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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1) in view of Chu et al (US 10672829 B2).
Lan et al teaches
[claim 1] A display module comprising: a substrate (paragraph 0033, figure 1B, element 110 is the substrate);
a plurality of electrode pads provided on a surface of the substrate (paragraph 0034, figure 1B, elements 121 and 120 are the plurality of electrodes);
a first barrier provided between the plurality of electrode pads (paragraph 0033, element 140 is the barrier layer between the electrodes [elements 121 and 120]);
and a light-emitting diode, each light-emitting diode comprising device electrodes connected to corresponding electrode pads of the plurality of electrode pads, wherein each of the first barrier is provided between a pair of adjacent electrode pads corresponding to a light-emitting diode (paragraphs 0033-0034, where element 130 is the light emitting diode which contains elements 133 and 132 as the device electrodes and connected to the corresponding electrodes [element 121 and 120] on the substrate, where the barrier layer [element 140] is situated between the electrodes).
However, Lan et al does not specifically disclose
[claim 1] plurality of first barriers, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes, where in each of the plurality of first barriers is provided between a pair of adjacent electrode pads corresponding to a light-emitting diode of the plurality of light-emitting diodes.
However, Chu et al does teach
[claim 1] plurality of first barriers, and a plurality of light-emitting diodes, where in each of the plurality of first barriers is provided between a pair of adjacent electrode pads corresponding to a light-emitting diode of the plurality of light-emitting diodes (col 5 line 57 – col 6 line 3, figure 2C, where element 130 in Lan et al is in place of element 130a in Chu et al, elements 121 and 120 are in place of elements 112 and 114, and element 140 of Lan et al is in place of element 120a in Chu et al. Note there are a plurality of devices, electrodes and barrier layers in Chu et al).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al to incorporate the teachings of Chu et al to provide a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes with barrier layers between the electrodes in order to create a functional display device that utilizes more than one light emitting diode.
Regarding claim 2
Lan et al further teaches
[claim 2] The display module of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers has a height that is higher than a height of each of the plurality of electrode pads (paragraph 0034, figure 2B, element 140 is the barrier layer and has a height higher than the electrodes [elements 121 and 120]).
Regarding claims 3-7, 10-14,
Lan et al as modified teaches all of the limitations of the parent claim, claim 1, however Lan et al does not specifically disclose
[claim 3] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has an inclined upper surface.
[claim 4] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a first inclined surface that is inclined toward a first electrode pad of a corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads and a second inclined surface that is inclined toward a second electrode pad of the corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads.
[claim 5] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a first curved surface that extends toward a first electrode pad of a corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads and a second curved surface that extends toward a second electrode pad of the corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads.
[claim 6] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a curved upper surface.
[claim 7] The display module of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers comprises an insulation material
[claim 10] The display module of claim 1, further comprising at least one second barrier disposed between a first pair of adjacent electrode pads of the plurality of electrode pads and a second pair of adjacent electrode pads of the plurality of electrode pads, the first pair of adjacent electrode pads being adjacent to the second pair of adjacent electrode pads, and wherein a height of the at least one second barrier is higher than a height of each of the plurality of electrode pads.
[claim 11] The display module of claim 10, wherein the height of the at least one second barrier is lower than or equal to a height of each of the plurality of first barriers.
[claim 12] The display module of claim 11, wherein the at least one second barrier has an inclined upper surface.
[claim 13] The display module of claim 11, wherein the at least one second barrier has a curved upper surface.
[claim 14] The display module of claim 10, wherein the at least one second barrier comprises an insulation material.
However, Chu et al teaches
[claim 3] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has an inclined upper surface (figure 2B and 2C, where element 120a is curved at the top and thus has an upper surface that is inclined [i.e. not flat but pointed either in an upwards or downward direction that is not completely orthogonal to the base surface]).
[claim 4] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a first inclined surface that is inclined toward a first electrode pad of a corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads and a second inclined surface that is inclined toward a second electrode pad of the corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads (figure 2B and 2C, where element 120a is curved at the top and thus has a first incline that is inclined towards the first electrode [element 121 in Lan et al in place of element 112 in Chu et al], where said surface is the right-hand side of the curve of element 120a. Likewise, the curve as another surface, on the left-hand side of the curve of element 120a, that is inclined towards the second electrode [element 120 of Lan et al in place of element 114 of Chu et al], where each electrode is adjacent to [next to] the barrier layer which includes both inclined surfaces).
[claim 5] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a first curved surface that extends toward a first electrode pad of a corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads and a second curved surface that extends toward a second electrode pad of the corresponding pair of adjacent electrode pads (figure 2B and 2C, where element 120a is curved at the top and thus has a first curve that is curved [as defined by having a positive curvature] towards the first electrode [element 121 in Lan et al in place of element 112 in Chu et al], where said surface is the right-hand side of the curve of element 120a. Likewise, the curve as another surface, on the left-hand side of the curve of element 120a, that is curved towards the second electrode [element 120 of Lan et al in place of element 114 of Chu et al], where each electrode is adjacent to [next to] the barrier layer which includes both inclined surfaces).
[claim 6] The display module of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of first barriers has a curved upper surface (figure 2B, element 120a is the barrier layer and has a curve at the top, thus having a curved upper surface).
[claim 7] The display module of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers comprises an insulation material (col 4 line 65 – col 5 line 16, where element 120a is used to insulate electrical conductivity between the electrodes, thus needing to be made of an insulating material [otherwise, by definition, it would conduct electricity and not insulate the electrodes from conducting]).
[claim 10] The display module of claim 1, further comprising at least one second barrier disposed between a first pair of adjacent electrode pads of the plurality of electrode pads and a second pair of adjacent electrode pads of the plurality of electrode pads, the first pair of adjacent electrode pads being adjacent to the second pair of adjacent electrode pads, and wherein a height of the at least one second barrier is higher than a height of each of the plurality of electrode pads (figures 2A-2C, col 5 line 57 – col 6 line 3, where the plurality of spacers [barrier layers] as designated by element 120a, the first barrier layer is the left hand side element 120a of figure 2B, and the electrodes are element 112 and 114 [remember, elements 121 and 120 from Lan et al are in place of element 112 and 114, since elements 112 and 114 must conduct electricity they function the same as the electrodes of Lan et al], the second barrier is the second from the left element 120a [right hand side of the first element 150a on the left], and has electrodes on either side of them as well. The two sets of electrodes likewise are adjacent to one another [that is next to one another], and the height of element 120a is greater than the height of elements 112 and 114).
[claim 11] The display module of claim 10, wherein the height of the at least one second barrier is lower than or equal to a height of each of the plurality of first barriers (col 5 line 57 – col 6 line 3, figure 2B, where element 120a is the same height throughout thus the two barrier layers are the same height).
[claim 12] The display module of claim 11, wherein the at least one second barrier has an inclined upper surface (figure 2B and 2C, where element 120a is curved at the top and thus has an upper surface that is inclined [i.e. not flat but pointed either in an upwards or downward direction that is not completely orthogonal to the base surface]).
[claim 13] The display module of claim 11, wherein the at least one second barrier has a curved upper surface (figure 2B, element 120a is the barrier layer and has a curve at the top, thus having a curved upper surface).
[claim 14] The display module of claim 10, wherein the at least one second barrier comprises an insulation material (col 4 line 65 – col 5 line 16, where element 120a is used to insulate electrical conductivity between the electrodes, thus needing to be made of an insulating material [otherwise, by definition, it would conduct electricity and not insulate the electrodes from conducting]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al to incorporate the teachings of Chu et al to provide a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes with barrier layers between the electrodes with certain and distinguishable shapes in order to create a functional display device that utilizes more than one light emitting diode while minimizing electrical conductivity between the two electrodes with the presence, material and shape of the barrier layer.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1) and Chu et al (US 10672829 B2) and in further view of Liu et al (US 20190131281 A1).
Lan et al as modified above teaches all of the limitations of the parent claims, claims 7, but does not specifically disclose
[claim 8] The display module of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers further comprises: a body comprising an organic material; and a first thin film comprising an inorganic material and covering the body.
However, Liu et al does teach
[claim 8] The display module of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers further comprises: a body comprising an organic material (paragraph 0033, figure 3, where element 130 [in figure 3 its labeled 130b] is the body of the barrier layer and made of an organic material];
and a first thin film comprising an inorganic material and covering the body (paragraph 0038, figure 3, where element 115b is the first hin film is an inorganic material [insulator] and covers the body portion [element 130b]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al as modified to incorporate the teachings of Liu et al in order to add an additional non-organic, insulating, film to the barrier to further reduce any electrical connection, or parasitic capacitance between the electrodes of which the barrier layer is placed between.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1), Chu et al (US 10672829 B2) and Liu et al (US 20190131281 A1) in further view of Zhang et al (CN 115483327 A where US 20250275341 is used as the English translation – Note this CN reference qualifies as prior art because English translations of priority documents have not been filed to perfect priority).
Lan et al as modified above teaches all of the limitations of the parent claim, claim 8, but does not specifically disclose
[claim 9] The display module of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers further comprises a second thin film provided between the substrate and the body.
However, Zhang et al does teach
[claim 9] The display module of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of first barriers further comprises a second thin film provided between the substrate and the body (paragraph 0157, figure 25, where element 403 with 404 as a top film replaces the barrier of Lee et al as modified above and the bottom [second thin film] on a bottom side of the barrier above the substrate is element 407).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al as modified to incorporate the teachings of Zhang et al in order to add a second film in the barrier layer to provide more protective barrier between conductors and thus maximizing efficiency.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1) and Chu et al (US 10672829 B2) and in further view of a different embodiment of Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1).
Lan et al as modified above teaches all of the limitations of the parent claim, claim 10, but does not specifically disclose
[claim 15] The display module of claim 10, further comprising a third barrier surrounding the plurality of electrode pads and connected to the plurality of first barriers and the at least one second barrier, wherein a height of the third barrier is higher than a height of each of the plurality of electrode pads.
However, a different embodiment of Lan et al does teach
[claim 15] The display module of claim 10, further comprising a third barrier surrounding the plurality of electrode pads and connected to the plurality of first barriers and the at least one second barrier, wherein a height of the third barrier is higher than a height of each of the plurality of electrode pads (figure 4D, paragraph 0052, where element 132 relates to the pads [element 132 from the previous embodiment of Lan et al], where the first barrier is the left-hand side of the rectangle of element 140h2, and the second barrier is the right hand side of the rectangle 140h2, and the third barrier is element 140h1 which surrounds the plurality of electrodes related to element 132h]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al as modified above to incorporate the new embodiment of Lan et al to isolate the electrodes using the barrier layer to minimize any electrical conductivity between the electrodes and maximize the barrier’s usage to perform such insulation.
Claim(s) 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1) in view of Liu et al (US 20190131281 A1).
Lan et al teaches
[claim 16] A display module comprising: a substrate (paragraph 0033, figure 1B, element 110 is the substrate);
a first electrode pad and a second electrode pad that are provided on a surface of the substrate (paragraph 0034, figure 1B, elements 121 and 120 are the plurality of electrodes);
a barrier provided between the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad (paragraph 0033, figure 1B, element 140 is the barrier layer between the electrodes [elements 121 and 120]);
and a light-emitting diode comprising a first device pad and a second device pad connected to the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad, respectively (paragraphs 0033-0034, figure 1B, where element 130 is the light emitting diode which contains elements 133 and 132 as the first and second device electrodes and connected to the corresponding electrodes [element 121 and 120] on the substrate, where the barrier layer [element 140] is situated between the electrodes),
wherein the barrier comprises: a body (paragraph 0034, figure 1B, where element 140 [barrier layer] contains a body portion]);
However, Lan et al does not specifically disclose
[claim 16] and a first film provided on an upper portion of the body.
However, Liu et al does teach
[claim 16] and a first film provided on an upper portion of the body (paragraph 0038, figure 3, element 131b is the top surface of the barrier layer [where the barrier body is element 115b]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al in order to incorporate the teachings of Liu et al to include a top layer on the barrier layer in order to maximize electrical stability by not allowing interface between the electrodes and providing an extra layer in contact with the diode between the electrodes.
Regarding claim 19,
Lan et al further teaches
19. The display module of claim 16, wherein a height of the barrier is higher than a height of each of the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad (paragraph 0034, figure 1B, where element 140 [barrier layer] is higher than the first and second electrodes [elements 121 and 120]).
Claim(s) 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1), and Liu et al (US 20190131281 A1) in further view of Zhang et al (CN 115483327 A where US 20250275341 is used as the English translation).
Lan et al as modified teaches all of the limitations of the parent claim, claim 16, but does not specifically teach
[claim 17] The display module of claim 16, wherein the barrier further comprises a second film provided on a lower portion of the body between the body and the surface of the substrate.
[claim 18] The display module of claim 17, wherein the second film covers a vertical side of each of the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad.
However, Zhang et al does teach
[claim 17] The display module of claim 16, wherein the barrier further comprises a second film provided on a lower portion of the body between the body and the surface of the substrate (paragraph 0157, figure 25, where element 403 with 404 as a top film replaces the barrier of Lee et al as modified above and the bottom [second thin film] on a bottom side of the barrier above the substrate is element 407).
[claim 18] The display module of claim 17, wherein the second film covers a vertical side of each of the first electrode pad and the second electrode pad (paragraph 0157, figure 25, where element 403 with 404 as a top film replaces the barrier of Lee et al as modified above and the bottom [second thin film] on a bottom side of the barrier above the substrate is element 407, and covers a vertical side of each of the first and second electrodes, which is the element 409 on either side of the barrier layer made up of element 403, 404 and 407).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al as modified to incorporate the teachings of Zhang et al in order to add a second film in the barrier layer over the electrodes to provide more protective barrier between conductors, thus maximizing efficiency.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lan et al (US 20210242377 A1) and Liu et al (US 20190131281 A1) in further view of Chu et al (US 10672829 B2).
Lan et al as modified teaches all of the limitation of the parent claim, claim 16, but does not specifically disclose
[claim 20] The display module of claim 16, wherein the barrier has a first surface that is inclined toward the first electrode pad and a second surface that is inclined toward the second electrode pad.
However, Chu et al does teach
[claim 20] The display module of claim 16, wherein the barrier has a first surface that is inclined toward the first electrode pad and a second surface that is inclined toward the second electrode pad (figure 2B and 2C, where element 120a is curved at the top and thus has a first incline that is inclined towards the first electrode [element 121 in Lan et al in place of element 112 in Chu et al], where said surface is the right-hand side of the curve of element 120a. Likewise, the curve as another surface, on the left-hand side of the curve of element 120a, that is inclined towards the second electrode [element 120 of Lan et al in place of element 114 of Chu et al], where each electrode is adjacent to [next to] the barrier layer which includes both inclined surfaces).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have modified the teachings of Lan et al to incorporate the teachings of Chu et al to provide a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes with barrier layers between the electrodes with certain and distinguishable shapes in order to create a functional display device that utilizes more than one light emitting diode while minimizing electrical conductivity between the two electrodes with the presence, material and shape of the barrier layer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Peng et al (US 20220310887), Lee et al (US 20210358896), and Arai (US 8711320 B2).
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/ANDREW ZABEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/JEFF W NATALINI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818