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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`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
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`APPLICATION NO.
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` F ING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
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`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`CONF {MATION NO.
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`13/353,514
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`01/19/2012
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`Ryutaro Oke
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`HARU—0062
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`2169
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`7590
`“”3””
`J999c99199 AMq —
`c/o Stites & Harbison PLLC
`MERLIN, JESSICA M
`1199 North Fairfax Street
`9 999
`Alexandria, VA 223 14- 1437
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`NM
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`2871
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`NOT *ICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`11/ 13/2012
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/0r 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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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`iplaw @ stites.com
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Application No.
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`13/353,514
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`Examiner
`JESSICA M. MERLIN
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`Applicant(s)
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`OKE ET AL.
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`Art Unit
`2871
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`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`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 CFR1. 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).
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 15 October 2012.
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`2a)IZ| This action is FINAL.
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`2b)I:l This action is non-final.
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`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)|:l Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims
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`5)IZI Claim(s) 1,4 and5is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`6)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are allowed.
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`7)|Zl Claim(s) 1,4 and5is/are rejected.
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`8)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`9)I:l Claim((s)
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
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`* 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
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`htt
`:/'/www.us to. ovI’Watents/init events/mnh/inq'exls or send an inquiry to PPeredback usntqt 0v.
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`Application Papers
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`10)|:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11)|Z| The drawing(s) filed on 19 January 2012 is/are: a)IZI accepted or b)|:l objected to by the Examiner.
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`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
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`12)IZI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
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`a)lX| All
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`b)I:I Some * c)|:l None of:
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`LIZI Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. _
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`3.|: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)).
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`* 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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`1) I] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`2) I] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/OS)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`4) D Other:
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 09-12)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20121107
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Response to Amendment
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`1.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed October 15, 2012. Claims 2, 3
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`and 6 have been cancelled without prejudice. Claims 1, 4 and 5 are pending and an action on the
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`merits is as follows.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`2.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 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 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.
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`3.
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`Claims 1, 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over
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`Takemura et al. (JP 06-043473) in View of Marumoto et al. (JP-202061)
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`In regard to claim 1, Takemura et al. discloses a display device comprising:
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`a display panel 30 (see eg. paragraph [0021]),
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`a tape carrier 37 having a driver circuit 38, and
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`a printed circuit board 36, and wherein
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`a signal from the printed circuit board 36 is transmitted to the display panel 30 through
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`the driver circuit 38 on the tape carrier 37,
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`at least two first connecting portions connect between terminals (i.e. ends of 41,42) on
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`the printed circuit board 36 and terminals (i.e. ends of 40) on a first side of the tape carrier 37,
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`at least three second connecting portions connect between terminals (i. e. ends of 40) on a
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`second side of the tape carrier 37 that is opposite the first side of the tape carrier 37 and terminals
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`(i.e. ends of 32, 39) on the display panel 30,
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`the first connecting portions and the second connecting portions comprise an anisotropic
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`film (see e.g. paragraph [0030]),
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`a plurality of connecting lines 40 formed on the tape carrier 37 connect between the first
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`connecting portions and the second connecting portions without passing through the driver
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`circuit 38,
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`a plurality of measuring terminals 41/42 and a plurality of connecting lines connected
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`between the measuring terminals and the second connecting portions are formed on the printed
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`circuit board 36 (see e. g. annotated Figure 2, attached below),
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`at least one of the connecting lines formed on the printed circuit board 36 includes a
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`branching portion that branches on the printed circuit board 36 (see e. g. annotated Figure 2,
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`attached below),
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`the measuring terminals 41/42 include at least first, second, third and fourth
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`measurement terminals, a constant current is supplied between the first and second measurement
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`terminals and a voltage difference is measured between the third and fourth measurement
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`terminals, and
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`a connection resistance either at the first connecting portion and the second connecting
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`portion is measured at the measuring terminal.
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`The limitations, “a connection resistance either at the first connecting portion and the
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`second connecting portion are measured at the measuring terminal,” and “a constant current is
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`supplied between the first and second measurement terminals and a voltage difference is
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`measured between the third and fourth measurement terminals” are functional in nature. Such
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`functional limitations are only given patentable weight insofar as they impart structural
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`limitations. Here, the display of Takemura et al. may have the connection resistance measured
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`and the constant current supplied between two measurement terminals, and a voltage difference
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`measured between two other terminals.
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`Takemura et al. is silent as to at least one of the connecting lines on the tape carrier has
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`branching portion on the tape carrier.
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`However, Marumoto et al. discloses at least one of the connecting lines 2 has branching
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`portion 2a,2b that connect to PCB 10 (see e.g. Figure I ).
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`Given the teachings of Marumoto et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
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`skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the display device of Takemura et al. with at
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`least one of the connecting lines on the tape carrier has branching portion on the tape carrier.
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`Doing so would provide a means for inspecting a display device.
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`In regard to claim 4, Takemura et al. discloses a common electric potential bus 31
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`formed on the display panel, the first connecting portion is connected to the common electric
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`potential bus 31.
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`In regard to claim 5, Takemura et al. discloses a common electric potential line 42
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`formed on the printed circuit board 36, the common electric potential line 42 is connected to one
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`of the measuring terminals, the common electric potential line 42 is connected to the common
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`electric potential bus 31 on the display panel 30 electrically.
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`4.
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`Applicant's arguments filed October 15, 2012 have been fully considered but they are not
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`Response to Arguments
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`persuasive.
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`5.
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`In regard to independent claim 1, applicant’s arguments, on pages 4—8 of the Remarks,
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`that the previously applied prior art fails to disclose all of the limitations of claim 1, as newly
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`amended, have been fully considered and are appreciated.
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`6.
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`First, applicant argues that the Takemura et al. fails to disclose “a plurality of connecting
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`lines connected between the measuring terminals and the second connecting portions are formed
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`on the printed circuit board.” However, as cited above, Takemura et al. discloses a plurality of
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`connecting lines connected between the measuring terminals and the second connecting portions
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`are formed on the printed circuit board 36 (see e. g. annotated Figure 2, attached above).
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`7.
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`Applicant fiarther argues that Takemura et a1. fails to disclose “at least one of the
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`connecting lines formed on the printed circuit board includes a branching portion that branches
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`on the printed circuit board." However, as cited above, Takemura et al. discloses at least one of
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`the connecting lines formed on the printed circuit board 36 includes a branching portion that
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`branches on the printed circuit board 36 (see e. g. annotated Figure 2, attached above).
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`8.
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`Applicant further argues that the combination of Takemura et al. with Marumoto et al.
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`fails to disclose the limitation, “at least one of the connecting lines formed on the tape carrier
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`includes a branching portion that branches on the tape carrier.” As cited above, Takemura et a1.
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`is silent as to said limitation. However, Marumoto et al. discloses at least one of the connecting
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`lines 2 has branching portion 23,2b that connect to PCB 10 (see e. g. Figure I). The motivation
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`for combining Takemura et al. with Marumoto et al. is to provide a means for inspecting a
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`display device.
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`9.
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`Finally applicant argues that the combination of Takemura et al. and Marumoto et al. fails
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`to disclose “at least one of the connecting lines formed on the printed circuit board includes a
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`branching portion that branches on the printed circuit board.” However, as cited above,
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`Takemura et al. discloses at least one of the connecting lines formed on the printed circuit board
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`36 includes a branching portion that branches on the printed circuit board 36 (see e. g. annotated
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`Figure 2, attached above).
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`10.
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`Therefore, claims 1, 4 and 5 are rejected.
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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`Conclusion
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`11.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this
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`Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a).
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`Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO
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`MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after
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`the end of the THREE—MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period
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`will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37
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`CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event,
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`however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this
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`final action.
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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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`Application/Control Number: 13/353,514
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2871
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`Jessica M. Merlin
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`November 7, 2012
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`/JESSICA M MERLIN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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