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 .
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 1-13 and 21 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 1 recites the limitation "the outer color filter" in the second last line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the cover layer" in the second last line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 21 recites the limitation "the outer color filter" in the third last line of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-12 are rejected because they depends on the rejected clam 1.
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 102 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 102) 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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 10-12 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102/(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2021/0384461 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim et al. teach a display device (DD; Fig. 1, [0031]) including a display area (DA; Fig. 1, [0034]) and a non-display area (NDA; Fig. 1, [0034]), the display device (DD) comprising: a light emitting element (OLED; Fig. 5, [0079]) on a base layer (SUB1; Fig. 5, [0046]) in the display area (DA; Fig. 5); a dam member (the leftmost piece of BNK; Fig. 7, [0102]) on the base layer (SUB1) in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 7); a color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2; Figs. 6-7, [0102, 0133]) disposed in the display area (DA; Fig. 6) and the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 7), the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2) including an outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7, [0133]) disposed in the non-display area (NDA); and a cover layer (SUB2; Fig. 7, [0046]) on the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2; Figs. 6-7), wherein the cover layer (SUB2) covers at least a portion of the outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7), and the outer color filter (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7) is connected to (connected to with the intervening layer LRL between, “connected to” may have intervening elements or layers present disclosed in paragraph [0038] of the specification of the current application; see Fig. 7) a portion of the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2) in the display area (DA; see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 2, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, further comprising: a passivation layer (FL/EN3/EN2; Fig. 7, [0046, 0093]) on the base layer (SUB1), the passivation layer (FL/EN3/EN2) including: a first passivation layer (FL in DA; Fig. 7, [0102]) in the display area (DA), and a second passivation layer (EN2 in NDA; Fig. 7, [0102]) in the non-display area (NDA); a bank (the portion of BNK in DA; Fig. 7, [0102]) on the first passivation layer (the portion of FL in DA); and a color conversion layer (QDL1, QDL2; Fig. 6, [0102]) in an area surrounded by the bank (the portion of BNK in DA; Fig. 6), wherein the dam member (the leftmost piece of the portion of BNK in NDA in Fig. 7) is on the second passivation layer (EN2 in NDA), and at least a portion of the dam member (the leftmost piece of the portion of BNK in NDA in Fig. 7) and the bank (the portion of BNK in DA) include a same material (both has the material of BNK).
Regarding claim 3, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 2, further comprising a capping layer (IL1; Fig. 7, [0100]), wherein at least a portion of the capping layer (IL1) encapsulates the color conversion layer (QDL1, QDL2; Fig. 6), the capping layer (IL1) covers a side surface (the top side surface) of the dam member (the leftmost piece of the portion of BNK in NDA in Fig. 7) facing an outer portion (SUB2) of the display device (DD; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 2, wherein a height of the dam member (the leftmost piece of the portion of BNK in NDA in Fig. 7) and a height of the bank (the portion of BNK in DA) are substantially same as each other (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 3, wherein the passivation layer (FL/EN3/EN2) includes an organic material (FL of epoxy, [0057]), and the capping layer (IL1) covers a side surface (a top side surface) of the second passivation layer (EN2 in NDA) facing the outer portion (SUB2) of the display device (DD).
Regarding claim 6, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 2, further comprising: a capping layer (IL1; Fig. 7, [0100]) encapsulating the color conversion layer (QDL1, QDL2); and an interlayer insulating layer (INS5; Fig. 7, [0086]) disposed between the passivation layer (FL/EN3/EN2) and the base layer (SUB1), wherein the first passivation layer (the portion of FL in DA) and the second passivation layer (EN2 in NDA) are spaced apart from each other, and the capping layer (IL1) and the interlayer insulating layer (INS5) contact (indirectly with intervening layers) each other in an area (the area between the portion of FL in DA and EN2 in NDA) where the first passivation layer (the portion of FL in DA) and the second passivation layer (EN2 in NDA) are spaced apart from each other.
Regarding claim 7, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein the cover layer (SUB2) covers an outer surface (the top side surface) of the outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2) facing an outer portion (SUB2) of the display device (DD; see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 10, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein the outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2) extends along a side (the top side) of the dam member (the leftmost piece of the portion of BNK in NDA in Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein the base layer (SUB1) including a substrate (SUB1; Fig. 5, [0046]) is formed on a surface of the display device (the bottom surface of BFL; Fig. 7, [0082]), and an outer film layer (INS1; Fig. 7, [0084]) including a film member (INS1; Fig. 7, [0084]) is formed on another surface of the display device (the top surface of BFL; Fig. 7, [0082]).
Regarding claim 12, Kim et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element (OLED) comprises an organic light emitting diode including an organic material or a subminiature light emitting diode including an inorganic material (organic light emitting diode including an organic material; [0079]).
Regarding claim 21, Kim et al. teach an electronic device (large electronic device; [0035]) comprising a display device (DD; Fig. 1, [0035; 0031]) including a display area (DA; Fig. 1, [0034]) and a non-display area (NDA; Fig. 1, [0034]), the display device (DD) comprising: a light emitting element (OLED; Fig. 5, [0079]) on a base layer (SUB1; Fig. 5, [0046]) in the display area (DA; Fig. 5); a dam member (the leftmost piece of BNK; Fig. 7, [0102]) on the base layer (SUB1) in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 7); a color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2; Figs. 6-7, [0102, 0133]) disposed in the display area (DA; Fig. 6) and the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 7), the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2) including an outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7, [0133]) disposed in the non-display area (NDA); and a cover layer (SUB2; Fig. 7, [0046]) on the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2; Figs. 6-7), wherein the cover layer (SUB2) covers at least a portion of the outer color filter layer (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7), and the outer color filter (DCF1, DCF2; Fig. 7) is connected to (connected to with the intervening layer LRL between, “connected to” may have intervening elements or layers present disclosed in paragraph [0038] of the specification of the current application; see Fig. 7) a portion of the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DCF1, DCF2) in the display area (DA; see Fig. 7).
Claim(s) 1, 8-9 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102/(a)(1)(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 20210242423 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lee et al. teach a display device (DD; Fig. 1, [0059]) including a display area (DA; Fig. 6B, [0062]) and a non-display area (NDA; Fig. 6B, [0062]), the display device (DD) comprising: a light emitting element (OLED; Fig. 5, [0085]) on a base layer (SUB; Fig. 5, [0065]) in the display area (DA; Fig. 5); a dam member (DMP1-1; Fig. 8B, [0082]) on the base layer (SUB) in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 8B); a color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, and DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13 which are formed from the same layers forming of CF1, CF2, CF3; [0142, 0150]) disposed in the display area (DA; Fig. 8B) and the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 8B), the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13) including an outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13; Fig. 8B, [0150]) disposed in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 8B); and a cover layer (OC or TS; Fig. 8B, [0144, 0071]) on the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13; Fig. 8B), wherein the cover layer (OC or TS) covers at least a portion of the outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13; Fig. 8B), and the outer color filter (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13; Fig. 8B) is connected to (connected to with the intervening layer OC between, “connected to” may have intervening elements or layers present disclosed in paragraph [0038] of the specification of the current application; see Fig. 8B) a portion of the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13) in the display area (DA; see Fig. 8B).
Regarding claim 8, Lee et al. teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein the outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13) comprises a first outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9) and a second outer color filter layer (DM11, DM12, DM13), and the first outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9) and the second outer color filter layer (DM11, DM12, DM13) are spaced apart from each other on an upper surface of the dam member (DMP1-1; see Fig. 8B).
Regarding claim 9, Lee et al. teach the display device according to claim 8, further comprising a capping layer (IOL2, a cap of the lower surfaces; Fig. 8B, [0124]), at least a portion of the capping layer (IOL2) being disposed on the dam member (DMP1-1), wherein the first outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9) and the second outer color filter layer (DM11, DM12, DM13) are separated from each other to form an opening area (the opening area between DM7/DM8/DM9 and DM11/DM12/DM13) overlapping the dam member (DMP1-1) in a plan view (see Fig. 8B in a vertical direction), and the cover layer (TS) and the capping layer (IOL2) contact each other in the opening area (the opening area between DM7/DM8/DM9 and DM11/DM12/DM13).
Regarding claim 13, Lee et al. teach a display device (DD; Fig. 1, [0059]) including a display area (DA; Fig. 6B, [0062]) and a non-display area (NDA; Fig. 6B, [0062]), the display device (DD) comprising: a light emitting element (OLED; Fig. 5, [0085]) on a base layer (SUB; Fig. 5, [0065]) in the display area (DA; Fig. 5); a dam member (DMP1-1; Fig. 8B, [0082]) on the base layer (SUB) in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 8B); a color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, and DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13 which are formed from the same layers forming of CF1, CF2, CF3; [0142, 0150]) disposed in the display area (DA) and the non-display area (NDA), the color filter layer (CF1, CF2, CF3, and DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13) including an outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13; Fig. 8B, [0150]) disposed in the non-display area (NDA; Fig. 8B); and a capping layer (IOL2, a cap of the lower surfaces; Fig. 8B, [0124]), at least a portion of the capping layer (IOL2) being disposed on the dam member (DMP1-1), wherein the outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9, DM11, DM12, DM13) comprises a first outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9) and a second outer color filter layer (DM11, DM12, DM13) that are spaced apart from each other on an upper surface of the dam member (DMP1-1; see Fig. 8B), the first outer color filter layer (DM7, DM8, DM9) and the second outer color filter layer (DM11, DM12, DM13) are separated from each other to form an opening area (the opening area between DM7/DM8/DM9 and DM11/DM12/DM13) overlapping the dam member (DMP1-1) in a plan view (see Fig. 8B in a vertical direction), the cover layer (TS-IL2; Figs. 8A-8B, [0109]) and the capping layer (IOL2) contact (contact with intervening layer TS-IL1 present; Figs. 8A-8B, [0109]) each other in the opening area (the opening area between DM7/DM8/DM9 and DM11/DM12/DM13), and the cover layer (TS-IL2; see Fig. 8A, [0109]) and the capping layer (IOL2) are not contacted (interpreted as “not directly contacted”, i.e. no intervening layer present) with each other in the display area (DA).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 13 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Choi et al. (US 20230180571 A1) teach multiple color filter layers in the peripheral area.
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.
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/HSIN YI HSIEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899 8/10/2026
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