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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment/Argument
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 02/04/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-8 and 13-18 under 35 U.S.C. 112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1-8 and 13-18 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 02/04/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-8 and 13-18 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of an alternative interpretation of the prior art of record.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Display Device Having a Multi-Bank Structure and Reflective Electrode for Color Conversion.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, 7-8, 13-15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang et al. (US-20180190740-A1 – hereinafter Bang) in view of Kim et al. (US-20200403029-A1 – hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Bang teaches a display device (Fig.4; ¶0019) comprising:
a first electrode (Fig.4 210 left; ¶0054) and a second electrode (Fig.4 210 right; ¶0054) disposed on a substrate (Fig.4 111; ¶0041), and spaced apart from each other (both instances of 210 are horizontally spaced) in a first direction that is parallel to a top surface of the substrate (111);
a first bank (Fig.4 272; ¶0068) disposed on the substrate (111), the first bank (272) protruding in a thickness direction (vertical direction) of the substrate (111), the first bank comprising a side surface and a top surface (Fig.4 clearly depicts 272 having said surfaces);
a light emitting element (Fig.4 262; ¶0074) disposed on the first electrode (261) and the second electrode (263);
a reflective electrode (Fig.4 274; ¶0066) disposed on the first bank (272);
a second bank (Fig.4 273; ¶0068) disposed on the first bank (272); and
a color conversion layer (Fig.4 292; ¶0088) disposed in an area surrounded by the second bank (273), wherein the first (210 left) and second (210 right) electrodes are between the substrate (111) and the light emitting element (262).
Bang does not teach wherein the reflective electrode is continuously disposed on the side surface and the top surface of the first bank.
Kim teaches a reflective electrode (Fig.7B RFE1; ¶0130 of Kim) disposed on top and side surfaces of a bank (Fig.7B BNK1; ¶0130 of Kim).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the arrangement of the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) and first bank (272 of Bang) of Bang so the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) fully covers the first bank (272 of Bang) as taught by Kim (Fig.7B of Kim) to arrive at the claimed invention. A practitioner would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of redirecting light travelling horizontally so it travels in the emission direction (¶0130 of Kim).
Regarding claim 2, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the second bank (273 of Bang) is disposed on the top surface of the first bank (272 of Bang) and not disposed on the side surface of the first bank (272 of Bang).
Regarding claim 5, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first bank (272 of Bang) has a first width, and the second bank (273 of Bang) has a second width, and the first width is greater than the second width (this is true in Fig.4 of Bang).
Regarding claim 7, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
an insulating pattern (Fig.4 230 and 280; ¶0059 and ¶0082 of Bang) disposed on the substrate (111 of Bang), the insulating pattern (230 and 280 of Bang) protruding in the thickness direction (vertical direction) of the substrate (111 of Bang), wherein a portion of the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) is disposed on the insulating pattern (230 and 280 of Bang), the insulating pattern (230 and 280 of Bang) includes a first insulating pattern (230 of Bang) and a second insulating pattern (280 of Bang), and the light emitting element (262 of Bang) is disposed between the first insulating pattern (230 of Bang) and the second insulating pattern (280 of Bang).
Regarding claim 8, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 7 teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein the first bank (272 of Bang) has a first width, the second bank (273 of Bang) has a second width, the insulating pattern (230 and 280 of Bang) has a third width, the first width is greater than the second width, and the third width is greater than the first width (this is true in Fig.4 of Bang).
Regarding claim 13, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting element (262 of Bang) is disposed in an area surrounded by the first bank (272 of Bang).
Regarding claim 14, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) is disposed between the first bank (272 of Bang) and the second bank (273 of Bang).
Regarding claim 15, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the color conversion layer (292 of Bang) includes a color conversion particle that converts a color of light (Fig.4 of Bang clearly depicts but does not explicitly label particles within 292, which are a well-known feature of color conversion layers), and a surface (bottom surface) of the second bank (273 of Bang) faces the first bank (272 of Bang) and the reflective electrode (274 of Bang), and another surface (side surface) of the second bank (273 of Bang) is exposed toward the color conversion layer (292 of Bang).
Regarding claim 18, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches an electronic device comprising the display device of claim 1 (Fig.4 of Bang is an electronic device).
Claim(s) 1 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang in view of Kim. This is an alternative interpretation of Bang.
Regarding claim 1, Bang teaches a display device (Fig.4; ¶0019) comprising:
a first electrode (Fig.4 261; ¶0063) and a second electrode (Fig.4 263; ¶0063) disposed on a substrate (Fig.4 111; ¶0041);
a first bank (Fig.4 272; ¶0068) disposed on the substrate (111), the first bank (272) protruding in a thickness direction (vertical direction) of the substrate (111), the bank comprising a side surface and a top surface (Fig.4 clearly depicts 272 having said surfaces);
a light emitting element (Fig.4 262; ¶0074) disposed on the first electrode (261) and the second electrode (263);
a reflective electrode (Fig.4 274; ¶0066) disposed on the first bank (272);
a second bank (Fig.4 280; ¶0082) disposed on the first bank (272); and
a color conversion layer (Fig.4 292; ¶0088) disposed in an area surrounded by the second bank (273).
Bang does not teach wherein the reflective electrode is continuously disposed on the side surface and the top surface of the first bank.
Kim teaches a reflective electrode (Fig.7B RFE1; ¶0130 of Kim) disposed on top and side surfaces of a bank (Fig.7B BNK1; ¶0130 of Kim).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the arrangement of the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) and first bank (272 of Bang) of Bang so the reflective electrode (274 of Bang) fully covers the first bank (272 of Bang) as taught by Kim (Fig.7B of Kim) to arrive at the claimed invention. A practitioner would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of redirecting light travelling horizontally so it travels in the emission direction (¶0130 of Kim).
Regarding claim 16, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the color conversion layer (292 of Bang) contacts the second bank (280 of Bang).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang in view of Kim.
Regarding claim 6, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 5 teaches the display device of claim 5.
Bang does not explicitly teach wherein a difference between the first width and the second width is about 3 μm or less.
However, it would have been obvious to form the difference between the first width and the second width within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang in view of Kim, and further in view of Tamaki (US-20220209085-A1).
Regarding claim 3, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first bank (272 of Bang) has a first height, and the second bank (273 of Bang) has a second height.
Bang does not teach wherein the first height is greater than the second height.
Tamaki teaches a display device having a first bank (Fig.5 3; ¶0023 of Tamaki) with a first height and a second bank (Fig.5 4; ¶0033 of Tamaki) with a second height, wherein the first height is greater than the second height.
It would be obvious for a practitioner of ordinary skill to design the first bank (272 of Bang) and second bank (273 of Bang) so the first bank has a greater height than the second bank because this difference is a matter of design choice.
Regarding claim 4, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim, and further in view of Tamaki from claim 3 teaches the display device of claim 3.
The aforementioned combination does not explicitly teach wherein the second height is about 0.3 times or less than the first height.
However, it would have been obvious to form the difference between the first height and the second height within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bang in view of Kim, and further in view of Lee at al. (US-20180211979-A1 – hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 17, the aforementioned combination of Bang in view of Kim from claim 1 teaches the display device of claim 1.
The aforementioned combination does not teach the device further comprising:
a color filter layer disposed on the color conversion layer, the color filter layer selectively transmits light.
Lee teaches a color filter (Fig.1 322; ¶0103 of Lee) disposed on a color conversion layer (Fig.1 340; ¶0103 of Lee).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the floor filter layer of Lee (322 of Lee) to the device taught by Bang in view of Kim (Fig.4 of Bang) to arrive at the claimed invention. A practitioner of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of blocking any blue light generated by the LED and not converted by the color conversion layer (292 of Bang) from being emitted (¶0103 of Lee)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THADDEUS J KOLB whose telephone number is (571)272-0276. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm.
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/T.J.K./ Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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