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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/16/2023 and 02/10/2026 has been received. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (Claims 1 - 13) in the reply filed on 03/18/2026 is acknowledged.
Rejections
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 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.
Claims 1 – 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 20220278299 A1).
Regarding independent Claim 1, Wang teaches a display device comprising
a substrate (Wang teaches a substrate 110 in at least [0055] stating ,”the electro-luminescent device, shown generally at 100 comprises a substrate 110”) including:
a pixel area (Fig. 5; emissive region 1910) including:
a transistor (Fig. 5; TFT structure 200) disposed on the substrate;
a first electrode (Fig. 5; first electrode 120) electrically connected to the transistor (Fig. 5);
a second electrode (Fig. 5; second electrode 140) overlapping the first electrode (Fig. 5); and
a functional layer (Fig. 5; semiconducting layer 130. See [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches a function layer included within semiconducting layer 130) and an emission layer (Fig. 5; semiconducting layer 130. See [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches an emission layer included within semiconducting layer 130) disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode (Fig. 5); and
a dummy area (Fig. 5; non-emissive regions 1920) including:
a first dummy electrode (Fig. 5; examiner is interpreting Wang’s electrode structure including electrode 1750 to be a first dummy electrode) disposed on the substrate (Fig. 5), and
a dummy insulating layer (Fig. 5; the dummy insulating layer structure including partition 3221) covering a side of at least part of the first dummy electrode (Fig. 5; examiner is interpreting the side on which partition 3221 is disposed to be a side of at least part of the first dummy electrode).
Regarding dependent Claim 2, Wang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein
the functional layer and the second electrode are disconnected in the dummy area (Fig. 5).
Regarding dependent Claim 3, Wang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein
the first dummy electrode includes a first first dummy layer (Fig. 8A. See [0324] and [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches a first first dummy layer included within aperture device stack 3510), a first second dummy layer (Fig. 8A. See [0324] and [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches a first second dummy layer included within aperture device stack 3510), a first third dummy layer (Fig. 8A. See [0324] and [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches a first third dummy layer included within aperture device stack 3510), and a first fourth dummy layer (Fig. 8A. See [0324] and [0091] – [0095] wherein Wang teaches a first fourth dummy layer included within aperture device stack 3510).
Regarding dependent Claim 4, Wang teaches the display device of claim 3, wherein
the first dummy electrode has an under-cut shape (Figs. 7G and 8A. See [0319]).
Regarding dependent Claim 5, Wang teaches the display device of claim 3, wherein
the first second dummy layer, the first third dummy layer, and the first fourth dummy layer are further protruded than the first first dummy layer (Figs. 7G and 8A).
Regarding dependent Claim 6, Wang teaches the display device of claim 3, wherein
the first first dummy layer includes at least one of indium zinc oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, indium tin gallium zinc oxide, and indium tin gallium zinc oxide (See [0129] wherein Wang states “semiconducting layer 130, including without limitation, the second electrode 130, the NIC 810 and/or any other layers and/or coatings deposited thereon”. Further, see [0081] and/or [0085]).
Regarding dependent Claim 7, Wang teaches the display device of claim 6 wherein
the first second dummy layer and the first fourth dummy layer include indium tin oxide (See [0129] wherein Wang states “semiconducting layer 130, including without limitation, the second electrode 130, the NIC 810 and/or any other layers and/or coatings deposited thereon”. Further, see [0081] and/or [0085]), and the first third dummy layer includes silver (See [0129] wherein Wang states “semiconducting layer 130, including without limitation, the second electrode 130, the NIC 810 and/or any other layers and/or coatings deposited thereon”. Further, see [0093] – [0095]).
Regarding dependent Claim 8, Wang teaches the display device of claim 3, wherein
the dummy insulating layer covers a side of the first first dummy layer (Fig. 5).
Regarding dependent Claim 9, Wang teaches the display device of claim 8, wherein
the functional layer and the second electrode extending from the pixel area contact the dummy insulating layer (Figs. 5 and 6B).
Regarding dependent Claim 10, Wang teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein
the functional layer and the second electrode extending from the pixel area are insulated from the first dummy electrode (Figs. 5 and 6B).
Regarding dependent Claim 11, Wang teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising
a dummy functional layer (Figs. 5 and 6B; examiner is interpreting the portion of semiconducting layer 130 in the dummy area to be a dummy functional layer. See [0091] – [0095]) and a second dummy electrode (Figs. 5 and 6B; examiner is interpreting the portion of second electrode 140 in the dummy area to be a second dummy electrode. See [0091] – [0095]) disposed on the first dummy electrode (Figs. 5 and 6B).
Regarding dependent Claim 12, Wang teaches the display device of claim 11, wherein
the dummy functional layer is separated from the functional layer (Figs. 5 and 6B), and
the second dummy electrode is separated from the second electrode (Figs. 5 and 6B).
Regarding dependent Claim 13, Wang teaches the display device of claim 3, wherein
a thickness of the first first dummy layer is about 500 angstroms to about 1500 angstroms ([0122]).
Examiner asserts that a display panel wherein a thickness of the first first dummy layer is about 500 angstroms to about 1500 angstroms would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, from at least [0122] of Wang who teaches tens of nanometers for conductive layers of an OLED, because absent evidence or disclosure of criticality for the range giving unexpected results; it is not inventive to discover optimal or workable ranges by routine experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F. 2d454, 105 USQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1995).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20190280063 A1 similar device features.
US 20190207168 A1 similar device features.
US 12200954 B2 discloses similar device features.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIO A AUTORE whose telephone number is (571)270-0059. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MARIO A. AUTORE JR.
Examiner
Art Unit 2897
/MARIO ANDRES AUTORE JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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