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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments in “Remarks – 12/16/2025- Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment”, with the “Amendment/Req. Reconsideration-After Non-Final Reject -09/22/2025", have been fully considered, but they are not persuasive, because of the following:
Applicant’s amendment of claims 1, and 13 necessitated the shift in new grounds of rejection detailed above in section below. The shift in grounds of rejection renders Applicant’s arguments moot.
Examiner interpreted element 240a (instead of previously interpreted inducing layer 230a) as the alignment-inducing layer inducing a first part disposed in the non-alignment area (PA; Fig.11C) and outside of an area at where the first banks (230) are present.
Please also see Fig.5 of IM which is a top view and shows how electrodes 210/220 and first banks 230 have overlapped regions; also they are overlapped by boundary in both Fig.5 and Fig.6.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by IM et al. (US 2018/0138157 A1; hereinafter IM).
Regarding Claim 1. IM (Fig.5-11) discloses a display device comprising:
a pixel region (EPA; Fig.6; [0090]) including a plurality of alignment areas (EA; Fig.6; [0090]) and a non-alignment area (PA; Fig.6; [0090]) adjacent to the plurality of alignment areas;
a plurality of electrodes (210, 220; Fig.6; [0091]) extending in a direction in the pixel region, the plurality of electrodes (210, 220) being spaced apart from each other;
a plurality of first banks (230; [0144]) disposed in the pixel region (EPA) to be spaced apart from one another and thus to overlap with the electrodes (210, 220; please see Fig.5 which is a top view and shows how 210/220 and 230 have overlap regions; also they are overlapped by boundary),
a plurality of light-emitting elements (LD; Fig.6; [0098]) disposed between the plurality of electrodes (210, 220) in the plurality of alignment areas (EA), at least one end portion of each of the light-emitting elements (LD) is disposed on one of the plurality of electrodes (see fig.6-7); and
an alignment-inducing layer (240a in PA region, Fig.11C and Fig.6 and Fig.10; [0145]) inducing a first part disposed in the non-alignment area (PA; Fig.11C) and outside of an area at where the first banks (230) are present.
Regarding Claim 2. The display device of claim 1, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses wherein the first part of the alignment-inducing layer (240a in PA) includes a hydrophobic material ([0145]), and the first part surrounds the plurality of alignment areas (EA).
Regarding Claim 3. The display device of claim 2, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses,
a plurality of connecting electrodes (250; Fig.7; [0100]) disposed in the plurality of alignment areas, the plurality of connecting electrodes (210, 220) overlapping the plurality of electrodes and end portions of the plurality of light-emitting elements (LD).
Regarding Claim 4. The display device of claim 2, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses wherein the first part of the alignment-inducing layer (240a) partially covers electrodes (210, 220) disposed on outermost sides of the pixel region (EA) and extend, along the direction.
Regarding Claim 5. The display device of claim 2, IM (Fig.6-11) discloses wherein the plurality of alignment areas include first (EA; Fig.11A) alignment area and a second (the other EA in Fig.11A) alignment area that are spaced apart from each other in the direction, and the alignment-inducing layer (240a) including extension parts disposed between the first alignment area (PA) and the second (other PA in Fig.11A) alignment area (see Fig.6 and Fig.10 for details).
Regarding Claim 6. The display device of claim 5, IM (Fig.5) discloses wherein a number of light-emitting elements (LD) disposed in the first (EA) alignment area and the second (PA) alignment area is greater than a number of light-emitting elements disposed between the first alignment area (EA) and the second (PA) alignment area.
Regarding Claim 7. The display device of claim 5, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses wherein the extension parts pf the alignment-including layer between the first alignment area and the second alignment area (EA; See Fig.6 and Fig.10) are spaced apart from each other.
Regarding Claim 8. The display device of claim 2, IM (Fig.11C; [0144]) discloses wherein the alignment-inducing layer further includes a second part (230a in the EA region), including a hydrophilic material ([0144]), and the second part is further disposed in the plurality of alignment areas (EA).
Regarding Claim 9. The display device of claim 8, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are disposed directly on the second part, of the alignment-inducing layer in the plurality of alignment areas.
Regarding Claim 10. The display device of claim 1, IM (Fig.6, Fig.11) discloses wherein the alignment-inducing layer (240a) surrounds the first banks (230).
Regarding Claim 11. The display device of claim 10, IM (Fig.6, Fig.11) discloses a second bank (240) surrounding the pixel region (EPA) and the alignment inducing layer.
Regarding Claim 12. The display device of claim 11, IM (Fig.6-7) discloses wherein the plurality of alignment areas (EA) are spaced apart from each other in a region surrounded by the second bank (240; [0119]),
the alignment-inducing layer is disposed between the plurality of alignment areas (EA),
the plurality of light-emitting elements (LD) are disposed in the plurality of alignment areas (EA), and
light-emitting elements disposed in different alignment areas emit light of different wavelengths ([0068] discloses that the LEDs have different wavelength).
Regarding Claim 13. IM (Fig.6-11) discloses a display device comprising:
a substrate (200, Fig.7; [0092]);
a plurality of first banks (230) disposed on the substrate (200) and spaced apart from each other;
a plurality of electrodes (210, 220) disposed on the first banks (230) and spaced apart from each other (see Fig.5);
an alignment-inducing layer (240a) disposed on the substrate the alignment-inducing layer (240a) including a first part disposed in regions other than between the plurality of electrodes (210, 220; see Fig.11C); and
a plurality of light-emitting elements (LD) disposed between the plurality of electrodes each of the plurality of light-emitting elements (LD) is including an end portion disposed on the plurality of electrodes (210, 220),
wherein the first part of the alignment-inducing layer (240a; see Fig.11C) does not overlap the plurality of the light emitting elements (LD) and is outside of the plurality of first banks (230) with respect to the plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig.10, Fig,11E).
Regarding Claim 14. The display device of claim 13, IM (Fig.6, Fig.11) discloses wherein the first part of the alignment-inducing layer (240a) includes hydrophobic material ([0145]).
Regarding Claim 15. The display device of claim 14, IM (Fig.6, Fig.11) discloses wherein the first part of the alignment-inducing layer (240a in EA region) covers outer sides of electrodes (210, 220) on outermost sides of the substrate (200).
Regarding Claim 16. The display device of claim 14, IM (Fig.6, Fig.11) discloses wherein the alignment-inducing layer (240a) further includes a second part (230a in PA region) including a hydrophilic material ([0144]),
the second part is disposed between the plurality of electrodes, and
the plurality of light-emitting elements to overlap the second part (see Fig.5).
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) 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IM et al. (US 2018/0138157 A1; hereinafter IM) in view of Kim et al. (US 2018/0175106 A1; hereinafter Kim).
Regarding Claim 17. The display device of claim 13, further comprising: IM does not particularly disclose a first insulating layer overlapping the plurality of electrodes, wherein the alignment-inducing layer is disposed on the first insulating layer.
Kim (Fig.27) in a related art discloses a display device comprising a first insulating layer (PSV2) disposed to overlap the plurality of electrodes (REL1; [0099]),
Therefore, it would have been obvious in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Kim and have insulating layers on the electrodes which would results in having the alignment-inducing layer be on the first insulating layer when combined to prevent oxygen and moisture from permeating into the LED.
Regarding Claim 18. The display device of claim 17, Kim (Fig.27) discloses a second insulating layer (PSV3) disposed between the plurality of electrodes the second insulating layer overlapping the plurality of light-emitting elements (LD).
Regarding Claim 19. IM in view of Kim as applied in claim 17, Kim (Fig.27, [0121]) discloses wherein the first insulating layer (PSV2; [0121] discloses that PSV2 can be etched to expose any desired portions) and the alignment- inducing layer expose upper surfaces of the plurality of electrodes on the first banks.
Regarding Claim 20. The display device of claim 19, Kim (Fig.27) discloses a plurality of connecting electrodes (CNE1; [0120]) in contact with the exposed upper surfaces of the plurality of electrodes (REL1) and an end portion of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements (LD1).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAJAR KOLAHDOUZAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5842.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached on (571)270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAJAR KOLAHDOUZAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/Leonard Chang/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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