`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`
`
`
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`12/702,813
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`02/09/2010
`
`Atsuo NAKAGAWA
`
`1497—5056 1X00
`
`2820
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`TYPHA IP LLC
`1819 L Street NW Suite 200
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`Washington, DC 20036
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`MERLIN, JESSICA M
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`ART UNIT
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`2871
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`MAIL DATE
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`12/28/2016
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`PAPER NUIVIBER
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`PAPER
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
` 12/702,813 NAKAGAWA ET AL.
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2871JESSICA M. MERLIN 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 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`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, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
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`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
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`-
`-
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`Status
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`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on October 13 2016.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)lX| This action is non-final.
`2a)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
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`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.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IXI Claim(s) 18 9 1213 and 17is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6 III Claim s) _ is/are allowed.
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`1 8 9 12 13 and 17is/are rejected.
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`is/are objected to.
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`
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`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
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events) .h/index.‘
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`
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`3 , or send an inquiry to PRl-lfeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
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`Application Papers
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`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Z| The drawing(s) filed on February 9, 2010 is/are: a)lZl accepted or b)|:l 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).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)IZI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`b)I:I Some” c)I:I None of the:
`a)le All
`1.IZI 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:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`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.
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`Attachment(s)
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`
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`3) D Interview Summary (PT0_413)
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`—
`4) I:I Other'
`2) D Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
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`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date .
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20161225
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application is being examined under the pre—AIA first to invent provisions.
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`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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`2.
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`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in
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`37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is
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`eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e)
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`has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to
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`37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on October 13, 2016 has been entered.
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`Response to Amendment
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`3.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed October 13, 2016. Claims 2—7,
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`10, 11, and 14—16 have been cancelled without prejudice. Claims 1, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 17 are
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`pending and an action on the merits is as follows.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`4.
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`The following is a quotation of pre—AIA 35 USC. 103(a) which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set
`forth in section 102, 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.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`5.
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`Claims 1, 9, 12, 13, and 17 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
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`unpatentable over Tsuji et al. (US 2009/0086123 A1) in View of Hinata (US 2009/0096763
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`A1).
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`2):
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`In regard to claim 1, Tsuji et a1. discloses a display device comprising (see e.g. Figure
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`a display panel 1;
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`a light transmitting cover 9 which covers a display screen of the display 1;
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`a first layer 10 which is a printed layer 14; and
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`a second layer 11/14;
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`wherein the second layer 11/14 covers the first layer 10;
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`wherein the first layer 10 is printed on a surface of the cover 9 facing the display panel 1;
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`wherein the first layer 10 surrounds a center portion of the cover 9 in plain View;
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`wherein the second layer covers the first layer 11/14 and the center portion of the cover
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`10 in plain View;
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`wherein the cover 9 is a glass cover (see e.g. paragraph [0036]); and
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`wherein the first layer 10 is sandwiched between the glass cover 9 and the second layer
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`11/14.
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`Tsuji et a1. is silent as to
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`a sheet of a touch panel disposed between the cover and the display panel,
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`a polarizer disposed between the display panel and the touch panel,
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`wherein a flexible printed circuit board connects with the touch panel;
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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`wherein an outside edge portion of the touch panel is inside against an outside edge
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`portion of the first layer in plain view;
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`wherein the flexible printed circuit board extends from the outside portion of the touch
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`panel;
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`wherein the flexible printed circuit board has in integrated circuit chip;
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`wherein the touch panel covers the first layer;
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`wherein a part of the flexible printed circuit board covers the first layer; and
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`wherein the integrated circuit chip doesn’t cover the first layer.
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`However, Hinata discloses (see e.g. Figure 7):
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`a sheet of a touch panel 1 disposed between the cover 91 and the display panel 5,
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`a polarizer 81 disposed between the display panel 1 and the touch panel 5,
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`wherein a flexible printed circuit board 33 connects with the touch panel 1;
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`wherein an outside edge portion of the touch panel 1 is inside against an outside edge
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`portion of the first layer 92 in plain view;
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`wherein the flexible printed circuit board 33 extends from the outside portion of the touch
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`panel 1;
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`wherein the touch panel 1 covers the first layer 92; and
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`wherein a part of the flexible printed circuit board 33 covers the first layer 92.
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`Given the teachings of Hinata, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
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`art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tsuji et al. with a sheet of a touch
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`panel disposed between the cover and the display panel, a polarizer disposed between the display
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`panel and the touch panel, wherein a flexible printed circuit board connects with the touch panel;
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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`wherein an outside edge portion of the touch panel is inside against an outside edge portion of
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`the first layer in plain view; wherein the flexible printed circuit board extends from the outside
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`portion of the touch panel; wherein the touch panel covers the first layer; and wherein a part of
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`the flexible printed circuit board covers the first layer.
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`Doing so would provide a means for an external user to input commands into the display
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`device.
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`Tsuji et al., in view of Hinata, is silent as to
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`wherein the flexible printed circuit board has in integrated circuit chip;
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`wherein the integrated circuit chip doesn’t cover the first layer.
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`However, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize integrating the IC
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`driver/circuit chip onto the printed circuit board as art recognized equivalent structure.
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`Further, one of ordinary skill would recognize " wherein the integrated circuit chip doesn’t
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`cover the first layer” as obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention, since
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`it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art (In re
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`Japikse, 86 USPQ 70).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
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`invention to modify the display device of Tsuji et al., in view of Hinata, with wherein the
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`flexible printed circuit board has in integrated circuit chip; wherein the integrated circuit chip
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`doesn’t cover the first layer.
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`Doing so would provide a rearrangement of parts that requires only routine skill in the
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`art.
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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`In regard to claim 9, Tsuji et al. discloses wherein the second layer 11/14 is a
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`preventing—flaw layer.
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`In regard to claim 12, Tsuji et al. discloses
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`wherein the cover 9 has a plurality of corners in plain view (see 6. g. Figures 3-4); and
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`wherein the first layer 10 is printed on all of the plurality of comer in plain view (see 6. g.
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`paragraph [003 7] ).
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`In regard to claim 13, Tsuji et al. discloses wherein the first layer 10 is a frame shape
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`(see e.g. paragraph [0037]).
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`In regard to claim 17, Tsuji et al. discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above,
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`but fails to disclose wherein the touch panel operates with a capacitive coupling method to detect
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`a touch of a finger.
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`However, Hinata discloses wherein the touch panel operates with a capacitive coupling
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`method to detect a touch of a finger (see 6. g. abstract).
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`Given the teachings of Hinata, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
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`art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tsuji et al. with wherein the touch
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`panel operates with a capacitive coupling method to detect a touch of a finger.
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`Doing so would provide a means for providing user input to the display panel.
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`6.
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`Claim 8 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Tsuji
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`et al. (US 2009/0086123 A1) in View of Hinata (US 2009/0096763 A1) and further in View of
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`Cho et al. (US 2009/0091677 A1).
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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`In regard to claim 8, Tsuji et al., in view of Hinata, discloses the limitations as applied
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`to claim 1 above, but fails to disclose wherein the second layer is made of a material harder than
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`a material of the first layer.
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`However, Cho et al. discloses wherein the second layer 211 is made of a material harder
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`than a material of the first layer 201 (see e. g. Figure 4 and paragraph [0038] where it is noted
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`that the hard coating layer is formed over a black matrix layer in order to provide a protection
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`to the layers internal to the display device. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize
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`utilizing such a construction between the display and the cover layer in order to provide
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`protection to those external layers).
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`Given the teachings of Cho et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
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`the art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tsuji et al., in view of Hinata,
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`with wherein the second layer is made of a material harder than a material of the first layer.
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`Doing so would provide a means for providing protection to the internal display
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`components.
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`7.
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`Applicant's arguments filed October 13, 2016 have been fully considered but they are not
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`Response to Arguments
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`persuasive.
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`8.
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`In regard to claim 1, applicant’s arguments, on pages 5—9 of the Remarks, that the
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`previously applied prior art fails to disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as newly amended,
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`have been fully considered and are appreciated. However, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`9.
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`Namely, applicant argues that the cited references fail to disclose the polarizer disposed
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`between the display panel and the touch panel. However, as cited above, Hinata discloses a
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`polarizer 81 disposed between the display panel 1 and the touch panel 5.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to JESSICA M. MERLIN whose telephone number is (571)270—
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`3207. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday—Thursday 6:00AM—4z30 PM.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Edward Glick can be reached on (571) 272—2490. The fax phone number for the
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`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571—273—8300.
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`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
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated
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`information system, call 800—786—9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571—272—1000.
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`Jessica M. Merlin
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`December 25, 2016
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`/JESSICA M MERLIN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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`