App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`first electrode and the second electrode,
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`wherein a size ofthe first pixel is substantially the same as a size of the second
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`pixel,
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`wherein the first area is enclosed by the second area in a plan view,
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`wherein the touch sensor is a self-capacitance type or a mutual-capacitance
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`type, and
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`wherein the touch sensor includes:
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`a first touch electrode; and
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`a second touch electrode spaced apart from the first touch electrode and
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`forming a capacitance with the first touch electrode.
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`13.|(Withdrawn) The display device of claim 12, wherein eachofthe first touch
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`electrode and the second touch electrode comprises a mesh structure,
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`wherein eachofthe first touch electrode and the second touch electrode
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`comprises a metal, and
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`wherein eachofthe first touch electrode and the second touch electrode
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`comprises aluminum and titanium.
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`14.
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`(Withdrawn) The display device of claim 12, further comprising an
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`identification pattern disposed in a portion of the first area to recognize a position of a
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`fingerprint sensor area to the user.
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`15.
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`(Previously Presented) The display device of claim 11, further comprising
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`an identification pattern disposed in a portion of the first area to recognize a position of
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`a fingerprint sensor area to the user.
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`16.
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`(New) The display device of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is on a
`
`front surface of the substrate.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`17.|(New) The display device of claim 3, wherein the touch sensor is on a
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`front surface of the substrate.
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`18.|(New) The display device of claim 5, wherein the touch sensor is ona
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`front surface of the substrate.
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`19.
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`(New) The display device of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor is on a
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`front surface of the substrate.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`REMARKS/ARGUMENTS
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`Claims 1-19 are in the present application, of which claims 1, 3, 5, 8, 11, and 12
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`are independent. Claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 are amended herein, and claims 16-19 are
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`added herein. Claims 12-14 were previously withdrawn. The amendments to claims 1,
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`3, 5, 8, and 11 find full support throughout the application as filed, at least at paragraphs
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`[0105], [0115], [0176], and [0211] (as published) and FIGS. 1B, 4B, 4C, 6, 9, and 12. The
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`amendmentsto claim 11 and new claims 16-19 find full support throughout the application
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`as filed, at least at paragraph [0185] (as published) and FIGS. 6, 9, and 12. No new
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`matter has been introduced. Applicant
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`respectfully requests reconsideration and
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`allowanceof claims 1-11 and consideration on the merits and allowance of claims 16-19.
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`l.
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`Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 112
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`Claims 1, 3, 5, and 11 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) as allegedly failing
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`to comply with the written description requirement.
`n
`tt
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`In particular, the Office action alleges
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`that
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`the recitations of “transistors,”
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`“a substrate supporting ...
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`transistors,” and “a
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`fingerprint sensor disposed under the substrate ... and in a different
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`layer than the
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`transistors” lack written description support in the application asfiled.
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`First, regarding “transistors” and “a substrate supporting ...
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`transistors,” each
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`independentclaim recites “pixels,” and as the specification describes, each pixel includes
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`“a thin film transistor.” See, e.g., paragraphs [0125], [0126], and [0133] (as published)
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`(“The pixels according to exemplary embodiments include at least one first pixel PX1 ...
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`and at least one second pixel PX2”, “Eachofthe first pixels PX1 includes at least onefirst
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`sub-pixel,” and “The first sub-pixel according to exemplary embodiments mayinclude an
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`insulating layer, a pixel definition layer PDL, a thin film transistor TFT, a light emitting
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`element, and a cover layer CV disposed on the substrate SUB.”).
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`In other words, as
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`explained in the specification, each pixel includes sub-pixels, and each sub-pixel includes
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`a transistor.
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`Thus, by reciting “pixels,” it
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`is
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`implicit and/or inherent
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`that multiple
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`“transistors” would be present because, at a minimum, eachpixel includes one transistor.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
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`See MPEP § 2163(1)(B) (describing that claims and claim limitations may be “supported
`
`in the specification through express, implicit, or inherent disclosure”). Nevertheless, to
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`clarify this point, independent claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 have each been amended herein
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`to recite “the pixels comprising transistors.”
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`Asto “a substrate supporting ... transistors,” the Office action concedes that the
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`specification describes “a substrate supporting pixels.” Office action, page 4. Thus, for
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`the same reasoning as set forth above, namely that each pixel includes at least one
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`transistor, because the specification describes “a substrate supporting pixels,” the
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`specification implicitly and/or inherently describes “a substrate supporting transistors”
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`because the transistors are part of the pixels. Again, to clarify this point, independent
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`claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 have each been amendedherein to recite “the pixels comprising
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`transistors.”
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`Lastly, as to “a fingerprint sensor disposed under the substrate ... and in a different
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`layer than the transistors,” claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 have been amendedherein to recite
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`“a fingerprint sensor disposed uAder on a rear surface of the substrate” (amendments
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`shown) for consistency with the Office action’s interpretation of the specification.
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`Nevertheless, at least Figure 4B (reproduced below) shows a non-limiting example of the
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`fingerprint sensor (FPS) disposed under the substrate (SUB), which is the same as being
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`on a rear surface of the substrate (SUB), and in a different layer than the transistors (TFT).
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`See MPEP § 2163(II)(A)(3)(a)
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`(“An applicant may show that
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`the inventor was in
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`possession of an invention by disclosure of drawings or structural chemical formulas that
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`are sufficiently detailed to show that the inventor was in possession of the claimed
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`invention as a whole.”).
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`NG. 4B
`
`PXLA
`HIL HTL==EML ETL EIL=Ele
`
`
`
`
`
`BO
`
` 5
`
`
`
`
`SE
`
`GE ACT TAT DE
`
`OPN
`
`FPS
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`Accordingly, in view of the amendments and above remarks, Applicant respectfully
`
`requests that the rejection of claims 1, 3, 5, and 11 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(a) be
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`withdrawn.
`
`ll.
`
`Claim Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)
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`Claims 1-11 and 15 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as allegedly being
`
`anticipated by Bae et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0266695, hereinafter “Bae’).
`
`Claim 1
`
`is amended herein and nowrecites (emphasis added):
`
`A display device comprising:
`a display panel
`including a substrate supporting pixels and
`transistors to display an image, the display panel includingafirst area and
`a second area;
`a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear surface of the substrate in
`the first area and in a different layer than the transistors;
`a_ touch sensor to sense a touch position according to a touch of a
`user on the display panel in the first area and the second area;
`a_sensor control circuit to control an operation of the fingerprint
`sensorby sensing light variation or ultrasonic wave variation and the touch
`sensor by sensing capacitance; and
`a display driving circuit to control an image display operation of the
`display panel by generating an image driving signal,
`wherein the sensor control circuit is configured to drive the touch
`sensorand the fingerprint sensor sequentially or simultaneously, and
`wherein the first area is enclosed by the second areain a plan view.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`As best Applicant understands, the Office action equates the “image scanning
`
`function” as generally described at paragraphs [0067] and [0068] of Bae with both the
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`“fingerprint sensor’ and the “touch sensor” as recited in claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11. See
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`Office action, pages 5 and 6. Although Applicant does not agree that the “image scanning
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`function” described in Bae can reasonably be equated with both the fingerprint sensor
`
`and the touch sensor as recited, Applicant respectfully notes that, because Bae describes
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`only a single “image scanning function,” Bae does not disclose at least “a sensor control
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`circuit
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`to control an operation of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation or
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`ultrasonic wavevariation and the touch sensor by sensing capacitance”as recited in claim
`
`1 and as similarly recited in claims 3, 5, and 8.
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`For example, Bae appears to provide its “image scanning function” by using “an
`
`optical sensor” that “may senselight emitted from the display surface and reflected from
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`a surface of the finger F, but may also sense ambientlight passing through the finger F
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`and incident to the display surface.” Bae, paragraph [0069]. Bae does notdiscloseeither:
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`1) that the image sensing function can be achieved by sensing capacitance; or 2) that the
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`display apparatus
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`includes a separate touch sensor
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`that operates by sensing
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`capacitance.
`
`Indeed, in rejecting the above-quote feature of claim 1, the Office action merely
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`states “Referring to FIG. 20, an optical sensor 100 included in a cell array 10 includes a
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`plurality of transistors, a photodiode, and a capacitance (Cap)’. Office action, page 6.
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`This passage appears to merely be describing the components of the optical sensor and
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`does not disclose “a sensor control circuit to control an operation of the fingerprint sensor
`
`by sensing light variation or ultrasonic wave variation and the touch sensor by sensing
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`capacitance”asrecited.
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`Further, this capacitor/capacitance is merely a component of the optical sensor
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`100 and supports the function of the optical sensor 100, which is controlled by sensing
`
`light, not by sensing capacitance. See, e.g., Bae, FIG. 20 and paragraph [0137] (showing
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`the capacitor/capacitance CAP as merely one componentof the optical sensor 100 and
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`describing that “[t]he received reflected light is converted to an electrical signal in the
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`photodiode (pin), amplified by gm times through the amplification transistor (AMP gm),
`
`and output as sensing data (lout) through the output transistor (READ) when a read-out
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`enable signal is applied.”).
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`In other words, Bae does not describe controlling an operation
`
`of the image sensing function by “sensing capacitance” from or in any way related to the
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`capacitor/capacitance Cap.
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`Bae describes, at most, a fingerprint sensor and a sensor control circuit to control
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`an operation of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation but does not also disclose
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`at least “a touch sensor” and “a sensor control circuit to control an operation of ... the
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`touch sensor by sensing capacitance” as recited in claim 1 and as similarly recited in
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`claims 3, 5, and 8.
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`Further, the Office action does not address the feature of “a fingerprint sensor
`
`disposed under the substrate,” now recited as “a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear
`
`surface of the substrate” in each of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11. At most, the Office action
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`alleges that “the optical sensor may be disposed on or below the TFT,” but this is
`
`unrelated to whether or not the optical sensor is “under” or “on a rear surface of’ the
`
`substrate.
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`Additionally, claim 11 is amended herein and now recites (emphasis added):
`
`A display device comprising:
`a display panel
`including a substrate supporting pixels and
`transistors to display an image, the display panel includingafirst area and
`a second area;
`a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear surface of the substrate in the
`first area and in a different layer than the transistors;
`a touch sensor disposed on a front surface of the substrate to sense
`a touch position according to a touch of a user on the display panel in the
`first area and the second area:
`a sensor control circuit to control an operation of the fingerprint
`sensorby sensing light variation or ultrasonic wave variation; and
`a display driving circuit to control an image display operation of the
`display panel by generating an image driving signal,
`wherein the first area is enclosed by the second areain a plan view.
`
`New claims 16-19 recite features similar to the above-underlined features of claim 11.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
`Reply responsiveto final Office Action dated April 10, 2024
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`As explained above with respect to the rejection of claim 1,
`
`the Office action
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`appears to equate the “image scanning function” of Bae with both the fingerprint sensor
`
`and the touch sensor as recited. Applicant respectfully submits that this equationis invalid
`
`becausethe “image scanning function” cannot reasonably be considered to be both on a
`
`rear surface and on a front surface of the substrate.
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`Accordingly, Applicant respectfully submits that Bae fails to disclose at least the
`
`above-discussed features of amended claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11. As such, Applicant
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`respectfully submits that claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 are patentably distinguishable over Bae
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`and respectfully requests that the rejection of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11 be withdrawn and
`
`that these claims be allowed.
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`Moreover, because claims 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 16-19 each depend, directly or
`
`indirectly, from one of claims 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11, these claims each incorporate all the
`
`terms and features of their respective base claim, in addition to other terms and features,
`
`which together further patentably distinguish these claims over the art of record.
`
`Therefore, Applicant respectfully requests that the rejections of claims 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, and
`
`10 be withdrawn and that claims 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 16-19 be allowed as well.
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`App. No.: 17/391 ,056
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`lll.
`
`Concluding Remarks
`
`In view of the foregoing amendments and remarks, Applicant earnestly solicits a
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`timely issuance of a Notice of Allowance with claims 1-11 and 16-19.
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`If there are any
`
`remaining issues that can be addressed over the telephone, the Examiner is cordially
`
`invited to call Applicant’s attorney at the number listed below.
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`Payment of any fee required to enter and process this amendment is provided.
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`The Director is hereby authorized to charge any underpayment of fees or credit any
`
`overpaymentof fees to Deposit Account No. 03-1728. Please show our docket number
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`with any charge or credit to our Deposit Account.
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`Respectfully submitted,
`
`LEWIS ROCA ROTHGERBER CHRISTIE LLP
`
`KWK/trx
`
`By /Kyle W. Kellar/
`Kyle W.Kellar
`Reg. No. 71,165
`626-795-9900
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