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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 15, Paragraph 1 of applicant’s arguments, filed 12/31/2025, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 and dependent claims under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) under Im et al.(US 20190326348 A1, hereafter Im) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of the claims has been withdrawn. The amendment successfully overcomes the prior art of Im.
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 18, Paragraphs 1-3 of applicant’s arguments, filed 12/31/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 14 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) under Im have been fully considered. However, they do not place the application into the conditions for allowance under Im due to the fact that the amended limitations still fall within the scope of Im’s disclosure with respect to an alternative feature mapping. See the new rejection below.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Im.
Regarding Claim 14, Im discloses:
A display device(Fig. 22/23) comprising:
an emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and a sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) at one side of the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) in a first direction;
First(Fig. 23 [341]) and second(Fig. 23 [342]) electrodes on a surface of a substrate(Fig. 23 [301]) and extending in the first direction and spaced from each other in a second direction, the first(Fig. 23 [341]) and second electrodes(Fig. 23 [342]) being in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below);
a first insulating layer(Fig. 23 [306]) on the first electrode(Fig. 23 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]);
a plurality of light emitting elements(Fig. 23 [LED]) on the first electrode(Fig. 23 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L])
a second insulating layer(Fig. 23 [307]) on the plurality of light emitting elements(Fig. 23 [LED]), the second insulating layer(Fig. 23 [307]) extending in the first direction between the first and second electrodes(Fig. 23 [341/342]),
a first connection electrode(Fig. 23 [371]) on the first electrode(Fig. 23 [341]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) and in contact with a light emitting element(Fig. 23 [LED]) from among the plurality of light emitting elements(Fig. 23 [LED]); and
a second connection electrode(Fig. 23 [372]) on the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) and in contact with the light emitting element(Fig. 23 [LED]),
wherein the first connection electrode(Fig. 23 [371]) and the second connection electrode(Fig. 23 [372]) are entirely spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate(Fig. 23 [301]) and do not overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate(Fig. 23 [301]),
wherein the first connection electrode(Fig. 23 [371]) comprises a first contact portion on a first contact hole(Fig. 23 [60]) exposed in a first opening of the first insulating layer(Fig. 23 [306]), and
wherein the second connection electrode(Fig. 23 [372]) comprises a second contact portion on a second contact hole(Fig. 23 [70]) exposed in a second opening of the first insulating layer(Fig. 23 [306]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11, 15-18 are in the conditions for allowance.
Regarding Claim 1, the closest prior art of Im discloses:
A display device(Fig. 4) comprising:
A conductive layer(Fig. 4 [VSL/322]) comprising a voltage line(Fig. 4 [VSL]) and a conductive pattern(Fig. 4 [322]) on a surface of a substrate(Fig. 4 [301]);
A via layer(Fig. 4 [305]) on the conductive layer(Fig. 4 [VSL/322]) and including a plurality of contact holes(Fig. 4 [60/70]) exposing a portion of the conductive layer(Fig. 4 [VSL/322]);
A first electrode(Fig. 4 [341]) and a second electrode(Fig. 4 [342]) spaced from each other on the via layer(Fig. 4 [304]),
A first insulating layer(Fig. 4 [366]) on the first electrode(Fig. 4 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 4 [342]) and including a plurality of openings(Fig. 4 [60/70]) exposing the plurality of contact holes(Fig. 4 [60/70]);
Light emitting elements(Fig. 4 [LED]) on the first electrode(Fig. 4 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 4 [342]), and on the first insulating layer(Fig. 4 [366]); and
A first connection electrode(Fig. 4 [371]) on the first electrode(Fig. 4 [341]) and in contact with a light-emitting element(Fig. 4 [LED]) among the light emitting elements(Fig. 4 [LED]), and a second connection electrode(Fig. 4 [372]) on the second electrode(Fig. 4 [342]) and in contact with the light emitting element(Fig. 4 [LED]),
Wherein the first connection electrode(Fig. 4 [371]) and the second connection electrode(Fig. 4 [372]) are entirely spaced from each other in a direction parallel to the surface of the substrate(Fig. 4 [301]) and do not overlap to each other in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate(Fig. 4 [301]),
Wherein the first connection electrode(Fig. 4 [371]) is in direct contact with the conductive pattern(Fig. 4 [322]) through a first opening exposing a first contact hole(Fig. 4 [60]) of the plurality of contact holes(Fig. 4 [60/70]), and
Wherein the second connection electrode(Fig. 4 [372]) is in direct contact with the voltage line(Fig. 4 [VSL]) through a second opening exposing the second contact hole(Fig. 4 [70]) of the plurality of contact holes(Fig. 4 [60/70]).
However, the prior art of record does not teach or disclose the voltage line and the conductive pattern are made of same material.
Claims 2-11 are also in the conditions for allowance due to their dependence on Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 15, the closest prior art of Im discloses:
A display device(Fig. 22/23) comprising:
An emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and a sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) at one side of the emission area in a first direction(facing the viewer);
First(Fig. 23 [341]) and second(Fig. 23 [342]) electrodes extending in the first direction and spaced from each other in a second direction(horizontal), the first and second electrodes(Fig. 23 [341/342]) being in the emission area(fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below);
A first insulating layer(Fig. 23 [306]) on the first electrode(fig. 23 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) and including a plurality of openings(fig. 23 [60/70]) in the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below);
A plurality of light emitting elements(fig. 23 [LED]) on the first electrode(Fig. 23 [341]) and the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]);
A first connection electrode(Fig. 23 [371]) on the first electrode(Fig. 23 [341]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) and in contact with a light-emitting element(Fig. 23 [LED]) among the plurality of light-emitting elements(Fig. 23 [LED]); and
A second connection electrode(Fig. 23 [372]) on the second electrode(Fig. 23 [342]) in the emission area(Fig. 23 [L]) and the sub-region(Fig. 22 See below) and in contact with the light emitting element(Fig. 23 [LED]).
The prior art of record does not appear to disclose the first and second dunny patterns or the respective limitations therein.
Claims 16-18 are also in the conditions for allowance due to their dependence on Claim 15.
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Above: Fig. 23 of Im with sub-region and emission area denoted by examiner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Koh et al.(US 20210202670 A1) disclose a display device with a pixel element with a connection electrode of a specific shape. Hong et al.(US 20210181554 A1) discloses a display device with connection electrodes in a similar fashion as the application at hand. Lee et al.(US 20200026134 A1) discloses a pixel array with a connection electrode. Lee et al.(US 20190088731 A1) discloses a display device with a plurality of connection electrodes connecting a conductive pattern and a light emitting element. Beak et al.(US 20180166015 A1) discloses a display device with a connection electrode and a plurality of light emitting elements. Kim et al.(US 20180062109 A1) discloses a light-emitting device with a bank layer.
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 MARSHALL MU-NUO HATFIELD whose telephone number is (703)756-1506. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thus 11:00 AM-9:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fernando Toledo can be reached on 571-272-1867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARSHALL MU-NUO HATFIELD/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /FERNANDO L TOLEDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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