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.
This Office Action is in response to Amendments/Remarks filed on February 04, 2026.
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 claims 4 and 14, the limitation “the second substrate…the first substrate” lacks sufficient antecedent basis. Further, it is not clear whether “a light shielding layer” is directed to the recited “reflective layer”. Thus, the limitation renders the claims indefinite and clarification is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 8, 14, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0102431 A1 to Huang et al. (“Huang”). As to claim 1, Huang discloses a display panel, comprising: a first barrier wall (4), enclosing a plurality of first barrier wall openings (01); light-emitting devices (21), arranged corresponding to the plurality of first barrier wall openings (01); color conversion units (at 5), including at least one color conversion unit (at 5) being at least partially located in a corresponding first barrier wall opening (01), and at least partially extending beyond the corresponding first barrier wall opening (01) in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane where the display panel is located; and a raised portion (411, 421) overlaps the first barrier wall (4), the raised portion (411, 421) being composed of at least two different color resist layers (411, 421) and including blank areas exposing the plurality of first barrier wall openings (01), and the color conversion units (at 5) filling the blank areas, wherein a reflective layer (6, 8) is disposed on side walls of the raise portion (411, 421) and covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers (411, 421) included in the raised portion (411, 421), and the side walls of the raised portion (411, 421) are aligned along the thickness direction perpendicular to the plane where the display panel is located and face toward the color conversion units (at 5) (See Fig. 6, ¶ 0003, ¶ 0036-¶ 0047, ¶ 0051, ¶ 0057, ¶ 0065-¶ 0070) (Notes: the blank areas are filled with elements. Further, the limitation “aligned” is defined as to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position by merriam-webster.com, where the raised portion are all aligned in a vertical direction. Such is also seen in ¶ 0070 of Jo et al. (US 2020/0219939 A1)). As to claim 2, Huang further discloses wherein: the display panel further includes a first substrate (1) and a second substrate (10) arranged opposite to each other; and the first barrier wall (4), the light-emitting devices (21), and the color conversion units (at 5) are located between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (10), wherein: the light-emitting devices (21) are carried on a side of the first substrate (1) facing toward the second substrate (10); the first barrier wall (4) is carried on a side of the second substrate (10) facing toward the first substrate (1); and the color conversion units (at 5) are carried on the side of the second substrate (10) facing toward the first substrate (1) (See Fig. 6). As to claim 4, Huang further discloses wherein: the display panel further includes at least one color resist layer (411, 421) on a side of the second substrate facing toward the first substrate; and the raised portion (411, 421) includes the at least one color resist layer (411, 421) (See Fig. 6) (Notes: the color resist layer prevents light penetration). As to claim 5, Huang further discloses wherein: the raised portion (411, 421) includes at least two color resist layers (411, 421) with different colors stacked to each other (See Fig. 6). As to claim 8, Huang 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 (6, 8) on a side of the second substrate facing toward the first substrate; and the raised portion (411, 421) includes the light shielding layer (6, 8) (See Fig. 6) (Notes: the light shielding layer blocks/reflects light). As to claim 18, Huang discloses a display device, comprising: a display panel, including: a first barrier wall (4), enclosing a plurality of first barrier wall openings (01); light-emitting devices (21), arranged corresponding to the plurality of first barrier wall openings (01); color conversion units (at 5), including at least one color conversion unit (at 5) being at least partially located in a corresponding first barrier wall opening (01), and at least partially extending beyond the corresponding first barrier wall opening (01) in a thickness direction perpendicular to a plane where the display panel is located; and a raised portion (411, 421) overlaps the first barrier wall (4), the raised portion (411, 421) being composed of at least two different color resist layers (411, 421) and including blank areas exposing the plurality of first barrier wall openings (01), and the color conversion units (at 5) filling the blank areas, wherein a reflective layer (6, 8) is disposed on side walls of the raise portion (411, 421) and covers side walls of the at least two different color resist layers (411, 421) included in the raised portion (411, 421), and the side walls of the raised portion (411, 421) are aligned along the thickness direction perpendicular to the plane where the display panel is located and face toward the color conversion units (at 5) (See Fig. 6, ¶ 0003, ¶ 0036-¶ 0047, ¶ 0051, ¶ 0057, ¶ 0065-¶ 0070) (Notes: the blank areas are filled with elements. Further, the limitation “aligned” is defined as to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position by merriam-webster.com, where the raised portion are all aligned in a vertical direction. Such is also seen in ¶ 0070 of Jo et al. (US 2020/0219939 A1)).
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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JOSHUA BENITEZ can be reached at (571) 270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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