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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1 and 8 have been amended; Claims 17-24 have been withdrawn from further
consideration as being drawn to a nonelected invention, and claims 1-24 are currently
pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
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 1-13, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iguchi (US 2019/0371777 A1, hereinafter “Iguchi”) in view of Tsai et al. (US 20190075633 A1, hereinafter “Tsai”), HU et al. (US 2013/0285086 A1, hereinafter “HU”), and Sakariya et al. (US 2014/0168037 A1, hereinafter “Sakariya”).
In regards to claim 1, Iguchi discloses (See, for example, annotated Fig. 10A included below) a micro display element (200b) comprising:
a micro light-emitting unit (100b) configured to emit light; and
a drive electrode (51, 52) configured to drive the micro light-emitting unit (100b).
Iguchi is silent about a drive unit comprising a drive transistor; and the micro light emitting unit is monolithically coupled to the drive unit.
Tsai while disclosing a display device teaches (See, for example, Fig. 2-1) a drive unit (110) comprising a drive transistor; and the micro-light emitting unit (130) is monolithically coupled to the drive unit (110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have monolithically coupling the micro-light emitting unit to the drive unit because this would help reduce parasitic effects due to shorter interconnects, and improve speed and efficiency as the driver and LED are tightly coupled.
Iguchi is silent about the micro light-emitting unit and the drive unit overlap in a vertical direction such that a vertical axis of the micro light-emitting unit is aligned with a vertical axis of he driving unit.
HU while disclosing a micro-LED device teaches (See, for example, Figs. 19-23B) the micro light-emitting unit (100) and the drive unit (400/410, See also Par [0120]) overlap in a vertical direction such that a vertical axis of the micro light-emitting unit (100) is aligned with a vertical axis of the driving unit (400/410, See also Par [0120]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Iguchi by HU because this would help efficiently produce prefabricated micro-LED devices at high density with reduced/avoided structural damage, and enhanced reliability.
Iguchi as modified above further fails to explicitly teach that the micro display element is individually configured to be transferable with the drive unit.
Sakariya while disclosing a smart pixel lighting teaches (See, for example, Figs. 15 and 16) the micro display element is individually configured to be transferable with the drive unit (“transfer the at least on emicro LED device from the first micro LED device substrate, and place the micro LED device on he receiving substrate”, Step 1504; “ transfer the microcontroller from the microcontroller substrate, and place the microcontroller on the receiving substrate”, Step 1510; Also, See Par [0006] “…one or more microcontroller to switch and drive the one or more LED devices.”; See also, Par [0009]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Iguchi by Sakariya because the assembly allows an optional sealant to secure and protect the substrate, thus reducing leakage and power consumption problems and uniformity issues at various points during fabrication process in a cost-effective manner.
In regards to claim 8, Iguchi (See, for example, annotated Fig. 10A included below) a display apparatus comprising:
a display substrate;
a plurality of display elements, each of the plurality of display elements (constituting a pixel on a drive circuit…, Seem, for example, Par [0002]) comprising a micro light-emitting unit (100b) and a drive unit (500),
a drive electrode to drive the micro light-emitting unit, (51, 52), and
the plurality of display elements (the plurality micro light emission element 100b in a pixel region…) are spaced apart from each other in units of sub-pixels (…sub-pixel has an individual micro light emission element…) on the display substrate; and
a color conversion layer formed over the display element for each sub-pixel (a wavelength conversion layer; a light diffusion layer; a color filter…. Disposed on a light emission side of the micro light emission element 100…).
Iguchi is silent about a drive unit comprising a drive transistor; and the micro light emitting unit and the drive unit are monolithically coupled to each other.
Tsai teaches (See, for example, Fig. 2-1) a drive unit (110) comprising a drive transistor; and the micro-light emitting unit (130) and the drive unit (110) are monolithically coupled to each other.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have monolithically coupling the micro-light emitting unit to the drive unit because this would help reduce parasitic effects due to shorter interconnects, and improve speed and efficiency as the driver and LED are tightly coupled.
HU while disclosing a micro-LED device teaches (See, for example, Figs. 19-23B) the micro light-emitting unit (100) and the drive unit (400/410, See also Par [0120]) overlap in a vertical direction such that a vertical axis of the micro light-emitting unit (100) is aligned with a vertical axis of the driving unit (400/410, See also Par [0120]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Iguchi by HU because this would help efficiently produce prefabricated micro-LED devices at high density with reduced/avoided structural damage, and enhanced reliability.
Iguchi as modified above further fails to explicitly teach that the micro display element is individually configured to be transferable with the drive unit.
Sakariya while disclosing a smart pixel lighting teaches (See, for example, Figs. 15 and 16) the micro display element is individually configured to be transferable with the drive unit (“transfer the at least on emicro LED device from the first micro LED device substrate, and place the micro LED device on he receiving substrate”, Step 1504; “ transfer the microcontroller from the microcontroller substrate, and place the microcontroller on the receiving substrate”, Step 1510; Also, See Par [0006] “…one or more microcontroller to switch and drive the one or more LED devices.”; See also, Par [0009]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Iguchi by Sakariya because the assembly allows an optional sealant to secure and protect the substrate, thus reducing leakage and power consumption problems and uniformity issues at various points during fabrication process in a cost-effective manner.
In regards to claims 2 and 9, Iguchi as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 2-1, Tsai) an insulating layer (125) between the micro light-emitting unit (130) and the drive unit (110).
In regards to claims 3 and 10, Iguchi discloses (Fig. 13) a reflective layer (45) between the micro light-emitting unit (14C) and the drive unit (500, See, for example, annotated Fig. 10A included below).
In regards to claims 4 and 11, Iguchi discloses (See, for example, annotated Fig. 10A included below) the drive unit further comprises a plurality of drive electrodes (51, 52) provided at different distances from a center of the drive unit (500).
In regards to claims 5 and 12, Iguchi discloses all limitations of claims 1 and 8 above except that the drive unit comprises at least two transistors and at least one capacitor.
It is well known in the art to use two transistors and one capacitor including a switching transistor, a drive transistor, and a storage transistor for the purpose of building an actuation circuitry.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the drive unit comprises at least two transistors and at least one capacitor since it is well known in the art to use two transistors and one capacitor including a switching transistor, a drive transistor, and a storage transistor for the purpose of building an actuation circuitry.
In regards to claims 6 and 13, Iguchi discloses (See, for example, annotated Fig. 10A included below) having a horizontal electrode structure in which an electrode is disposed in one direction (See, for example, 51, 52).
In regards to claims 7 and 15, Iguchi discloses that configured to emit blue light (See, for example, Par [0069]).
In regards to claim 16, Iguchi discloses when the display element emits blue light, the color conversion layer comprises only a red conversion layer and a green conversion layer (…the micro light emission element which emits the blue light may be combined with the wavelength conversion layer to emit the red light or the green light…, See, for example, Par [0069])
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iguchi in view of Tsai, HU and Sakariya as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Bibi et al. (USPN 9111464 B2, hereinafter “Bibi”).
In regards to claim 14, Iguchi discloses all limitations of claim 8 above except that the color conversion layer comprises quantum dots.
Bibi while disclosing LED display teaches (See, for example, Figs. 1 and 3) the color conversion layer comprises quantum dots (…
in a particular embodiment, the micro-LED device 400 is a gallium nitride (GaN) based material, and emits a blue (e.g. 450 nm-495 nm) or deep blue (e.g. 420 nm-450 nm) light. Quantum dots designed for red emission may be dispersed in the wavelength conversion layer 310 in order to absorb the blue or deep blue emission from the micro-LED device 400 and convert the emission wavelength to red. …See, for example, Col. 22 lines 12-21).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Iguchi by Bibi because efficiency of phosphor particles in the wavelength conversion layer is improved, while increasing the converted spectra light intensity of system and improving fill factor.
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Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 8 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