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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: paragraphs [0074]; [0079]; and [0083] contain chemical structures and equations that are partially illegible. (Note the corresponding Pre-Grant Publication indicates the structures and equations are illegible). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim should end with a period. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
Claim(s) 1-2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujiyoshi (US 2022/0293871).
Regarding claims 1-2:
Fujiyoshi discloses a flexible display [abstract; 0002; 0006-0008; 0101]. In one embodiment, the display comprises a first substrate 21, a first lower barrier layer 31, a second substrate 122, a second lower barrier layer 132, and a thin film transistor (TFT) layer 40 [0065; Fig. 5]. The first substrate 21 comprises organic material [0037]. The second substrate 122 (charge passivation layer) comprises fluorinated polyimide (wherein a fluorine atom is an electron-withdrawing group) [0066]. The second lower barrier layer 132 comprises inorganic material [0067].
Although Fujiyoshi does not describe the second substrate 122 as “a charge passivation layer”, the examiner submits it meets the requirements implied by the claim limitation because the reference discloses a material that is otherwise the same as claimed.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Seon et al. (US 2022/0165825).
Regarding claims 1-2:
Seon discloses a flexible display [abstract; 0002; 0005; 0066]. In one embodiment, the display comprises a first base substrate BSUB1, a first barrier layer BA1, a second base substrate BSUB2, a first sub-substrate SSUB1, a second barrier layer BA2, first and second buffer layers BF1 and BF2, and a thin film transistor (TFT) [0099; 0103; Fig. 4]. The first base substrate BSUB1 comprises plastic (organic material) [0100]. The first sub-substrate SSUB1 (charge passivation layer) comprises at least one dopant selected from a group including fluorine, chlorine, and bromine (which are electron-withdrawing) [0107] to provide electrical properties that improve display performance. In particular, Seon teaches the use of fluorinated polyimide [0109-0117]. Seon teaches fluorinated polyimide prevents an accumulation of surface charges (charge passivation) [0096-0098]. The second barrier layer BA2 comprises silicon oxynitride, aluminum oxide, etc. [0123].
Regarding claims 3-4:
As noted above, Seon discloses the first base substrate BSUB1 (first organic substrate), the first barrier layer BA1 (second inorganic layer), the second base substrate BSUB2 (second organic substrate), and the sub-substrate SSUB1 (charge passivation layer), and the second barrier layer BA2 (first inorganic layer). The first barrier layer comprises silicon nitride, silicon oxide, etc. [0101]. The second base substrate BSUB2 comprises plastic (organic material) [0102].
Regarding claims 5-6:
In another embodiment, the display comprises the first base substrate BSUB1 (first organic substrate), the sub-substrate SSUB1 (charge passivation layer), the first barrier layer BA1 (second inorganic layer), a second sub-substrate SSUB2 (second organic substrate), the second barrier layer BA2 (first inorganic layer), the first and second buffer layers BF1 and BF2, and TFT [0180-0181; Fig. 16]. Seon teaches the first sub-substrate SSUB1 (charge passivation layer) and the second sub-substrate SSUB2 (second organic material) can be identical and fluorinated [0186].
Regarding claim 7:
In another embodiment, the display comprises the first base substrate BSUB1 (first organic substrate), the first barrier layer BA1 (second inorganic layer), the second base substrate BSUB2 (second organic substrate), the sub-substrate SSUB1 (charge passivation layer), a third base substrate BSUB3, the second sub-substrate SSUB2, the second barrier layer BA2 (first inorganic layer), the first and second buffer layers BF1 and BF2, and TFT [0200-0201; Fig. 21]. Seon teaches the first base substrate BSUB1 (first organic substrate) and the second base substrate BSUB2 (second organic substrate) both comprise polyimide [0100; 0102].
Regarding claim 9:
Seon teaches forming the fluorinated polyimide is formed from a dianhydride and a diamine, wherein at least one of these monomers comprises fluorine [0114-0117].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seon et al. (US 2022/0165825).
Regarding claim 8:
Seon discloses a flexible display as previously explained. The dielectric constant of the first sub-substrate SSUB1 is 2 to 3.8 [0024]. Seon teaches the substrates can be transparent [0100].
Seon is silent with regard to the level of transparency in the visual wavelengths as presently claimed. The reference, however, intends to use the material in a display device. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide high levels of transparency in the visual wavelengths to provide the utility of a display device. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to vary the level of transparency in the visual wavelengths, including over values falling within the presently claimed range, to provide a good visual image in a display device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12 are 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.
Seon (US 2022/0165825) discloses a flexible display as previously explained. The fluorinated polyimide is formed from a dianhydride and a diamine, wherein at least one of these monomers comprises fluorine [0114-0117]. Seon teaches the amount of dopant, including fluorine, directly affects the conductivity, dielectric constant, and charge passivation properties [0005; 0007; 0096-0098; 0109-0111].
Seon is silent with regard to a third constituent unit derived from tetracarboxylic dianhydride or a fourth constituent derived from diamine, and further wherein 2-6% by mass of the first and third constituent units comprise a constituent unit containing electro-withdrawing groups; and/or 2-6% by mass of the second and fourth constituent units comprise a constituent unit containing electro-withdrawing groups.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Qin et al. (US 2021/0143345) disclose a flexible base material [abstract; 0002; 0006]. The material is to be used with flexible electronic devices, including OLEDs, i.e., a display [0002-0005; 0038-0039; 0094; 0096]. The reference further discloses the material as a base substrate for a thin film transistor (TFT), such as the embodiment depicted in Figure 7, which comprises: the flexible base substrate 31, an organic insulating layer 33, an inorganic insulating layer 34, and a TFT 32 (321-326) [0017-0019; 0032; 0090-0091; 0095-0096]. Both the flexible base substrate 31 (first organic substrate) and the organic insulating layer 33 (charge passivation layer) comprise polyimide [0007; 0046; 0111]. Qin further specifies the base substrate can be fluorinated polyimide [0007].
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/JOHN D FREEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787