`
`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
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
`
` F ING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`CONF {MATION NO.
`
`12/153,568
`
`05/21/2008
`
`Mutsuko Hatano
`
`ASAM—0285
`
`7887
`
`7590
`99199919
`JuancaflosAMmq —
`c/o Stites & Harbison PLLC
`BURKHART9 ELIZABETH A
`1199 North Fairfax Street
`9119999
`Alexandria, VA 223 14- 1437
`
`NM
`
`1715
`
`
`
`
`NOT *ICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`07/ 1 5/201 3
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/0r attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`iplaw @ stites.com
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 12/153,568 HATANO ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`1715ELIZABETH BURKHART first“
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS 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 under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`In no event however may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX () 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).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`-
`-
`
`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 22 AQI’i/ 2013.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2b)lX| This action is non-final.
`a)I:| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the 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)|:I Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under EX parte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`5)|XI Claim(s) 1-5,9 and 11 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)IZ| Claim(s) 1--5,9 and 11 is/are rejected.
`8)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`9)|:l Claim((s)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events"
`
`
`
`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PF"I-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|:I The drawing(s) filed on _ is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I 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).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)I:I Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:I Some * c)I:I None of the:
`a)|:l All
`1.|:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in 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) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`3) I] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`
`Paper NOISI/Ma” Date —
`PTO/SB/08
`t
`St t
`I
`D'
`t'
`f
`2 I:l I
`)
`4) I:I Other:
`a emen (s)(
`Isc osure
`n orma Ion
`)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 05-13)
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20130709
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1.
`
`Claims 1-5, 9, and 11 are pending in the application. Amended claims 1-5 and 9,
`
`cancelled claims 6-8 and 10, and new claim 11 have been noted.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1. 114
`
`2.
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this
`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action
`
`has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on
`
`4/22/2013 has been entered.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`(a) IN GEN ERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and
`of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms
`as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly
`connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the
`inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), first paragraph:
`The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and
`process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any
`person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make
`and use the same and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying
`out his invention.
`
`3.
`
`Claims 1-5, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-
`
`AIA), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The
`
`claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a
`
`way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint
`
`inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`possession of the claimed invention. Regarding Claims 1 and 9, “a common electrode”
`
`does not appear in the specification and it is not clear what “common electrode” would
`
`refer to since there are many electrodes mentioned (e.g. gate electrode, drain electrode,
`
`source electrode, etc. (Spec, p. 12-13). Claims 2-5 and 11 depend from claims 1 and 9,
`
`respectively.
`
`Regarding Claims 5 and 11, the second polarization plate does not appear to be
`
`in direct contact with the second oriented film since Fig. 3 shows film 133 CT between
`
`the second polarization plate 134 POL2 and the second oriented film 132 ORI2. (See
`
`also Spec, p. 21, lines 27-28—p. 22, line 1; Fig. 2B, 4B, and 5B).
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`(b) CONCLUSION—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly
`pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor
`regards as the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph:
`The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 1-5, 9, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-
`
`AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and
`
`distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA
`
`the applicant regards as the invention.
`
`Regarding Claims 1 and 9, it is unclear whether “a display circuit” is included in
`
`“the plurality of lamination material layers” since the inclusion seems to end with “and a
`
`second resin material”. Claims 2-5 and 11 depend from claims 1 and 9, respectively.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`Regarding Claim 9, it is unclear whether “a coated resin” and "coating a resin”
`
`refer to the same resin that is cured to form “a first resin material layer” or if multiple
`
`resin layers are formed. For purposes of examination, the limitation is being interpreted
`
`as only a first resin material layer is formed. Claim 11 depends on claim 9.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
`
`for all obviousness rejections set forth 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 102 of this 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
`obvious at 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.
`
`5.
`
`Claims 1-5 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
`
`over Shimoda et al (US 2002/0146893) in view of French et al (US 2007/0091062),
`
`Chang et al (US 2002/0031605), Moon (US 2007/0076151), and Lub et al (US
`
`2007/0024970).
`
`Shimoda discloses a method of making a display device comprising: forming a
`
`resin material layer 2 on a main surface of a glass substrate 1 [0109], forming a plurality
`
`of lamination material layers 4 configuring a display circuit on the resin material layer
`
`[0119], and generating exfoliation at the interface between the resin material layer and
`
`glass substrate by irradiating light from the surface on the opposite side of the glass
`
`substrate [0100] (Fig. 5 & 7). The resin material layer may be polyimide [0109]. The
`
`display circuit includes a polarization plate to form an active matrix LCD (Fig. 36; [0119];
`
`[0368D.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`Shimoda does not disclose using the resin material layer from which the glass
`
`substrate is removed as a substrate for the display device, that the resin material layer
`
`is formed by curing the resin, or the specific layers included in the plurality of lamination
`
`material layers.
`
`French discloses forming a display device wherein a rigid glass substrate is
`
`removed from a plastic substrate after deposition of the display circuits such that
`
`conventional substrate handling and processing is enabled with minimal extra
`
`equipment (Abstract). The plastic substrate enables lighter and thinner display devices
`
`[0002]. The plastic substrate may be polyimide [0068].
`
`Chang discloses that polyimide for a display device may be coated on a
`
`substrate and then cured to form a film [0007].
`
`Moon discloses a method of manufacturing a LCD device comprising forming a
`
`plurality of lamination material layers onto a substrate 10, the plurality of layers including
`
`a thin film transistor Tr, a pixel electrode 36, a common electrode 63, a first polarization
`
`plate 80, a first oriented film 44, a liquid crystal 40 on the first oriented film 44, a second
`
`oriented film 42 on the liquid crystal 40, a second polarization plate 70, a color filter 56,
`
`and a second substrate 50 on the color filter 56 (Fig. 2; [0028]-[0034]).
`
`Lub discloses a LCD device wherein the polarization plates 32, 39 may be on the
`
`liquid crystal side of the substrates 31, 41 in order to allow compensation layers,
`
`viewing angle films, and retarder layers to be accommodated inside the liquid crystal
`
`cell as well [0079], [0081]. The first oriented film 36 may be on and in direct contact with
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 6
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`the first polarization plate 32 [0079] and the second polarization plate 39 may be on and
`
`in direct contact with the second oriented film 38 [0078] (Fig. 6).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention by applicant to use the resin material layer (i.e. polyimide) of Shimoda as the
`
`substrate for the display device as suggested by French in order to form thinner and
`
`lighter display devices. Further, it would have been obvious to form the polyimide layer
`
`of Shimoda or French by curing the resin on the substrate as suggested by Chang since
`
`it was a known method of depositing a polyimide film on a substrate for a display
`
`device. Further, it would have been obvious to include the plurality of lamination
`
`material layers of Moon on the resin layer of Shimoda since it was a suitable
`
`configuration for forming LCD devices and to place the polarization plates on the liquid
`
`crystal sides of the substrates as suggested by Lub in order to allow compensation
`
`layers, viewing angle films, and retarder layers to be accommodated inside the liquid
`
`crystal cell as well.
`
`Regarding Claims 3 and 4, Shimoda discloses forming a barrier layer 3 between
`
`the resin layer 2 and the display circuit 4. The barrier layer may be silicon oxide [0115]-
`
`[0116}
`
`Regarding Claim 5, Lub discloses that the first polarization plate 32 may be in
`
`direct contact with the first oriented film 36 and the second polarization plate 39 is in
`
`direct contact with the second oriented film 38 [0078]-[0079] to allow compensation
`
`layers, viewing angle films, and retarder layers to be accommodated inside the liquid
`
`crystal cell as well [0081].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`Thus, claims 1-5 would have been obvious within the meaning of 35 USC 103
`
`over the combined teachings of Shimoda, French, Chang, Moon, and Lub.
`
`6.
`
`Claims 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
`
`Shimoda et al (US 2002/0146893) in view of French et al (US 2007/0091062), Chang et
`
`al (US 2002/0031605), Moon (US 2007/0076151), and Lub et al (US 2007/0024970) as
`
`applied above and further in view of Kim et al (US 2006/0043889).
`
`Shimoda, French, Chang, Moon, and Lub do not disclose forming an electric
`
`conductive film on the glass substrate and forming the coated resin (e.g. polyimide) on
`
`the electric conductive film.
`
`Kim discloses forming a display device wherein an electric conductive anti-static
`
`layer is formed on a donor substrate to suppress static electricity that may occur when
`
`the donor substrate is detached. The antistatic layer may be ZnO [0033].
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention by applicant to form an electric conductive layer as suggested by Kim on the
`
`glass substrate of Shimoda or French in order to suppress static electricity when
`
`removing the glass substrate.
`
`Regarding Claim 11, Lub discloses that the first polarization plate 32 may be in
`
`direct contact with the first oriented film 36 and the second polarization plate 39 is in
`
`direct contact with the second oriented film 38 [0078]-[0079] to allow compensation
`
`layers, viewing angle films, and retarder layers to be accommodated inside the liquid
`
`crystal cell as well [0081].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`Thus, claims 9 and 11 would have been obvious within the meaning of 35 USC
`
`103 over the combined teachings of Shimoda, French, Chang, Moon, Lub, and Kim.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`7.
`
`Applicant argues that Inoue merely discloses that polarizing plates 420 and 500
`
`are placed outside of an active matrix board and a facing panel and on opposite sides of
`
`the orientation film; and thus would not meet the new limitations in the claims. This is
`
`found persuasive since Inoue does not teach the claimed plurality of lamination material
`
`layers in amended claims 1 and 9. The new limitations have been addressed in the new
`
`rejections above.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH BU RKHART whose telephone number is
`
`(571)272-6647. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 6:30-3:00.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Timothy Meeks can be reached on 571-272—1423. 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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/153,568
`
`Page 9
`
`Art Unit: 1715
`
`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—1 000.
`
`/E|izabeth Burkhart/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1715
`
`