DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 10, the limitation “wherein a portion of the first overcoat layer corresponding to the red sub-pixel includes the first inclined surface, and a portion of the first overcoat layer corresponding to the green sub-pixel includes the second inclined surface, and a portion of the first overcoat layer corresponding to the blue sub-pixel includes a third inclined surface, wherein the first inclined surface, the second inclined surface, and the third inclined surface have a first angle, a second angle, and a third angle, respectively, with a surface of the substrate, and wherein the third angle, the second angle, and the first angle are different angles,” does not appear to have support in the originally filed disclosure in combination with the requirement of claim 1 related to the first and second inclined surfaces, banks, and trenches. Specifically, the newly recited features of claim 1 are for adjacent sub-pixels shown in Fig. 18, which are not the red and green sub-pixels.
Note the dependent claims do not cure the deficiencies of the claims on which they depend.
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 1-21 and 24-34 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 25, the limitation “a bank including an opening corresponding to the emission area of each sub-pixel of the plurality of sub-pixels,” is unclear as to if a single opening is required or a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings corresponding to a single respective emission area.
Regarding claims 1 and 25, the limitation “the bank including a first trench between two adjacent data lines disposed in the non-emission area between two adjacent sub-pixels of the plurality of sub-pixels,” is unclear as to what element(s) are required to be in the non-emission area, e.g. the first trench, the two adjacent data lines. It is further unclear as to how “the non-emission area between two adjacent sub-pixels of the plurality of sub-pixels,” is related to the previous recitation of each sub-pixel having a non-emission area.
Regarding claims 1 and 25, the limitation “the bank includes a first portion and a second portion respectively located on both sides of the first trench,” is unclear as to if the first portion and the second portion are each located on both sides or if the first portion is on a first side and a second portion is on a second side.
Regarding claims 1 and 25, the limitation “first (second) inclined surfaces of the first overcoat layer and the second overcoat layer,” is unclear as to if plural inclined surfaces are required for each of the first overcoat layer and the second overcoat layer or a single inclined surface for each.
Regarding claim 8, the limitation “the second pair of inclined surfaces” is unclear as to how it is related to the second inclined surfaces of claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, each recitation of “inclined surfaces” is unclear as to how it is related to the inclined surfaces of claim 1.
Regarding claim 14, each recitation of “inclined surfaces” is unclear as to how it is related to the inclined surfaces of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, the limitations “a light emitting diode” is unclear as to how it is related to the plurality of light emitting diodes recited in claim 1.
Regarding claim 20, the limitation “the non-emission area” is unclear as to how it is related to the plural non-emission areas recited in claim 1, i.e. the non-emission area of each sub-pixel.
Note the dependent claims necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/2/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection presented above.
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 Lauren R Bell whose telephone number is (571)272-7199. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Kraig can be reached at (571) 272-8660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAUREN R BELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
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