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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 2002/0158835) in view of Hung (6,483,236) .
[claim 1] Kobayashi discloses a display device (fig. 3) comprising: a substrate (101,102,103,213,113,114, 117, fig. 3) comprising pixel electrodes (117, fig. 3, [0050]) ; a passivation layer (120,116, fig. 3) on the substrate, a plurality of openings in the passivation layer (openings in P filled in by 121/122/117, fig. 3) respectively overlapping the pixel electrodes and a groove (groove in the center between center 120 partition partially filled in by 118 and 120a, fig. 3) in the passivation layer between the openings and the pixel electrodes (fig. 3); contact electrodes (note that 117 is a stack of three conductive layers with the lower layer being the pixel electrode and the upper layer being the contact electrode, fig. 3, [0073]) respectively on the pixel electrodes and extending along a side surface of the passivation layer around an edge of the opening in the passivation (note that 117 extends into the page in fig. 7, see fig. 2,3 with the passivation layer 120 edge having a side surface extending along with it see fig. 2, the opening is noted to include the portion filled by 117) ; and a light-emitting element layer (121, fig. 3, [0044] is a light emission stack including a hole carrying/transport layer, light emission layer, and electron carrying/transport layer, the light emission layer of the stack would be the light-emitting element layer) comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements respectively bonded onto the contact electrodes (fig. 3), wherein the groove does not overlap the plurality of light-emitting elements (fig. 3). Kobayashi further discloses that the light emission stack 121 may comprise a stack of a hole carrying/transport layer, light emission layer, and electron carrying/transport layer [0044]. Kobayashi, however, does not expressly disclose the material of electron carrying/transport layer which would be adjacent to the cathode 122 [0051].
Hung discloses a display device for an organic light emitting device (fig. 2) wherein the electron carrying/transport layer is made of zinc oxide (240, fig. 2, lines 35-49, col. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have used zinc oxide as Kobayashi’s electron carrying/transport layer in order to provide a workable material for the electron transport layer and to provide an electron transport layer with improved electron mobility (lines 35-49, col. 4 of Hung)
With this modification Kobayashi discloses:
[claim 1] the plurality of light-emitting elements having a plurality of semiconductor layers thereon (upon modification the electron transport layer above the light emission layer of 121 and below the cathode 122 would be zinc oxide while the cathode 122 is made of indium tin oxide [0061], both indium tin oxide and zinc oxide are wide bandgap semiconductor layers).
[claim 2] The display device of claim 1, wherein the groove extends around a periphery of the plurality of light-emitting elements (groove is on the periphery of the light emitting elements, fig. 3) and is between the plurality of light- emitting elements (groove is between the light emitting elements, fig. 3).
[claim 3] The display device of claim 1, wherein the groove is between two adjacent ones of the contact electrodes (groove between 120 and partially filled in by 118 and 120 is between 117, fig. 3), and wherein a width of the groove is smaller than a distance between the two adjacent ones of the contact electrodes (fig. 3).
[claim 4] The display device of claim 1, wherein the passivation layer has openings exposing the pixel electrodes, and wherein the groove is between the openings (120 exposes 117 at 120b, fig. 3, [0075]).
[claim 7] The display device of claim 1, wherein a depth of the groove is smaller than or equal to a thickness of the passivation layer (groove could be interpreted as being slightly below the top of 120, alternatively the groove could be interpreted as only the portion filled in by 118, fig. 3).
[claim 8] The display device of claim 1, wherein the groove comprises a plurality of grooves, and wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove (bottom groove filled in by 118, fig. 3) adjacent to the plurality of light-emitting elements and a second groove (upper groove partially filled in by 120, fig. 3) adjacent to the first groove.
[claim 9] The display device of claim 8, wherein a width and a depth of the first groove is greater than a width and a depth, respectively, of the second groove (bottom groove filled in by 118 is at depth lower than the upper groove and the width of the groove filled in by 118 is greater than the portion of the upper groove directly above the second groove, fig. 3).
Claim(s) 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 2002/0158835) in view of Hung (6,483,236) and further in view of Ito (US 2004/0183436) .
[claim 13] Kobayashi discloses a display device (fig. 3) comprising: a substrate (101,102,103,213,113,114, 117 fig. 3), comprising pixel electrodes (117, fig. 3, [0050]); a passivation layer (120, 116, fig. 3) on the substrate and having a groove (groove in the center between center 120 partition walls partially filled in by 118 and 120a, fig. 3) between the pixel electrodes; a contact electrode (note that 117 is a stack of three conductive layers with the lower layer being the pixel electrode and the upper layer being the contact electrode, fig. 3, [0073]) on the pixel electrode; and a light emitting element layer comprising: a plurality of light-emitting elements (121, fig. 3, [0044] is a light emission stack including a hole carrying/transport layer, light emission layer, and electron carrying/transport layer, the light emission layer of the stack would be the light-emitting element layer) respectively bonded onto the contact electrodes. Kobayashi, however, does not expressly disclose the material of electron carrying/transport layer which would be adjacent to the cathode 122 [0051] or a reflective layer on the sidewall of the bank/passivation layer 120.
Hung discloses a display device for an organic light emitting device (fig. 2) wherein the electron carrying/transport layer is made of zinc oxide (240, fig. 2, lines 35-49, col. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have used zinc oxide as Kobayashi’s electron carrying/transport layer in order to provide a workable material for the electron transport layer and to provide an electron transport layer with improved electron mobility (lines 35-49, col. 4 of Hung)
Ito disclose a display device (fig. 1,4) wherein a reflective layer (LRL, fig. 1,4, [0057]) is formed on the sidewalls of the bank/passivation layer (BNK, fig. 1,4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have placed a light reflection layer on the sidewalls of the bank/passivation 120 in order to provide a reflective means to improve light extraction efficiency.
With this modification Kobayashi discloses:
[claim 13] the plurality of light-emitting elements having a plurality of semiconductor layers thereon (upon modification the electron transport layer above the light emission layer of 121 and below the cathode 122 would be zinc oxide while the cathode 122 is made of indium tin oxide [0061], both indium tin oxide and zinc oxide are wide bandgap semiconductor layers), a partition wall (the reflection layer on the bank upon modification, fig. 3between the plurality of light-emitting elements, ), wherein the partition wall is on the passivation layer (upon modification), wherein the groove overlaps the partition wall (fig. 8).
[claim 14] The display device of claim 13, wherein the partition wall protrudes toward the groove, and wherein a width of the partition wall is smaller than that of the light-emitting elements (partition wall 120 at the top is narrow where the light emitter in 121 is wider at its top as can be seen in fig. 3).
[claim 15] The display device of claim 13, wherein the partition wall is in the groove (fig. 8).
[claim 16] The display device of claim 13, wherein a width of the partition wall is smaller than that of the groove (partition wall 120 at the top is narrow where the groove formed 120 is wider at its top as can be seen in fig. 3).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 2002/0158835) in view of Hung (6,483,236) .
[claim 20] An electronic (fig. 1-3) comprising: a substrate (101,102,103,213,113,114, 117 fig. 3) having a first light emission area (one display element P as shown in fig. 3, fig. 1 and 2 show each display element P in an array which would be a number of emission areas), a second light emission area (another adjacent element P as shown in fig. 3, fig. 1 and 2 show each display element P in an array which would be a number of emission areas) , a third light emission area (yet another adjacent element P as shown in fig. 3, fig. 1 and 2 show each display element P in an array which would be a number of emission areas), and a fourth light emission area (another yet another adjacent element P as shown in fig. 3, fig. 1 and 2 show each display element P in an array which would be a number of emission areas); pixel electrodes (117, fig. 3, [0050]) on the substrate and overlapping each of the first light emission area, the second light emission area, the third light emission area, and the fourth light emission area (fig. 1-3) ;a passivation layer (120, 116, fig. 3) on the substrate, the passivation layer having a groove (groove in the center between center 120 partition walls partially filled in by 118 and 120a, fig. 3) between the pixel electrodes; and a plurality of light-emitting elements (121, fig. 3, [0044] is a light emission stack including a hole carrying/transport layer, light emission layer, and electron carrying/transport layer, the light emission layer of the stack would be the light-emitting element layer) respectively bonded to the pixel electrodes, wherein the groove extends around a periphery of the first light emission area (fig. 1-3), the second light emission area (fig. 1-3), the third light emission area (fig. 1-3) and the fourth light emission area (fig. 1-3), and wherein the groove does not overlap the first light emission area, the second light emission area, the third light emission area, and the fourth light emission area (fig. 3 shows the groove does not overlap any of the emissions areas of 121). Kobayashi, however, does not expressly disclose the material of electron carrying/transport layer which would be adjacent to the cathode 122 [0051].
Hung discloses a display device for an organic light emitting device (fig. 2) wherein the electron carrying/transport layer is made of zinc oxide (240, fig. 2, lines 35-49, col. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have used zinc oxide as Kobayashi’s electron carrying/transport layer in order to provide a workable material for the electron transport layer and to provide an electron transport layer with improved electron mobility (lines 35-49, col. 4 of Hung)
With this modification Kobayashi discloses:
[claim 20] the plurality of light-emitting elements having a plurality of semiconductor layers thereon (upon modification the electron transport layer above the light emission layer of 121 and below the cathode 122 would be zinc oxide while the cathode 122 is made of indium tin oxide [0061], both indium tin oxide and zinc oxide are wide bandgap semiconductor layers), and wherein at least one of the plurality of semiconductor layers extends over the (side of) the groove with out being in the grove (e.g. the electron carrying/transport layer would extend over the side of the groove, see e.g. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overside).
Claim(s) 6-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 2002/0158835) in view of Hung (6,483,236) and further in view of Hanawa (US 8,362,694) .
Kobayashi/Hung discloses the display device of claim 1 but does not expressly disclose replacing the auxiliary electrode (118, fig. 3, [0046]) of the light emitting device below the top electrode (122, fig. 3) is with connection section pillars.
Hung discloses a display device wherein the auxiliary electrode of the light emitting device below the top electrode (20, fig. 15) is replaced with connection section pillars (24, fig. 15) which create multiple grooves therebetween.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have made Kobayashi’s auxiliary electrode into connection section pillars in order to provide a favorable electrical connection means while reducing possibility of pixel separation (see [Abstract] of Hung).
With this modification Kobayashi discloses:
[claim 6] The display device of claim 1, wherein a length of the groove is smaller than or equal to a width of the plurality of light-emitting elements (upon modification the connection pillars would form small grooves with small lengths therebetween in a horizontal direction that are smaller that the light emitters).
[claim 7] The display device of claim 1, wherein a depth of the groove is smaller than or equal to a thickness of the passivation layer (upon modification each of the connection section pillars 24 would create grooves that are thinner than the passivation layer 120, fig. 3).
[claim 8] The display device of claim 1, wherein the groove comprises a plurality of grooves, and wherein the plurality of grooves comprises a first groove (two left most grooves formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung in addition to the upper groove partially filled in by 120, fig. 3) adjacent to the plurality of light-emitting elements and a second groove (two right most grooves formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung) adjacent to the first groove.
[claim 9] The display device of claim 8, wherein a width and a depth of the first groove is greater than a width and a depth, respectively, of the second groove (first groove has the upper groove filled in by 120 in addition to the space created by the connection section pillars and thus the first groove would and more depth and width than the second groove, fig. 3 upon modification).
[claim 10] The display device of claim 8, wherein the second groove comprises a (2- 1)th groove (center right groove formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung) and a (2-2)th groove (rightmost groove formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung) that are spaced apart from each other, and wherein each of the (2-1)th groove and the (2-2)th groove overlaps the first groove in one direction on a plane (in a horizontal direction of a horizontal plane in fig. 3 upon modification).
[clam 11] The display device of claim 10, wherein the first groove comprises a (1- 1)th groove (center left groove formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung) and a (1-2)th groove (leftmost groove formed by connection section pillars 24, fig. 15 Hung) that are spaced apart from each other, and wherein each of the (1-1)th groove and the (1-2)th groove overlaps the(2-1)th groove in one direction on a plane (in a horizontal direction of a horizontal plane in fig. 3 upon modification).
[claim 12] The display device of claim 8, wherein the first groove extends around a periphery of one of the plurality of light-emitting elements (fig. 2,3, upon modification), wherein the second groove extends around a periphery of another one of the plurality of light-emitting elements (fig. 2,3, upon modification), and wherein the first groove and the second groove have a closed loop shape. (e.g. 120b indicates the periphery of he partition wall 120 in which the grooves are formed by upon modification, the light emitter is embedded within the partition walls 120, fig. 3)
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi (US 2002/0158835) in view of Hung (6,483,236) .
Kobayashi/Hung discloses the display device of claim 1 but does not expressly disclose that the groove has a mesh shape.
Nevertheless it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to have made the groove have a mesh shape , since it has been held that a particular shape configuration (mesh shape) was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing would have found obvious absent evidence that the particular configuration was critical. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
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 17-19 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. Applicant states in claim 17 that “the partition wall comprises the first semiconductor layer, the active layer on the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer on the active layer, and the third semiconductor layer on the second semiconductor layer.” However, applicant in parent claim 13, claims that the partition wall is between the plurality of light-emitting elements. Further in claim 17, applicant claims that “each of the plurality of light-emitting elements comprises a first semiconductor layer, an active layer on the first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer on the active layer, and the third semiconductor layer on the second semiconductor layer.” It is unclear how the partition wall comprising the first/second/ third semiconductor layers could be between the light-emitting elements comprising the first/second/third semiconductors layers.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any interpretations applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/AMAR MOVVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898