`
`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
`wwwusptogov
`
`
`
`
`
`12/702,813
`
`02/09/2010
`
`Atsuo NAKAGAWA
`
`1497-50561X00
`
`2820
`
`”72“
`
`7590
`
`07/07/2015
`
`Lowe Hauptman & Ham, LLP
`2318 Mill Road
`Suite 1400
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`
`MERLIN, JESSICA M
`
`2871
`
`MAIL DATE
`
`07/07/2015
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`PAPER
`
`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.
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 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 g 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).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`-
`-
`
`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on AQri/24z 2015.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2b)|:| This action is non-final.
`2a)IZ| 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 C|aim(s) His/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s) 3 and 4 is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6 III Claim s) _ is/are allowed.
`1,2 and 5-7 is/are rejected.
`
`is/are objected to.
`
`
`
`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
` S
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events) .h/index.‘
`
`
`
`
`
`, or send an inquiry to PRI-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`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).
`
`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)IZI 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)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
`
`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)
`
`
`
`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)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date .
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20150629
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA 0r AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`The present application is being examined under the pre—AIA first to invent provisions.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`2.
`
`Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed April 24, 2015. Claims 1—7 are
`
`pending and an action on the merits is as follows. Claims 3 and 4 have been previously
`
`withdrawn.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`3.
`
`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.
`
`4.
`
`Claims 1, 2, 5 and 6 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Tebbit (US. 2008/0068529 A1) in View of Kim et al. (US. 2008/0020150
`
`A1).
`
`3):
`
`In regard to claim 1, Tebbit discloses a display device comprising (see eg. Figures 1 -
`
`a display panel 1;
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`a light transmitting cover 2 which is larger than and separate from the display panel 1,
`
`which covers a display screen of the display panel 1, and which extends beyond at least one edge
`
`of the display panel 1;
`
`wherein the cover 2 includes a frame— shaped printing layer 41/43 which is formed on an
`
`inside surface of the cover 2 which faces the display panel 1 in a state where the printing layer
`
`surrounds a center portion of the cover 2 and a display region of the display panel 1 by avoiding
`
`the center portion of the cover and the display region of the display panel and which extends
`
`beyond the at least one edge of the display panel 1.
`
`Tebbit is silent as to
`
`wherein a coating layer which is formed over the inside surface of the cover covers the
`
`frame—shaped printing layer formed on the inside surface of the cover which faces the display
`
`panel and the coating layer is made of a material harder than a material of the frame— shaped
`
`printing layer.
`
`However, Kim et al. discloses (see e.g. Figure 2):
`
`wherein a coating layer 250 (see e.g. paragraph [0045]) which is formed over the inside
`
`surface of the cover 100. Although Kim et al. fails to disclose the coating layer covers the
`
`frame—shaped printing layer formed on the inside surface of the cover which faces the display
`
`panel and the coating layer is made of a material harder than a material of the frame—shaped
`
`printing layer, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the combination of Tebbit
`
`with Kim et al., would yield a coating layer that overlaps/covers the frame—shaped printing layer.
`
`Further, since the layer of Kim et al. is a hard coat layer, one of ordinary skill would recognize a
`
`hard coat layer has a larger value of hardness than a frame shape printed layer.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Given the teachings of Kim et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
`
`the art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tebbit with wherein a coating
`
`layer which is formed over the inside surface of the cover covers the frame—shaped printing layer
`
`formed on the inside surface of the cover which faces the display panel and the coating layer is
`
`made of a material harder than a material of the frame— shaped printing layer.
`
`Doing so would provide a protective film between the additional layers applied to a
`
`display (i.e. polarizers/compensator), thus preventing unwanted mechanical damage.
`
`In regard to claim 2, Tebbit discloses the limitations as applied to claim 1 above, but is
`
`silent as to wherein the coating layer covers the center portion of the cover.
`
`However, Kim et al. discloses wherein the coating layer 250 covers the center portion of
`
`the cover b.
`
`Given the teachings of Kim et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
`
`the art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tebbit with wherein the
`
`coating layer covers the center portion of the cover.
`
`Doing so would provide a protective film between the additional layers applied to a
`
`display (i.e. polarizers/compensator), thus preventing unwanted mechanical damage.
`
`In regard to claim 5, Tebbit discloses the display panel includes a first substrate and a
`
`second substrate 10,12, one of the first and second substrates 10,12 being larger than an other of
`
`the first and second substrates 10,12, and the cover 2 which is larger than the display panel 1
`
`extends beyond at least one edge of the larger one of the first and second substrates 10,12 of the
`
`display panel 1, the frame—shaped printing layer 41/43 surrounding the center portion of the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`cover 2 extending beyond the at least one edge of the larger one of the first and second substrates
`
`10,12 of the display panel 1.
`
`In regard to claim 6, Tebbit discloses the larger one of the first and second substrates
`
`10,12 of the display panel 1 has a surface which is non—overlapping with the other of the first
`
`and second substrates 10,12 and has an integrated circuit chip mounted on the non—overlapping
`
`surface, and the cover 2 and the frame—shaped printing layer 41/43 extends beyond the at least
`
`one edge of the larger one of the first and second substrates 10,12 having the integrated circuit
`
`chip mounted on the non—overlapping surface (see e. g. paragraph [0015] where it is noted that
`
`the substrate 12 extends beyond 10 in order to be connected with driver interface boards, i. e.
`
`that have mounted IC chips. ).
`
`5.
`
`Claim 7 is rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
`
`Tebbit (US. 2008/0068529 A1) in View of Kim et al. (US. 2008/0020150 A1) and further in
`
`View of Shiozawa et al. (JP 2003-270403).
`
`In regard to claim 7, Tebbit, in view of Kim et al., discloses the limitations as applied to
`
`claim 1 above, but fails to disclose wherein the coating layer which covers the frame—shape
`
`printing layer is disposed directly on the frame— shape printing layer.
`
`However, Shiozawa et al. discloses wherein the coating layer 5b which covers the frame—
`
`shape printing layer 3 is disposed directly on the frame—shape printing layer 3 (see e. g. Figure 2
`
`and paragraphs [0024] -[0025] of the English translation).
`
`Given the teachings of Shiozawa et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Tebbit, in view of Kim
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 6
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`et al., with wherein the coating layer which covers the frame—shape printing layer is disposed
`
`directly on the frame—shape printing layer.
`
`Doing so would provide a means to prevent a cover substrate from being damaged.
`
`6.
`
`Applicant's arguments filed April 24, 2015 have been fully considered but they are not
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`persuasive.
`
`7.
`
`In regard to independent claim 1, applicant’s arguments, on pages 4—6 of the Remarks,
`
`that the previously applied prior art fails to disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as newly
`
`amended, have been fully considered and are appreciated. However, the examiner respectfully
`
`disagrees.
`
`8.
`
`Namely, applicant argues that the cited combination of references fails to disclose the
`
`limitation, “wherein a coating layer which is formed over the inside surface of the cover, covers
`
`the frame—shaped printing layer formed on the inside surface of the cover which faces the display
`
`panel and the coating layer is made of a material harder than a material of the frame—shaped
`
`printing layer.” However, as cited above, Kim et al. discloses (see eg. Figure 2): wherein a
`
`coating layer 250 (see eg. paragraph [0045]) which is formed over the inside surface of the
`
`cover 100. It is further asserted that although Kim et al. fails to disclose the coating layer covers
`
`the frame—shaped printing layer formed on the inside surface of the cover which faces the display
`
`panel and the coating layer is made of a material harder than a material of the frame—shaped
`
`printing layer, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the combination of Tebbit
`
`with Kim et al., would yield a coating layer that overlaps/covers the frame—shaped printing layer.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Namely, Tebbit discloses (see e.g. Figures 1-3): wherein the cover 2 includes a frame—shaped
`
`printing layer 41/43 which is formed on an inside surface of the cover 2. Kim discloses the
`
`coating on inside surface of cover 100, which corresponds to the cover 2 of Tebbit and
`
`applicant's claimed cover. Further, Figure 2 of Kim discloses a non—display area which is within
`
`the region of layer, 250. Therefore, one would recognize that Tebbit, as modified by Kim, would
`
`disclose the coating overlaps/covers the frame—shaped printing layer. Further, since the layer of
`
`Kim et al. is a hard coat layer, one of ordinary skill would recognize a hard coat layer has a
`
`larger value of hardness than a frame shape printed layer. It is further noted that the limitations
`
`requiring a coating layer covering a frame shaped printing layer does not necessarily recite an
`
`order of layers from a specific perspective (i. e. from the display panel or cover). Therefore, the
`
`cited references disclose the limitations of claim 7, as cited above.
`
`Conclusion
`
`9.
`
`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this
`
`Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
`
`Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`
`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
`
`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO
`
`MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after
`
`the end of the THREE—MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period
`
`will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37
`
`CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/702,813
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this
`
`final action.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JESSICA M. MERLIN whose telephone number is (571)270—
`
`3207. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday—Thursday 6:00AM—4z30 PM.
`
`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 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.
`
`Jessica M. Merlin
`
`June 29, 2015
`
`/JESSICA M MERLIN/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`