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°
`
`06/10/20”
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`NGUYEN” SANG V
`
`ART UNIT
`2871
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`06/10/2019
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`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)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/825,554
`Examiner
`SANG v NGUYEN
`
`Applicant(s)
`MIM U RA, Koji
`Art Unit
`2871
`
`AIA (FITF) 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 05/28/19.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a). This action is FINAL.
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`2b) C] This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] 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.
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`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 and 4—13 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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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) 1 and 4—13 is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
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`6 7
`
`8
`
`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. 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
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`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)D 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
`
`b)D Some**
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`C)D 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.
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`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 Date m.
`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 201905311
`
`

`

`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 the amendment filed on 05/28/19. Claims 1 and 4—6 have
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`been amended; new claims 12 and 13 have been added; and claims 2 and 3 have been cancelled.
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`Currently claims 1, 4—13 are pending.
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`This Action is made Final.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 US C § 103
`
`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 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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`2.
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`Claims 1, 4, 7, 8, 10 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 It0u US 2011/0222009.
`
`m: 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, solid lines) and a second display electrode 430 (common electrode,
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`broken lines) that is disposed opposite the first display electrode 300 with an insulator
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 3
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`812 interposed between the first display electrode 310 and the second display electrode
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`430;
`
`o
`
`o
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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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`0 wherein in each pixel,
`
`o
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`the first display electrode 310 (pixel electrode) includes a plurality of ‘first openings’ 3 l4
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`(parallelogram shaped openings), and
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`o
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`the second display electrode 430 includes a plurality of ‘second openings’ 436 (broken—
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`line openings) [Col. 23, line 5 9] disposed corresponding to positions of the plurality of
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`first openings 3 l4
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`0
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`(Fig. 15) the plurality of ‘first openings’ 3 14 have a third opening (314) and a fourth
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`opening (314) adjacent to the third opening,
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`0
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`the third opening (314) and the fourth opening (314) are arranged in a first direction
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`(adjacent openings 3 14 are arranged in a first direction parallel to gate line 100),
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`the plurality of ‘second openings’ 436 have a fifth opening (436),
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`the fifth opening (436) is disposed between the third opening (314) and the fourth
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`opening (314) in planar View,
`
`o
`
`o
`
`except
`
`0
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`the fifth opening is disposed such that a center line of the width of the fifth opening in the
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`first direction deViates from a center line of the width of an electrode portion of the first
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`display electrode between the third opening and the fourth opening in planar View
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`however Itou further teaches
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 4
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`(Figs. 8, 10) the fifth opening SL (slits of common electrode 7) [0076] is disposed such
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`that a center line of the width of the fifth opening SL in the first direction (parallel to gate
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`line 11) deviates from a center line of the width of an electrode portion (6) of the first
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`display electrode 6 (pixel electrode) [0077] between the third opening DH and the fourth
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`opening DH (openings of two pixel electrode 6) [0078] in planar view
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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 Itou’s electrode structure to provide improved performance such as high image
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`quality, brightness, contrast ratio, and viewing angle characteristics to a display device, as taught
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`by Itou [0005].
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`Claims 4 7 8 10: Matsuyama et al. disclose as above
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`Matsuyama et al. disclose
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`Claim 4: (Fig. 15) [C01 23, line 51] the plurality of ‘second openings’ 436 have a sixth
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`opening (436), and the fifth opening (436) and the sixth opening (436) are arranged in the
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`first direction (parallel to gate line 100)
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`Claim 7: (Fig. 9) each of the plurality of first openings 304 is formed into a rectangular
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`shape, and each of the plurality of second openings 416 is formed into one of a square
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`shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, a rhombic shape, a polygonal shape, a
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`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
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 5
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`0 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.3
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`3.
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`Claims 5, 12 and 13 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Matsuyama et al. US Pat. 6469765, Itou US 2011/0222009 as applied to claim 1 above, and
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`further in view of Matsushima US 2014/0118639.
`
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`Claim 5: Matsuyama et a1. disclose as above
`
`Matsushima teaches
`
`0
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`(Fig. 8A/8B) the plurality of second openings 50 (horizontal opening of common
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`electrode 31B) have a seventh opening (50) disposed between the third opening (31A)
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`and the fourth opening (31A) (3 adjacent pixel electrodes 31A, each includes a vertical
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`openings 31A in the center), and the fifth opening (50) and the seventh opening (50) are
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`arranged in a second direction (vertical direction) orthogonal to the first direction
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`(horizontal direction) a long direction of the first opening 31A [0094]
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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 Matsushima’s electrode structure to provide improved transmittance of a display
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`device, as taught by Matsushima et a1. [0006].
`
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`Claims 12 13: Matsuyama et a1. disclose as above
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`Itou further teaches
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 6
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`0 Claim 12: (Figs. 8, 10) the fifth opening (DH) and the seventh opening (SL) are disposed
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`closer to the third opening SL than to the fourth opening SL (there are several openings
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`SL and DH in corresponding to each other)
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`0 Claim 13: (Figs. 8, 10) the fifth opening (DH) is disposed closer to the third opening SL
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`than to the fourth opening SL, and the seventh opening (SL) is disposed closer to the
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`fourth opening SL than to the third opening SL (there are several openings SL and DH in
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`corresponding to each other)
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`It would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify Matsuyama’s
`
`invention with Itou’s electrode structure to provide improved performance such as high image
`
`quality, brightness, contrast ratio, and viewing angle characteristics to a display device, as taught
`
`by Itou [0005].
`
`4.
`
`Claims 6, 9 and 11 are reiected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Matsuyama et al. US Pat. 6469765, Itou US 2011/0222009 as applied to claim 1 above, and
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`further in View of Yamazaki et al. US 2011/0134345.
`
`
`Claim 6: Matsuyama et a1. disclose as above
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`Yamazaki et a1. teach
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`0 Claim 6: (Fig. 3B) a width of the fifth opening 310 (slit of electrode 301) [0078] in the
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`first direction (X—direction) is equal to a width of the electrode portion (width of 303) of
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`the first display electrode 303 between the third opening and the fourth opening in the
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`first direction (X—direction)
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`0 Claim 9: at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate includes a projection
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`(spacer and alignment film) that controls alignment of liquid crystal [0091]
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 7
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`0 Claim 11: (Fig. 3A/3B) the plurality of first openings 310 (horizontal slits) are disposed
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`in parallel to each other, and the plurality of first openings 310 (horizontal slits) are
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`disposed such that a long direction of the first opening (horizontal slits) is parallel to a
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`short direction (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 a1. [Abstract].
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`5.
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`Applicant's arguments 5/28/19 have been considered but are moot because the arguments
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`Response to Arguments
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`do not apply the references being used in the current rejection.
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`Conclusion
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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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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/825,554
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`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.
`
`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
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`information system, call 800—786—9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571—272—1000.
`
`/SANG V NGUYEN/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`