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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/23/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-8 and 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. [US 2020/0058701 A1 ], “Kim”.
Regarding claim 1, Kim disclose a display device (Fig. 1 – 27) comprising first, second, and third pixels adjacent to each other, each of the first (SPXL1), second (SPXL2), and third pixels (SPXL3) comprising:
light emitting elements (Fig. 17/18, LD (1-3));
connection electrodes (CNE1, CNE2) electrically connected (as shown) to ends of the light emitting elements (LD); and
sub-electrodes (REL1/REL2) on a same layer (on layer INS) as the connection electrodes (CNE1, CNE2) and electrically connected to the connection electrodes (as shown),
wherein one of the sub-electrodes (REL1 of SPXL1) of the first pixel (SPXL1) is electrically connected to one of the sub-electrodes (REL1 of SPXL2) of the second pixel (SPXL2).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim disclose the sub-electrode of the first pixel (REL1 of SPXL1) and the sub-electrode (REL1 of SPXL2) of the second pixel that are electrically connected to each other are on a same layer (as shown in Fig. 17 and 18).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim disclose an intermediate electrode (Fig. 17, SL) connecting the sub-electrode (REL1 of SPXL1) of the first pixel (SPXL1) and the sub-electrode (REL1 of SPXL2) of the second pixel (SPXL2) that are electrically connected to each other.
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim disclose the sub-electrodes (REL2 of SPXL3) of the third pixel are separated from the sub-electrodes of the first pixel (REL2 of SPXL1) and/or the sub-electrodes (REL2 of SPXL1) of the second pixel (as shown in Fig. 17).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim disclose one of the sub-electrodes of the third pixel (REL1 of SPXL3) is electrically connected (through the line SL)to one of the sub-electrodes of the first pixel (REL1 of SPXL1).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim disclose the connection electrodes respectively comprise: a first connection electrode (Fig. 18, CNE1) electrically connected (as shown) to a first end (EP1) of each of the light emitting elements (LD); and a second connection electrode (CNE2) electrically connected to a second end (EP2) of each of the light emitting elements (LD), wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode are on different layers (as shown with PSV2).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses claim 6, Kim disclose the sub-electrodes respectively comprise: a first sub-electrode (REL1) on a same layer (INS) as the first connection electrode (CNE1) and electrically connected to the first connection electrode (CNE1); and a second sub-electrode (REF2) on a same layer (INS) as the second connection electrode (CNE2) and electrically connected to the second connection electrode (CNE2).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses a display device (Fig. 1 – 27) comprising:
First (SPXL1), second (SPXL2), and third (SPXL3) pixels adjacent to each other (as shown in Fig. 17);
light emitting elements (Fig. 17/18, LD (1-3)) in the first, second, and third pixels (as shown);
connection electrodes (CNE1, CNE2) electrically connected to ends of the light emitting elements (LD);
sub-electrodes (REL1/REL2) spaced apart (as shown) from the connection electrodes (CNE1, CNE2) (The examiner notes a portions of the sub-electrode is spaced apart from the connection electrode, the term “spaced apart” is a relatively broad term);
a first connector (CNE1) connecting first ends of the sub-electrodes (REL1) to the respective connection electrodes (Fig. 17/18); and
a second connector (CNE2) connecting second ends of the sub-electrodes (REL2) to the respective connection electrodes (Fig. 17/18);
wherein one of the sub-electrodes (REL1) of the first pixel (SPXL1) is electrically connected (SL) to one of the sub-electrodes (REL1) of the second pixel (SPXL2) (as shown in
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses claim 11, Kim discloses the first connector and/or the second connector (Fig. 17/18, CNE2) extends in a first direction (vertical direction) between the connection electrodes (CNE1) and the sub-electrodes (REF1).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses claim 12, Kim discloses the sub-electrodes extend in a second direction crossing the first direction (as shown in Fig. 17, REL1/2 have portions extending in the horizontal direction).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses claim 11, Kim discloses the sub-electrodes (Fig. 18, REL1/2) are on a same layer (as shown in Fig. 18, INS) as the first connector and/or the second connector (CNE1/2) .
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses claim 11, Kim disclose the first connector (Fig. 17/18, CNE1) and the second connector (CNE2) are on a same layer (portions of the connector are on the INS layer).
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses claim 11, Kim disclose the connection electrodes comprise: a first connection electrode (CNE1) electrically connected to a first end (EP1) of each of the light emitting elements (LD); and a second connection electrode (CNE2) electrically connected to a second end (EP2) of each of the light emitting elements, wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode are on different layers (portions of the connector are on the separated by layer PSV2).
Regarding claim 17, Kim discloses claim 16, Kim disclose the sub-electrodes (Rel 1 and 2) comprise: a first sub-electrode (REL1) on a same layer (INS) as the first connection electrode (CNE1) and electrically connected to the first connection electrode (as shown in Fig. 17); and a second sub-electrode (REL2) on a same layer (INS) as the second connection electrode (CNE2) and electrically connected (as shown) to the second connection electrode.
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. [US 2020/0058701 A1 ], “Kim” as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yun et al. [US 2021/0376192 A1], “Yun”.
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses claim 1, Kim does not explicitly disclose a first color filter on the first color conversion layer in the first pixel; a second color filter on the second color conversion layer in the second pixel; and a third color filter on the light scattering layer in the third pixel.
However, Yun discloses a display panel (Fig. 15B, PNL) including a light conversion layer (LCP) overlapping with the pixels (PXL). For example, the light conversion layer LCP including a color filter layer (CFL) may be disposed on one surface of the upper substrate (UPL), which faces the pixels (PXL). Yun discloses a first color filter (CF1) on the first color conversion layer (CCL1) in the first pixel (PXL1); a second color filter (CF2) on the second color conversion layer (CCL2) in the second pixel (PXL2); and a third color filter (CF3) on the light scattering layer (LSL) in the third pixel (PXL3). Providing a light conversion layer allows for a full-color image to be displayed on the display panel (¶[0360]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have a light conversion layer on the pixel substrate as taught in Yun in the device of Kim such that a first color filter on the first color conversion layer in the first pixel; a second color filter on the second color conversion layer in the second pixel; and a third color filter on the light scattering layer in the third pixel because providing a light conversion layer allows for a full-color image to be displayed on the display panel (¶[0360] of Yun).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8, 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The Examiner notes the combination of claims 1, 6, 7 makes claim 8 allowable and the combination of claims 11, 16, 17 makes claims 18-20 allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al. [US 2021/0335883 A1] teaches the display device has subpixels comprising multiple first type subpixels and multiple second type subpixels which neighbor each other in a first direction and are alternately and repeatedly arranged.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRIYA M RAMPERSAUD whose telephone number is (571)272-3464. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Wed 9am-6pm.
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PRIYA M. RAMPERSAUD
Examiner
Art Unit 2897
/PRIYA M RAMPERSAUD/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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