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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response, received 10/27/2025, has been entered.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho et al. (TW-2017-036949-A; English Translation), hereafter referred to as Cho.
As to claim 1, Cho discloses a photosensitive resin (Translation page 3, “photosensitive resin composition”) composition comprising:
a binder resin (page 3, “binder resin”);
a photopolymerizable monomer (page 3, photopolymerizable compound that is taught in page 5 as a photopolymerizable monomer);
a photopolymerization initiator (page 3 “photopolymerization initiator”);
an active component (page 7 teaches an active component); and
a solvent (page 3),
wherein the active component comprises acyl hydrazide (page 7, active component comprising benzhydrazide).
As to claim 2, Cho discloses the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein the active component comprises benzhydrazide (page 7).
As to claim 3, Cho discloses the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein an amount of the active component is in a range of about 0.1 parts to about 1 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the photosensitive resin composition (page 7).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Kim (US 2020/0373365 A1).
As to claim 4, Cho discloses the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1 (paragraphs above).
Cho does not disclose a liquid-repellent material.
Nonetheless, Kim discloses a pixel defining layer that includes a liquid-repellent material ([0089]; [0102]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to include the liquid-repellent material of Kim in the photosensitive resin layer of Cho since this will improve the uniformity of the organic emission material when formed by ink-jet printing by preventing overflow.
Claim(s) 5-7, 9-11 and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Cho.
As to claim 5, Kim discloses a display panel (fig 1, display panel DP) comprising:
a light-emitting device on a substrate (fig 4B, LED on BS1); and
a bank layer (fig 4, PD),
wherein the light-emitting device comprises a pixel electrode (AE), an interlayer (EML) arranged on the pixel electrode (AE) and comprising a quantum-dot emission layer ([0097]), and a counter electrode (CE) on the interlayer (EML), the bank layer (PD) covers an edge portion of the pixel electrode (AE) and having an opening overlapping the pixel electrode, and the interlayer is arranged in the opening (EML in opening of PD).
Kim does not disclose that the bank layer is prepared using the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1.
Nonetheless, Cho disclose wherein a photosensitive resin layer is prepared using the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1 (paragraphs above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to form the pixel defining bank layer of Kim using the resin composition as taught by Cho since this will reduce residues around patterns, reduce melting flow, and allow for implementing a high taper angle.
As to claim 6, Kim in view of Cho discloses the display panel of claim 5 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the counter electrode covers the interlayer and the bank layer (fig 4B, CE covers EML and PD).
As to claim 7, Kim in view of Cho discloses the display panel of claim 5 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the interlayer further comprises: a first region located between the pixel electrode and the quantum-dot emission layer; and a second region located between the quantum-dot emission layer and the counter electrode, wherein the first region is a hole transport region and the second region is an electron transport region, or the first region is an electron transport region and the second region is a hole transport region ([0078]).
As to claim 9, Kim in view of Cho discloses the display panel of claim 5 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein an upper surface and/or a lateral side of the bank layer have liquid repellency ([0089]; [0102]).
As to claim 10, Kim in view of Cho discloses the display panel of claim 5 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the quantum-dot comprises a Group II-VI semiconductor compound, a Group III-V semiconductor compound, a Group III-VI semiconductor compound, a Group I-III-VI semiconductor compound, a Group IV-VI semiconductor compound, a Group IV element or compound, or any combinations thereof ([0076]).
As to claim 11, Kim discloses a method of manufacturing a display panel ([0006]),
the method comprising: forming a pixel electrode (fig 4B, AE) on a substrate (BS1); forming a bank layer (PD) on the pixel electrode (AE), the bank layer (PD) covering an edge portion of the pixel electrode (AE) and having an opening overlapping the pixel electrode; forming an interlayer arranged in the opening and comprising a quantum-dot emission layer (interlayer EML in opening of PD; [0097]); and forming a counter layer (CE) on the interlayer (EML), to thereby provide a light-emitting diode (LED).
Kim does not disclose that the bank layer is prepared using the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1.
Nonetheless, Cho disclose wherein a photosensitive resin layer is prepared using the photosensitive resin composition of claim 1 (paragraphs above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was effectively filed to form the pixel defining bank layer of Kim using the resin composition as taught by Cho since this will reduce residues around patterns, reduce melting flow, and allow for implementing a high taper angle.
As to claim 16, Kim in view of Cho disclose the method of claim 11 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the forming of the bank layer comprises: forming a photoresist layer on the pixel electrode by using the photosensitive resin composition; exposing at least a portion of the photoresist layer; and developing the photoresist layer of which at least a portion is exposed, to thereby form the bank layer ([0122]).
As to claim 17, Kim in view of Cho disclose the method of claim 11 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses after the forming of the bank layer, baking the bank layer ([0124]-[0126]).
As to claim 18, Kim in view of Cho disclose the method of claim 11 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses after the forming of the bank layer, plasma treatment of the bank layer ([0097]).
As to claim 19, Kim in view of Cho disclose the method of claim 11 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the quantum-dot emission layer is formed by a solution process ([0097]).
As to claim 20, Kim in view of Cho disclose the method of claim 11 (paragraphs above).
Kim further discloses wherein the quantum-dot emission layer is formed by inkjet printing ([0097]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 12-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the limitation: wherein the light-emitting device comprises the active component diffused from the bank layer, as recited in claim 8; or after the providing of the light-emitting diode, diffusing the active component from the bank layer into the light-emitting diode, as recited in claim 12. Claims 13-15 are allowable because of their dependence from claim 12.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/27/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argued that Cho does not disclose an active component containing benzhydrazide because Cho does not disclose benzhydrazide as an active component. Instead, Cho discloses that benzhydrazide is a surfactant used as a pigment dispersant.
Examiner disagrees because this argument is not commensurate in scope with that of the claims. Specifically, claim 2 only requires that the active component comprises benzhydrazide. As such, the active component described in Cho comprises benzhydrazide as described in page 7 of the English translation.
Applicant argued that claims 2-7, 9-11 and 16-20 are allowable because of their dependence from allowable claim 1.
Examiner disagrees because claim 1 is not indicated as allowable.
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2017/0240728 A1; US 2022/0326614 A1; and US 2022/0106477A1.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 SHAUN M CAMPBELL whose telephone number is (571)270-3830. The examiner can normally be reached on MWFS: 7:30-6pm Thurs 1-2pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Purvis, Sue can be reached at (571)272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAUN M CAMPBELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893 11/24/2025
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