DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 9 February 2026 has been entered.
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 .
Priority
The status of U.S. Patent Application No. 17/419,711 as a 371 of PCT/CN2021/098669, filed 7 June 2021 is acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9 February 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 21
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4 and 6-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding claim 9
Applicant states:
Fukuda discloses in FIG. 7 an organic layer 101 and convex portions 300. However, the convex portions 300 do not extend from an end of a projection region of the organic layer 101 on the alleged first conductive layer 102 to another opposite end of the projection region.
Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment (filed 9 February 2026) at 7. The Examiner respectfully notes that currently amended claim 9 uses broad and encompassing language to define the configuration of the first grating, such that numerous different configurations are encompassed by the limitation stating “the first grooves and the first convex portions both extend from a first end of the first region to another opposite end of the first region,” including a configuration wherein the grooves and convex portions are disposed between ends of the projection region, such that the pattern of grooves and convex portions “extends” from a first end to another opposite end of the projection region.
Accordingly, Applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The rejection of claims 10 and 18 are withdrawn, responsive to Applicant’s cancellation of claims 10 and 18.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, and 5-9, and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0273196 (filed Sept. 26, 2018) (hereinafter “Fang”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0193116 (filed Nov. 13, 2008) (hereinafter “Fukuda”), and further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0306424 (effectively filed Dec. 22, 2020) (hereinafter “Racine”).
Regarding independent claim 1, Fang discloses: A display panel (FIG. 1, [0004]: “Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional top-emitting organic light-emitting display panel . . . .”), comprising:
an array substrate (FIG. 1, [0004]: “The TFT array substrate mainly comprises: a substrate 1, a buffer layer 2 disposed on the substrate 1, an active layer 3 disposed on the buffer layer 2, a gate insulating layer 4 disposed on the buffer layer 2 and the active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5 disposed on the gate insulating layer 4, an interlayer insulating layer 6 disposed on the buffer layer 2, the active layer 3, and the gate metal layer 5, a source/drain metal layer 7 disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 6, a passivation layer 8 disposed on the source/drain metal layer 7, and a planarization layer 9 disposed on the passivation layer 8; devices such as a switching TFT, a driving TFT, and a storage capacitor are formed by a patterned active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5, and a source/drain metal layer 7 to form the TFT driving circuit to drive the pixels.”);
an anode layer (FIG. 1, reflective anode 10, [0006]) disposed on the array substrate (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the reflective anode 10 is disposed on the array substrate 10) and comprising a first conductive layer (FIG. 1, Ag metal layer 12, [0006]) and a second conductive layer (FIG. 1, ITO layer 13, [0006]) located on the first conductive layer (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the ITO layer 13 is located on the Ag metal layer 12); and
a light emitting layer (FIG. 1, functional layer 21, [0006]) disposed on the second conductive layer (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the functional layer 21 is disposed on the ITO layer 13).
Fang does not specifically disclose wherein a surface of the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer is provided with a first grating structure, wherein the first grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves.
In the same field of endeavor, Fukuda discloses a display device including an anode layer including a first conductive layer (FIG. 7, reflection electrode 102, [0084]) and a second conductive layer (FIG. 7, transparent electrode 103, [0069]), and further wherein a surface of the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer is provided with a first grating structure (FIG. 7, the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 that is provided in a surface of the reflection electrode 102 toward the transparent electrode 103, [0086]), wherein the first grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves (FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 includes a plurality of grooves and convex portions close to the grooves). Regarding the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300, in [0098], Fukuda states: “The reason why the light extraction efficiency of Example 2 is improved is that the periodic structure has little effects on the interference generated by the light travelling in the direction from the emission layer to the transparent electrode and the light travelling in the direction from the emission layer to the reflection electrode and reflected on the reflection surface. Accordingly, the improvement in light extraction efficiency by the interference can be compatible with the improvement in light extraction efficiency by the periodic structure, with the result that the light extraction efficiency is improved . . . .”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang by adding the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 of Fukuda to the Ag metal layer 12 and ITO layer 13 of Fang in order to improve the light extraction efficiency of the display device. See Fukuda [0098].
Fang in view of Fukuda does not specifically disclose wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first convex portions along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first conductive layer is located is any one of triangular or arc.
In the same field of endeavor, Racine discloses a display device including an electrode layer including a grating structure (FIG. 8, electrode E1 including grating 1, [0086]), wherein the grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves (FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions), and further wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first convex portions along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first conductive layer is located is any one of triangular or arc (FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grooves and convex portions of the grating 1 have a triangular cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the electrode E1 is located). Regarding the reflective pattern configuration, in [0086], Racine states: “As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first electrode E1 advantageously comprises reflective patterns 10 in the spectral range, arranged to form a reflection diffraction grating 1, and dimensioned to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic radiation such that: the reflection diffraction grating 1 reflects only the zero order of interference of the electromagnetic radiation; the electromagnetic radiation exiting the reflection diffraction grating 1 propagates at normal incidence.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang as modified by Fukuda by substituting the triangularly shaped reflective patterns 10 of Racine in order to improve modulate the amplitude of electromagnetic radiation such that the grating only reflects the zero order of interference of the electromagnetic radiation and the electromagnetic radiation exiting the reflection diffraction grating propagates at normal incidence. See Racine [0086].
Regarding claim 2, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the first conductive layer is a light-reflecting conductive layer (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein metal layer 12 is an Ag metal layer), and the second conductive layer is a light-transmitting conductive layer (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein layer 12 is an ITO layer).
Regarding claim 5, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the first grooves (Racine FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions) extend from a first end of the first conductive layer to a second end of the first conductive layer (Racine FIG. 8; Fukuda FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grooves of the grating of Racine would extend from a first end of the reflection anode 102 to a second end of the reflection anode 102 of Fukuda), and the first end and the second end are two opposite ends of the first conductive layer (Fukuda FIG. 7, depicting wherein the first and second ends of the reflection anode 102 are opposite ends)
Regarding claim 6, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the first grooves and the first convex portions are disposed along a same direction (Racine FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions, and the grooves and convex portions are disposed along a same direction).
Regarding claim 7, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the plurality of first grooves are equally spaced on a surface of the first conductive layer (Racine FIG. 8; Fukuda FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions of Racine which would be equally spaced on the surface of the reflective anode 102 of Fukuda).
Regarding claim 8, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the plurality of first convex portions are equally spaced on a surface of the first conductive layer (Racine FIG. 8; Fukuda FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions of Racine which would be equally spaced on the surface of the reflective anode 102 of Fukuda).
Regarding claim 9, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the light emitting layer (Fang FIG. 1, functional layer 21) comprises an organic functional layer configured to emit light (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein the functional layer 21 is an organic functional layer configured to emit light, [0006]), a projection region of the organic functional layer on the first conductive layer along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first conductive layer is located is a first region (Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the functional layer 21 and the Ag metal layer 12 overlap), and the first grooves are at least distributed in the first region (Racine FIG. 8; Fukuda FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300, as modified by Racine, would overlap with the organic layer; Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 of Fukuda, as modified by Racine, added to the display device of Fang, would result in a configuration wherein the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and grating 1 is disposed in the area in which the functional layer 21 and the Ag metal layer 12 overlap); and the first grooves and first convex portions both extend from a first end of the first region to another opposite end of the first region (Racine FIG. 8; Fukuda FIG. 7; Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein grating of Fukuda, as modified by the grating 1 of Racine would include grooves and convex portions that would extend from a first end to another opposite end of the region of the wherein the functional layer 21 and the Ag metal layer 12 overlap).
Regarding claim 11, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the array substrate (Fang FIG. 1, [0004]: “The TFT array substrate mainly comprises: a substrate 1, a buffer layer 2 disposed on the substrate 1, an active layer 3 disposed on the buffer layer 2, a gate insulating layer 4 disposed on the buffer layer 2 and the active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5 disposed on the gate insulating layer 4, an interlayer insulating layer 6 disposed on the buffer layer 2, the active layer 3, and the gate metal layer 5, a source/drain metal layer 7 disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 6, a passivation layer 8 disposed on the source/drain metal layer 7, and a planarization layer 9 disposed on the passivation layer 8; devices such as a switching TFT, a driving TFT, and a storage capacitor are formed by a patterned active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5, and a source/drain metal layer 7 to form the TFT driving circuit to drive the pixels.”) comprises a plurality of thin film transistors (Fang FIG. 1, [0004]: “The TFT array substrate mainly comprises . . . devices such as a switching TFT, a driving TFT . . . .”), the anode layer (Fang FIG. 1, reflective anode 10) further comprises a third conductive layer (Fang FIG. 1, ITO layer 11, [0006]), and the third conductive layer is located on a side of the first conductive layer away from the second conductive layer (Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the ITO layer 11 is located on a side of the Ag metal layer 12 away from the ITO layer 13); wherein the third conductive layer has a flat upper surface and a flat lower surface (Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the ITO layer 11 has flat upper and lower surfaces).
Regarding claim 12, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the third conductive layer (FIG. 1, ITO layer 11) is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of thin film transistors (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the ITO layer 11 is electrically connected to the driving TFT).
Regarding claim 13, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the third conductive layer comprises indium tin oxide (ITO) (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein the layer 11 is an ITO layer 11), the first conductive layer comprises silver (Ag) (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein the metal layer 12 is an Ag metal layer 12), and the second conductive layer comprises ITO (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein the layer 13 is an ITO layer 13).
Claims 14-17, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine, and further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0152533 (filed Dec. 17, 2007) (hereinafter “Chan”).
Regarding claim 14, Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine further discloses wherein the display panel (Fang FIG. 1, [0004]: “Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional top-emitting organic light-emitting display panel . . . .”) further comprises a cathode (Fang FIG. 1, transparent cathode 22, [0006]) disposed on the light emitting layer (Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the transparent cathode is disposed on the functional layer 21). Fang in view of Fukuda does not specifically disclose, however, wherein a surface of the cathode toward the light emitting layer is provided with a second grating structure.
In the same field of endeavor, Chan discloses a light emitting element (FIG. 2, OLED 200, [0024]) wherein, additional to a first grating structure (FIG. 2, anode diffraction grating 283, [0036]), the light emitting element further includes a cathode (FIG. 2, cathode 240, [0024]), wherein a surface of the cathode toward the light emitting layer is provided with a second grating structure (FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 is provided at a surface of the cathode 240 toward the organic layer 230, [0036]). Regarding the multiple diffraction gratings, in [0042], Chan states: “[T]he diffraction grating system may increase the amount of light emitted externally from the LED by a factor of threefold as compared to a LED without the diffraction grating system. In another embodiment, the diffraction grating system may increase the efficiently of the LED from the typical 15% to 45% or 50%.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang by adding emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 of Chan in order to improve the light extraction efficiency of the display device. See Chan [0042].
Regarding claim 15, Fang in view of Fukuda, Racine, and Chan further discloses wherein the light emitting layer (Fang FIG. 1, functional layer 21) comprises an organic functional layer configured to emit light (Fang FIG. 1, disclosing wherein the functional layer 21 is an organic functional layer configured to emit light, [0006]), a projection region of the organic functional layer on the cathode along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the cathode is located is a second region (Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the functional layer 21 and the transparent cathode 22 overlap), and the second grating structure is at least distributed in the second region (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 overlaps with the organic layer 220; Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 of Chan, added to the display device of Fang as modified by Fukuda and Racine, would result in a configuration wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 is disposed in the area in which the functional layer 21 and the transparent cathode 22 overlap).
Regarding claim 16, Fang in view of Fukuda, Racine, and Chan further discloses wherein the second grating structure (Chan FIG. 2, emissive layer's diffraction grating 286) comprises a plurality of second grooves and a plurality of second convex portions close to the second grooves (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 includes a plurality of grooves and convex portions close to the grooves).
Regarding claim 17, Fang in view of Fukuda, Racine, and Chan further discloses wherein the second grooves and the second convex portions are disposed along a same direction (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the grooves and convex portions of the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 are disposed along a same direction), the plurality of second grooves are equally spaced on a surface of the cathode (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the grooves of the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 are equally spaced on the surface of the cathode layer and organic layer 230, 240) and the plurality of second convex portions are equally spaced on the surface of the cathode (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the convex portions of the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 are equally spaced on the surface of the cathode layer and organic layer 230, 240).
Regarding claim 19, Fang in view of Fukuda, Racine, and Chan further discloses wherein an orthogonal projection of the second grating structure on the first conductive layer overlaps the first grating structure (Chan FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 overlaps the anode layer’s diffraction grating 283; Fang FIG. 1, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 of Chan, added to the display device of Fang as modified by Fukuda and Racine, would result in a configuration wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 would overlap the grating structure 1 of Racine formed in the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102).
Regarding independent claim 20, Fang discloses: A display panel (FIG. 1, [0004]: “Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional top-emitting organic light-emitting display panel . . . .”), comprising:
an array substrate (FIG. 1, [0004]: “The TFT array substrate mainly comprises: a substrate 1, a buffer layer 2 disposed on the substrate 1, an active layer 3 disposed on the buffer layer 2, a gate insulating layer 4 disposed on the buffer layer 2 and the active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5 disposed on the gate insulating layer 4, an interlayer insulating layer 6 disposed on the buffer layer 2, the active layer 3, and the gate metal layer 5, a source/drain metal layer 7 disposed on the interlayer insulating layer 6, a passivation layer 8 disposed on the source/drain metal layer 7, and a planarization layer 9 disposed on the passivation layer 8; devices such as a switching TFT, a driving TFT, and a storage capacitor are formed by a patterned active layer 3, a gate metal layer 5, and a source/drain metal layer 7 to form the TFT driving circuit to drive the pixels.”);
an anode layer (FIG. 1, reflective anode 10, [0006]) disposed on the array substrate (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the reflective anode 10 is disposed on the array substrate 10) and comprising a first conductive layer (FIG. 1, Ag metal layer 12, [0006]) and a second conductive layer (FIG. 1, ITO layer 13, [0006]) located on the first conductive layer (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the ITO layer 13 is located on the Ag metal layer 12);
a light emitting layer (FIG. 1, functional layer 21, [0006]) disposed on the second conductive layer (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the functional layer 21 is disposed on the ITO layer 13); and
a cathode (FIG. 1, transparent cathode 22, [0006]) disposed on the light emitting layer (FIG. 1, depicting wherein the transparent cathode is disposed on the functional layer 21).
Fang does not specifically disclose wherein a surface of the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer is provided with a first grating structure, wherein the first grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves, the first grooves and the first convex portions are disposed along a same direction and are equally spaced on a surface of the first conductive layer.
In the same field of endeavor, Fukuda discloses a display device including an anode layer including a first conductive layer (FIG. 7, reflection electrode 102, [0084]) and a second conductive layer (FIG. 7, transparent electrode 103, [0069]), and further wherein a surface of the first conductive layer toward the second conductive layer is provided with a first grating structure (FIG. 7, the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 that is provided in a surface of the reflection electrode 102 toward the transparent electrode 103, [0086]), wherein the first grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves (FIG. 7, depicting wherein the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 includes a plurality of grooves and convex portions close to the grooves). Regarding the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300, in [0098], Fukuda states: “The reason why the light extraction efficiency of Example 2 is improved is that the periodic structure has little effects on the interference generated by the light travelling in the direction from the emission layer to the transparent electrode and the light travelling in the direction from the emission layer to the reflection electrode and reflected on the reflection surface. Accordingly, the improvement in light extraction efficiency by the interference can be compatible with the improvement in light extraction efficiency by the periodic structure, with the result that the light extraction efficiency is improved . . . .”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang by adding the grating structure formed by the upper surface of the reflection electrode 102 and the periodic structure 300 of Fukuda to the Ag metal layer 12 and ITO layer 13 of Fang in order to improve the light extraction efficiency of the display device. See Fukuda [0098].
Fang in view of Fukuda does not specifically disclose wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first convex portions along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first conductive layer is located is any one of triangular or arc.
In the same field of endeavor, Racine discloses a display device including an electrode layer including a grating structure (FIG. 8, electrode E1 including grating 1, [0086]), wherein the grating structure comprises a plurality of first grooves and a plurality of first convex portions close to the first grooves (FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grating 1 includes grooves and convex portions), and further wherein a cross-sectional shape of the first convex portions along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the first conductive layer is located is any one of triangular or arc (FIG. 8, depicting wherein the grooves and convex portions of the grating 1 have a triangular cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the electrode E1 is located). Regarding the reflective pattern configuration, in [0086], Racine states: “As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first electrode E1 advantageously comprises reflective patterns 10 in the spectral range, arranged to form a reflection diffraction grating 1, and dimensioned to modulate the amplitude of the electromagnetic radiation such that: the reflection diffraction grating 1 reflects only the zero order of interference of the electromagnetic radiation; the electromagnetic radiation exiting the reflection diffraction grating 1 propagates at normal incidence.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang as modified by Fukuda by substituting the triangularly shaped reflective patterns 10 of Racine in order to improve modulate the amplitude of electromagnetic radiation such that the grating only reflects the zero order of interference of the electromagnetic radiation and the electromagnetic radiation exiting the reflection diffraction grating propagates at normal incidence. See Racine [0086].
Fang in view of Fukuda and Racine does not specifically disclose wherein a surface of the cathode toward the light emitting layer is provided with a second grating structure; the second grating structure comprises a plurality of second grooves and a plurality of second convex portions close to the second grooves, and the second grooves and the second convex portions are disposed along a same direction and are equally spaced on a surface of the cathode.
In the same field of endeavor, Chan discloses a light emitting element (FIG. 2, OLED 200, [0024]) wherein, additional to a first grating structure (FIG. 2, anode diffraction grating 283, [0036]), the light emitting element further includes a cathode (FIG. 2, cathode 240, [0024]), wherein a surface of the cathode toward the light emitting layer is provided with a second grating structure (FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 is provided at a surface of the cathode 240 toward the organic layer 230, [0036]), the second grating structure (FIG. 2, emissive layer's diffraction grating 286) comprises a plurality of second grooves and a plurality of second convex portions close to the second grooves (FIG. 2, depicting wherein the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 includes a plurality of grooves and convex portions close to the grooves), and the second grooves and the second convex portions are disposed along a same direction and are equally spaced on a surface of the cathode (FIG. 2, depicting wherein the grooves and convex portions of the emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 are equally spaced on the surface of the cathode layer and organic layer 230, 240). Regarding the multiple diffraction gratings, in [0042], Chan states: “[T]he diffraction grating system may increase the amount of light emitted externally from the LED by a factor of threefold as compared to a LED without the diffraction grating system. In another embodiment, the diffraction grating system may increase the efficiently of the LED from the typical 15% to 45% or 50%.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Fang by adding emissive layer's diffraction grating 286 of Chan in order to improve the light extraction efficiency of the display device. See Chan [0042].
Regarding claim 21, Fang in view of Fukuda, Racine, and Chan does not specifically disclose wherein the second convex portions have a same cross-sectional shape as the cross-sectional shape of the first convex portions along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the first conductive layer is located.
Regarding the relative cross-sectional shapes of the first and second gratings, it is well-established that “when there is motivation to solve a problem and there are a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.” MPEP § 2143(I)(E) (quoting KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, (2007)).
Currently, there is a recognized need in the art to create display devices that maximize performance and minimize cost, often accomplished by using fewer processes for each layer comprising the device such that processing is shortened and manufacturing is simplified, but which still meet desired performance specifications. In the present case, there are a finite number of identified, predictable potential solutions for meeting the abovementioned need, including making cross-sectional shapes of the first and second gratings the same, or making cross-sectional shapes of the first and second gratings different, each having a reasonable expectation of success regardless of which known potential solution is pursued.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to try forming the grating in the cathode 240 of Chan such that the convex portions of the grating have the same cross-sectional shape as the convex portions of the grating in the electrode E1 of Racine.
Conclusion
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/ADAM D WEILAND/Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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