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`Suite 2700
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`MERLLNJESSICAM
`
`2871
`DATE MAILED: 12/10/2020
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`15/882,702
`
`01/29/2018
`
`Ikuko MORI
`
`20326.0123US01
`
`9020
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE
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`PTOL-85 (Rev. 02/11)
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`Complete and send this form, together with applicable fee(s), by mail or fax, or via EFS-Web.
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`12/10/2020
`7590
`53148
`HAMRE SCHUMANN MUELLER & LARSON PHC
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`(Signature) (Date)
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`“VP“ 0: Primed “3"“)
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`15/882,702
`
`01/29/2018
`
`Ikuko MORI
`
`20326.0123US01
`
`9020
`
`TITLE OF INVENTION: LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE
`
`APPLN. TYPE
`
`ENTITY STATUS
`
`ISSUE FEE DUE
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`PUBLICATION FEE DUE
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`PREV. PAID ISSUE FEE
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`TOTAL FEE(S) DUE
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`DATE DUE
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`nonprovisional
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`UNDISCOUNTED
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`$ 1200
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`03/ 10/2021
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`EXAMINER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`CLASS-SUBCLASS
`
`MERLIN, JESSICA M
`
`2871
`
`349-074000
`
`1. Change of correspondence address or indication of ”Fee Address” (37
`CFR 1.363).
`
`3 Change of correspondence address (or Change of Correspondence
`Address form PTO/SB/ 122) attached.
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`3 ”Fee Address” indication (or ”Fee Address” Indication form PTO/
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`PLEASE NOTE: Unless an assignee is identified below, no assignee data will appear on the patent. If an assignee is identified below, the document must have been previously
`recorded, or filed for recordation, as set forth in 37 CFR 3.11 and 37 CFR 3.81(a). Completion of this form is NOT a substitute for filing an assignment.
`(A) NAME OF ASSIGNEE
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`Date
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`Registration No.
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`PTOL—85 Part B (08-18) Approved for use through 01/31/2020
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`Page 2 of 3
`OMB 0651-0033
`
`US. Patent and Trademark Office; US. DEPARTMENT OF COMIVIERCE
`
`

`

`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMIVIERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`CONFIRMATION NO.
`
`15/882,702
`
`01/29/2018
`
`Ikuko MORI
`
`20326.0123Uso1
`
`9020
`
`53148
`
`7590
`
`12/10/2020
`
`HAMRE, SCHUMANN, MUELLER & LARSON P.C.
`45 South Seventh Street
`Suite 2700
`
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-1683
`
`MERLLN, JESSICAM
`
`2871
`DATE MAILED: 12/10/2020
`
`Determination of Patent Term Adjustment under 35 U.S.C. 154 (b)
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`(Applications filed on or after May 29, 2000)
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`The Office has discontinued providing a Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) calculation with the Notice of Allowance.
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`Section 1(h)(2) of the AIA Technical Corrections Act amended 35 U.S.C. 154(b)(3)(B)(i) to eliminate the requirement
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`PTOL-85 (Rev. 02/11)
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`

`

`,
`
`, ,
`
`15/882,702
`
`MORI etal.
`
`JESSICA M MERLIN
`
`2871
`
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address-
`All claims being allowable, PROSECUTION ON THE MERITS IS (OR REMAINS) CLOSED in this application. If not included
`herewith (or previously mailed), a Notice of Allowance (PTOL-85) or other appropriate communication will be mailed in due course. THIS
`NOTICE OF ALLOWABILITY IS NOT A GRANT OF PATENT RIGHTS. This application is subject to withdrawal from issue at the initiative
`of the Office or upon petition by the applicant. See 37 CFR 1.313 and MPEP 1308.
`
`1.. This communication is responsive to August 28, 2020.
`
`[:I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`; the
`
`3.. The allowed c|aim(s) is/are 1-3 and 5-15 . As a result of the allowed c|aim(s), 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 http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`4.. Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119( )-(d) or (f).
`
`Certified copies:
`
`a) .All
`
`b) CI Some
`
`*c) D None of the:
`
`Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`1.
`2. [:1 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3. CI 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( )).
`
`* Certified copies not received:
`
`Applicant has THREE MONTHS FROM THE “MAILING DATE“ of this communication to file a reply complying with the requirements
`noted below. Failure to timely comply will result in ABANDONMENT of this application.
`THIS THREE-MONTH PERIOD IS NOT EXTENDABLE.
`
`5.I:I CORRECTED DRAWINGS (as “replacement sheets“) must be submitted.
`C]
`including changes required by the attached Examiner's Amendment / Comment or in the Office action of
`Paper No./Mail Date
`Identifying indicia such as the application number (see 37 CFR 1.84(c)) should be written on the drawings in the front (not the back) of each
`sheet. Replacement sheet(s) should be labeled as such in the header according to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`6C] DEPOSIT OF and/or INFORMATION about the deposit of BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL must be submitted. Note the
`attached Examiner's comment regarding REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEPOSIT OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL.
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`Attachment(s)
`1.[:] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2D Information Disclosure Statements (PTO/SB/08),
`Paper No./Mail Date
`3.I:| Examiner's Comment Regarding Requirement for Deposit
`of Biological Material
`.
`4U Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No./Mail Date.
`/JESSICA M MERLIN/
`
`5.
`
`6.
`
`Examiner's Amendment/Comment
`
`Examiner's Statement of Reasons for Allowance
`
`7. C] Other
`
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-37 (Rev. 08-13)
`
`Notice of Allowability
`
`_
`Part of Paper N0-/MaI| Date 20201127
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,702
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 2
`
`EXAMINER’S AMENDNIENT
`
`1.
`
`An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or
`
`additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR
`
`1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the
`
`payment of the issue fee.
`
`2.
`
`In claim 3, “wherein the first substrate is a film substrate, the first substrate includes a
`
`first surface en a side of the tirst directirm and a secuud surface opposite tu tl'ie first surface en a
`
`side of the second direction, a first gate tine. a first settrce line, a first insulator, an eiectrede
`
`constituting a first thin film transister, and a first pixel electrude are formed on the first surface
`
`ef the first substrate, and a pelarizing layer is formed on the second. surface cf the first
`
`substrate.” should be replaced with “wherein the first substrate is a film substrate”.
`
`Authorization for this examiner’s amendment was given in an interview with Douglas
`
`Mueller on November 27, 2020.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice ofPre-AIA 0r AIA Status
`
`3.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
`
`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`4.
`
`Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed August 28, 2020. Claim 4 has
`
`been cancelled without prejudice. Claims 1—3 and 5—15 are pending and an action on the merits
`
`is as follows.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,702
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 3
`
`Election/Restrictions
`
`5.
`
`Claims 1—3 and 5—15 are allowable. The restriction requirement among species , as set
`
`forth in the Office action mailed on July 10, 2019, has been reconsidered in view of the
`
`allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction
`
`requirement is hereby Withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an
`
`allowable claim. Specifically, the restriction requirement of July 10, 2019 is withdrawn. Claims
`
`3, 7, and 9, directed to non—elected species are no longer withdrawn from consideration because
`
`the claim(s) requires all the limitations of an allowable claim.
`
`In view of the above noted withdrawal of the restriction requirement, applicant is advised
`
`that if any claim presented in a continuation or divisional application is anticipated by, or
`
`includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may
`
`be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the
`
`claims of the instant application.
`
`Once a restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no
`
`longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131—32 (CCPA 1971).
`
`See also MPEP § 804.01.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 1—3 and 5—15 are allowed.
`
`The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance.
`
`In regard to independent claim 1 and dependent claims 2 and 5 —14, the closest prior art
`
`6.
`
`7.
`
`8.
`
`references, Nakai et al. (US 2009/0145186 A1), Jin et al. (US 2007/0139584 A1), and Okazaki et
`
`al. (US 2010/0103148 A1), fail to disclose, either singly or in combination, all of the limitations
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,702
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 4
`
`of claim 1, including the combination of limitations, “ a first substrate; a second substrate
`
`disposed {apposite to the first substrate in a first direction; a first liquid crystal layer disposed
`
`between the first substrate and the second substrate; a third substrate disposed (apposite to the
`
`first, substrate in a second direction that is an opposite direction to the first direction; and a
`
`second liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the third substrate, wherein
`
`the first substrate includes a first surface on a side of the first direction and a second. surface
`
`opposite to the first surface on a side of the second directirm, the first liquid crystal layer and the
`
`second liquid crystal layer accrunrnodate no more than one substrate therehetween. a first gate
`
`line, a first source line, a first insulator, an electrode constituting a first thin film transistor, and a
`
`first pixel electrode are formed on the first surface of the first substrate, a polarizing layer is
`
`formed on the second surface of the first substrate, a first alignment film is provided on the first
`
`surface of the first substrate. a second aiigntnent film is nrtwided on the second surface of the
`
`first substrate, and the polarizing layer is disposed hetween the second alignment filth and the
`
`first sub strate,”
`
`9.
`
`In regard to independent claim 15, the closest prior art references, Nakai et al. (US
`
`2009/0145186 A1), Jin et al. (US 2007/0139584 A1), and Okazaki et al. (US 2010/0103148 A1),
`
`fail to disclose, either singly or in combination, all of the limitations of claim 15, including the
`
`combination of limitations, “ a first substrate; a second substrate dispased opposite to the first
`
`substrate in a first directirni; a first liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and
`
`the second substrate: a first spacer nrrwided on the second substrate; a third substrate disposed
`
`opposite to the first substrate in a second direction that is an opposite direction to the first
`
`direction; a second liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the third
`
`substrate; and a second spacer prrwided on the third substrate, whereiu the first substrate
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/882,702
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 5
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`includes a first surface on a side of the first direction and a second surface opposite to the first
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`surface on a side of the second direction, the first liquid crystal layer and the second liquid
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`crystal is yer Eifit‘JOULm'ttjtliit6: no more than one. substrate tl'terebetween. a first gate line, a first
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`source line, a first insulator, an electrode constituting a first thin film transistor, and a first pixel
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`electrode are formed on the first surface of the first suhstratc, a second gate line, a second source
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`line, a second insulator, an electrode constituting a second thin film transistor, and a second pixel
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`electrode are fm'med or}. the third substrate,”
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`Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the
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`payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue
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`fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for
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`Allowance.”
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`Conclusion
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`10.
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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 7:00AM—5z00PM.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in—person, and video conferencing using
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`a USPTO supplied web—based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is
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`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
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`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`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.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/882,702
`Art Unit: 2871
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`Page 6
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
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`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`1000.
`
`Jessica M. Merlin
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`November 30, 2020
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`/JESSICA M MERLIN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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`