DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/10/2025 has been entered.
Examiner’s Note
The Examiner notes that the language used by the Applicant in claim 1 “…and a plurality of second light transmitting lines extending in a second direction” is being interpreted by the Examiner as second light transmitting lines that can be continuous (i.e. the light transmitting line is uninterrupted like a solid line would be) or discontinuous (i.e. interrupted periodically by light emitting regions like a dashed line would be). Thus, the amended claim language still reads on the species (embodiment) which was originally presented in the original claim set where the claims in the original claim set were generic or only directed to the species where “wherein the second display area includes a first pixel row in which the plurality of second pixel groups are continuously disposed in a first direction” as recited in previous claim 2 (now cancelled). In the species originally presented (Applicant’s Fig 25 as one non limiting example) one could say that aligned respective portions in the second direction (Up and down across the page) of the plurality of first light transmitting lines (TA) form a second light transmitting line which is discontinuous. However, should the Applicant amend the claims in the manner they seem to desire in their arguments to clarify features exclusively to the species (embodiment) shown in Applicant’s Fig 28, where the second display area includes a first pixel row in which the plurality of second pixel groups are discontinuously disposed in a first direction such that continuous second light transmitting lines in the second direction are present, election bv original presentation would be appropriate and all of the claims directed to the alternate embodiment (that of Fig. 28 where the second display area includes a first pixel row in which the plurality of second pixel groups are discontinuously disposed in a first direction) would be cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1, 3-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rieutort-Louis et al. (US 2022/0165814) hereinafter “Rieutort-Louis” in view of Chung et al. (US 2020/0373372) hereinafter “Chung” and in further view of Li et al. (US 2021/0225944) hereinafter “Li” and Chen (US 2021/0057658) hereinafter “Chen”.
Regarding claim 1, Figs. 6A, 6F, 7D, 8D and 11 of Rieutort-Louis teaches a display device (Paragraph 0006) comprising: a substrate including a first substrate (Item 302) of an organic material (Paragraph 0057); a buffer layer disposed on the substrate (Item 302) and including an inorganic material (Paragraph 0057); a transistor (Fig. 3 where a TFT layer is present and Fig. 11 where the TFT gate dielectric layer is above Item 303) including an active layer on the inorganic film (Item 303), a gate electrode over the active layer, a drain electrode connected to the active layer, and a source electrode connected to the active layer (Paragraph 0051 where the TFT is a top gate structure); a gate insulation layer (Item 1100) on the active layer such that the gate insulation layer is between the gate electrode and the inorganic film; a first display area (Item 14) including a plurality of first pixel groups; a second display area (Item 706) including a plurality of second pixel groups (Item 862) and a plurality of light-transmitting areas (Item 860; See also Fig. 6F for the plurality of light transmitting areas); a planarization layer (Item 1104) in the first display are and the second display area; a cathode (Paragraph 0058) in the first display area (Item 14) and the second display area (Item 706), and an insulating layer (Item 308) above the cathode in the first display area (Item 14) and the second display area (Item 706); wherein the plurality of light transmitting areas includes a plurality of first light transmitting lines (See Picture 1 below) extending in a first direction (Fig. 6F; Left to right across the page) and a plurality of second light transmitting lines (See Picture 1 below) extending in a second direction (Fig. 6F; Up and down across the page), wherein each of the plurality of second pixel groups is surrounded by the plurality of first light transmitting lines and the plurality of second light transmitting lines (See Picture 1 below).
Rieutort-Louis does not teach a light shield layer in the first display area and the second display area.
Fig. 2A of Chung teaches a display device comprising a light shield layer (Item 400) in a first display area (Item DA) and a second display area (Item SA).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a light shield layer in the first display area and the second display area because the light shielding layer may absorb or reflect at least external light (Chung Paragraph 0098) preventing external light from traveling through the device except for in desired areas in the second display area where the light transmitting areas are present.
Rieutort-Louis does not teach where the substrate includes a second substrate of the organic material nor an inorganic film between the first substrate and the second substrate such that the active layer is on the second substrate and the gate insulation layer is between the gate electrode and the second substrate.
Li teaches where a display substrate is a multilayered structure such that inorganic and organic layers alternate, where one of the organic layers can be considered the first substrate and another layer of the organic insulating layer can be considered the second substrate, and where the inorganic layer in between the two organic layers is considered the inorganic layer.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the substrate of Rieutort-Louis be a multilayered structure of alternating inorganic and organic materials as taught by Li, such that the substrate of Rieutort-Louis includes a second substrate of the organic material and an inorganic film between the first substrate and the second substrate such that the active layer is on the second substrate and the gate insulation layer is between the gate electrode and the second substrate because the multilayered structure of alternating inorganic and organic layers is known to exclude vapor and oxygen more effectively, thereby greatly enhancing the barrier properties against vapor and oxygen (Li Paragraph 0060).
When the alternating substrate taught by Li is substituted in for the substrate of Rieutort-Louis the buffer layer will be disposed on the second substrate of the organic material.
Rieutort-Louis does not teach where a thickness of the second substrate is greater than a thickness of the inorganic film.
Chen teaches where a thickness of inorganic layers in an alternating stack of inorganic and organic layers is less than or equal to 1 micrometer and a thickness of organic layers in an alternating stack of inorganic and organic layers is generally between less than 8 micrometers (Paragraph 0004).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a thickness of the second substrate be greater than a thickness of the inorganic film because this provides for a flexible packaging structure and a flexible display panel (Chen Paragraph 0005).
Examiner’s Note: The Examiner notes that the term “disposed on” does not require a layer to be under or over another layer nor does it require direct contact between two layers.
Examiner’s Note: The Examiner notes that the indication of a light transmitting line does not require that the line is a continuous line of light transmitting areas. Instead, the light transmitting line is interpreted in the rejection above as being a line with discontinuous light transmitting portions in the manner that a dashed line is a line interrupted periodically by spaces. In the instant rejection above the second light transmitting line is one in which light transmitting portions are present extending in an up and down direction across the page with light emitting portions between respective light transmitting portions along the line.
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Picture 1 (Labeled version of Rieutort-Louis Fig. 6F)
Regarding claim 3, Fig. 8D of Rieutort-Louis further teaches wherein a plurality of sub-pixels (Items B, R, G and G) include a first sub-pixel including a first light-emitting element (Item R), a second sub-pixel including a second light- emitting element (Item G), a third sub-pixel including a third light-emitting element (Item B), and a fourth sub- pixel including a fourth light-emitting element (Item G), wherein a partial area of at least one of the second light-emitting element (Item G) and the fourth light-emitting element (Item G) is disposed in a light-transmitting area (Item 860) from the plurality of light transmitting areas.
Regarding claim 4, Rieutort-Louis further teaches where the second light emitting element (Item G) and the fourth light emitting element (Item G) are green light emitting elements.
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 6F of Rieutort-Louis further teaches where a first imaginary line connecting a center of each of the second light emitting element and the fourth light emitting element intersects the first direction and the second direction (See Picture 2 below).
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Picture 2 (Labeled version of Rieutort-Louis Fig. 6F)
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 6F of Rieutort-Louis teaches where each of the plurality of first pixel groups includes a first green light-emitting element (Left Item G) and a second green light-emitting element (Right Item G), wherein an imaginary line connecting a center of each of the first green light-emitting element and the second green light-emitting element is parallel to the first direction (Left to right across the page).
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 8D of Rieutort-Louis further teaches where, based on a second imaginary line passing through a center of each of the first light-emitting element (Item R) and the third light-emitting element (Item B), the second light-emitting element (Item G) is disposed on one side of the second imaginary line, and the fourth light-emitting element (Item G) is disposed on another side of the second imaginary line (See Picture 3 below).
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Picture 3 (Labeled version of Rieutort-Louis Fig. 8D)
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 6E of Rieutort-Louis further teaches wherein the first light-emitting element to the fourth light-emitting element (Items R, B, G and G) of the plurality of second pixel groups have a structure in which light-emitting elements of a same color are disposed in a quadrangular shape (See Picture 4 below).
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Picture 4 (Labeled version of Rieutort-Louis Fig. 6F)
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 6E of Rieutort-Louis further teaches where fourth light-emitting elements (Right Item G) of the plurality of second pixel groups are disposed along each of a plurality of quadrangular-shaped lines, and wherein the first light-emitting element (Item R), the second light-emitting element (Item G), and the third light-emitting element (Item B) are disposed inside each of the plurality of quadrangular -shaped lines.
Regarding claim 10, Figs. 6F and 7D of Rieutort-Louis further teach where a resolution of the second display area (Item 706) is less than a resolution of the first display area (Item 14).
Regarding claim 11, Fig. 8C of Rieutort-Louis further teaches where the display device further comprises lines (Item G’) disposed in the first display area (Item 14) and the second display area (Item 706), wherein the lines (Items G’) are disposed to bypass the light transmitting areas.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rieutort-Louis et al. (US 2022/0165814) hereinafter “Rieutort-Louis” in view of Chung et al. (US 2020/0373372) hereinafter “Chung”, Li et al. (US 2021/0225944) hereinafter “Li” and Chen (US 2021/0057658) hereinafter “Chen” and in further view of Zhou et al. (US 2021/0384269) hereinafter “Zhou”.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Rieutort-Louis, Chung, Li and Chen teaches all of the elements of the claimed invention as stated above except where a shape of light emitting elements of a first pixel group from the plurality of first pixel groups is different from a shape of light emitting elements of a second pixel group from the plurality of second pixel groups.
Fig. 3 of Zhou teaches where a first display area (Item 102) has first pixel groups having square shaped subpixels (Item 303) and a second display area (Item 103) has second pixel groups having triangular and circular shaped subpixels (Items 302 and 304).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a shape of light emitting elements of a first pixel group from the plurality of first pixel groups be different from a shape of light emitting elements of a second pixel group from the plurality of second pixel groups because it allows the subpixels to shape match the light transmissive regions in the second display area (Zhou Paragraph 0067).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s REMARKS, filed 12/10/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Li and Chen.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC K ASHBAHIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5187. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5:30 PM.
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/ERIC K ASHBAHIAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891