DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to communication received on 8/19/25.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The text of those sections of AIA 35 U.S.C. code not present in this action can be found in previous office actions dated 8/19/25.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The claim rejection(s) under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Kung et al. US PG Pub 2023/0088353 hereinafter KUNG on claims 1-9 are withdrawn because the independent claim 1 has been amended and claim 2 has been cancelled.
Claim(s) 1, 3-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kung et al. US PG Pub 2023/0088353 hereinafter KUNG in view of Goldowsky et al. US Patent Number 5,103,763 hereinafter GOLDOWSKY.
As for claim 1, KUNG teaches "The invention also relates to a method for depositing an organic electrochromic material 125-127 on pixel electrodes 115-117 of an electrochromic device ... The array electrodes 115-117 may also be pixel or subpixel electrodes, for example in a color electrochromic device, such as a color display, as disclosed elsewhere in this specification" (paragraph 140), i.e. a method of manufacturing an electrochromic display panel.
KUNG further teaches "The method of the invention preferably comprises providing a grid or matrix comprising electrically conducting lines and/or vias 104, 108 and a plurality of pixel electrodes 115-117, wherein there is a specific via 104 for each of said pixel electrode 115-117" (paragraph 141 ), i.e. manufacturing an array substrate, wherein the array substrate comprises a base substrate, and a driving layer and a pixel electrode layer sequentially disposed on the base substrate; and the pixel electrode layer comprises a plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups disposed at intervals and electrically connected to the driving layer within the electrically conducting lines form the driving layer.
KUNG further teaches “This driving component is configured to provide the appropriate voltage potential independently with respect to each pixel or subpixel” (paragraph 136, lines 3-5), “The driver 209 is preferably configured to be suitable to control the current flow to the pixel electrodes 115-117 and/or to the counter electrode 210, and/or to establish a desired voltage potential between said pixel electrodes 115-117 and/or to the counter electrode 210. Preferably, the driver 209 can address independently and individually each active component 101, 102, 103 and thus each pixel or subpixel electrode 115, 116, 117.” (paragraph 151, lines 1-8), and “By applying a voltage potential between all pixel electrodes 115-117 and the counter electrode 210 in said solution, the organic entities will migrate to the pixel electrodes 115-117 and be electrodeposited and/or electropolymerized on all said pixel electrodes” (paragraph 152), i.e. forming a plurality of electrochromic layers disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups by electrochemical polymerization using each of the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups as a working electrode in sequence, wherein the electrochromic layers corresponding to different sub-pixel electrode groups have different display colors, and when any one of the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups is used as the working electrode, a preset… voltage is applied to the working electrode… to form corresponding electrochromic layers on the working electrode.
KUNG is silent on the preset voltage being positive and a preset negative voltage is applied to
other sub-pixel electrode groups.
However, as noted above KUNG does teach that each sub-pixel electrode groups can be addressed individually, independent of each other.
GOLDOWSKY teaches “An apparatus for charging droplets of a volatile liquid and for directing the charged droplets against an oppositely- charged member” (abstract, lines 1-3) and see further column 7, lines 19-21.
GOLDOWSKY teaches “It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present selective area coating process can be used for the selective application of different colored liquid droplets to different closely-spaced isolated areas of the same surface provided that said surface is capable of being charged to opposite polarities in said different closely-spaced areas, and said liquid droplets are charged to one of said polarities. While FIG. 1 illustrates the deposition of positively charged droplets, it 55 will be apparent that the droplets can be negatively charged in known manner for attraction to positively charged pel areas” (column 9, lines 46-58), and “A significant advantage of the embodiment of FIG. 1, in which a color filter pel electrode is produced, arises from the fact that the pel areas which are being colored to form color filter areas of the desired different colors, such as red for pel areas 29, blue for pel areas 30 and green for pel areas 31, are capable of being activated to either positive or negative charges by imparting the desired charges to the thin film transistors associated with said pel areas” (column 5, lines 57-65) i.e. wherein oppositely charging different areas of a substrate can improve the selectivity of an electrodeposition process.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the preset voltage being positive and a preset negative voltage is applied to other sub-pixel electrode groups in the process of KUNG because GOLDOWSKY teaches that such a process allows for the selective application of a process to produce different sub-groups of color on a surface.
As for claim 3, KUNG teaches "In an embodiment, the method of the invention is intended for the deposition of different organic electrochromic materials on different pixel electrodes, for example on different sub-groups of pixel electrodes. In this manner, it is possible to deposit electrochromic materials for color electrochromic devices, for example multi-color devices and even full-color electrochromic devices, such as the RGB display disclosed in FIG. 1. For example, the pixel may be grouped in subpixels, wherein a certain number of subpixels form one pixel, preferably three-subpixel forming one pixel, for example in accordance with the additive RGB principle discussed with respect to FIG. 1 In accordance with the invention, electrochromic material of a particular color may deposited on part of the pixel electrodes only, preferably on the subpixel electrodes of a particular color (red, green or blue, for example)." (paragraph 158, lines 1-12), i.e. wherein the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups comprise a first sub-pixel electrode group, a second sub-pixel electrode group, and a third sub-pixel electrode group; the plurality of electrochromic layers comprise first electrochromic layers, second electrochromic layers, and third electrochromic layers respectively disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the first sub-pixel electrode group, the second sub-pixel electrode group, and the third sub-pixel electrode group display color of the first electrochromic layers comprises any one of red, green, and blue; a display color of the second electrochromic layers comprises any one of red, green, and blue different from that of the first electrochromic layers; a display color of the third electrochromic layers comprises any one of red, green, and blue different from those of the first electrochromic layers and the second electrochromic layers.
As for claim 4, KUNG teaches "For the deposition of the red electrochromic materials ... Cyclic voltammetry method is used for conducting the electropolymerization. An Ag/ AgCI standard reference electrode is used, and the voltage between the red pixel electrodes and the reference electrode are swept between -0.3V and 1 .1 V with a scanning rate of 100 m V /s" (paragraph 192, lines 1-11 ; see full paragraph), "For the deposition of the green electrochromic polymer ... Cyclic voltammetry with sweeping voltage between -0.6 V and 1.1V, scanning rate of 100 mV/s and cycle number of 10 is used for conducting the electropolymerization" (paragraph 193, lines 1-8; see full paragraph) and "For the deposition of the blue electrochromic polymer ... The sweeping voltage between -0.8 V and 1.4V with scanning rate of 100 mV/s for 10 cycles is used for conducting the deposition by electropolymerization" (paragraph 194; see full paragraph), and see further paragraph 190 i.e. wherein the step of forming the plurality of electrochromic layers disposed in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups by electrochemical polymerization using each of the plurality of sub-pixel electrode groups as the working electrode in sequence, comprises following steps: preparing a first electrolyte, a second electrolyte, and a third electrolyte, wherein the first electrolyte comprises a first electrochromic monomer, the second electrolyte comprises a second electrochromic monomer, and the third electrolyte comprises a third electrochromic monomer; constructing a first electrode system by using the first sub-pixel electrode group in the array substrate as the working electrode, placing the first electrode system into the first electrolyte, performing a first electrochemical polymerization, and forming the first electrochromic layers on the first sub-pixel electrode group; constructing a second electrode system by using the second sub-pixel electrode group in the array substrate provided with the first electrochromic layers as the working electrode, placing the second electrode system into the second electrolyte, performing a second electrochemical polymerization, and forming the second electrochromic layers on the second sub-pixel electrode group; and constructing a third electrode system by using the third sub-pixel electrode group in the array substrate provided with the first electrochromic layers and the second electrochromic layers as the working electrode, placing the third electrode system into the third electrolyte, performing a third electrochemical polymerization, and forming the third electrochromic layers on the third sub-pixel electrode group.
As for claim 5, KUNG teaches "a carbon felt or a platinum mesh are used as a counter electrode" (paragraph 190, lines 3-4) and "An Ag/ AgCI standard reference electrode is used, and the voltage between the red pixel electrodes and the reference electrode are swept between -0.3V and 1 .IV with a scanning rate of 100 m V /s" (paragraph 192, lines 7-11 ), i.e. wherein any one of the first electrode system, the second electrode system, and the third electrode system comprises a three-electrode system, and wherein the three-electrode system comprises the working electrode, a counter electrode, and a reference electrode; the counter electrode comprises any one of a gold electrode, a silver electrode, a platinum electrode, and an indium tin oxide electrode; the reference electrode comprises any one of a silver-silver chloride electrode and a calomel electrode.
As for claim 6, KUNG teaches "electrodeposited organic material comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of ... electrodeposited pyridine, electrodeposited aniline" (claim 7, lines 2-6), i.e. wherein a material of any one of the first electrochromic monomer, the second electrochromic monomer, and the third electrochromic monomer comprises at least one of homopolymers of aniline ... pyridine.
As for claim 7, KUNG further teaches "The method of the invention preferably comprises providing a grid or matrix comprising electrically conducting lines and/or vias 104, 108 and a plurality of pixel electrodes 115-117, wherein there is a specific via 104 for each of said pixel electrode 115-117" (paragraph 141 ), "Conducting lines 108 (generally ref erred to as "conductor") are provided on the inner surf ace of the first substrate 100. The conducting lines are electrically conductive. The conductor electrically connects an external driver (not shown in FIG. 1) with active components 101-103 of the display" (paragraph 42) and "The conducting lines 108 and active components 101-103 preferably provide a grid, array or matrix that may be referred to as "an active-matrix". It is noted that the conducting lines 108 are preferably provided in such a manner that each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently addressed. Preferably, each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently provided with current and/or exposed to a voltage potential, as disclosed, for example, in EP0084604 (FIG. 3) and in US 2007/0171148 (FIG. 2A)" (paragraph 45, lines 6-15), i.e. wherein the electrochromic display panel has a display region and a non-display region adjacent to the display region; the pixel electrode layer is located in the display region; the driving layer comprises a first connection wiring group, a second connection wiring group, and a third connection wiring group located in the display region, and a first voltage-applying terminal, a second voltage-applying terminal, and a third voltage applying terminal located in the non-display region; the first connection wiring group is electrically connected to the first sub-pixel electrode group, and extends to the nondisplay region to electrically connect to the first power-on terminal; the second connection wiring group is electrically connected to the second sub-pixel electrode group, and extends to the non-display region to electrically connect to the second power-on terminal; the third connection wiring group is electrically connected to the third sub-pixel electrode group, and extends to the non-display region to electrically connect to the third power-on terminal; and any one of the first voltage-applying terminal, the second voltage-applying terminal, and the third voltage-applying terminal is applied with the preset positive voltage.
As for claim 8, KUNG further teaches "The method of the invention preferably comprises providing a grid or matrix comprising electrically conducting lines and/or vias 104, 108 and a plurality of pixel electrodes 115-117, wherein there is a specific via 104 for each of said pixel electrode 115-117" (paragraph 141 ), "Conducting lines 108 (generally ref erred to as "conductor") are provided on the inner surf ace of the first substrate 100. The conducting lines are electrically conductive. The conductor
electrically connects an external driver (not shown in FIG. 1) with active components 101-103 of the display" (paragraph 42) and "The conducting lines 108 and active components 101-103 preferably provide a grid, array or matrix that may be referred to as "an active-matrix". It is noted that the conducting lines 108 are preferably provided in such a manner that each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently addressed. Preferably, each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently provided with current and/or exposed to a voltage potential, as disclosed, for example, in EP0084604 (FIG. 3) and in US 2007/0171148 (FIG. 2A)" (paragraph 45, lines 6-15), i.e. wherein the first sub-pixel electrode group comprises a plurality of first sub-pixel electrodes arranged in multiple columns; the second sub-pixel electrode group comprises a plurality of second sub-pixel electrodes arranged in multiple columns; the third sub-pixel electrode group comprises a plurality of third sub pixel electrodes arranged in multiple columns; and the first connection wiring group comprises a plurality of first source lines electrically connected in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple columns of the first sub-pixel electrodes; the second connection wiring group comprises a plurality of second source lines electrically connected in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple columns of the second subpixel electrodes; the third connection wiring group comprises a plurality of third source lines electrically connected in one-to-one correspondence with the multiple columns of the third sub-pixel electrodes.
As for claim 9, KUNG further teaches "In an embodiment, the active components 101 are preferably transistors, for example thin film (TFTs) or circuits based mainly on TFTs. Together, all active components 101-103 may be an array of TFTs or TFT-based circuits electrically connected to the pixel electrodes 115-117 of the display. The conducting lines 108 and active components 101-103 preferably provide a grid, array or matrix that may be referred to as "an active-matrix". It is noted that the conducting lines 108 are preferably provided in such a manner that each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently addressed. Preferably, each active component 101-103 can be individually and/or independently provided with current and/or exposed to a voltage potential, as disclosed, for example, in EP0084604 (FIG. 3) and in US 2007/0171148 (FIG. 2A)" (paragraph 45), i.e. wherein the driving layer further comprises a plurality of thin film transistors located in the display region and electrically connected in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of first sub-pixel electrodes, the plurality of second sub-pixel electrodes, and the plurality of third sub-pixel electrodes; source electrodes of the thin film transistors electrically connected to the first subpixel electrodes are electrically connected to the corresponding first source lines, source electrodes of the thin film transistors electrically connected to the second subpixel electrodes are electrically connected to the corresponding second source lines, and source electrodes of the thin film transistors electrically connected to the third subpixel electrodes are electrically connected to the corresponding third source lines; and the first voltage-applying terminal, the second voltage-applying terminal, and the third voltage-applying terminal are disposed in a same layer and of same materials as gate electrodes of the thin film transistors.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-9 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRISTEN A DAGENAIS whose telephone number is (571)270-1114. The examiner can normally be reached 8-12 and 1-5.
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/KRISTEN A DAGENAIS/Examiner, Art Unit 1717