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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The new title submitted 1/27/2026 is acknowledged and accepted by the Office.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-17, filed 1/27/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1); and claim 15 under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, their rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Yang (of record) and XIONG et al (US 2020/0142171 A1) for claim 1; and Yang (of record) and Lee (of record) and XIONG for claim 15.
A. With respect to dependent claims 2-14; and 16-28, the applicant has not presented arguments beyond their allowability due to their dependence from claim 1; and claim 15, respectively. Therefore, in light of the new ground(s) rejection, these arguments are moot, and the examiner will not respond further at this time.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YANG (US 2018/0190170 A1-IDS prior art, hereafter Yang) in view of XIONG et al (US 2020/0142171 A1, hereafter Xiong).
Re claim 1, Yang discloses in FIGS. 1-5 a manufacturing method of a display panel, the method comprising:
forming pixels (of cells 10 in FIGS. 1-2; [0043] and [0045]) in a display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10; [0045] and [0079]) of a substrate (11; [0043]), and forming a metal wiring (14 in FIG. 3; [0056]) and a dam portion (19 in FIG. 3; [0070]) in a non-display area (X-Y region of FIG. 3) of the substrate (11);
forming an encapsulation layer (20 in FIGS. 2-3; [0049] and [0064]-[0068]) using an inorganic insulating material (SiOx, SiNx or SiOxNy 21; [0065]-[0066]) and an organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22; [0068]) to cover the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10; [0079]-[0081]) of the substrate (11); and
inspecting (detecting in FIG. 4; [0071] and [0081]-[0083]) presence or absence of a remaining layer (overflow; [0071]) including the organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22), which is formed in a remaining area (beyond 19; [0071]) of the encapsulation layer (20) except for the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10), using a filter (bandpass filter of 241; [0105]) having a predetermined wavelength range (red, green, blue and infrared form 400-900 nm; [0105]-[0106]).
Yang fails to disclose wherein a monochromatic light emitted from a light source passes a lens and the filter in a first direction and transmits in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a beam splitter.
However,
Xiong discloses in FIG. 1 an imaging system comprising wherein a monochromatic light (488 nm; [0047] and [0054]) emitted from a light source (1; [0047] and [0054]) passes a lens (2; [0047]) and the filter (3; [0047]) in a first direction (laterally) and transmits in a second direction (longitudinally) perpendicular (normal) to the first direction (laterally) by a beam splitter (4; [0047]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang by substituting the light source of Xiong for the light source and prism of Yang, and adding the lens and filter of Xiong, wherein a monochromatic light emitted from a light source passes a lens and the filter in a first direction and transmits in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a beam splitter, for providing an inspection method simultaneously emitting one or more different wavelengths of light so that the light source generates the specific structured light, with higher reliability and higher stability, and obtaining an illumination microscopic optical system with high resolution, high stability and high contrast (Xiong; [0053]-[0054]).
Re claim 2, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, further comprising removing (FIG. 4; [0083]) the remaining layer (overflow) when it is determined that the remaining layer (overflow) is present as a result of the inspecting (detecting).
Re claim 3, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the forming the metal wiring (14) and the dam portion (19) in the non-display area (X-Y region) of the substrate (11) comprises forming the metal wiring (14) by patterning (either etching or lift-off) after depositing (disposing; [0056]) a conductive layer (Mo, Al, Cr, Au, Ti, Ni, Nd or Cu, an alloy of two or more thereof, or a multi-layer thereof; [0056]) in the non-display area (X-Y region) of the substrate (11).
Re claim 6, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the forming the encapsulation layer (20) comprises: disposing an inorganic encapsulation layer (21) including the inorganic insulating material (SiOx, SiNx or SiOxNy) to cover the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10; [0079]-[0081]); dropping droplets (inkjet droplets; [0067] and [0069]) of the organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin) on the inorganic encapsulation layer (21); waiting until the droplets are diffused (flows; [0070]) throughout ([0079]-[0081]) the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10); and forming an organic encapsulation layer (22) by curing ([0075]) the diffused droplets (flowed inkjet droplets).
Re claim 7, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the forming the dam portion (19) comprises: forming a bank (18 in FIG. 3; [0062] and [0070]) including a dam (left/right portions of 18 in FIG. 3) and a plurality of organic layers (double layers of left/right 19 in FIG. 3; [0062] and [0070]) outside (separated from) the dam (left/right portions of 19).
Re claim 8, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the forming the dam portion (19) comprises forming a bank (18 in FIG. 3; [0062] and [0070]) including a first dam (left portion of 18 in FIG. 3), a second dam (right portion of 18 in FIG. 3) outside the first dam (left portion of 18), and a plurality of organic layers (double layers of left/right 19 in FIG. 3; [0062] and [0070]) outside (separated from) the second dam (right portion of 18).
Re claim 14, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined wavelength range is from 575 nanometers to 585 nanometers (selectively from 400-900 nm; [0106]).
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Xiong as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Kwon et al (US 2016/0035274 A1-of record, hereafter Kwon).
Re claims 4-5, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 3.
But, fails to disclose wherein a plurality of permeation prevention patterns protruding outward is formed in the metal wiring (14); and wherein the plurality of permeation prevention patterns has a circular shape, an elliptic shape, or a polygonal shape in a plan view.
However,
Kwon discloses in FIGS. 8A-8H (including FIGS. 6A-6D) a manufacturing method of a display panel, the method comprising: forming a plurality of permeation prevention patterns (236 in FIG. 8C; [0126] and [0134]-[0135]) protruding outward in a metal wiring (230; [0076] and [0135]), wherein the plurality of permeation prevention patterns (236) has a circular shape ([0126]), an elliptic shape, or a polygonal shape ([0126]) in a plan view (FIGS. 6A-6D).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang by adding the forming of the plurality of permeation prevention patterns of Kwon, the plurality of permeation prevention patterns protruding outward is formed in the metal wiring (14); and wherein the plurality of permeation prevention patterns has a circular shape, or a polygonal shape in a plan view, to allow desired flow of layer forming materials (Kwon; [0127]).
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Xiong as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of KITAGAWA et al (US 2018/0045506 A1-of record, hereafter Kitagawa).
Re claim 9, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 2, wherein the inspecting (detecting) the presence or absence of a remaining layer (overflow) including the organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22), which is formed in a remaining area (beyond 19) of the encapsulation layer (20) except for the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10), using the filter (bandpass filter of 241) having the predetermined wavelength range (red, green, blue and infrared form 400-900 nm) comprises irradiating monochromatic light (red, green and blue in FIGS. 6-7; [0121]-[0124]) to the remaining area (beyond 19) of the substrate (11) except for the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10) and observing the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) reflected (FIG. 7; [0122]-[0124]) from the substrate (11).
Yang and Xiong fail to disclose observing the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) reflected from the substrate (11) with a microscope to check interference fringes.
However,
Kitagawa discloses in FIGS. 1-2 and 4 a manufacturing method of a display panel component, the method comprising: inspecting (measurement; FIGS. 1-2 and 4; [0030]-[0036] and [0085]-[0092]) a film thickness (of 60; [0030]-[0032] and [0085]-[0086]), the inspecting (measurement) comprises irradiating monochromatic light (red, green and blue) to areas (on 60) of a substrate (61; [0044] and [0074]) and observing ([0007]; [0017] and [0035]-[0039]) the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) reflected ([0035]-[0039]) from the substrate (61) with a microscope (30; [0031] and [0034]) to check interference fringes ([0035]-[0039]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang and Xiong by incorporating the use of observing the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) reflected from the substrate (11) with a microscope to check interference fringes of Kitagawa to provide a film thickness measurement device for film thickness measurement method which the film thicknesses can be collectively estimated at a plurality of points with real-time naked eye visual observation of the remaining layer (overflow) including the organic insulating material (Kitagawa; [0006]-[0007]).
Re claim 10, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 9, wherein the remaining area (beyond 19) comprises at least one of the dam portion (19) and the metal wiring (14).
Re claim 11, Yang and Xiong and Kitagawa discloses the manufacturing method of claim 9, wherein the inspecting (detecting) the presence or the absence of the remaining layer (overflow) comprises irradiating the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) to any one or more of a top surface (Yang: FIG. 7), a bottom surface (Yang: FIG. 7), and a side surface of the substrate (11) and observing the monochromatic light (red, green and blue) reflected from the substrate (11) with the microscope (Kitagawa: 30) to check the interference fringes (Kitagawa) as part of the film thickness measurement method with which the film thicknesses can be collectively estimated at a plurality of points of the remaining layer (overflow) including the organic insulating material discussed for claim 9.
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Xiong and Kitagawa as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Jang et al (US 2015/0034920 A1-of record, hereafter Jang).
Re claim 12, Yang and Xiong and Kitagawa discloses the manufacturing method of claim 9.
But, fail to disclose wherein the removing the remaining layer (overflow) comprises removing the remaining layer (overflow) by a plasma ashing process.
However,
Jang discloses in FIGS. 5-8 a manufacturing method of a display panel component, the method comprising: removing a remaining layer (excess portion 313 in FIG. 7; [0105]-[0106]) comprises removing the remaining layer (313) by a plasma ashing process ([0106]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang by using the ashing of Jang for removing the remaining layer, to precisely define a border of the organic insulating material for a substantially robust and/or seamless structure of the encapsulation layer (Jang; [0106]).
Re claim 13, Yang and Xiong and Kitagawa and Jang disclose the manufacturing method of claim 12.
But, do not explicitly disclose wherein conditions of the plasma ashing process are controlled based on a difference in intervals of the interference fringes corresponding to a thickness of the remaining layer.
However, Kitagawa discloses in FIG. 2 interference fringes corresponding to a thickness of the remaining layer ([0049]-[0051]), and Jang discloses variable ashing process conditions for removing the remaining layer organic insulating material ([0106]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to control through routine experimentation (MPEP 2144.05) conditions of the plasma ashing process based on a difference in intervals of the interference fringes (of Kitagawa) corresponding to a thickness of the remaining layer (of Yang) as part of the encapsulation layer discussed for claim 12.
Claims 15-19 and 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of LEE (US 2020/0212159 A1-of record, hereafter Lee) and XIONG et al (US 2020/0142171 A1, hereafter Xiong).
Re claim 15, Yang discloses in FIGS. 1-5 a manufacturing method of a display panel, the method comprising:
forming pixels (of cells 10 in FIGS. 1-2; [0043] and [0045]) in a display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10; [0045] and [0079]) of a substrate (11; [0043]), and forming a metal wiring (14 in FIG. 3; [0056]) and a dam portion (19 in FIG. 3; [0070]) in a non-display area (X-Y region of FIG. 3) of the substrate (11);
forming an encapsulation layer (20 in FIGS. 2-3; [0049] and [0064]-[0068]) using an inorganic insulating material (SiOx, SiNx or SiOxNy 21; [0065]-[0066]) and an organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22; [0068]) to cover the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10; [0079]-[0081]) of the substrate (11); and
inspecting (detecting in FIG. 4; [0071] and [0081]-[0083]) presence or absence of a remaining layer (overflow; [0071]) including the organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22), which is formed in a remaining area (beyond 19; [0071]) of the encapsulation layer (20) except for the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10), using a filter (bandpass filter of 241; [0105]) having a predetermined wavelength range (red, green, blue and infrared form 400-900 nm; [0105]-[0106]).
A. Yang fails to disclose defining a component hole in the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10) of the substrate (11); forming the encapsulation layer (20) to cover the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10) of the substrate (11) except for the component hole; inspecting (detecting) presence or absence of a remaining layer (overflow) including the organic insulating material (SiOCz, acrylic resin or epoxy resin 22), which is formed on a side surface of the component hole, using the filter (bandpass filter of 241) having a predetermined wavelength range (red, green, blue and infrared form 400-900 nm); and wherein a monochromatic light emitted from a light source passes a lens and the filter in a first direction and transmits in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a beam splitter.
However,
Lee discloses in FIGS. 1-3 and 5-6 a manufacturing method of a display panel, the method comprising: defining a component hole (TH in FIG. 1; [0034]) in a display area (AA; [0038]) of the substrate (SUB; [0038]); and forming an encapsulation layer (AA; [0064]; [0093]; [0098]-[0099] and [0104]) to cover the display area (AA) of the substrate (SUB) except ([0098]-[0099] and [0104]) for the component hole (TH).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang by adding the forming of a component hole of Lee, in the display area of the substrate (11); and the forming the encapsulation layer (20) to cover the display area of the substrate (11) except for the component hole of Lee, where the component hole can prevent external moisture or oxygen from permeating into light emitting elements in the display area of the substrate (Lee; Abstract).
Further, with respect to the limitations of and inspecting presence or absence of a remaining layer including the organic insulating material, which is formed on a side surface of the component hole, using the filter having a predetermined wavelength range, it would be obvious for the inspection of Yang to include a side surface of the component hole (TH) to insure the organic insulating material is not present beyond dam structures (DMI) and in the component hole (TH) as taught by Lee ([0098]-[0099]).
B. Yang and Lee fail to disclose wherein a monochromatic light emitted from a light source passes a lens and the filter in a first direction and transmits in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a beam splitter.
However,
Xiong discloses in FIG. 1 an imaging system comprising wherein a monochromatic light (488 nm; [0047] and [0054]) emitted from a light source (1; [0047] and [0054]) passes a lens (2; [0047]) and the filter (3; [0047]) in a first direction (laterally) and transmits in a second direction (longitudinally) perpendicular (normal) to the first direction (laterally) by a beam splitter (4; [0047]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Yang by substituting the light source of Xiong for the light source and prism of Yang, and adding the lens and filter of Xiong, wherein a monochromatic light emitted from a light source passes a lens and the filter in a first direction and transmits in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction by a beam splitter, for providing an inspection method simultaneously emitting one or more different wavelengths of light so that the light source generates the specific structured light, with higher reliability and higher stability, and obtaining an illumination microscopic optical system with high resolution, high stability and high contrast (Xiong; [0053]-[0054]).
Re claim 16, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15, further comprising removing the remaining layer when it is determined that the remaining layer is present as a result of the inspecting (see claim 2).
Re claims 17-18, Yang and Lee disclose the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein the component hole (TH) overlaps (corresponds to) a region (area where SUB is removed; [0227]) where a component (camera or sensor; [0227]-[0228]) is disposed as part of the moisture or oxygen structure discussed for claim 15; and wherein the component is any one of an illuminance sensor ([0228]), an iris sensor, and a camera ([0228]).
Re claim 19, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein the forming the metal wiring and the dam portion in the non-display area of the substrate comprises forming the metal wiring by patterning after depositing a conductive layer in the non-display area of the substrate (see claim 3).
Re claim 22, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15.
But, fails to disclose wherein the forming the pixels (of cells 10) and the defining the component hole (Lee: TH) in the display area (region of OLEDs of cells 10) of the substrate (11), and forming the metal wiring (14) and the dam portion (19) in the non-display area (beyond 19) of the substrate (11) comprises disposing a lower metal layer on the substrate (11) in a component area where the component hole (TH) is defined, and forming the pixels (of cells 10) on the lower metal layer.
However, Lee renders these limitations obvious by disclosing disposing a lower metal layer (LL1/LL2; [0064] and [0171]) on the substrate (SUB) in a component area (area where SUB is removed; [0227]) where the component hole (TH) is defined, and forming the pixels (P; [0034]) on ([0171]) the lower metal layer (LL1/LL2) for device functionality as part of the moisture or oxygen structure discussed for claim 15.
Re claim 23, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein the forming the encapsulation layer comprises: disposing an inorganic encapsulation layer including the inorganic insulating material to cover the display area of the substrate except for the component hole; dropping droplets of the organic insulating material on the inorganic encapsulation layer; waiting until the droplets are diffused throughout the display area; and forming an organic encapsulation layer by curing the diffused droplets (see claim 6).
Re claims 24-25, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein the forming the dam portion comprises: forming a bank including a dam and plurality of organic layers outside the dam (see claim 7); and wherein the forming the dam portion comprises forming a bank including a first dam, a second dam outside the first dam, and a plurality of organic layers outside the second dam (see claim 8).
Claims 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Lee and Xiong as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Kwon.
Re claims 20-21, Yang and Kwon disclose the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein a plurality of permeation prevention patterns protruding outward is formed in the metal wiring (see claim 4); and wherein the plurality of permeation prevention patterns has a circular shape, an elliptic shape, or a polygonal shape in a plan view (see claim 5).
Claims 26-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Lee and Xiong as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Kitagawa.
Re claims 26 and 28, Yang and Kitagawa disclose the manufacturing method of claim 17, wherein the inspecting the presence or the absence of the remaining layer including the organic insulating material, which is formed in the remaining area except for the display area comprises irradiating monochromatic light to the side surface of the component hole and the remaining area except for the display area and observing the monochromatic light reflected from the substrate with a microscope to check interference fringes (see claim 9); and wherein the inspecting the presence or the absence of the remaining layer comprises irradiating the monochromatic light to any one or more of a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface of the substrate and observing the monochromatic light reflected from the substrate with the microscope to check the interference fringes (see claim 11).
Further, with respect to the claim 26 limitations of wherein the inspecting the presence or the absence of the remaining layer including the organic insulating material, which is formed on the side surface of the component hole, it would be obvious for the inspection of Yang to include a side surface of the component hole (TH) to insure the organic insulating material is not present beyond dam structures (DMI) and in the component hole (TH) as taught by Lee ([0098]-[0099]).
Re claim 27, Yang discloses the manufacturing method of claim 15, wherein the remaining area comprises at least one of the dam portion and the metal wiring (see claim 10).
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 ERIC W JONES whose telephone number is (408) 918-9765. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM PT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, N. Drew Richards can be reached at (571) 272-1736. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC W JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892