Conclusion
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments in regard to claim 1 filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. However, a new rejection has been made in view of Moon et al. (US 2012/0074408 A1; hereinafter “Moon”).
Applicant’s arguments in regard to claim 14 filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the 35 U.S.C 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments in regard to claim 16 filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the 35 U.S.C 112(a) rejection has been withdrawn.
Examiner acknowledges the title of the invention has been changed and is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Therefore the specification objection has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5-7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Moon et al. (US 2012/0074408 A1; hereinafter “Moon”).
In regard to claim 1, Moon teaches display device (an organic light emitting display device 1 as shown in Fig. 1) (fig. 1 and paragraph 41), comprising:
a substrate (a first substrate 10) comprising a display area (a luminescent region DA) and a peripheral area (a non-luminescent region NDA) outside the display area (the non-luminescent region NDA is shown outside of the luminescent region DA in Fig. 1) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 44);
a pixel electrode (a pixel electrode 414) disposed on the substrate and located in the display area (the pixel electrode is shown in the luminescent region DA in Fig. 2) (Fig. 2 and paragraph 51);
a pixel-defining layer (a fourth insulation layer 18 is a pixel define layer (PDL)) covering an edge of the pixel electrode (the PDL 18 overlaps the pixel electrode 414) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 88-90); a plurality of first pads (a first pad electrode 514 at the bottom side of the luminescent region DA annotated as FP in annotated Fig. 1 below) disposed on the substrate and located in the peripheral area (the first pad electrode 514 is shown in the non-luminescent region NDA in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) (Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and paragraph 46); and
a protrusion (a first insulation layer 11, a second insulation layer 13, a third insulation layer 16 formed of inorganic and organic material stacks and the PDL 18 function as the protrusion) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 66-67 and 77), which is disposed on the substrate and located in the peripheral area (the first insulation layer 11, second insulation layer 13, third insulation layer 16 formed of inorganic and organic material stacks and the PDL 18 which function as the protrusion are all formed in the non-luminescent region NDA as shown in Fig. 2), has a height, from an upper surface of the substrate, that is greater than a height from the upper surface of the substrate to an upper surface of the plurality of first pads (the layers that form the protrusion are shown above the first pad electrode 514 in Fig. 2), and comprises a first layer having a same layered structure as the pixel-defining layer (the PDL 18 which is formed in the NDA functions as the first layer of the protrusion),
wherein the pixel-defining layer has a height from the upper surface of the substrate that corresponds to the height of the protrusion from the upper surface of the substrate (the height of the portions of the PDL in the luminescent region DA are shown to be the same height as the portions of the PDL that form the protrusion due to being a single layer) (paragraphs 89-90).
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In regard to claim 2, Moon teaches a plurality of insulating layers between the substrate and the pixel electrode (the first insulation layer 11 and second insulation layer 13 are shown between the first substrate 10 and the pixel electrode 414) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 62 and 66), wherein the protrusion further comprises second layers located between the substrate and the first layer and corresponding to the plurality of insulating layers (the first insulation layer 11 and second insulation layer 13 form part of the protrusion in the NDA and correspond to the first insulation layer 11 and second insulation layer 13 in the luminescent region DA).
In regard to claim 5, Moon teaches wherein the first layer is integrally provided as a single body with the pixel-defining layer (the PDL 18 of the protrusion is integrally formed with the PDL 18 of the luminescent region DA) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 89-90).
In regard to claim 6, Moon teaches a plurality of second pads (the first pad electrode 514 annotated as SP in annotated Fig. 1 above) which is disposed on the substrate and located in the peripheral area (annotated Fig. 1 above), and is located on a more outer portion of the substrate than the plurality of first pads with respect to a center of the display area (as shown in annotated Fig. 1 above the first pads 514 annotated as FP are more central while the first pads 514 annotated as SP are shown on the outer portions) (annotated Fig. 1 above).
In regard to claim 7, Moon teaches a plurality of first pads is disposed opposing plurality of second pads with respect to the protrusion (as shown in annotated Fig. 1 above the first and second pads annotated as FP and SP would be in laterally opposing section in respect to the protrusions formed in between).
In regard to claim 12, Moon teaches wherein the second layers comprise:
a first sub-layer (the first insulation layer 11) located between the substrate and the first layer and corresponding to a first insulating layer of the plurality of insulating layers (the first insulation layer 11 is shown to have a protrusion portion in the NDA and a portion in the DA in Fig. 2); and
a second sub-layer (the second insulation layer 13) located between the first sub-layer and the first layer and corresponding to a second insulating layer of the plurality of insulating layers (the second insulation layer 13 is shown to have a protrusion portion in the NDA and a portion in the DA in Fig. 2),
wherein the plurality of insulating layers includes the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer (as shown in Fig. 2 the first and second insulation layers 11 and 13 are included in the plurality of insulating layers).
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 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Shim et al. (US 2019/0163304 A1; hereinafter “Shim”).
In regard to claim 8, Moon doesn’t explicitly teach wherein the plurality of first pads is disposed in a first direction from the plurality of second pads, wherein the plurality of first pads comprises: a plurality of 1st-1st pads arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a plurality of 1st-2nd pads located spaced apart in the first direction from the 1st-1st pads and arranged in the second direction.
Shim teaches a display device (display apparatus DM2) (Fig. 15 and paragraph 192), wherein a plurality of first pads (output pads OPD) is disposed in a first direction (a vertical direction) from a plurality of second pads (the output pads and input pads are shown disposed from each other in the vertical second direction DR2 in Shim Fig. 15), wherein the plurality of first pads comprises: a plurality of 1st-1st pads (third row output pads 103) arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction (the third row output pads 103 are shown arranged in a lateral direction DR1) (Shim Fig. 15 and paragraph 146); and a plurality of 1st-2nd pads (second row output pads 102) located spaced apart in the first direction from the 1st-1st pads and arranged in the second direction (the second row output pads 102 are shown apart from the third row out puts pads in the vertical direction and arranged in the lateral direction in Shim Fig. 15).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Moon with the teachings of Shim to have the display device further comprising a plurality of second pads disposed on the substrate and located in the peripheral area, and located on a more outer portion of the substrate than the plurality of first pads with respect to a center of the display area since it is well known amongst those skilled in the art that the increased number of pads allows for greater functionality of the device while the separation in the various directions allows for increased short protection as taught by Shim (paragraph 4).
In regard to claim 11, Moon in view of Shim teaches wherein a distance between the plurality of 1st-1st pads and the plurality of 1st-2nd pads in the first direction is less than a distance between the plurality of 1st-2nd pads and the plurality of second pads in the first direction (as shown in Shim Fig 15 the second and third row output pads 103 and 102 are closer than the second row output pads 102 and the input pads IPD in the vertical direction).
Claim Objections
Claims 3-4, 9-10 and 13-20 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.
In regard to claim 3, Moon is considered a close prior art of record. However, Moon fails to teach a plurality of conductive layers between the substrate and the pixel electrode, wherein the plurality of first pads comprises sub-pads corresponding to the plurality of conductive layers. Moon teaches that any conductive layers are a part of the pixel electrode. Further, the conductive layers that form the pixel electrode form the first pad layers.
Claim 4 is objected to for depending on claim 3.
In regard to claim 9, Shim is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Shim fails to teach wherein the 1st-1st pads are disposed opposing the 1st-2nd pads with respect to the protrusion. Shim does not teach the existence of protrusion portions of the layers in between the pads.
Claim 10 is objected to for depending on claim 9.
In regard to claim 13, Moon is considered a close prior art of record. However, Moon fails to teach wherein at least one of the first sub- layer and the second sub-layer covers part of at least one of the plurality of first pads. Moon teaches that the elements that function as the first sub- layer and the second sub-layer are under the first pads.
Claims 14-19 are objected to for depending on claim 13.
In regard to claim 20, Moon is considered a close prior art of record. However, Moon fails to teach the display device further comprises a first insulating layer, a second insulating layer, a first conductive layer disposed within the first insulating layer, and a second conductive layer disposed atop the first insulating layer and within the second insulating layer, wherein the protrusion comprises a first sub-layer located between the substrate and the first layer and corresponding to the first insulating layer, and a second sub-layer located between the first sub-layer and the first layer and corresponding to the second insulating layer, and wherein the second sub-pad has a layered structure corresponding to the first conductive layer, and the third sub-pad has a layered structure corresponding to the second conductive layer. Moon does not disclose the elements to facilitate the layout as described in the limitations.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL whose telephone number is (571)270-0078. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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/SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893