www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`
`15/873,367
`
`01/17/2018
`
`Kikuo ONO
`
`20326.0122USW1
`
`8764
`
`53148
`
`759°
`
`08/30/20”
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON RC.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`KARIMI' PEGEMAN
`
`ART UNIT
`2691
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`08/30/2019
`
`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
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`PTOMail@hsml.eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/873,367
`Examiner
`PEGEMAN KARIMI
`
`Applicant(s)
`ONO, Kikuo
`Art Unit
`2691
`
`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
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 07/02/2019.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`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.
`
`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)
`
`1—17 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s) fl is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) 1—9,11—12 and 16—17 is/are rejected.
`
`Claim(s) 10 and 14—15 is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`E] Claim(s)
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. 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
`
`httpfiwww.”smogovmatentszinit_events[pph[index.'§p or send an inquiry to PPeredhack@g§ptg.ggv.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)D The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11). The drawing(s) filed on 01/17/2018 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:] 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:
`
`a). All
`
`b)l:] Some**
`
`c)l:I None of the:
`
`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.8 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`31:] 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)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190826
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`2.
`
`Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
`
`Priority
`
`Election/Restrictions
`
`3.
`
`Applicant’s election without traverse of Fig. 2 in the reply filed on 07/02/2019 is
`
`acknowledged.
`
`Claim Objections
`
`4.
`
`Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
`
`the term “in” in the
`
`limitation of “a plurality of touch sensor electrodes disposed at an end of the image
`
`region in the plurality of touch sensor electrodes
`
`should change to “and” or any other
`
`suitable word. Appropriate correction is required.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
`
`5.
`
`The following is aquotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that
`
`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
`
`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`
`(a)(1 ) the claimed inventionwas patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use,
`on sale orothenNise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed
`invention.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 3
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`6.
`
`Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 7, 9, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
`
`anticipated by Rho (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0062486).
`
`As to claim 1, Rho teaches a display device (display device of Fig. 3) with a
`
`touch detection function (having sensing patterns 120) comprising:
`
`a first substrate (61) including a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a
`
`plurality of pixel electrodes ([0053], lines 1-7), and a plurality of touch sensor electrodes
`
`(a plurality of touch sensor electrodes comprising of elements 120 and 150 are
`
`arranged on the display device); and
`
`a second substrate (11) that is disposed opposite the first substrate (substrate 11
`
`is opposite to the first substrate 61), wherein the first substrate is disposed on a touch
`
`operation side with respect to the second substrate (substrate 61 is located on a touch
`
`operation side wherein the touch sensor electrodes are arranged), and a part of the
`
`plurality of touch sensor electrodes is disposed in a peripheral region located outside an
`
`image display region (sensing lines 150, which are a part of the touch sensor electrodes
`
`is located on a non-display area 102, fig. 3).
`
`As to claim 2, Rho teaches a plurality of touch sensor electrodes disposed at an
`
`end of the image display region in the plurality of touch sensor electrodes are disposed
`
`across the image display region and the peripheral region (the touch sensor electrodes
`
`comprising of elements 120 and 150 are located on the image display region as can be
`
`seen in fig. 3 and in the display and non-display regions 101 and 102).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 4
`
`As to claim 3, Rho teaches in the first substrate (61), the plurality of touch
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`sensor electrodes are disposed on the touch operation side with respect to the plurality
`
`of gate lines, the plurality of data lines, and the plurality of pixel electrodes (based on
`
`the location of the gate lines, data lines, and pixel electrodes connected to the pixel P,
`
`([0053], lines 1-7), the touch sensor electrodes 120 and 150 are located on the touch
`
`operation side).
`
`As to claim 6, Rho teaches the first substrate (61) further includes a plurality of
`
`touch sensor electrode lines (122a) electrically connected to the plurality of touch
`
`sensor electrodes (touch sensor electrode lines 122a are connected to the touch sensor
`
`electrodes 120a, Fig. 2), and one of the touch sensor electrode lines is electrically
`
`connected to one of the touch sensor electrodes through an insulator (as can be seen in
`
`Fig. 3, the touch sensor electrode lines 122a are connected to the touch sensor
`
`electrodes 120a through an insulator layer 124).
`
`As to claim 7, Rho teaches the plurality of pixel electrodes are divided into a
`
`plurality of groups (the pixel electrodes of pixel P are divided into red, green, and blue
`
`groups), and one of the touch sensor electrodes is disposed at a ratio of one with
`
`respect to the plurality of pixel electrodes included in one of the plurality of groups (one
`
`of the touch sensor electrodes 120 is disposed at a ratio of one over the pixel electrode
`
`of pixel P, Fig. 3).
`
`As to claim 9, Rho teaches the plurality of touch sensor electrodes are made of
`
`a transparent electrode material ([0036], lines 1-5).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 5
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`As to claim 16, Rho teaches a backlight (300), wherein the second substrate is
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`disposed on a side of the backlight with respect to the first substrate (the second
`
`substrate 11 is closer to the backlight 300 than the first substrate 61, Fig. 3).
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`7.
`
`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any
`
`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
`
`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
`
`the same under either status.
`
`8.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
`
`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent for a claimed invention maynotbe obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed
`invention is not identicallydisclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the
`claimed invention and the priorartare such that the claimed invention as awhole would have
`been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed i nvention to a person having
`ordinaryskill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentabilityshall notbe
`negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
`
`9.
`
`Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Rho in View of Kim (U.S. Pub. No. 20120218199).
`
`As to claim 4, Rho teaches the display device of claim 1,
`
`Rho does not teach a first boundary and second boundary,
`
`Kim teaches in a planar view (Fig. 3), a first boundary of two of the touch sensor
`
`electrodes adjacent to each other in a direction in which the gate line extends is
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 6
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`disposed at a position where the first boundary does not overlap the data line (the first
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`boundary of the two touch sensor electrodes P11 and P21 that are next to one another
`
`and arranged in a direction in which the gate lines extends from top of the screen to the
`
`bottom (vertical direction) the first boundary does not overlap the data lines that are
`
`arranged in the same direction), and a second boundary of two of the touch sensor
`
`electrodes adjacent to each other in a direction in which the data line extends is
`
`disposed at a position where the second boundary does not overlap the gate line (the
`
`second boundary of the two touch sensor electrodes P11 and P12 that are next to one
`
`another and arranged in a direction in which the data lines extends from the left to the
`
`right (horizontal direction) the second boundary does not overlap the gate lines that are
`
`arranged in the same direction).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the touch sensor, common electrodes, and
`
`other components of Kim to the display device of Rho because to provide a touch
`
`sensor integrated display device wherein touch sensing elements for recognizing a
`
`touch can be also used as constituent elements of the display device, thus resulting in a
`
`reduced thickness of the display device and improved durability, and a touch sensor
`
`integrated display device wherein signal lines for recognizing a touch and data lines
`
`overlap each other to thus improve an aperture ratio of the display device, [0014], lines
`
`1-8.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 7
`
`As to claim 5, Rho teaches the first substrate further includes a common
`
`electrode that is disposed opposite the plurality of pixel electrodes (the common
`
`electrode 70 is located opposite the plurality of pixel electrodes 50), and
`
`Rho does not mention first and second boundaries are covered with the common
`
`electrode,
`
`Kim teaches in planar view, the first boundary and the second boundary in the
`
`touch sensor electrode are covered with the common electrode (Fig. 3, the first and
`
`second boundaries is covered with the common electrode C11, C12, and 021).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the touch sensor, common electrodes, and
`
`other components of Kim to the display device of Rho because to provide a touch
`
`sensor integrated display device wherein touch sensing elements for recognizing a
`
`touch can be also used as constituent elements of the display device, thus resulting in a
`
`reduced thickness of the display device and improved durability, and a touch sensor
`
`integrated display device wherein signal lines for recognizing a touch and data lines
`
`overlap each other to thus improve an aperture ratio of the display device, [0014], lines
`
`1-8.
`
`10.
`
`Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rho in view
`
`of Kimura (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0252785) in view of Kimura (U.S. Pub. No.
`
`2018/0067592).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 8
`
`As to claim 8, Rho teaches the display device of claim 1,
`
`Rho does not teach light shielding property of a touch sensor electrode,
`
`Kimura (‘785) teaches the plurality of touch sensor electrodes are made of a
`
`metallic material having a light shielding property ([0003], lines 4-10),
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the light shielding property of Kimura (‘785)
`
`to the display device of Rho because to have high aperture ratio and good visibility,
`
`[0003], lines 2-4,
`
`Rho and Kimura do not each an opening is formed at a psotion overlapping the
`
`plurality of pixel electrodes,
`
`Kimura (592) teaches in planar view (Fig. 3), the plurality of touch sensor
`
`electrodes (7) are disposed so as to overlap the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of
`
`data lines (touch sensor electrodes 7 overlap the gate lines 9 and 10 and the data lines
`
`3), and an opening is formed at a position overlapping the plurality of pixel electrodes
`
`(there is an opening in the touch sensor electrodes at a position overlapping the pixel
`
`electrodes 17 wherein the opening overlaps the pixel electrodes 17).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the touch sensor and components of Kimura
`
`(592) to the display device of Rho as modified by Kimura (‘785) because to perform
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 9
`
`stable touch sensing operations and having high sensitivity in touch sensing, [0002],
`
`lines 13
`
`11.
`
`Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rho in view
`
`of Li (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0291756).
`
`As to claim 11, Rho teaches the first substrate further includes a plurality of
`
`common electrodes (substrate 61 includes a common electrode 70) that are disposed
`
`opposite the plurality of pixel electrodes (the common electrode 70 is located opposite
`
`the plurality of pixel electrodes 50),
`
`Rho does not teach the common electrodes is electrically connected to one of
`
`the touch sensor electrodes.
`
`Li teaches one of the common electrodes is electrically connected to one of the
`
`touch sensor electrodes through an insulator (common electrode Com1 is connected to
`
`the touch display electrode TP1 through an insulator 43).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the touch sensor electrodes and components
`
`of Li to the display device of Rho because to improve the accuracy of touch detection,
`
`[0006], lines 2-5.
`
`12.
`
`Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rho in view
`
`of Li (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0291756), and further in view of Kim.
`
`As to claim 12, Rho and Li teach the limitations of claim 11,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 10
`
`Rho and Li do not mention a boundary and a position overlapping the data line
`
`and a position overlapping the gate line
`
`Kim teaches in planar view, a boundary of two of the common electrodes
`
`adjacent to each other in a direction in which the gate line extends is disposed at a
`
`position overlapping the data line (the boundary of two common electrodes like P11 and
`
`P12 in a horizontal direction, which is in a direction in which the gate line extends is a
`
`position overlapping the data line D2, Fig. 3), and a boundary of two of the common
`
`electrodes adjacent to each other in a direction in which the data line extends is
`
`disposed at a position overlapping the gate line (the boundary of two common
`
`electrodes like P11 and P21 in avertical direction, which is in a direction in which the
`
`data line extends is a position overlapping the gate line G1).
`
`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the touch sensor, common electrodes, and
`
`other components of Kim to the display device of Rho as modified by Li because to
`
`provide a touch sensor integrated display device wherein touch sensing elements for
`
`recognizing a touch can be also used as constituent elements of the display device,
`
`thus resulting in a reduced thickness of the display device and improved durability, and
`
`a touch sensor integrated display device wherein signal lines for recognizing a touch
`
`and data lines overlap each other to thus improve an aperture ratio of the display
`
`device, [0014], lines 1-8.
`
`13.
`
`Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rho in view
`
`of Chen (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0202819).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 11
`
`As to claim 17, Rho teaches the display device of claim 1,
`
`Rho does not mention peripheral region includes adriving circuit region and a
`
`part of the touch sensor electrode overlaps this region,
`
`Chen teaches the peripheral region includes adriving circuit region where a
`
`driving circuit that outputs a gate signal to each of the plurality of gate lines is disposed
`
`(the gate driver 134 as shown in Fig.
`
`1 outputs gate signals via gate lines Gs1-Gsm in a
`
`driving circuit region outside of the display area 110), and a part of the plurality of touch
`
`sensor electrodes overlaps the driving circuit region in planar view (a part of the touch
`
`sensor electrodes having electrodes Rx and Tx overlap the driving circuit region, which
`
`is the region outside of the display area 110).
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the
`
`time the invention was filed to have added the gate driving and other components of
`
`Chen to the display device of Rho because to enhance touch sensing sensibility without
`
`affecting touch sensing accuracy and display quality, [0007], lines 13
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`14.
`
`Claims 10, 14, and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base
`
`claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the
`
`limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
`
`Claim 10 has some of the limitations mentioned in claim 8, however, claim 10
`
`mentions more limitations that are not taught by the prior art references. The prior art
`
`references do not teach the combination of the limitations of claim 10 with the limitations
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 12
`
`of claim 1, for example the limitation of each of the second touch sensor electrodes that
`
`are made of a transparent electrode material is disposed so as to cover each of the first
`
`touch sensor electrodes that are made of a metallic material having a light shielding
`
`property and the first touch sensor electrodes are disposed to overlap the gate lines and
`
`the data lines.
`
`Claim 14 is objected to because it describes a specific structure of the display
`
`device that when combined with the limitations of claim 1
`
`it would overcome the prior art
`
`references. None of the prior art references teach the structure described in claim 14.
`
`Conclusion
`
`15.
`
`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
`
`applicant's disclosure.
`
`Lee (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0153173) teaches atransflective type display device.
`
`Inquiry
`
`16.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to PEGEMAN KARIMI whose telephone number is
`
`(571)270-1712. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday; 9:00am-
`
`4:00pm EST.
`
`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request
`
`(AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/873,367
`Art Unit: 2691
`
`Page 13
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on 5712727772. 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.
`
`/PEGEMAN KARIMI/
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
`August 27, 2019 (8/27/19)
`
`