`
`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.
`
`
`12/407,056
`
`03/19/2009
`
`Yuuichi Takenaka
`
`1497.49788X00
`
`6601
`
`20457
`
`7590
`
`07/30/2012
`
`ANTONELLI, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP
`1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
`SUITE 1800
`ARLINGTON,VA 22209-3873
`
`NGUYEN,SANG V
`
`2871
`
`MAIL DATE
`
`07/30/2012
`
`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
`
`
` 12/407,056 TAKENAKAET AL.
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`SANG NGUYEN
`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 under the 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).
`Any reply 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).
`
`1)X] Responsive to communication(s)filed on 02 July 2012.
`2a)L] This action is FINAL.
`2b) This action is non-final.
`3)L]
`Anelection was made bythe applicant in responseto a restriction requirementset forth during the interview on
`___; the restriction requirement and election have beenincorporated into this action.
`4)L] Sincethis 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 Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`
`5)X] Claim(s) 1-13,15 and 16 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) 1-13,15 and 16 is/are rejected.
`8)L] Claim(s) ___ is/are objected to.
`9)L] Claim(s)___ are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`
`Application Papers
`
`Status
`
` U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`10)L] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)L] The drawing(s)filed on
`is/are: a)L_] 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)XJ All
`b)L] Some * c)L] None of:
`1.X] Certified copiesof 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 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) x Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2) [J Notice of Draftsperson’s Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)
`3) [J] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date.
`
`4) | Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date. __
`5) L] Noticeof Informal Patent Application
`6) C Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 03-11)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20120717
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1.
`
`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 Jun. 20,
`
`2012 has been entered.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`2.
`
`Receipt is acknowledged of Applicant’s amendmentfiled Jun. 20, 2012. Claims1,
`
`3-5, 13 and 15 have been amended, claim 14 has been cancelled.
`
`Currently Claims 1-13, 15 and 16 are pending in this application.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which formsthe basis for all
`
`obviousnessrejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the inventionis not identically disclosed or described as set
`forth in section 102 ofthistitle, 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 madeto a person having ordinaryskill in the art to which said subject matter pertains.
`Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
`
`3,
`
`Claims 1-5 , 8, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Park US 2008/0024714 in view of Kanget al. US 2008/0174731.
`
`Claim 1: Park discloses a liquid crystal display device, comprising:
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 1) [0048] a liquid crystal display panel 120;
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
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`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 3
`
`e
`
`a plurality of flexible wiring boards 200 (flexible film package) connected to said
`
`liquid crystal display panel 120;
`
`
`
`e (Fig. 1)afirst drive circuit 250 and a second drive circuit 250 (driver IC) [0063]
`
`provided onsaid flexible wiring boards 200 or said liquid crystal display panel
`
`120;
`
`e
`
`(Figs. 1, 4) a printed circuit board 124 [0049] having wires 231 [0067] for
`
`transmitting an external signalto said first drive circuit and 250 second drive
`
`circuit 250 and connectedto said flexible wiring boards 200 [0070];
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5, 7) said printed circuit board 124 faces an upper frame member110 (Fig. 7
`
`shows PCB 124, driver IC 350 and TFTsubstrate are aligned continuously, and
`
`Fig. 5 shows they are facing top chassis 110)
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 2) said upper frame member 110 (top chassis) being made of a metal
`
`(conductive metal) [0041] which covers an outer periphery portion of said liquid
`
`crystal display panel and said printed circuit board;
`
`e
`
`(Figs. 1, 7) characterized in that said printed circuit board 124 is a member which
`
`is separate from said flexible wiring boards 200; and
`
`(Fig. 5) at least one heat conducting member 113a, 113b is provided on the
`
`surface of said printed circuit board 370 (flexible printed circuit board) having
`
`said at least one semiconductor device 350 which faces said upper frame member
`
`110 (top chassis) mounted thereon [0085] - Examiner’s note: Park teaches the
`
`heat dissipation techniques applied to flexible printed circuit board areas.
`
`However, to a person having ordinary skill in the art, it is obvious that Park’s
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 4
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`teaching is applicable to many types ofprinted circuit boards including a hard
`
`PCBora flexible PCB.
`
`except
`
`o
`
`at least one semiconductor device including a power supply circuit mounted on a
`
`surface of said printed circuit board which faces an upper frame member
`
`o
`
`said at least one semiconductor device is a memberwhich is separate from said
`
`first drive circuit and said second drive circuit;
`
`o
`
`said at least one semiconductor device includes a power supply circuit and is
`
`configured to generate powerforat least one of said first drive circuit and said
`
`seconddrive circuit
`
`however Kangetal. teach
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 1) [0048] at least one semiconductor device including a power supply circuit
`
`325 (power supply unit) mounted on a surface of printed circuit board 320 (PCB)
`
`which faces an upper frame member(Park’s top chassis 110)
`
`e
`
`said at least one semiconductor device 325 is a member whichis separate from
`
`said first drive circuit 310 (data driver ICs) and said second drive circuit 410 (gate
`
`driver ICs) [0048];
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 2) said at least one semiconductor device includes a power supply circuit
`
`325 (power supply unit) and is configured to generate powerfor at least one of
`
`said first drive circuit 310 and said second drive circuit 410 (via power supply line
`
`500)
`
`Park teaches the claimed invention except for a power supply semiconductor
`
`mounted in the PCB. Kangetal. teach it is knownin the art to have a power supply
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 5
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`semiconductor mounted in the PCB to supply powerto the driver ICs and other elements.
`
`It would have been obviousto oneskilled in the art to modify Park’s invention with
`
`Kang's power supply IC mounted on the PCB to supply powerto driver ICs and other
`
`elements to run the circuitry, as taught by Kangetal. [0008].
`
`Claim2: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teaches
`
`e
`
`[0040] the liquid crystal display device has a backlight unit (131, 132, 133, 134)
`
`provided on the rear of said liquid crystal display panel, and
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5, 7) said printed circuit board 124 is provided between a side portion of said
`
`backlight unit (131, 132, 133, 134) and said upper frame member110 (Fig. 7
`
`shows PCB 124, driver IC 350 and TFTsubstrate are aligned continuously on
`
`one side, and Fig. 5 shows they are facing top chassis 110)
`
`Claim3: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teaches
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) said at least one heat conducting member 113a, 113b hasat least one
`
`opening therein
`
`e
`
`said at least one opening being delimited by at least one wall of said at least one
`
`heat conductive member 113a, 113b surrounding said at least one opening, a
`
`surface of said printed circuit board (124, 370) at one end ofsaid at least one
`
`opening, and a surface of said upper frame member110 (top chassis) at an
`
`opposite end of said at least one opening,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 6
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) the surface of said printed circuit board (124, 370) is facing upper frame
`
`member 110 (top chassis) and in said at least one opening of said at least one heat
`
`conducting member 113a, 113b
`
`except
`
`said at least one semiconductor device including said power supply circuit is
`
`mounted on the surface of said printed circuit board facing said upper frame
`
`memberandin said at least one opening ofsaid at least one heat conducting
`
`member.
`
`However Kangetal. teach
`
`e
`
`(Figs. 1, 2) [0048] at least one semiconductor device 325 (power supply unit)
`
`including said power supply circuit is mounted on the surface of said printed
`
`circuit board 320 facing said upper frame member (Park’s top chassis 110) and in
`
`said at least one opening ofsaid at least one heat conducting member(Parks’
`
`opening of heat conducting member 113a, 113b).
`
`It would have been obviousto oneskilled in the art to modify Park’s invention
`
`with Kang's power supply IC from the PCB to supply powerto driver ICs on a flexible
`
`circuit board to keep the circuitry operational, as taught by Kangetal. [0008].
`
`Claim 4: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimedlimitation above
`
`Park further teaches
`
`e
`
`said at least one heat conducting member113a, 113b is provided proximate to of
`
`said at least one semiconductor device (Kang’s powersupply unit 325) including
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 7
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`said power supply circuit that is mounted on the surface of said printed circuit
`
`board facing said upper frame member110.
`
`All elements are knownin the art at the time of the invention. Park teaches a PCB
`
`facing an upper frame member. Kangetal. teach a power supply unit mounted on a PCB.
`
`It would have been obviousto oneskilled in the art to modify Park’s invention with
`
`Kang's power supply IC from the PCB to supply powerto driver ICs on a flexible circuit
`
`board to keep the circuitry operational, as taught by Kangetal. [0008].
`
`Claim5: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teaches
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) one or moresaid at least one heat conducting members 113a, 113b are
`
`memberis provided in a number corresponding to the numberandthelocations of
`
`said semiconductor devices (Kang’s power supply unit 325).
`
`Kanget al. further teaches
`
`e
`
`aplurality number of semiconductor devices including power supply circuits 325
`
`(powersupply unit) are mounted on the surface of said printed circuit board
`
`facing said upper frame member (Park’s top chassis 110).
`
`All elements are knownin the art at the time of the invention. Park teaches a PCB
`
`facing an upper frame member. Kanget al. teach a power supply unit mounted on a PCB.
`
`It would have been obviousto oneskilled in the art to modify Park’s invention with
`
`Kang's power supply IC from the PCB to supply powerto driver ICs on a flexible circuit
`
`board makingthe circuitry operational, as taught by Kangetal. [0008].
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 8
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`Claim8: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teaches
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) said first drive circuit and said second drive circuit 350 (element 250 in
`
`Fig. 1) are integrated circuit parts in chip form (driver ICs), respectively, and
`
`mounted on said flexible wiring boards 370.
`
`Claims 13: Park in view of Kangetal. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teach
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) said at least one semiconductor device 350 ( or Kang’s powersupply unit
`
`325) is located between oneof at least two portions of said at least one heat
`
`conducting member and twoofsaid at least one heat conducting member (113a,
`
`113b).
`
`Claim 15: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`Park further teach
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 5) at least one semiconductor device 350 (or Kang’s power supply unit 325)
`
`is mounted between said two of said at least one heat conducting member 113a,
`
`113b.
`
`4,
`
`Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Park
`
`US 2008/0024714 in view of Kanget al. US 2008/0174731 as applied to Claim 1
`
`above, and further in view of Kurihara et al. US 2002/0048152.
`
`Claim 6: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimedlimitation above
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`except
`
`said at least one semiconductor device including said power supply circuit has a
`
`heat releasing terminal for conducting heat to said printed circuit board, and said
`
`heat releasing terminal makes contact with said at least one heat conducting
`
`member.
`
`However, Kurihara et al. teach
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 1) at least one semiconductor device including said power supply circuit
`
`(Yamazaki’s power supply IC 108, see Fig. | and [0048]) has a heat releasing
`
`terminal 71 for conducting heat to said printed circuit board 42, and said heat
`
`releasing terminal 71 makes contact with said at least one heat conducting
`
`member82.
`
`It would have been obviousto one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the
`
`invention was madeto further modify Park’s invention, in view of Kanget al., with
`
`Kurihara’s heat releasing terminal disposing between the printed wiring board and makes
`
`contact with heat conductive member, to gain the advantage of effectively radiating heat
`
`emitted from the driver IC by attaching a heat radiation member suchas a heat sink and a
`
`heat-conductive rubber thereto, as taught by Kurihara [0016].
`
`5.
`
`Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Park
`
`US 2008/0024714 in view of Kanget al. US 2008/0174731 as applied to Claim 1
`
`above, and further in view of Sagagaet al. US 2008/0062348.
`
`Claim 7: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
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`Page 10
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`except
`
`said first drive circuit is a drive circuit for sending a video signal to said liquid
`
`crystal display panel, and said semiconductor device includesa transistor of said
`
`powersupply circuit for generating a powerappliedto saidfirst drive circuit.
`
`However, Sagugaet al. teach
`
`e
`
`[0054, 0057] (Fig. 1) first drive circuit CHI is a drive circuit for sending a video
`
`signal DL to said liquid crystal display panel PNL, and
`
`e
`
`said semiconductor device SUP includesa transistor of said power supply circuit
`
`(Yamazaki’s power supply IC 108, see Fig. | and [0048]) for generating a power
`
`applied to said first drive circuit CHI.
`
`It would have been obviousto one skilled in the art to modify Park’s invention, in
`
`view of Kanget al., with Saguga’s video and powercircuits delivering video signals to
`
`the LCD panelto gain the advantage of providing better contrast particularly in a color
`
`liquid crystal display device, as taught by Sasuga [0005].
`
`6.
`
`Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
`
`over Park US 2008/0024714 in view of Kanget al. US 2008/0174731 as applied to
`
`Claim 1 above, and further in view of Suzuki US 2005/0024573.
`
`Claims 9-12: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`except
`
`o
`
`said at least one heat conducting memberis formed ofan elastic body (Claim 9)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 11
`
`oO
`
`the height of said at least one heat conducting member from the surface of said
`
`printed circuit board having said at least one semiconductor device including said
`
`powersupply circuit mounted therein which faces said upper frame memberis
`
`greater than the height of said at least one semiconductor device from the surface
`
`facing said upper frame member(Claim 10)
`
`the area of the surface of said at least one heat conducting member which makes
`
`contact with said printed circuit board and the surface of said at least one heat
`
`conducting member which makescontact with said upper frame memberis
`
`greater than the area of the region occupied by said at least one semiconductor
`
`device including said power supply circuit on said printed circuit board (Claim
`
`11)
`
`the surface of the printed circuit board having said at least one semiconductor
`
`device including said powersupply circuit mounted thereon faces an inner surface
`
`of said upper frame member, the outer surface of said upper frame memberfacing
`
`away from said liquid crystal display panel (Claim 12)
`
`however Suzuki teaches
`
`said at least one heat conducting member25 is formed of an elastic body
`
`(conductive plastic) [0051] (Claim 9)
`
`(Fig. 9) the height of said at least one heat conducting member from the surface of
`
`said printed circuit board 15a having said at least one semiconductor device 14
`
`including said power supply circuit (Yamazaki’s power supply IC 108, see Fig. 1
`
`and [0048]) mounted therein which faces said upper frame member2ais greater
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 12
`
`than the height of said at least one semiconductor device 14 from the surface 15a
`
`facing said upper frame member2a (Claim 10)
`
`e
`
`the area of the surface of said at least one heat conducting member 25 which
`
`makes contact with said printed circuit board 15a and the surface ofsaid at least
`
`one heat conducting member 25 which makescontact with said upper frame
`
`member2ais greater than the area of the region occupiedbysaid at least one
`
`semiconductor device 14 including said power supply circuit (Yamazaki’s power
`
`supply IC 108, see Fig. 1 and [0048]) on said printed circuit board 15a (Fig. 9)
`
`(Claim 11)
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 9) the surface of the printed circuit board 15a havingsaid at least one
`
`semiconductor device 14 including said power supply circuit (Kang ’s power
`
`supply 325) mounted thereon faces an inner surface of said upper frame member
`
`2a, the outer surface of said upper frame member2a facing away from said liquid
`
`crystal display panel 3 (Claim 12)
`
`It would have been obviousto one skilled in the art to modify Park’s invention, in
`
`view of Kanget al., with Suzuki's heat conducting member(electrically conductive
`
`plastic) to gain the advantage of providing heat dissipation to the liquid crystal display
`
`device.
`
`7.
`
`Claim 16 is_rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Park
`
`US 2008/0024714 in view of Kanget al. US 2008/0174731 as applied to Claim 1
`
`above, and further in view of Fukusanoetal. US 2007/0188692.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 13
`
`Claim 16: Park in view of Kanget al. teaches the claimed limitation above
`
`except
`
`at least one heat conducting memberhavingsaid at least one opening therein in
`
`which said at least one semiconductor device is mounted hasportions thereof
`
`surrounding said at least one semiconductor device
`
`however Fukusanoet al. teach
`
`e
`
`(Fig. 2) heat conducting member 4 havingsaid at least one opening 10 therein in
`
`whichsaid at least one semiconductor device 3 (Fig. 1) is mounted has portions
`
`thereof surrounding said at least one semiconductor device 3 [0031]
`
`It would have been obviousto one skilled in the art to modify Park’s invention, in
`
`view of Kanget al., with Fukusano's heat conducting membersurrounding the
`
`semiconductive device to gain the advantage of providing a driver module structure that
`
`improvesthe shielding effect while maintaining the heat radiation effect, as taught by
`
`Fukusano etal. [0018].
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`7.
`
`Applicant's arguments with respect to Claims 1-16 have been fully considered but
`
`are moot in view of the new ground(s)ofrejection.
`
`8.
`
`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
`
`Conclusion
`
`applicant's disclosure:
`
`Moet al. US 2006/0132692
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/407,056
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Chenget al. US 2007/0229753
`
`Wuet al. US 2007/0147080
`
`Page 14
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to SANG NGUYENwhosetelephone numberis (571)270-
`
`3421. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:00AM - 4:30PM.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Ed Glick can be reached on (571) 272-2490. The fax phone numberfor 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.
`
`/Nguyen, Sang V/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`/Edward J Glick/
`
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`