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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed November 25, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Drawings and Specification have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed November 25, 2025.
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 19-20 are 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 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: the relationship between the repair lens and the closed loop patterns.
[0051] and [0058] disclose the repair lens can include a plurality of closed loop patterns. Further, claim 5 claims the repair lens includes a plurality of closed loop patterns. The limitation as written appears to have a separate plurality of closed loop patterns with no relationship to the repair lens. For purposes of Examination, Examiner will interpret the limitation of the closed loop patterns as being included with the repair lens similar to the limitation of claim 5 and as disclosed in the specification of the instant application.
Claim 20 is also rejected as it is dependent on claim 19.
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 1-4 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et. al. (US 20200212131 A1), hereinafter Kim, in view of Han et. al. (US 20200004381 A1), hereinafter Han.
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a light emitting display device (Fig 1 light emitting display apparatus 100, [0042]) comprising: a substrate (Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]) including a plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]), each of the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]) including an emission part (Fig 5B emission area EA not labeled, [0058]) and a non-emission part (Fig 5B repair area RA, [0058]); a thin film transistor (Fig 6A driving thin film transistor T, [0057]) on the substrate (Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]) at each of the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]);a light emitting element (Fig 6A organic light emitting diode E, [0063]) over the thin film transistor (Fig 6A driving thin film transistor T, [0057]), the light emitting element (Fig 6A organic light emitting diode E, [0063]) including an anode (Fig 6A anode electrode AE, [0074]), an organic layer (Fig 6A emission layer EL, [0074]), and a cathode (Fig 6A cathode electrode CE, [0074]) at each of the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]); and a light-shielding metal layer (Fig 6A light shielding layer LS, [0087]) under the thin film transistor (Fig 6A driving thin film transistor T, [0057]).
Kim fails to teach a repair lens between the substrate and the anode, wherein the repair lens is disposed at the same layer as a light-shielding metal layer under the thin film transistor.
However, Han teaches a pinhole to aid in focusing reflected light onto an image sensor (0088). Kim teaches that it is desirable to minimize or reduce damage on the light emitting diode during a repair process by using a ([0105]). One having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be motivated in modifying Kim with the pinhole of Han so the laser light would be more focused to further reduce damage to the light emitting diode during the repair process with a reasonable expectation of success. MPEP 2143(I)(G)
In modifying Kim with the teachings of Han, Kim teaches a repair lens (Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) between the substrate (Fig 5 base substrate BS, [0067] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]) and the anode (Fig 5 anode E1, [0096] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE, [0074]), wherein the repair lens (Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) is disposed at the same layer (Fig 5) as a light-shielding metal layer (Fig 5 light shielding layer LS1, [0098] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A light shielding layer LS, [0087]) under the thin film transistor (Fig 5 driving transistor TR, [0096] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A driving thin film transistor T, [0057]).
Regarding claim 2, Kim as modified in claim 1 teaches the anode (Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE, [0074] corresponds to Fig 5A, [0022]) includes: an anode emission part (Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE in organic light emitting diode E) corresponding to the emission part (Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE in organic light emitting diode E), an anode driving part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B part of anode electrode AE over driving thin film transistor T) corresponding to a driving circuit (Kim: driving transistor T is electrically connected to the anode part), and an anode connection part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B repair portion RP) connecting the anode emission part (Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE in organic light emitting diode E) and the anode driving part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B part of anode electrode AE over driving thin film transistor T), and wherein the anode connection part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B repair portion RP) is narrower (Kim: Fig 5A RP is narrower) than each of the anode emission part (Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE in organic light emitting diode E) and the anode driving part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B part of anode electrode AE over driving thin film transistor T).
Regarding claim 3, Kim as modified in claim 2 teaches a bank (Kim: Fig 6B bank B, [0079]) covering the anode connection part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B repair portion RP) and the anode driving part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B part of anode electrode AE over driving thin film transistor T).
Regarding claim 4, Kim as modified in claim 2 teaches the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) is overlapped (Kim: It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to place the repair lens under the anode connection part to facilitate the repair, [0106]) with the anode connection part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B repair portion RP) and the outermost portion of the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) is outside (due to variance in manufacturing an outermost portion of the repair lens can be outside the anode connection part and still function to focus the light to a portion of the anode connection part) the anode connection part (Kim: Fig 5A and 6B repair portion RP).
Regarding claim 15, Kim as modified in claim 1 teaches the anode (Fig 6B anode electrode AE, [0074]) is connected to a thin film transistor (Kim: Fig 6B driving thin film transistor T, [0095]), the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) is positioned under (Han: Fig 1 the microlens 15 is positioned under the substrate 10 corresponds to Kim: Fig 6B substrate 210) a buffer layer (Kim: Fig 6B buffer layer 220, [0090]), and the buffer layer (Kim: Fig 6B buffer layer 220, [0090]) is interposed between the thin film transistor (Kim: Fig 6B driving thin film transistor T, [0095]) and the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]).
Regarding claim 16, Kim as modified in claim 15 teaches a plurality of insulating layers (Kim: Fig 6B interlayer dielectric 240, passivation layer 250, planarization layer 260, [0098]-[0099]) between the buffer layer (Kim: Fig 6B buffer layer 220, [0090]) and the anode (Fig 6B anode electrode AE, [0074]), wherein a sum of thicknesses of the buffer layer (Kim: Fig 6B buffer layer 220, [0090]) and the plurality of insulating layers (Kim: Fig 6B interlayer dielectric 240, passivation layer 250, planarization layer 260, [0098]-[0099]) corresponds to a focal distance (Han: the focal length is adjusted to the desired position for repair, [0061]) in which the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) focuses light on the anode (Fig 6B anode electrode AE, [0074]).
Regarding claim 17, Kim as modified in claim 2 fails to teach the anode connection part has a width ranging from about 1 µm to about 10 µm.
Kim recognizes the resistance of the anode connection part impacts the brightness of the sub-pixels and subsequent repair process ([0014] and [0105]). The width of the anode connection part is therefore a result-effective variable.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the width of the anode connection part as Kim and Han has identified the width as a result-effective variable. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a width ranging from about 1 µm to about 10 µm, in order to achieve the desired balance between the ease of repair and the size of the repair lens, as taught by Kim and Han. MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 18, Kim as modified in claim 1 teaches the repair lens (Han: Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) is in contact (from claim 1 the repair lens is disposed at the same layer as the light shielding metal layer) with a surface of the substrate (Kim: Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 and 10-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 5, the closest art is Kim et. al. (US 20200212131 A1), hereinafter Kim, in view of Han et. al. (US 20200004381 A1), hereinafter Han.
Kim and Han fail to teach the repair lens includes a plurality of closed loop patterns spaced apart from each other having radiuses gradually increasing from a center to an outside.
Claims 6-8 and 10-14 would be allowable because they are dependent on claim 5.
Claims 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Regarding claim 19, the closest art is Kim et. al. (US 20200212131 A1), hereinafter Kim, in view of Han et. al. (US 20200004381 A1), hereinafter Han.
Kim teaches a light emitting display device (Fig 1 light emitting display apparatus 100, [0042]) comprising: a substrate (Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]) including a plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]), each of the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]) including an emission part (Fig 5B emission area EA not labeled, [0058]) and a non-emission part (Fig 5B repair area RA, [0058]); a light emitting element (Fig 6A organic light emitting diode E, [0063]) including an anode (Fig 6A anode electrode AE, [0074]), an organic layer (Fig 6A emission layer EL, [0074]), and a cathode (Fig 6A cathode electrode CE, [0074]) at each of the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig 5 subpixels R, G, G, W, [0058]).
Kim fails to teach a repair lens between the substrate and the anode, wherein a plurality of closed loop patterns are spaced apart from each other having radiuses gradually increasing from a center to an outside.
However, Han teaches a pinhole to aid in focusing reflected light onto an image sensor (0088). Kim teaches that it is desirable to minimize or reduce damage on the light emitting diode during a repair process by using a ([0105]). One having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be motivated in modifying Kim with the pinhole of Han so the laser light would be more focused to further reduce damage to the light emitting diode during the repair process with a reasonable expectation of success. MPEP 2143(I)(G)
In modifying Kim with the teachings of Han, Kim teaches a repair lens (Fig 5 pinhole PH2, [0100]) between the substrate (Fig 5 base substrate BS, [0067] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A substrate 210, [0063]) and the anode (Fig 5 anode E1, [0096] corresponds to Kim: Fig 6A anode electrode AE, [0074]).
Kim and Han fail to teach a plurality of closed loop patterns are spaced apart from each other having radiuses gradually increasing from a center to an outside.
Claim 20 would be allowable because it is dependent on claim 19.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see 35 USC §112 section on page 8, filed November 25, 2025, with respect to amendments to claim 1 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 USC §112 rejection of claim 1 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see 35 USC §103 section on page 9, filed November 25, 2025, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-4 and 15-17 under 35 USC §103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Han et. al. (US 20200004381 A1), hereinafter Han.
Han provides for a lens structure that can be placed between the substrate and anode. One having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would be motivated to modify Kim with the teachings of Han to further reduce the energy requirements for the repair structure of Kim.
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.
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/ALVIN L LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/KHAJA AHMAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813