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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, claims 1, 3-20 in the reply filed on is acknowledged. Claim 2 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species-II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/01/2025.
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.
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)(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.
Claims 1, 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Koh et al (US 2021/0202670A1).
Re claim 1 Koh teaches, display apparatus (fig 4) comprising:
a substrate (100, fig 4) [0072];
a driving voltage line (area containing auxiliary electrode 120, fig 4) [0072] disposed on the substrate (100, fig 4) [0072] and extending in a first direction (x-direction);
a first conductive layer (106/105, fig 4) [0072] disposed on a same layer (110, fig 4) [0072] as the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0072] and spaced apart from the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0072];
a first insulating layer (150, fig 4) [0072] covering the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0072] and the first conductive layer (106/105, fig 4);
a driving transistor (141/142/143/130, fig 4) [0072] disposed on the first insulating layer (150, fig 4)[0072] and comprising a driving gate electrode (143, fig 4) [0072] and a driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) [0127] overlapping the first conductive layer (106/105, fig 4); and
a connection member (145, fig 4) [0087-0088] electrically connecting the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) and the driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) to each other,
wherein an edge (137/136, fig 4) of the driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) is in contact (indirectly) with or inside an edge of the first conductive layer (105/106, fig 4) in a plan view (fig 4).
Re claim 7 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 1,
wherein the connection member (145, fig 4) [Koh 0087] is disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) and comprises a first portion (bottom of 145, fig 4) overlapping the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) and a second portion (top part of 145, fig 4) protruding from the first portion (bottom of 145) [Koh 0087],
wherein a first length (length of top part of 145, fig 4) of the first portion (top of 145) in the first direction (x-axis) is greater than a second length (length of bottom part of 145) of the second portion in the first direction.(x-axis) [Koh, 0087].
Re claim 8 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 1,
Further comprising a sub-line (131, fig 4) [Koh, 0081] disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] and overlapping the driving voltage line (see fig 4),
wherein the connection member (145, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] is disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] and the sub-line (131, fig 4) and comprises a first portion (left part of 145, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] overlapping the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] and a second portion (right part of 145) [Koh, 0087] protruding from the first portion (see fig 4),
wherein a first length of the first portion (length of left part of 145, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] in the first direction (x-axis) is greater than a second length of the second portion (right part of 145, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] in the first direction (x-direction).
Re claim 9 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connection member (145, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] is connected to the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [Koh, 0087] via a contact hole (middle connecting part of 145 and 120, fig 4) [Koh, 0087].
Re claim 10 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving gate electrode (143, fig 4) [Koh, 0074] comprises a shape (vertical extending part) protruding in the first direction or a second direction (vertical direction, fig 4) along a channel region (130, fig 4) [Koh, 0074] of the driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) [Koh, 0080] in a plan view.
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.
Claims 3-6, 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koh in view of Jo et al (US20210104578A1).
.Re claim 3 Koh teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising
a capacitor (Cst, shown in fig 2) [0050] electrically connected to the driving transistor (DT, fig 2) [0052].
Koh does not explicitly teach the capacitor comprises a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode disposed above the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, and
a third capacitor electrode disposed below the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, wherein the third capacitor electrode is the first conductive layer.
Jo teaches the capacitor (CSt1) [0108] comprises a first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) [0108], a second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 9) [0108] disposed above the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) [0108] and overlapping the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) [0108], and
a third capacitor electrode (CE3, fig 9) [0108] disposed below the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) and overlapping the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9), wherein the third capacitor electrode (CE3, fig 9) [0109] is the first conductive layer (fig 9).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Jo into the structure of Koh to include the capacitor comprises a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode disposed above the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, and
a third capacitor electrode disposed below the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, wherein the third capacitor electrode is the first conductive layer as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Koh based on the teaching of Jo in the above manner in order to a sufficient capacitance of the storage capacitor may be ensured. [0159].
Re claim 4 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the connection member (CT10, fig 9) [Jo, 0124] is on a same layer (IL5) [0124] as the second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 9) [0109].
Re claim 5 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 7/9) [Jo, 0109] is integrally formed (too closely formed, see fig 9) with the driving gate electrode (G1, fig 9) [Jo, 0100]
Re claim 6 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first conductive layer (CE3, fig 9) [Jo 0109] is connected to the second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 9) via a contact hole (CT9, fig 9) [0114].
Re claim 11 Koh teaches, a display apparatus comprising:
a substrate (100, fig 4) [0118];
adjacent common voltage lines (107/106, fig 4) [0121] spaced apart from each other on the substrate (100, fig 4) [0121] and extending in a first direction (x-direction);
a driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0121] disposed between the adjacent common voltage lines (107/106, fig 4) [0121] and extending in the first direction (x-direction);
adjacent auxiliary lines (left and right 145, fig 4) [0087] electrically connected to the adjacent common voltage lines (107, 106, fig 4) [0121] or the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0121], spaced apart from each other (see fig 4), and extending in a second direction (vertical part of 145) crossing the first direction (x-direction); and
a plurality of pixel circuits [0070] in an area (PXA) [0070] surrounded by the adjacent common voltage lines (107/106, fig 4) [0075] and the adjacent auxiliary lines (145, fig 4) [0087] in a plan view, wherein a first pixel circuit (250, fig 4) [0070] from among the plurality of pixel circuits (PXA) [0070] comprises:
a first conductive layer (105, fig 4) [0074] disposed on a same layer (110, fig 4) [0077] as the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0074] and spaced apart from the driving voltage line (see fig 4);
a first driving transistor (141/143/142, fig 4) [0127] comprising a first driving gate electrode (143, fig 4) [0127] and a first driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) [0080] overlapping the first conductive layer (130, fig 4) ; and
a connection member (145, fig 4) [0072] electrically connecting the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [0072] and the first driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) [0072] to each other,
wherein an edge of the first driving semiconductor layer (137/130/136, fig 4) [0072] is in contact (indirectly) with or inside an edge of the first conductive layer (105, fig 4) [0074] in a plan view.
Koh does not teach the first driving transistor insulated from the first conductive layer.
Jo teaches the first driving transistor (M21, fig 7) [0122] insulated from the first conductive layer (CE3, fig 7) [0109].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Jo into the structure of Koh to include the first driving transistor insulated from the first conductive layer as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to Koh based on the teaching of Jo in the above manner doing so, the display device may prevent degradation of displaying quality caused due to a voltage drop of the opposite electrode in a large-sized display device [0159].
Re claim 12 Koh in view of Jo the display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising
a data line (DLj, fig 2) [0050-0051] disposed between the adjacent common voltage lines (ELVDD, fig 2) [0043] and extending in the first direction (x-direction),
wherein the first pixel circuit [0070] further comprises a first switching transistor (ST, fig 2) [0056] electrically connected to the first driving transistor (DT, fig 2) [0056] and the data line (DLj, fig 2) [0049].
Re claim 13 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising
a sensing line (SENL, fig 6) [Jo 0090] disposed between the adjacent common voltage lines (ELVDD, ELVSS, fig 6) [0086] and extending in the first direction (x-axis),
wherein the first pixel circuit (220n) [Jo 0087] further comprises a first sensing transistor (M3, fig 6) [Jo, 0087] electrically connected to the first driving transistor (M1, fig 6) [Jo, 0087] and the sensing line (SENL, fig 6) [Jo, 0087].
Re claim 14 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 11,
further comprising a capacitor (Cst, fig 2) [Koh, 0050] electrically connected to the first driving transistor (DT, fig 2) [Koh,0050],
wherein the capacitor (Cst, fig 2) comprises a first capacitor electrode [0052],
Koh does not teach a second capacitor electrode disposed above the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, and a third capacitor electrode disposed below the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode,
wherein the third capacitor electrode is the first conductive layer.
Jo teaches a second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 9)[0109] disposed above the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) [0109] and overlapping the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9), and a third capacitor electrode (CE3, fig 9) disposed below the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9) and overlapping the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 9).
wherein the third capacitor electrode (CE3, fig 9) [0109] is the first conductive layer (see fig 9).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Jo into the structure of Koh to include a second capacitor electrode disposed above the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, and a third capacitor electrode disposed below the first capacitor electrode and overlapping the first capacitor electrode, wherein the third capacitor electrode is the first conductive layer as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Jo based on the teaching of Koh in the above manner for in order to a sufficient capacitance of the storage capacitor may be ensured [0159].
Re claim 15 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the connection member (NM, fig 6) [Jo, 0104] is on a same layer as the second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 6) [Jo,0108].
Re claim 16 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first capacitor electrode (CE2, fig 6) [Jo, 0108] is integrally formed with the first driving gate electrode (G1, fig 6) [Jo, 0108].
Re claim 17 Koh in view of Jo the display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first conductive layer (CE3 as a conductive layer, fig 6) [Jo, 0108] is connected to the second capacitor electrode (CE1, fig 6) [Jo, 0108] via a contact hole (CT9/CT8, fig 6) [Jo 0108].
Re claim 18 Koh in view of Jo the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the connection member (145, fig 4) [Koh, 0072] is disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 4) [Koh,0072] and comprises a first portion (left side of 145) overlapping the driving voltage line (120) and a second portion (right side of 145) protruding from the first portion (left side of 145), wherein a first length of the first portion (left side of 145, fig 6) in the first direction (x-axis) is greater than a second length (right side length of 145, fig 6) of the second portion (right side of 145, fig 6) in the first direction (x-axis) [Koh 0072].
Re claim 19 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a sub-line (131, fig 4) [Koh 0081] disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 6) [Koh 0081] and overlapping the driving voltage line (120, fig 6) [Koh, 0081].
wherein the connection member (145, fig 6) is disposed above the driving voltage line (120, fig 6) and the sub-line (131, fig 6) and comprises a first portion (left 145, fig 6) overlapping the driving voltage line (120, fig 6) [Koh, 0081] and a second portion (right side 145, fig 6) protruding from the first portion (left 145, fig 6) [Koh, 0081]
wherein a first length of the first portion (left side of 145) in the first direction is greater than a second length of the second portion in the first direction (left side of 145, fig 6) [Koh 0081].
Re claim 20 Koh in view of Jo teach the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the connection member (145, fig 6)[Koh 0081] is connected to the driving voltage line (120, fig 6) via a contact hole (bottom portion of 145, fig 6) [Koh 0081].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRATIKSHA J LOHAKARE whose telephone number is (571)270-1920. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7.30 am-4.30 pm.
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/PRATIKSHA JAYANT LOHAKARE/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/DUY T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 1/21/26