www.uspto.gov
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`
`15/825,554
`
`11/29/2017
`
`KOji MIMURA
`
`20326.0112USW1
`
`1055
`
`53148
`
`759°
`
`02/27/20”
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`NGUYEN” SANG V
`
`ART UNIT
`2871
`
`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`02/27/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`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.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
`PTOMail@hsml.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/825,554
`Examiner
`SANG V NGUYEN
`
`Applicant(s)
`MIMURA, Koji
`Art Unit
`2871
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 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). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
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`1)[:] Responsive to communication(s) filed on
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)C] 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):] 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 Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—11 is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`[:1 Claim(ss)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s—1)11si/are rejected.
`
`) )
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`[j Claim(s)
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`is/are objected to.
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`6 7 8
`
`) )
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`C] Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabte. 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
`
`httpfiwww.usptogovlpatentslinit_events[pph[index.'§p or send an inquiry to PPeredhagk@usptg.ggv.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 11/29/17 is/are: a). accepted or b)Ij 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). 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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`a). All
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`b)I:J Some”
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3.. Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Datew.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20181109
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 2
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`Notice ofPre-AIA 0r AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
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`Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for priority of application
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`PCT/JP2016/001070 filed in Japan on 02/26/2016.
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`2.
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`Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority of application JP 2015—
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`110546 filed in Japan on 05/29/2015.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 US C § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the
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`basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless ,
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`(a)(l) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or
`otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 US. C. 102 and
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`103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U. S. C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory
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`basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied
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`upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`3.
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`Claims 1, 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated
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`by Matsuyama et al. US Pat. 6469765.
`
`
`Claim 1: Matsuyama et al. disclose a liquid crystal display device comprising:
`
`0
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`(Fig. 15) [C01, 23, line 51] a first substrate 800 including a first display electrode 310
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`(pixel electrode) and a second display electrode 430 (common electrode) that is disposed
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 3
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`opposite the first display electrode 300 with an insulator 812 interposed between the first
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`display electrode 310 and the second display electrode 430;
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`a second substrate 900 disposed opposite the first substrate 800; and
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`a liquid crystal layer 1000 disposed between the first substrate 800 and the second
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`substrate 900,
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`wherein in each pixel,
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`the first display electrode 310 (pixel electrode) includes a plurality of first openings 314
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`(parallelogram shaped openings), and
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`the second display electrode 430 includes a plurality of second openings 436
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`(parallelogram shaped openings) disposed corresponding to positions of the plurality of
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`first openings 314.
`
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`Claim 2: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
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`Matsuyama et al. disclose
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`Claim 2: (Figs. 9, 10) [C01, 21, line 51] at least a part in each of the plurality of second
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`openings (openings of 300) overlaps with an electrode portion (410) between the two first
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`openings (openings of 410) adjacent to each other in the first display electrode 410 in
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`planar View;
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`Claim 4: (Fig. 15) [C01, 23, line 51] the plurality of second openings 436 are arranged in
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`a direction (X—direction) orthogonal to a long direction (Y—direction) of the first opening
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`314
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`Claim 7: (Fig. 15) [C01, 23, line 51] each of the plurality of first openings 314 is formed
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`into a rectangular shape, and each of the plurality of second openings 436 is formed into
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 4
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`one of a square shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a rhombic shape, a
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`polygonal shape, a circular shape, and an elliptic shape (parallelogram shaped openings)
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`Claim 8: (Fig. 10) one of the first display electrode and the second display electrode
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`(410) is disposed in a lower layer, and another one of the first display electrode and the
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`second display electrode (300) is disposed in an upper layer with the insulator 812
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`interposed between the first display electrode and the second display electrode 410/300
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`Claim 10: (Fig. 15) [C01, 23, line 51] one of the first display electrode and the second
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`display electrode is a pixel electrode 310 (pixel electrode), and another one of the first
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`display electrode and the second display electrode is a common electrode 430 (common
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`electrode
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`Claim Rejections - 35 US C § 103
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness
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`rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not
`identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the
`prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective
`filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed
`invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
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`In the event the determination ofthe status of the application as subject to AIA 35 US. C.
`
`102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 US. C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
`the same under either status.
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`4.
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`Claim 3 is reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuyama et al.
`
`US Pat. 6469765 in View of Hirosawa US 2015/0185578.
`
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`Claim 3: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
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`Hirosawa teaches
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 5
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`0
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`(Figs. 2, 4) a whole opening region in each of the plurality of second openings CH (PEl)
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`overlaps with each of the plurality of first openings CH (CEl) in planar view [0020—
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`0021]
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Hirosawa’s electrode structure to provide wide viewing angle to a display device,
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`as taught by Hirosawa [0003].
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`5.
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`Claims 3 and 5 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Matsuyama et al. US Pat. 6469765 in View of Matsushima US 2014/0118639.
`
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`Claim 3: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
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`Matsushima teaches
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`0
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`(Fig. 10) a whole opening region in each of the plurality of second openings S (slit of
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`31B COM) overlaps with each of the plurality of first openings 50 (slit of 31A PIX) (Fig.
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`9) in planar view [0104 - 0105]
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Yamazaki’ s electrode structure to provide improved response time to a display
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`device, as taught by Yamazaki et al. [Abstract].
`
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`Claim 5: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
`
`Matsushima teaches
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`0
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`(Fig. 8B) the plurality of second openings 50 (horizontal opening of common electrode
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`31B) are arranged in a long direction of the first opening 50 (pixel electrode 31A includes
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`a vertical opening in the center) (Fig. 8A) [0094]
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 6
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Yamazaki’ s electrode structure to provide improved response time to a display
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`device, as taught by Yamazaki et al. [Abstract].
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`6.
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`Claims 6, 9 and 11 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Matsuyama et al. US Pat. 6469765 in View of Yamazaki et al. US 2011/0134345.
`
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`Claim 6: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
`
`Matsuyama et al. disclose
`
`0
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`(Fig. 15) [C01, 23, line 51] in each of the plurality of second openings 436, a width (436)
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`in a first direction (X—direction) that is of a direction in which the plurality of first
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`openings 314 are arranged is (essentially) equal to a width (310) in the first direction (X—
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`direction) of an electrode portion 310 between the two first openings adjacent to each
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`other 436/436 or a width in the first direction of the first opening 314
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`except
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`0
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`the width of the second openings is equal to the width of the first electrode
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`however Yamazaki et al. teach
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`0
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`(Fig. 3B) the width of the second openings 310 (slit) is equal to the width W1 of the first
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`electrode 303 [0081].
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Yamazaki’s electrode structure to provide improved response time to a display
`
`device, as taught by Yamazaki et al. [Abstract].
`
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`Claim 9: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Yamazaki et al. teach
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`Page 7
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`0
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`at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate includes a projection (spacer
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`and alignment film) that controls alignment of liquid crystal [0091].
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Yamazaki’ s electrode structure to provide improved response time to a display
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`device, as taught by Yamazaki et al. [Abstract].
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`Claim 11: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
`
`Yamazaki et al. teach
`
`0
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`(Fig. 3A/3B) the plurality of first openings 310 (horizontal slits) are disposed in parallel
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`to each other, and the plurality of first openings 310 (horizontal slits) are disposed such
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`that a long direction of the first opening (horizontal slits) is parallel to a short direction
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`(X—direction) of the pixel 301 [0078-0081].
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
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`invention with Yamazaki’ s electrode structure to provide improved response time to a display
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`device, as taught by Yamazaki et al. [Abstract].
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`Conclusion
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`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
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`disclosure:
`
`Matsumori US 2011/0051064
`
`Yoshida US 2015/0177571
`
`Cheng US 2015/0372016
`
`Yoso US 2016/0306231
`
`Matsumori US 2015/0160520
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 8
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to SANG NGUYEN Whose telephone number is (571)270—3421.
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`The examiner can normally be reached on 7:00AM — 4:30PM.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Ed 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.
`
`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.
`
`/SANG V NGUYEN/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`