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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 3/11/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 5 and 6 have been cancelled; claims 1, 7, 9 and 14 have been amended; claim 15 has been newly added; and claims 1-4 and 7-15 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KO et al. (US 2010/0033084 A1, hereinafter “KO”) in view of LI (US 2018/0090545 A1, hereinafter “LI”).
In regards to claim 1, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) a to-be-evaporated substrate, comprising:
a substrate (100), comprising a to-be-evaporated region (150) and a non-evaporated region (200), wherein the non-evaporated region (200) surrounds (See, for example, Fig. 3) the to-be-evaporated region (150); and
a support pattern, disposed on the substrate and located in the non-evaporated region (See, for example, Fig. 2B),
wherein, the support pattern comprises a first symmetrical pattern, the first symmetrical pattern is formed by a plurality of supporters (It can be seen from figure 2B that each spacer comprises a first symmetric pattern and consists of a plurality of support structures, which are distributed along the periphery of a region to be evaporated), and
the plurality of supporters forming the first symmetrical pattern are arranged along a perimeter of the to-be-evaporated region (wherein any pixel is a region to be evaporated, the pixel region is a second symmetric pattern, and an axis of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincides with an axis of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern; the first symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; the second symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; and the two axes of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincide with the two axes of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern in a manner of corresponding to each other on a one-to-one basis.)
KO is silent about wherein the number of to-be-evaporated regions is multiple, the to-be-evaporated regions comprise a first-type to-be-evaporated region, a second-type to-be-evaporated region, and a third-type to-be-evaporated region, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region, the second-type to-be-evaporated region, and the third-type to-be-evaporated region are used to evaporate different materials;
wherein the third-type to-be-evaporated region comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region and the second-type to-be-evaporated region comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively; or
the second-type to-be-evaporated region comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region and the third-type to-be-evaporated region comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively.
LI while disclosing OLED pixel array teaches (See, for example, Figs. 4A-4C) wherein the number of to-be-evaporated regions is multiple, the to-be-evaporated regions comprise a first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ), a second-type to-be-evaporated region (B), and a third-type to-be-evaporated region (G), and the first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ), the second-type to-be-evaporated region (B) , and the third-type to-be-evaporated region (G) are used to evaporate different materials;
wherein the third-type to-be-evaporated region (G) comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing (See, for example, Fig. 4C), and the first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ) and the second-type to-be-evaporated region (B ) comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively (See, for example, Figs. 4A, and 4B).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Ko by LI because having two adjacent subpixels of the same color are evaporated through the same mask opening using the same organic material would improve display resolution by allowing larger mask openings to serve multiple subpixels, reduces color mixing between adjacent subpixels of different colors, and prevents mask deformation by widening the bridge structure between mask openings in a high pixels-per-square inch OLED manufacturing.
In regards to claim 14, KO discloses (See, for example, Fig. 1-4) a method of manufacturing a display substrate, comprising: preparing a mask and a to-be-evaporated substrate, wherein the to-be-evaporated substrate comprises:
a substrate (100), comprising a to-be-evaporated region (150) and a non-evaporated region (200), wherein the non-evaporated region (200) surrounds (See, for example, Fig. 3) the to-be-evaporated region (150); and
a support pattern, disposed on the substrate and located in the non-evaporated region (See, for example, Fig. 2B),
wherein, the support pattern comprises a first symmetrical pattern, the first symmetrical pattern is formed by a plurality of supporters (It can be seen from figure 2B that each spacer comprises a first symmetric pattern and consists of a plurality of support structures, which are distributed along the periphery of a region to be evaporated), and the plurality of supporters forming the first symmetrical pattern are arranged along a perimeter of the to-be-evaporated region (wherein any pixel is a region to be evaporated, the pixel region is a second symmetric pattern, and an axis of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincides with an axis of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern; the first symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; the second symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; and the two axes of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincide with the two axes of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern in a manner of corresponding to each other on a one-to-one basis);
forming a light emitter (See, Fig. 4) by performing evaporation (depositing an emission layer, Par [0040]) on the to-be-evaporated region (150) using the mask (300).
KO is silent about wherein the number of to-be-evaporated regions is multiple, the to-be-evaporated regions comprise a first-type to-be-evaporated region, a second-type to-be-evaporated region, and a third-type to-be-evaporated region, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region, the second-type to-be-evaporated region, and the third-type to-be-evaporated region are used to evaporate different materials;
wherein the third-type to-be-evaporated region comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region and the second-type to-be-evaporated region comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively; or
the second-type to-be-evaporated region comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing, and the first-type to-be-evaporated region and the third-type to-be-evaporated region comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively.
LI while disclosing OLED pixel array teaches (See, for example, Figs. 4A-4C) wherein the number of to-be-evaporated regions is multiple, the to-be-evaporated regions comprise a first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ), a second-type to-be-evaporated region (B), and a third-type to-be-evaporated region (G), and the first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ), the second-type to-be-evaporated region (B) , and the third-type to-be-evaporated region (G) are used to evaporate different materials;
wherein the third-type to-be-evaporated region (G) comprises two to-be-evaporated sub-regions arranged in a spacing (See, for example, Fig. 4C), and the first-type to-be-evaporated region (R ) and the second-type to-be-evaporated region (B ) comprise one to-be-evaporated sub-region respectively (See, for example, Figs. 4A, and 4B); forming a light emitter (See, “OLED pixel array”, Abstract) by performing evaporation (“two R sub-pixels or two G sub-pixels are evaporated in one mask (R or G mask) opening”, See, for example, Par [0026]) on the to-be-evaporated region using the mask (Mask Plate).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Ko by LI because having two adjacent subpixels of the same color are evaporated through the same mask opening using the same organic material would improve display resolution by allowing larger mask openings to serve multiple subpixels, reduces color mixing between adjacent subpixels of different colors, and prevents mask deformation by widening the bridge structure between mask openings in a high pixels-per-square inch OLED manufacturing.
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In regards to claim 2, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the to-be-evaporated region (150) is presented as a second symmetrical pattern, and a symmetrical axis of the first symmetrical pattern coincides with a symmetrical axis of the second symmetrical pattern (wherein any pixel is a region to be evaporated, the pixel region is a second symmetric pattern, and an axis of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincides with an axis of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern; the first symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; the second symmetric pattern comprises two axes of symmetry that are perpendicular to each other; and the two axes of symmetry of the first symmetric pattern coincide with the two axes of symmetry of the second symmetric pattern in a manner of corresponding to each other on a one-to-one basis).
In regards to claim 3, KO discloses (See, annotated Fig. 2A below) the first symmetrical pattern comprises two symmetrical axes (X-axis and Y-axis) perpendicular to each other; the to-be-evaporated region (150) is presented as a second symmetrical pattern, the second symmetrical pattern comprises two symmetrical axes (X-axis and Y-axis) perpendicular to each other; and the two symmetrical axes of the first symmetrical pattern (for example, 150a, 150b, or 150c) are respectively coincided with the two symmetrical axes (X-axis and Y-axis) of the second symmetrical pattern (200).
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In regards to claim 4, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the plurality of supporters each comprise a plurality of support columns arranged in a spacing (See, for example, Fig. 4).
In regards to claim 7, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4, and See annotated Fig. 2A included above) the two to-be-evaporated sub-regions are presented as two symmetrical patterns, symmetrical axes of two to-be-evaporated sub-regions (X-axis and Y-axis) in one of the at least one of the to-be-evaporated regions (150) coincide with each other, and the symmetrical axes (X-axis and Y-axis) of the to-be-evaporated sub-regions (for example, 150a, 150b) coincide with a symmetrical axis of the first symmetrical pattern (200).
In regards to claim 8, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the plurality of to-be-evaporated sub-regions (150a, 150b) in one of at least one of the to-be-evaporated regions are used to evaporate a same evaporation material (See, for example, Pars [0040]-[0042]).
In regards to claim 9, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the number of first symmetrical patterns (See, for example, 150a, 150b, 150c) is multiple, the to-be-evaporated regions are in one-to-one correspondence with the first symmetrical patterns (200), and two of the first symmetrical patterns share at least one of the supporters (See, for example, Fig. 3).
In regards to claim 10, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) two to-be-evaporated regions (150, See Fig. 3) corresponding to the two first symmetrical patterns (200) sharing at least one of the supporters are used to evaporate a same evaporation material or different evaporation materials (See, for example, Fig. 4 and Pars [0040]-[0042]).
In regards to claim 11, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the supporters each comprise a support layer and a plurality of protrusions (200, See, for example, Fig. 4), the support layer is disposed on the substrate (100), the plurality of protrusions (See, the protrusions of 200, in Fig. 4) are disposed on a side of the support layer away from the substrate (100), and the plurality of protrusions are arranged in a spacing (See, for example, Fig. 4).
In regards to claim 12, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) the substrate comprises: a base (100); a pixel definition layer (120), disposed on a side of the base, wherein the pixel definition layer (120) comprises one or more pixel openings (openings defined in between 120, See, Fig. 3); wherein the to-be-evaporated region (150) comprises one or more to-be-evaporated sub-regions (150a, 150b, 150c), and the pixel opening (openings defined in between 120, See, Fig. 3) forms the to-be-evaporated sub-region (See, for example, Fig. 4).
In regards to claim 13, KO discloses (See, for example, Figs. 1-4) a display substrate, comprising: the to-be-evaporated substrate of claim 1; a light emitter (See, Par [0020]), disposed in the to-be-evaporated region (150).
In regards to claim 15, KO as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 4A, LI)
the two to-be-evaporated sub-regions (for example, R ) are arranged symmetrically, and
a symmetrical axis of the two to-be-evaporated sub-regions (for example, R ) coincides with a symmetrical axis of the first symmetrical pattern (See, annotated Fig. 4A below, where one can see that the symmetrical axis of the two to-be-evaporated sub-regions coincides with the symmetrical axis of the first symmetrical pattern).
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS whose telephone number is (571)270-5350. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8 am - 5 pm E.S.T..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached on 571-270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893