`without causing wrinkles at the a diffusion plate or optical sheets (abstract) as Katsuki et
`
`al. taught.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 10
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`3.
`
`Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] as applied to claim 1
`
`in view of Schultheis et al. (US 20040115352).
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] fail to disclose
`
`the light diffusion film is a flexible film which is bendable, wherein the light diffusion film
`
`has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm sothatthe light diffusion film is flexible.
`
`Schultheis et al. the light diffusion film is a flexible film [paragraph 11] whichis
`
`bendable, wherein the light diffusion film has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm
`
`[paragraphs 21 and 44] so that the light diffusion film is flexible for providing an
`
`adjustmentof optical characteristics with respect to various requirements.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinaryskill in the art at
`
`the time the invention was madeto further modify a liquid crystal display device as Lee
`
`et al. disclosed with the light diffusion film is a flexible film which is bendable, wherein
`
`the light diffusion film 45 has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm so that the light
`
`diffusion film is flexible for providing an adjustmentof optical characteristics with respect
`
`to various requirements [paragraph 11].
`
`4.
`
`Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] as applied to claim 1
`
`in view of TAKAGISHI TOSHIYA (JP 2006-286533).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 11
`
`TAKAGISHI TOSHIYA may be overcome bythe English translation of the application’s Foreign Priority.
`
`Lee et al. (US20040008524)[or Lee et al. (US 20030223249 A1)] fail to disclose
`
`the light diffusion film is a flexible film which is bendable, wherein the light diffusion film
`
`has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm sothatthe light diffusion film is flexible.
`
`me
`
`la
`
`i b
`
`enail
`
`
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`BBs TTT
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`A TTT
`me
`a7]
`f
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`+3
`
`TAKAGISHI TOSHIYAteachesthe light diffusion film is a flexible film which is
`
`bendable, wherein the light diffusion film 45 has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm so
`
`that the light diffusion film is flexible [paragraph 25: dispersion sheet 45 is made to
`
`constitute from a resin sheet of a 1 mm orless-thick thin film, which covers a thickness
`
`no greater than 0.2mm as claim cited] for preventing a display non-uniformity at the time
`
`of blinking [ADVANTAGE in the abstract].
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinaryskill in the art at
`
`the time the invention was madeto further modify a liquid crystal display device as Lee
`
`et al. disclosed with the light diffusion film is a flexible film which is bendable, wherein
`
`the light diffusion film 45 has a thickness no greater than 0.2mm so that the light
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 11/677,651
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 12
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`diffusion film is flexible for preventing a display non-uniformity at the time of blinking
`
`[ADVANTAGE in the abstract].
`
`Conclusion
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to HOAN C. NGUYEN whosetelephone numberis
`
`(571)272-2296. The examiner can normally be reached on MONDAY-
`
`THURSDAY:8:00AM-4:30PM.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Edward Glick can be reached on (571) 272-2490. The fax phone number
`
`for the organization wherethis 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 accessto 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 automatedinformation
`
`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/HOAN C NGUYEN/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`