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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/09/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/09/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Specifically, the Applicant argues that the Park reference fails to teach “the auxiliary electrode is connected to a low-potential driving power line and directly receives the low- potential driving power, and transmits it to the cathode electrode.”
The Applicant supported the argument by describing how metal pattern (auxiliary electrode 510D) is configured in the device of Figs. 5 and 6 to be connected to a pixel element and then concluded that Park does not consider a structure in which the metal pattern (510D) directly receives the low- potential driving power without intermediate circuit elements.
The Applicant then discussed the structure of Fig. 7 where how metal pattern (auxiliary electrode 510D) is configured isolated from pixel elements. In view of the Applicants analysis of the structures of Figs. 6-7, the Applicant concluded that Park's metal pattern (510D) of the dummy pixel only has a structure of being connected to or insulated from the pixel driving circuit, and there is a clear structural difference from the structure of the claimed features, in which the auxiliary electrode directly receives the low-potential driving power without intervening circuit elements.
The Applicant also argues that Park does not disclose or suggest a power line connection portion for the purpose of power supply stabilization (intentional connection for active power supply). Thus, the technical problems and effects of Park are different from those of the claimed features. The Applicants arguments are not persuasive.
First of all, the argument regarding Park’s technical problems and effects of Park are different from those of the claimed features, is not persuasive because the present claim is drawn to a device, thus the Park only needs to teach the structural limitation of claimed invention.
Regarding the argument that Park requires an intervening circuit element to provide low power to the auxiliary electrode which is contrary to the claimed invention, is also not persuasive, because even in the present application in order to have a low power potential to be provided to the auxiliary electrode, an intervening element will be required –i.e., a power source.
In view of the amendment to the claim, the Park reference will be readdressed to detail how Park teaches the claimed limitation. The details will be discussed in the rejection of the claims hereinafter.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7-8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. [US PGPUB 20200013834] (hereinafter Park).
Regarding claim 1 in view of Figs. 5 and 6 of Park (wherein FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of portion VI of FIG. 5 according to an exemplary embodiment, Para 33), Park teaches a display device comprising:
a substrate (100, Fig. 5) on which a light emitting area (DA, 76) and an auxiliary electrode contact part (DMA, 69) are defined (Fig. 5);
an auxiliary electrode (510D, Para 90) formed on the substrate (Fig. 5/6) and electrically connected to a low potential driving power line (see annotated Fig. 5) and configured to directly receive low potential driving power (i.e., when the pixel circuit 200 provides driving current to drive pixels, a low voltage is provided and the auxiliary electrode directly receives a low potential driving power from the low potential driving power line);
a conductive layer (522, Para 82/83) formed on the auxiliary electrode in the auxiliary electrode contact part (Fig. 5/6);
an organic layer (524, Para 85/86) covering the conductive layer (Fig. 6); and
a cathode electrode (530 or 510/530, Para 81) formed on the organic layer (Fig. 6 –wherein Park discloses that The HIL allows holes to be emitted from an anode, and the HTL allows holes of the HIL to be transferred to the emission layer 520 (Para 82), thus, electrode 530 of the light-emitting element will be the cathode of the light-emitting element 500 or wherein electrode 510 and 530 can be referred to as a cathode),
wherein the conductive layer is formed of a material having a lower surface tension than that of the organic layer (wherein the conductive layer at least comprises polyaniline (Para 83) and the organic layer comprises Alq3 or TAZ (Para 86)),
wherein the organic layer comprises at least one opening which exposes at least one region of the conductive layer (Fig. 6; wherein the opening exposes sidewall of the conductive layer), and
wherein the cathode electrode is in direct contact with the conductive layer through the at least one opening (Fig. 6).
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Annotated Fig. 5
Regarding claim 3, Park teaches a display device wherein the cathode electrode comprises:
a first cathode electrode (510, Fig. 6) formed on a region of the auxiliary electrode where the at least one opening is not formed (Fig. 6 –where “on” indicates a position above and/or supported by); and
a second cathode electrode (530, Fig. 6) covering the first cathode electrode (Fig. 6; at least covering a bottom surface of) and in direct contact with the conductive layer through the at least one opening (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Park teaches a display device wherein the conductive layer includes one of Nafion, PCPDT-2T and polyaniline (PANI) (Para 83).
Regarding claim 7, Park teaches a display device wherein the organic layer includes at least one of an electron transport layer and an electron injection layer (Para 85).
Regarding claim 8, Park teaches a display device further comprising a bank layer (150, Fig. 5/6) which is formed on the auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5/6) and exposes a region of the auxiliary electrode in the auxiliary electrode contact part (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 11 in view of Figs. 5 and 6 of Park (wherein FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of portion VI of FIG. 5 according to an exemplary embodiment, Para 33), Park teaches a display device comprising:
a substrate (100, Fig. 5) where a light emitting area (DA, 76) and an auxiliary electrode contact part (DMA, 69) are defined (Fig. 5);
an auxiliary electrode (510D, Para 90) disposed on the substrate (Fig. 5/6) and electrically connected to a low potential driving power line (see annotated Fig. 5) and configured to directly receive low potential driving power (i.e., when the pixel circuit 200 provides driving current to drive pixels, a low voltage is provided and the auxiliary electrode directly receives a low potential driving power from the low potential driving power line);
a conductive layer (522, Para 82/83) disposed on the auxiliary electrode in the auxiliary electrode contact part (Fig. 5/6);
an organic layer (524, Para 85/86) having an opening which exposes at least one region of the conductive layer and covering the conductive layer (Fig. 6, wherein the opening exposes sidewall of the conductive layer); and
a cathode electrode (530 or 510/530, Para 81) disposed on the organic layer and in direct contacting with the conductive layer through the opening (Fig. 6 –wherein Park discloses that The HIL allows holes to be emitted from an anode, and the HTL allows holes of the HIL to be transferred to the emission layer 520 (Para 82), thus, electrode 530 of the light-emitting element will be the cathode of the light-emitting element 500 or wherein electrode 510 and 530 can be referred to as a cathode),
wherein the auxiliary electrode and the cathode electrode are connected to each other through the conductive layer in the auxiliary electrode contact part (Fig. 6, i.e., in view of portion of layers 522 and 524 protruding from the slope side wall and extending and extending to the opening –it should be noted that the claim does not exclude other therein between), and
wherein the conductive layer has a surface tension lower than the organic layer (wherein the conductive layer at least comprises polyaniline (Para 83) and the organic layer comprises Alq3 or TAZ (Para 86)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 6, 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view Ahn et al. [US PGPUB 20170005294] (hereinafter Ahn).
Regarding claim 6, Park teaches the limitation of claim 5 upon which it depends.
Park does not specifically disclose a display device wherein an uppermost layer of the auxiliary electrode includes indium tin oxide (ITO).
Referring to the invention of Ahn, discloses that pixel electrode can be ones of numerous materials to included indium tin oxide (ITO) (Para 34).
In view of such teaching by Ahn, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the invention of Park comprise the teachings of Ahn at least based on the rationale of simple substitution of one known element/structure with a suitable another to obtain predictable results (MPEP 2143.I.B), such as, allowing light to be transmitted through it, in an instance such as light emission towards the substrate.
Regarding claim 9, Park teaches the limitation of claim 8 upon which it depends.
Park does not specifically disclose a display device wherein at least a portion of a surface of the bank layer has hydrophobicity.
Referring to the invention of Ahn, Ahn teaches a display device wherein at least a portion of a surface of the bank layer (pixel-defining layer 20, Para 40) has hydrophobicity (Para 40).
In view of such teaching by Ahn, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the invention of Park comprise the teachings of Ahn in order to improve the forming of layers on and in the bank layer.
Regarding claim 10, Ahn teaches a display device wherein a surface of a central region of the conductive layer (sidewall surface along the center line –see annotated Fig. 6 hereinafter) is lower than a surface of an edge region of the conductive layer (see annotated Fig. 6 hereinafter).
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Annotated Fig. 6
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/ISMAIL A MUSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812