DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 July 29, 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. As to claim 4, the limitation “at least one color resist layer” does not appear to be further limiting as claim 1 already recites “at least two different color resist layers”. It is not clear whether there are at least three color resist layers. Thus, the limitation renders the claims indefinite and clarification is required. As to claim 14, the limitation “wrapped” by the light shielding layer” does not appear to read on the elected FIG. 19 as the black matrix 60 is only at the top of the raised portion. Further, since the light shielding layer that is distinct from the reflective layer on the sides of the raised portion, it is not clear how the light shielding layer “encapsulates” to “wrap” the raised portion as the light shielding layer is not on the sides of the raised portion as shown in FIG. 19. Thus, the limitation renders the claim indefinite and clarification is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 8, 14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0045866 A1 to Chae et al. (“Chae”) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0102431 A1 to Huang et al. (“Huang”). As to claim 1, although Chae discloses a display panel, comprising: a first barrier wall (at 120, 130), enclosing a plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160); light-emitting devices (OLED), arranged corresponding to the plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160); color conversion units (140, 150), including at least one color conversion unit (140, 150) being at least partially located in a corresponding first barrier wall opening (at 140, 150, 160), and at least partially extending beyond the corresponding first barrier wall opening (at 140, 150, 160) in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane where the display panel is located; and a raised portion (130) that overlaps the first barrier wall (at 120, 130), the raised portion (130) including blank areas exposing the plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160), and the color conversion units (140, 150) filling the blank areas, wherein a reflective layer (120) is disposed on side walls of the raise portion (130) and covers side walls of the raised portion (130), the reflective layer (120) extending along the thickness direction perpendicular to the plane where the display panel is located and facing toward the color conversion units (140, 150), and wherein the reflective layer (120) continuously covers the side walls of the raised portion (130) (See Fig. 3, Fig. 8, ¶ 0028, ¶ 0029, ¶ 0032-¶ 0053, ¶ 0108-¶ 0111) (Notes: the blank areas are filled with elements), Chae does not further disclose the raised portion being composed of at least two different color resist layers, wherein the reflective layer covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion, and wherein the reflective layer continuously covers the side walls of each of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion. However, Huang does disclose the raised portion (4) being composed of at least two different color resist layers (41, 42) (See Fig. 1, Fig. 10, Fig. 17, ¶ 0057-¶ 0064). In view of the teaching of Huang, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Chae to have the raised portion being composed of at least two different color resist layers, wherein the reflective layer covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion, and wherein the reflective layer continuously covers the side walls of each of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion because the colors are selected according to actual requirements such as improving the light emitting efficiency of the quantum dot color film layer (See ¶ 0057). As to claim 2, Chae further discloses wherein: the display panel further includes a first substrate (410) and a second substrate (110) arranged opposite to each other; and the first barrier wall (at 120, 130), the light-emitting devices (OLED), and the color conversion units (140, 150) are located between the first substrate (410) and the second substrate (110), wherein: the light-emitting devices (OLED) are carried on a side of the first substrate (410) facing toward the second substrate (110); the first barrier wall (at 120, 130) is carried on a side of the second substrate (110) facing toward the first substrate (410); and the color conversion units (140, 150) are carried on the side of the second substrate (110) facing toward the first substrate (410) (See Fig. 8). As to claim 4, Chae in view of Huang further discloses wherein: the display panel further includes at least one color resist layer (41, 42) on a side of the second substrate (110/10) facing toward the first substrate (410/1); and the raised portion (130/4) includes the at least one color resist layer (41, 42) (See Chae Fig. 8 and Huang Fig. 1). As to claim 5, Chae in view of Huang further discloses wherein: the raised portion (130/4) includes at least two color resist layers (41, 42) with different colors stacked to each other, and the at least two color resist layers (41, 42) with different colors stacked to each other collectively shield light passing through the raised portion (130/4) (See Chae Fig. 8 and Huang Fig. 1). As to claim 8, Chae further discloses wherein: adjacently arranged sub-pixels have different colors (RGB) (See Fig. 6). As to claim 14, Huang further discloses wherein: the display panel further includes a light shielding layer (121) on a side of the second substrate (110) facing toward the first substrate (410), the light shielding layer (121) being a back matrix distinct from the reflective layer (120), the light shielding layer (121) forming a mesh structure having openings corresponding to the first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160); and the light shielding layer (121) encapsulates the raised portion (130) such that uppermost, lowermost, and side surfaces of the raised portion (130) are wrapped by the light shielding layer (121) (See Fig. 8). As to claim 18, although Chae discloses a display device comprising: a display panel, including: a first barrier wall (at 120, 130), enclosing a plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160); light-emitting devices (OLED), arranged corresponding to the plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160); color conversion units (140, 150), including at least one color conversion unit (140, 150) being at least partially located in a corresponding first barrier wall opening (at 140, 150, 160), and at least partially extending beyond the corresponding first barrier wall opening (at 140, 150, 160) in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane where the display panel is located; and a raised portion (130) that overlaps the first barrier wall (at 120, 130), the raised portion (130) including blank areas exposing the plurality of first barrier wall openings (at 140, 150, 160), and the color conversion units (140, 150) filling the blank areas, wherein a reflective layer (120) is disposed on side walls of the raise portion (130) and covers side walls of the raised portion (130), the reflective layer (120) extending along the thickness direction perpendicular to the plane where the display panel is located and facing toward the color conversion units (140, 150), and wherein the reflective layer (120) continuously covers the side walls of the raised portion (130) (See Fig. 3, Fig. 8, ¶ 0028, ¶ 0029, ¶ 0032-¶ 0053, ¶ 0108-¶ 0111) (Notes: the blank areas are filled with elements), Chae does not further disclose the raised portion being composed of at least two different color resist layers, wherein the reflective layer covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion, and wherein the reflective layer continuously covers the side walls of each of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion. However, Huang does disclose the raised portion (4) being composed of at least two different color resist layers (41, 42) (See Fig. 1, Fig. 10, Fig. 17, ¶ 0057-¶ 0064). In view of the teaching of Huang, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Chae to have the raised portion being composed of at least two different color resist layers, wherein the reflective layer covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion, and wherein the reflective layer continuously covers the side walls of each of the at least two different color resist layers included in the raised portion because the colors are selected according to actual requirements such as improving the light emitting efficiency of the quantum dot color film layer (See ¶ 0057).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 18 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7438. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-6.
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/DAVID CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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