www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/391,056
`
`08/02/2021
`
`Seung Lyong BOK
`
`252753/411598-08138
`
`4304
`
`Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie LLP
`PO BOX 29001
`Glendale, CA 91209-9001
`
`BEKELE, MEKONEN T
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2699
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`08/01/2024
`
`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):
`PLPrivatePair @ lrre.com
`
`pto@lewisroca.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-11 and 15-19 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`Claim(s) 1-4,11 and 15-17 is/are allowed.
`[] Claim(s)
`is/are rejected.
`Claim(s) 5-10 and 18-19 is/are objected to.
`C) Claim(s
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`htto:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)( The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)M The drawing(s) filed on 08/02/2021 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:
`c)() None ofthe:
`b)( Some**
`a) All
`1.@) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin 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)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240727
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/391 ,056
`BOK, Seung Lyong
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`MEKONEN T BEKELE
`2699
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom 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, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 07/08/2024 based on RCE.
`C) A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) 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 Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 2
`
`1.
`
`Claims 1-11 and 15-19 are pending in this Application.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`2.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
`
`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Continued Examination Under 3 7 CFR 1.114.
`
`3
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.1 14, including the fee set forth in
`
`37 CFR 1.17(e), wasfiled in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible
`
`for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR1.17(e) has
`
`been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37
`
`CFR 1.1 14. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2024 has been entered.
`
`Claims Objection
`
`4.
`
`Claims 5 and 8 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of
`
`claims 1 and 3 respectively . When twoclaims in an application are duplicates or else are so
`
`close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is
`
`proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the
`
`allowed claim. See MPEP § 706.03(k).
`
`As shownin table below claims 5 and 8 are identical to claims 1 and 3 respectively .
`
`Claim 1. A display device comprising: a
`
`Claim 5. A display device comprising: a
`
`comprising transistors, the display panel
`
`display panel including a substrate supporting|display panel including a substrate supporting
`
`pixels to display an image, the pixels
`
`pixels to display an image, the pixels
`
`comprising transistors, the display panel
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391 ,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`
`Page 3
`
`including a first area and a second area; a
`
`including a first area and a second area; a
`
`fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear surface
`
`fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear surface
`
`of the substrate in the first area and ina
`
`of the substrate in the first area and ina
`
`different layer than the transistors;
`
`different layer than the transistors;
`
`a touch sensor to sense a touch position
`
`a touch sensor to sense a touch position
`
`according to a touch of a user on the display
`
`according to a touch of a user on the display
`
`panel in the first area and the second area;
`
`panel in the first area and the second area;
`
`a sensor control circuit to control an operation
`
`a sensor control circuit to control an operation
`
`of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light
`
`of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light
`
`variation or ultrasonic wave variation and the
`
`variation or ultrasonic wave variation and the
`
`touch sensor by sensing capacitance; and
`
`touch sensor by sensing capacitance; and
`
`a display driving circuit to control an image
`
`a display driving circuit to control an image
`
`display operation of the display panel by
`
`display operation of the display panel by
`
`generating an image driving signal, wherein
`
`generating an image driving signal, wherein
`
`the sensor control circuit is configured to
`
`the sensor control circuit is configured to
`
`drive the touch sensor andthe fingerprint
`
`drive the touch sensor and the fingerprint
`
`sensor sequentially or simultaneously, and
`
`sensor sequentially or simultaneously, and
`
`wherein the first area is enclosed by the
`
`wherein the first area is enclosed by the
`
`second area in a plan view.
`
`second areain a plan view.
`
`including a first area and a second area;
`
`Claim 3. A display device comprising: a
`
`Claim 8. A display device comprising: a
`
`display panel including a substrate supporting
`
`display panel including a substrate supporting
`
`pixels to display an image, the pixels
`
`pixels to display an image, the pixels
`
`comprising transistors, the display panel
`
`comprising transistors, the display panel
`
`including a first area and a second area;
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391 ,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`
`Page 4
`
`a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear
`
`a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear
`
`surface of the substrate in the first area and
`
`surface of the substrate in the first area and
`
`in a different layer than the transistors;
`
`in a different layer than the transistors;
`
`a touch sensor to sense a touch position
`
`a touch sensor to sensea touch position
`
`according to a touch of a user on the display
`
`according to a touch of a useron the display
`
`panel in the first area and the second area;
`
`panel in the first area and the second area;
`
`and
`
`and
`
`a control circuit to control an operation of the
`
`a control circuit to control an operation of the
`
`fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation or
`
`fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation or
`
`ultrasonic wavevariation, the touch sensor by
`
`ultrasonic wavevariation, the touch sensor by
`
`sensing capacitance, and the display panel
`
`sensing capacitance, and the display panel
`
`by generating an image data signal, wherein
`
`by generating an image data signal; wherein
`
`the control circuit is configured to drive the
`
`the control circuit is configured to drive the
`
`touch sensor, the fingerprint sensors; and the
`
`touch sensor, the fingerprint sensor, and the
`
`display panel sequentially or simultaneously,
`
`display panel sequentially or simultaneously,
`
`and wherein the first area is enclosed by the
`
`and wherein the first area is enclosed by the
`
`second area in a plan view.
`second area in a plan view.
`
`
`Applicant is advised that should claims 1 and 3 be found allowable, claims 5 and 8 will
`
`be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When twoclaims in
`
`an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing,
`
`despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other
`
`as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 706.03(k). In instance case
`
`claims 1 and 3 are allowed.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 5
`
`5.
`
`Claims 6-7, 9-10 and 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a objected base
`
`claims 5 and 8.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 1-4, 11 and 15-17 are allowed.
`
`Regarding independentclaim 1 no prior art is found to anticipate or render the flowing
`
`6.
`
`7.
`
`limitation obvious
`
`“a fingerprint sensor disposed under on a rear surface of the substrate in the first area
`
`and in a different layer than the transistors;_a touch sensor to sensea 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 sensor by 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 imagedriving signal, wherein the sensor control circuit sequentially or
`
`simultaneously is configured to drive the touch sensor andthe fingerprint sensor
`
`sequentially or simultaneously, and wherein the first area is enclosed by the second area
`
`in a plan view.”
`
`8.
`
`Regarding independent claim 3 no prior art is found to anticipate or render the flowing
`
`limitation obvious
`
`“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 toa
`
`touch of a user on the display panel in the first area and the second area; and a control
`
`circuit to control an operation of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation or
`
`ultrasonic wave variation, the touch sensor by sensing capacitance, and the display
`
`panel by generating an image data signal, wherein the control circuit is configured to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 6
`
`drive the touch sensor, the fingerprint sensor, and the display panel sequentially or
`
`simultaneously, and wherein the first area is enclosed by the second area in a plan
`
`view.”
`
`9.
`
`Regarding independent claim 11 no prior art is found to anticipate or render the flowing
`
`limitation obvious “a fingerprint sensor disposed on a rear surface of the substratein the first
`
`area andin 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
`
`panelin the first area and the second area; a sensor control circuit to control an
`
`operation of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light variation or ultrasonic wave
`
`variation; and a displaydriving 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 secondarea in a plan view..”
`
`10.
`
`Claims not specifically addressed are allowed because they are dependentof the allowed
`
`independent claims 1,3 and 11.
`
`11
`
`Below is references that teaches some limitations of the claims 1, 3 and 11 but are lack
`
`the limitation mentioned above:
`
`a. “DISPLAY APPARATUS HAVING IMAGE SCANNING FUNCTION” US20160266695,
`
`published on 09/15/2016,
`
`to Bae etal., disclosed:
`
`A display device ([0007] a display apparatus having an image scanning
`
`function )comprising:
`
`a display panel
`
`including a substrate supporting pixels and transistors to display an
`
`image, the display panelincluding a first area and a second area ( Fig.1, [0008], [0066]-[0068],
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 7
`
`Fig. 1 shows a mobile device MD in whicha display apparatus having an image scanning
`
`function. The mobile device MD mayincludea variety of flat panel display (FPD)
`
`apparatusesthat includes specific area SA that contained fingerprints sensor. Thefirst
`
`area and a second area correspondsto specific area SA and the FPD are that contain
`
`the specific area SA. Further a thin film transistor (TFT) array configured to drive a
`
`plurality of pixels forming an image, and an optical sensor array disposed between the
`
`optical amplification cover and the TFT array and configured to sensethe optical pattern
`
`amplified by the optical amplification cover.);
`
`a fingerprint sensor disposed underthe substrate in the first area and in a different layer
`
`than the transistor ([(0067]-[0068], [0014] [0147], The sensor-integrated display panel may
`
`be a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and mayinclude a lower substrate portion
`
`including a TFT array configured to drive the plurality of pixels on an inner side of a
`
`lower substrate. The optical sensor and the TFT maybe disposedin the same plane on
`
`the lower glass substrate. However, the present invention maynotbe limited thereto, and
`
`the optical sensor may be disposed on or below the TFT. The display apparatus
`
`FSD having an image scanning function that detect a fingerprint pattern FP from a finger
`
`F of a user in contact with a specific area SA of a display surface thereof);
`
`a touch sensor to sense a touch position according to a touch of a user on the display
`
`panelin the first area and the second area ([0067]-[0068], as discuss abovethe display
`
`apparatus FSD include the specific touch screen area SA that contain a finger print
`
`wherethe fingerprint sensor configure to detect the fingerprint pattern FP from the
`
`finger of F of the user);
`
`a sensor control circuit to control an operation of the fingerprint sensor by sensing light
`
`variation or ultrasonic wave variation ([0178], a fingerprint pattern image considering the
`
`scattering light in the row direction may be obtained by sequentially turning on and
`
`scanning thelight sourcesin the row direction as illustrated in FIG. 30(b))
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 8
`
`a display driving circuit to control an image display operation of the display panel by
`
`generating an image deriving signal (Figs.1 and 19, [0132], [0140], [0160], the control
`
`logic 60 controls each componentof the image display device shownin Fig.1. Thatis,
`
`the control logic 60 controls operations of the gate driver 20, the source driver 30, the
`
`analog front end (hereinafter, AFE) 40, and the signal processor 50( see Fig.19). The
`
`source driver 30 sequentially or simultaneously enablesall of the columnsto activate
`
`RGB pixels and outputs the image on a display screen. Thus, underthe control of the
`
`logic control source driver 30 control the color the image display on the screen. Further
`
`The gate driver 20 and a source driver 30 sequentially enable a cell array 10 and output
`
`
`
`an output image onaframe-by-frame and display the fingerprint image . Thus, under
`
`the control of the logic control 60 the gate driver 20 and the source driver 30 control the
`
`fingerprint sensor that display the image of the fingerprint ); and
`
`wherein the sensor control circuit sequentially or simultaneously is configured to drive
`
`the touch sensor and the fingerprint sensor (Fig.19, [0140], [0160], as discuss above the
`
`control logic 60 controls each component.Thatis, the control logic 60 controls
`
`operations of the gate driver 20, the sourcedriver 30, the AFE 40, and the signal
`
`processor 50 of the mobile device MD that include a varietyof flat panel display (FPD)
`
`apparatusesandfingerprint sensor ), and wherein the first area is enclosed by the second
`
`area in a plan view (Fig.1, as discuss abovethe flat panel display (FPD) apparatuses
`
`includes specific area SA (first area) and the FPD area (second area) that include the
`
`specific area SA. The SA are enclosed by PD area ina plan view).
`
`ContactInformation
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the examiner
`
`should be directed to Mekonen Bekele whose telephone numberis (469) 295-9077.The examiner
`
`can normally be reached on Monday -Friday from 9:00AM to 6:50 PM Eastern Time.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/391,056
`Art Unit: 2699
`
`Page 9
`
`If attempt to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Eng,
`
`George can be reached on (571) 272-7495.The fax phone numberfor the organization where
`
`the application or proceeding is assigned is 571-237-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of
`
`an application may be obtained from the patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system.
`
`Status information for published application may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public
`
`PAIR. Status information for unpublished application is available through Privet PAIR only.
`
`For moreinformation about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have
`
`question on accessto the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC)at
`
`866.
`
`/MEKONENT BEKELE/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2699
`
`