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
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s elections without traverse of Species B and E (Claims 12-16, 19-21 and 24-28) in the reply filed on 12/01/2025 are acknowledged.
Claim 16 in applicant’s election corresponds to a non-elected species, wherein claim 16, lines 4-7: “at least two of the at least two first-color pixels and at least two of the at least two second- color pixels are arranged in a first direction in a staggered manner to form one of second pixel columns, and at least two of the at least two third-color pixels are arranged in the first direction to form one of third pixel columns” is drawn to at least Figure 14 of the non-elected species whereas elected Figures 5-6 and 12-13 does not illustrate such feature. For instance, Figure 13 requires at least two of each first-color, second-color and third-color pixels to form a pixel column. Therefore, claim 16 is withdrawn from consideration for being drawn to the non-elected species.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) based upon an application filed in CHINA on 11/17/2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 07/07/2022 and 05/09/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 12-15, 19-21 and 24-28 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 12, line 4: “each of at least one of the plurality of pixels” should read “each of the plurality of pixels”.
Claim 14, lines 1-3: “the at least one first-color pixel”, “the at least one second-color pixel” and “the at least one third-color pixel” should read “the first-color pixel”, “the second-color pixel” and “the third-color pixel” respectively. Being “at least one” can be interpreted as being exactly one which is inconsistent with the limitation such as “the at least one first-color pixel comprises at least two first-color pixels”.
Claim 26, line 2: “first buffer layer of one of the N LED chips” should read “first buffer layer of the N LED chips” as supported by [0041] of the specification.
Claims 13, 15, 19-21, 24-25 and 27-28 are objected by virtue of their dependency on claim 12.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 12-15, 19-21 and 24-28 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.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “each of at least two of the N LED chips comprises a second electrode” in lines 6-7. It is unclear whether said limitation refers to one second electrode being included in each of N LED chips or in every two LED chips of the N LED chips. Thus, claim 12 is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for indefiniteness. For the examination’s purpose, examiner has interpreted said limitation to mean “each of the N LED chips comprises a second electrode” as supported by [0030] or [0032] of the specification.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "a side of the base" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 21, upon which claim 24 depends, has previously recited “a side of the base” in line 2. It is unclear whether the first electrode of claim 24 and the N LED chips of claim 21 are located at a same or different sides of the base. Thus, claim 24 is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for indefiniteness. For the examination’s purpose, examiner has interpreted said limitation to mean “the side of the base”.
Claims 13-15, 19-21 and 25-28 are indefinite by virtue of their dependency on claim 12.
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.
Claims 12-15, 19-20 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over CN107910346A; Gao et al.; (hereinafter “Gao”).
Regarding Claim 12, Gao teaches a display panel ([0005], see attached patent machine translation), comprising:
a plurality of pixels comprising at least one first-color pixel, at least one second-color pixel, and at least one third-color pixel (Figure 10, [0044], red/green/blue micro-LEDs #11/#22/#33),
wherein each of at least one of the plurality of pixels comprises a light-emitting diode (LED) module (#200, micro-LEDs), wherein the light-emitting diode (LED) module comprises N LED chips, wherein N is an integer not smaller than 2 (Figure 3, [0039], #200 comprises at least three sub-pixels #1-3), the N LED chips share one first electrode (Figure 4, sub-pixels #1-2 share electrode #202 ), and each of at least two of the N LED chips comprises a second electrode (#1-2 comprise sub-electrodes #2011-2012); and
each of the at least one of the plurality of pixels comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, and a number of the plurality of sub-pixels is equal to N (Figure 3, #200 comprises at least three sub-pixels #1-3).
Regarding Claim 13, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 12, wherein Gao further teaches for one pixel of the plurality of pixels: two pixels of the plurality of pixels with other two different colors from the one pixel are one of at least one first auxiliary pixel and one of at least one second auxiliary pixel, respectively, and at least one of the at least one first auxiliary pixel and at least one of the at least one second auxiliary pixel are adjacent to the one pixel in a direction surrounding the one pixel (Figure 10 or Figure 15, [0044], sub-pixels #11 and #33 of different colors are auxiliary pixels to and surround sub-pixel #22 for instance).
Regarding Claim 14, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 13, wherein Gao further teaches the at least one first-color pixel comprises at least two first-color pixels, the at least one second-color pixel comprises at least two second-color pixels, and the at least one third-color pixel comprises at least two third-color pixels (Figure 15, micro-LED #600 comprises at least two of micro-LEDs #11/22/33 each), wherein one of the at least two first-color pixels, one of the at least two second-color pixels, and one of the at least two third-color pixels are sequentially arranged in a first direction (#11/22/33 are sequentially arranged in group #Z along #X direction); at least two of the at least two first-color pixels, at least two of the at least two second-color pixels, and at least two of the at least two third-color pixels are alternatively arranged in the first direction to form one of first pixel columns (Figure 10 or Figure 15, multiple of micro-LEDs #11/22/33 can be alternatively arranged in group #Z); the first pixel columns are arranged in a second direction intersecting with the first direction (multiple groups #Z are arranged along #Y direction); and two of the plurality of pixels that are respectively located in two adjacent first pixel columns of the first pixel columns are staggered in the second direction (micro-LEDs #11/22/33 in adjacent groups #Z are staggered along #Y direction).
Regarding Claim 15, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 14, wherein Gao further teaches one of the plurality of pixels has a regular hexagon shape, and each of the plurality of pixels comprises six sub-pixels (Figure 16, micro-LED #600 has hexagon shape including sub-pixels #1-6).
Regarding Claim 19, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 12, wherein Gao further teaches one of the at least one first- color pixel, one of the at least one second-color pixel, and one of the at least one third-color pixel are a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel, respectively ([0044], micro-LEDs #11/22/33 are red/green/blue micro-LEDs).
Regarding Claim 20, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 12, wherein Gao further teaches a display apparatus, comprising the display panel according to claim 12 ([0009], display device includes the micro-LEDs display panel).
Regarding Claim 28, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 12, wherein Gao further teaches the N LED chips emits light of a same color (Figure 16, [0052], sub-pixels #1-6 emit same color).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 21 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of US20220336706A1; Ma et al.; (hereinafter “Ma”).
Regarding Claim 21, Gao teaches the display panel as described in claim 12, wherein Gao further teaches the LED module further comprises a base, wherein the N LED chips are located at a side of the base (Figure 18, micro-LEDs #11/22/33 locate on base substrate #15); and each of at least one of the N LED chips comprises a light-emitting layer (Figure 4, semiconductor layers #50) and the second electrode (#201).
Gao does not explicitly teach the N LED chips comprises a first buffer layer, a light-emitting layer, and the second electrode that are sequentially arranged away from the base, wherein the first electrode is electrically connected to the first buffer layer.
However, Ma teaches a display panel (Figure 15-24, [0015], display substrate) comprises the N LED chips (Figure 2A, diode chips #100) comprises a first buffer layer (#170, buffer layer), a light-emitting layer (#110-130, semiconductor layer), and the second electrode (#140, electrode) that are sequentially arranged away from the base (#190, base substrate), wherein the first electrode (#150, electrode) is electrically connected to the first buffer layer (#150 connects to #170 via semiconductor layer #110).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Gao with the teaching of Ma in order to provide a buffer layer for the LED chip that improves the quality of the light emitting layer according to [0088] of Ma, and as it would be a simple substitution of one known element (micro-LED of Gao) for another (diode chip of Ma) in comparable devices to obtain predictable results. See MPEP 2143(I)(B).
Regarding Claim 25, Gao in view of Ma teaches the display panel as described in claim 21, wherein Gao further teaches an isolation groove is formed between two adjacent LED chips of the N LED chips (Figure 3-4 or Figure 16, sub-pixels #1-2 or sub-electrodes #2011-2012 are separated by a groove).
Gao does not teach the first buffer layer at least partially does not overlap with the isolation groove in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the base.
However, Ma teaches the first buffer layer (#170, Figure 2A,) at least partially does not overlap with the isolation groove in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the base (at least the portion of #170 overlapping the electrode #140 does not overlap the groove between electrodes, see also Figure 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Gao with the teaching of Ma for the reason set forth in the rejection of claim 21.
Regarding Claim 26, Gao in view of Ma teaches the display panel as described in claim 21, wherein Gao further teaches an orthographic projection of the N LED chips on the base surrounds an orthographic projection of the first electrode on the base (Figure 4, orthographic projections of sub-electrodes #2011-2012 surround orthographic projection of electrode #202 on the base).
Gao does not teach the first buffer layer of one of the N LED chips.
However, Ma teaches the first buffer layer of one of the N LED chips (Figure 2A, buffer layer #170 of the diode chip #100).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Gao with the teaching of Ma for the reason set forth in the rejection of claim 21.
Regarding Claim 27, Gao in view of Ma teaches the display panel as described in claim 21, wherein Gao further teaches the light-emitting layers of the N LED chips have a same area (Figure 16, sub-pixels #1-6 has the same area, see also [0045-0046]).
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of Ma, and further in view of US20210343780A1; Long et al.; (hereinafter “Long”).
Regarding claim 24, Gao in view of Ma teaches the display panel as described in claim 21, wherein Gao further teaches the first electrode is located at a side of the base (Figure 18, electrodes #202/#2011-2012 locate on base substrate #15).
Gao in view of Ma does not teach a sidewall of the first buffer layer is in contact with a sidewall of the first electrode.
However, Long teaches a display panel ([0005], a micro-LED display device), wherein a sidewall of the first buffer layer (#22, Figure 2B of Long annotated) is in contact with a sidewall of the first electrode ([0050-0051], electrode #21 is the share anode between the micro-LEDs of a pixel, wherein sidewalls of #21 and #22 are in
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contact).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the invention disclosed by Gao in view of Ma with the teaching of Long so that the implementation of the buffer layer to the micro-LED can reduce the manufacture processing time and cost according to Long, [0068] or [0071].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20230105156A1 – Figures 2 and 5
CN113380937A – Figure 19
CN109037270A – Figures 10-12
US11955064B2 – Figures 4C and 5C
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/TIEN TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
/CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812