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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/8/2023; 8/1/2023; and 12/3/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Election/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (Claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 11/20/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected method, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Objections
The applicant has not presented a 37 CFR 1.121(c) compliant version of the claims relative to the restriction election of 11/20/2025. The claims are, therefore, being objected to.
Claim Status
Claims 1-10 are currently being examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho et al (US 2020/0006461 A1, hereafter Cho).
Re claim 1, Cho discloses in FIG. 6 (with references to FIGS. 1-4) a display apparatus ([0102]) comprising:
a substrate (100; [0079]) including a display area (DA; [0110]) and a peripheral area (NDA; [0110]) outside the display area (DA), the peripheral area (NDA) including an adhesion area (CA/FA/CNTA/SA1/SA2/SA3; [0111]; [0117] and [0126]);
a conductive pattern (PL1a; [0118]) in the adhesion area (CA/FA/CNTA/SA1/SA2/
SA3);
a cover layer (PL1b; [0118]) covering at least a portion of an upper surface (upper plane) of the conductive pattern (PL1a) and a side surface (stepped portion; [0115]) of the conductive pattern (PL1a); and
an encapsulation layer (190; [0078] and [0100]) in the display area (DA) and the peripheral area (NDA), the encapsulation layer (190) comprising a first inorganic encapsulation layer (191; [0100]), an organic encapsulation layer (192; [0100]), and a second inorganic encapsulation layer (193; [0100]),
wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer (191) directly contacts (physically touches) the cover layer (PL1b) and the second inorganic encapsulation layer (193) in the adhesion area (CA/FA/CNTA/SA1/SA2/SA3).
Re claim 3, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a dam portion (DM1; [0103]) and a bank (DM3; [0103]) in the peripheral area (NDA), wherein the adhesion area (CA/FA/CNTA/SA1/SA2/SA3) is between (partially) the dam portion (DM1) and the bank (DM3).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Kim et al (US 2019/0288234 A1, hereafter Kim).
Re claim 2, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) extends in a first direction (D2; [0060])
But, fails to disclose wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) comprises protrusion patterns protruding in a second direction crossing the first direction (D2).
However,
Kim discloses in FIG. 5 a display apparatus comprising: wherein a conductive pattern (12; [0107]) comprises protrusion patterns (12E; [0107]) protruding (extending) in a second direction (X; [0107]) crossing a first direction (Y; [0107]).
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 structure of Cho to include the protrusions of Kim, wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) comprises protrusion patterns protruding in a second direction crossing the first direction (D2), to restrict flow of the organic material of the encapsulation layer (Kim; [0108]).
Claims 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of KANG et al (US 2021/0005697 A1, hereafter Kang).
Re claim 4, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first connection pattern (PPL1a in FIG. 3; [0087]) in the display area (DA); a first organic insulating layer (160; [0091]) on the first connection pattern (PPL1a); a second connection pattern (PPL1b in FIG. 3; [0092]) on the first organic insulating layer (160); a second organic insulating layer (170; [0094]) on the second connection pattern (PPL1b).
But, fails to disclose a third connection pattern on the second organic insulating layer; and a third organic insulating layer on the third connection pattern.
However,
Kang discloses in FIG. 13 a display apparatus comprising: a third connection pattern (200a/200c; [0084]; [0131] and [0133]) on a second organic insulating layer (114; [0131] and [0133]); and a third organic insulating layer (115; [0131] and [0133]) on the third connection pattern (200a/200c).
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 structure of Cho to include the third connection pattern and the third organic insulating layer of Kang, such that the third connection pattern is on the second organic insulating layer; and the third organic insulating layer is on the third connection pattern, to configure a seven transistor pixel circuit to correct an RC deviation between a signal lines by the adjustment of the capacitances of the signal lines (Kang; [0098] and [0115]).
Re claims 5-6, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) is at a same layer (140 in FIGS. 3 and 6) as the first connection pattern (PPL1a), the second connection pattern, or the third connection pattern; and wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) is at a same layer (140 in FIGS. 3 and 6) as the first connection pattern (PPL1a).
Re claim 7, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the conductive pattern (PL1a) comprises a first conductive layer (as in PPL1a: Ti; [0087]), a second conductive layer (as in PPL1a: Al; [0087]), and a third conductive layer (as in PPL1a: Ti; [0087]) that are sequentially stacked (as in PPL1a: laminated; [0087]), the first connection pattern (PPL1a) comprises a first layer (Ti; [0087]), a second layer (Al; [0087]), and a third layer (Ti; [0087]) that are sequentially stacked (laminated; [0087]), and the first conductive layer (Ti), the second conductive layer (Al), and the third conductive layer (Ti) are at same layers (140/150 in FIGS. 3 and 6) and comprise same materials (Ti/Al/Ti; [0087]) as the first layer (Ti), the second layer (Al), and the third layer (Ti), respectively.
Re claim 8, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cover layer (PL1b) covers a side surface (stepped portion) of the first conductive layer (Ti), a side surface (stepped portion) of the second conductive layer (Al), a side surface (stepped portion) of the third conductive layer (Ti), and at least a portion of an upper surface (upper plane) of the third conductive layer (Ti).
Re claim 9, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the third conductive layer (Ti) and the cover layer (PL1b) comprise a same material (Ti; [0087] and [0092]) as each other.
Re claim 10, Cho discloses the display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second connection pattern (PPL1b) comprises a fourth layer (Ti; [0092]), a fifth layer (Al; [0092]), and a sixth layer (Ti; [0092]) that are sequentially stacked (laminated; [0092]), and the cover layer (PL1b) comprises a same material (Ti; [0092]) as the fourth layer (Ti).
Conclusion
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIC W JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892