DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s Communication received 22 May 2023 for application number 18/200,247. The Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and Claims.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination. Elected claims 1-8 and 11-20 are examined below; non-elected claims 9-10 have been withdrawn – see Election/Restriction below.
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 statements (IDS) submitted on 22 May 2023 and 28 Jun 2024 were filed before the mailing of this Office Action. 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/Restriction
This application contains claims directed to the following patentably distinct species:
Device embodiment I., as shown in Fig. 6
Device embodiment II., as shown in Fig. 7
Device embodiment II., as shown in Fig. 8
The species are independent or distinct because as can be seen from Figs. 6-8. Specifically, Fig. 7 depicts micro lenses that may be rotated, whereas the micro lenses in Fig. 6 are not rotated. Additionally, Fig. 8 depicts depressed patterns in each sub-pixel. In addition, these species are not obvious variants of each other based on the current record.
Applicant is required under 35 U.S.C. 121 to elect a single disclosed species, or a single grouping of patentably indistinct species, for prosecution on the merits to which the claims shall be restricted if no generic claim is finally held to be allowable. Currently, claims 1 and 13 are generic.
There is a serious search and/or examination burden for the patentably distinct species as set forth above because at least the following reason(s) apply: there would be serious search and examination burden, since the search for one embodiment would not necessarily result in art applicable to the other embodiments.
Applicant is advised that the reply to this requirement to be complete must include (i) an election of a species to be examined even though the requirement may be traversed (37 CFR 1.143) and (ii) identification of the claims encompassing the elected species or grouping of patentably indistinct species, including any claims subsequently added. An argument that a claim is allowable or that all claims are generic is considered nonresponsive unless accompanied by an election.
The election may be made with or without traverse. To preserve a right to petition, the election must be made with traverse. If the reply does not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the election of species requirement, the election shall be treated as an election without traverse. Traversal must be presented at the time of election in order to be considered timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are added after the election, applicant must indicate which of these claims are readable on the elected species or grouping of patentably indistinct species.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the species, or groupings of patentably indistinct species from which election is required, are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing them to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the species unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other species.
Upon the allowance of a generic claim, applicant will be entitled to consideration of claims to additional species which depend from or otherwise require all the limitations of an allowable generic claim as provided by 37 CFR 1.141.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
During a telephone conversation with Esther Chong on 10 Dec 2025 a provisional election was made without traverse to prosecute the invention of Fig. 8, claims 1-8 and 11-20. Affirmation of this election must be made by applicant in replying to this Office action. Claims 9-10 are withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner, 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a non-elected invention.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-8 and 11-12 are objected to because of the following informalities: regarding claim 1, the term, “micro lenses”, is used, on at least line 9. However, the “micro lenses” in the instant application seem to reflect light (see Fig. 2), rather that refract light (as what lenses do). Although Applicant can be its own lexicographer, the term “micro lenses” is being used in a manner that is counter to the ordinary definition of a “lens.” Dependent claims 2-8 and 11-12 are objected to because they inherit the deficiency. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 13-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: regarding claim 13, the term, “micro lenses”, is used, on at least line 12. However, the “micro lenses” in the instant application seem to reflect light (see Fig. 2), rather that refract light (as what lenses do). Although Applicant can be its own lexicographer, the term “micro lenses” is being used in a manner that is counter to the ordinary definition of a “lens.” Dependent claims 2-8 are objected to because they inherit the deficiency. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. [hereinafter as Kim1] (US 2014/0183483 A1) in view of Kim et al. [hereinafter as Kim2] (US 2019/0006557 A1)
In reference to claim 1, Kim1 teaches An organic light-emitting diode display device, comprising:
a substrate [substrate 10; Fig. 1, para 0025];
a thin film transistor [thin film transistor T; Fig. 1, para 0027];
a plurality of first conductive lines [wiring line W; Fig. 1, para 0044];
an overcoat layer [pixel defining layer 60; Fig. 1, para 0045] over the thin film transistors [T]; and
a light-emitting diode [organic layer 70; Fig. 1, para 0026] in the emission area [as shown in Fig. 1] of each sub-pixel [organic light-emitting display device 1; Fig. 1] over the overcoat layer [170], and connected to the corresponding thin film transistor [T];
wherein for a first sub-pixel among the plurality of sub-pixels, the overcoat layer [60] has a depressed pattern [the opening in 60, i.e. depressed area, at second aperture O2; Fig. 1] overlapping [depressed area overlaps W] one of the plurality of first conductive lines [W].
However, Kim1 does not explicitly teach:
a substrate including a plurality of sub-pixels associated with one pixel, each sub-pixel having an emission area and a non-emission area;
a plurality of first conductive lines and a second conductive line over the substrate [100], wherein the second conductive line crosses over the plurality of first conductive lines to define the plurality of sub-pixels;
a circuit portion in the non-emission area of each sub-pixel, and including a thin film transistor in each sub-pixel;
an overcoat layer over the thin film transistors, and including a plurality of micro lenses in the emission area of each sub-pixel.
Kim2 teaches:
a substrate [substrate 100; Fig. 2, para 0037] including a plurality of sub-pixels [shown in Fig. 2] associated with one pixel, each sub-pixel having an emission area [light emission region EA; Fig. 2, para 0037] and a non-emission area [pixel region CA; Fig. 2, para 0037];
a plurality of first conductive lines [first driving power source VDD and data line DL, for example; Fig. 1, para 0029] and a second conductive line [gate line GL; para 0152] over the substrate [100], wherein the second conductive line [GL] crosses over the plurality of first conductive lines [VDD/DL] to define the plurality of sub-pixels [para 0152 discloses that data line crosses gate line to define pixel region SP];
a circuit portion [circuit region CA; Fig. 2, para 0040] in the non-emission area [CA] of each sub-pixel, and including a thin film transistor [driving TFT DT; Fig. 2, para 0041] in each sub-pixel;
an overcoat layer [second insulating layer 170; Fig. 2, para 0040] over the thin film transistors [DT], and including a plurality of micro lenses [wall 183 may have micro lens shape; Fig. 2, para 0095] in the emission area [EA] of each sub-pixel; and
a light-emitting diode [light emitting element ED; Fig. 2, para 0039] in the emission area [EA] of each sub-pixel over the overcoat layer [170], and connected to the corresponding thin film transistor [DT].
Kim1 and Kim2 teach wherein for a first sub-pixel among the plurality of sub-pixels, the overcoat layer [170 of Kim2; analogously, 60 of Kim1] has a depressed pattern [the opening in 60, i.e. depressed area, at second aperture O2; Fig. 1 of Kim1] corresponding to the non-emission area [CA of Kim2] of the first sub-pixel and overlapping one of the plurality of first conductive lines [W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art, absent unexpected results, having the teachings of Kim1 and Kim2 before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the structures and micro lenses as disclosed by Kim2 into the semiconductor device of Kim1 in order to obtain micro lenses in an emission area of a semiconductor device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to obtain micro lenses in an emission area of a semiconductor device to provide the predictable result of increasing light extraction efficiency [Kim2, para 0095].
In reference to claim 2, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim1 and Kim2 teach The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein a size of the depressed pattern [depressed area of Kim1] is greater than a size of the micro lens [183 of Kim2] in the first sub-pixel [the height, i.e. size, of the depressed pattern of Kim1 relative to its overcoat layer 60 is larger than the height of the micro lens of Kim2 relative to its overcoat layer 170].
In reference to claim 3, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim1 and Kim2 teach The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the first conductive line [W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2] overlapping the depressed pattern [depressed area of Kim1] has a wider width than other portions of the same first conductive line [Kim2, para 0054 teaches that electrodes may be inverted trapezoid shapes; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the wiring line W in a trapezoidal shape, in the same manner as other electrodes, to optimize performance in a known manner].
In reference to claim 4, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim1 and Kim2 teach The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first conductive lines [VDD/DL of Kim2] include at least two of a power line [VDD of Kim2], one or more data lines [DL of Kim2] and a reference line, the second conductive line [GL of Kim2] is a gate line [GL of Kim2], and the depressed pattern [depressed area of Kim1] overlaps the power line [W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2].
In reference to claim 5, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 4.
Kim1 teaches The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 4, wherein a width of the power line [W] is wider than a width of any one of the one or more data lines and the reference line [W is wider than source electrode S, drain electrode D, and gate electrode G; Fig. 1].
In reference to claim 6, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim1 and Kim2 teach The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein for the first sub-pixel, the overcoat layer [170 of Kim2; analogously, 60 of Kim1] further includes a contact hole [contact hole CH; Fig. 2, para 0069 of Kim2; analogously, hole above drain electrode D; Fig. 1 of Kim1] corresponding to the thin film transistor [DT of Kim2], the light-emitting diode [ED of Kim2] is electrically connected to the thin film transistor [TFT of Kim2] through the contact hole [CH of Kim2; hole above D of Kim1], and the depressed pattern [depressed area of Kim1] and the contact hole [CH of Kim2; hole above D of Kim1] are disposed on different straight lines [depressed area of Kim1 and hole above D of Kim1 are on different straight lines] extending along an extending direction of the second conductive line [GL of Kim2].
In reference to claim 7, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim2 teaches The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein for the first sub-pixel, the emission area [EA] has two flat portions [flat portions; see annotated Fig. 2 below] where a top surface of the overcoat layer [170] is flat, and the two flat portions are disposed at both sides of the emission area [EA] facing each other and are on a same straight line [flat portions are on same line and face each other; see annotated Fig. 2 below].
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In reference to claim 8, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 7.
Kim2 teaches The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 7, further comprising a bank [bank layer 190; Fig. 2, para 0078] having an opening [190 has openings in EA; Fig. 2] corresponding to the emission area [EA] of the first sub-pixel, wherein two side surfaces of the bank with the opening interposed therebetween and facing each other are disposed over the two flat portions, respectively [two sides of 190 are interposed and face each other over the flat portions; see annotated Fig. 2 above].
In reference to claim 11, Kim1 and Kim2 teach the invention of claim 1.
Kim1 and Kim2 teach The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of pixels include the first sub-pixel, a second sub-pixel, a third sub-pixel, and a fourth sub-pixel, which are sequentially provided over the substrate along a first direction [Fig. 2 of Kim1 depicts pixels sequentially arranged], wherein the plurality of first conductive lines [W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2] include four first conductive lines disposed at one sides of the first, second, third, and fourth sub-pixels [each of the pixels of Kim1 in Fig. 2 would have a W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2], respectively, and wherein the overcoat layer [170 of Kim2; analogously, 60 of Kim1] has first, second, third, and fourth depressed patterns [each of the pixels of Kim1 in Fig. 2 would have a depressed area of Kim1] overlapping the four first conductive lines [W of Kim1; analogously VDD of Kim2], respectively.
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim2 et al. in view of Jang et al. [hereinafter as Jang] (US 2019/0096976 A1)
In reference to claim 13, Kim2 teaches An organic light-emitting diode display device, comprising:
a pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels over a substrate [substrate 100; Fig. 2, para 0037], wherein each sub-pixel includes an emission area [light emission region EA; Fig. 2, para 0037] and a non-emission area [pixel region CA; Fig. 2, para 0037];
a plurality of thin film transistors [driving TFT DT; Fig. 2, para 0041] respectively provided in the non-emission areas [CA] of the plurality of sub-pixels;
a plurality of color filters [wavelength conversion layer 150 may include a color filter; Fig. 2, para 0060] respectively provided in the emission areas [EA] of the plurality of sub-pixels;
an overcoat layer [second insulating layer 170; Fig. 2, para 0040] provided over the plurality of color filters [150] and the plurality of thin film transistors [DT];
a bank [bank layer 190; Fig. 2, para 0078] including a plurality of openings [190 has openings in EA; Fig. 2], the plurality of openings [190 has openings in EA; Fig. 2] respectively provided in the emission areas [EA] of the plurality of sub-pixels; and
a plurality of micro lenses [wall 183 may have micro lens shape; Fig. 2, para 0095] provided at top surfaces of the overcoat layer [170].
However, Kim2 does not explicitly teach:
wherein in a first sub-pixel among the plurality of sub-pixels, micro-lenses that are provided at the top surfaces of the overcoat layer do not fill the entire opening corresponding to the first sub-pixel, while in all other sub-pixels, micro-lenses provided at the top surfaces of the overcoat layer fill the entire openings corresponding to the all other sub-pixels.
Kim2 and Jang teach wherein in a first sub-pixel among the plurality of sub-pixels, micro-lenses [micro lens ML; Fig. 2, para 0117 of Jang; analogously, 183 of Kim2] that are provided at the top surfaces of the overcoat layer [overcoat layer 160; Fig. 2, para 0117 of Jang; analogously, 170 of Kim2] do not fill the entire opening [190 has openings in EA of Kim2] corresponding to the first sub-pixel, while in all other sub-pixels, micro-lenses [ML of Jang; analogously, 183 of Kim2] provided at the top surfaces of the overcoat layer [160 of Jang; analogously, 170 of Kim2] fill the entire openings [190 has openings in EA of Kim2] corresponding to the all other sub-pixels [Jang, para 0151 discloses that microlens may have varying widths; this in conjunction with Kim2’s openings would provide some openings that are not entirely filled with microlenses].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art, absent unexpected results, having the teachings of Kim2 and Jang before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the micro lens widths as disclosed by Jang into the semiconductor device of Kim2 in order to obtain a semiconductor device with openings that are filled and partially filled with microlenses.
One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to obtain a semiconductor device with openings that are filled and partially filled with microlenses to provide the predictable result of facilitating various degrees of color temperatures [Jang, para 0155].
In reference to claim 14, Kim2 and Jang teach the invention of claim 13.
Kim2 teaches The organic light-emitting diode display device of claim 13, wherein in the first sub-pixel, the overcoat layer exposed by the opening [190 has openings in EA; Fig. 2] includes two flat portions [flat portions; see annotated Fig. 2 above] provided at opposite side ends of the opening [190 has openings in EA; Fig. 2] with the micro-lenses [183] provided between the two flat portions [flat portions; see annotated Fig. 2 above].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12 and 15-20 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 following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The Examiner has carefully considered claims 12 and 15-20. The prior art of record, alone or in combination, does not teach or fairly suggest the limitations in claims 12, 15, and 18. Claims 16-17 would be allowed, as they depend on claim 15. Claims 19-20 would be allowed, as they depend on claim 18.
These limitations, in specific combinations as recited in independent claims 1 and 13, define the patentability of the claims.
The dependent claims are allowed based on the same rationale.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW CHUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-5237. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5pm.
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/ANDREW CHUNG/
Examiner, Art Unit 2898