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 .
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) 1-11, 14-16, & 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Beak et al. (US 20200135971) in view of Park et al. (US 20210336088).
Regarding claim 1, Beak discloses that a display device comprising:
a substrate 111 on which a pixel including a plurality of sub pixels is disposed;
a bonding layer 113 or 114 on the substrate;
a plurality of light-emitting elements 130 (a display device includes more than one LEDs) in a first subset of the plurality of sub pixels 130 and disposed on the bonding layer 113 or 114 (Fig. 2);
a planarization layer 116 or 117 on the bonding layer 113 or 114 and the plurality of light-emitting elements 130.
Beak fails to teach that an additional light emitting element in a second subset of the plurality of sub pixels and disposed on the planarization layer a bank formed of an opaque material and disposed between the plurality of sub pixels on the planarization layer.
However, Park suggests that an additional light emitting element in a second subset of the plurality of sub pixels and disposed on the planarization layer BFL a bank BNK2 formed of an opaque material (para. 0176) and disposed between the plurality of sub pixels on the planarization layer (Fig. 9, 16 & 17).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of applicant(s) claimed invention was made to provide Beak with an additional light emitting element in a second subset of the plurality of sub pixels and disposed on the planarization layer a bank formed of an opaque material and disposed between the plurality of sub pixels on the planarization layer as taught by Park in order to achieve pixel-define (para. 0176) to control emission and also, the claim would have been obvious because a particular know technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
Reclaim 2, Beak & Park disclose that the plurality of light-emitting elements each comprises:
a first semiconductor layer 131 on the bonding layer 113 or 114;
a second semiconductor layer 133 on the first semiconductor layer 131;
a light-emitting layer 132 between the first semiconductor layer 131 and the second semiconductor layer 133; a first electrode 135 on the first semiconductor layer 131; and a second electrode 134 on the second semiconductor layer 133 (Beak’s Fig. 2 in view of Park).
Reclaim 3 , Beak & Park disclose that additional light-emitting element in a second subset of the plurality of sub pixels and disposed above the planarization layer, wherein the additional light-emitting element comprises: a first additional semiconductor layer; a second additional semiconductor layer below the first additional semiconductor layer; an additional light-emitting layer between the first additional semiconductor layer and the second additional semiconductor layer; a first additional electrode disposed below the first additional semiconductor layer; and a second additional electrode disposed below the second additional semiconductor layer (Beak’s Fig. 2 in view of Park’s Fig. 17).
Reclaim 4, Beak & Park disclose that a first connection electrode 123 provided in each of the plurality of sub pixels and disposed on the planarization layer 113 or 114; and a second connection electrode CL provided in each of the plurality of sub pixels, disposed on the planarization layer 113/114, and spaced apart from the first connection electrode 135, wherein the first connection electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode and the first additional electrode, and wherein the second connection electrode is electrically connected to the second electrode and the second additional electrode (Fig. 2, Beak).
Reclaim 5 , Beak & Park disclose that the planarization layer further comprises a groove that overlaps the first additional electrode and the second additional electrode in the sub pixel on which the additional light-emitting element is disposed among the plurality of sub pixels, and wherein the first connection electrode and the second connection electrode are formed in a concave shape along the groove 119 (Fig. 2, Beak).
Reclaim 6, Beak & Park disclose that a first bonding electrode 142 provided in the groove and disposed between the first connection electrode 142 and the first additional electrode; and a second bonding electrode 141 provided in the groove and disposed between the second connection electrode and the second additional electrode (Fig. 2, Beak).
Reclaim 7, Beak & Park disclose that an upper portion of the first bonding electrode 142 (at contact) and an upper portion of the second bonding electrode are disposed on an upper portion of the first connection electrode and an upper portion of the second connection electrode, and the upper portion of the first bonding electrode and the upper portion of the second bonding electrode each have an inversely tapered shape (Fig. 2, Beak).
Reclaim 8, Beak & Park disclose that the first connection electrode 142 and the second connection electrode 141 (not contact portion) are each made of a transparent conductive material, and the first bonding electrode and the second bonding electrode are each made of an opaque conductive material (para. 0179, Park, electrodes can be transparent conductive material).
Reclaim 9, Beak & Park disclose that the plurality of light-emitting elements is disposed in the sub pixel different from the sub pixel on which the first bonding electrode and the second bonding electrode are disposed (Fig. 17, Park).
Reclaim 10 , Beak & Park disclose that the plurality of sub pixels comprises a plurality of first sub pixels, a plurality of second sub pixels, a plurality of third sub pixels, and one or more defective sub pixels, the first subset of the plurality of sub pixels in which the plurality of light-emitting elements is disposed includes the plurality of first sub pixels, the plurality of second sub pixels, and the plurality of third sub pixels, and the second subset of the plurality of sub pixels in which the additional light-emitting element is disposed includes the one or more defective sub pixels (Beak in view of Park’s Fig. 17).
Reclaim 11, Beak & Park disclose that the first bonding electrode and the second bonding electrode are disposed in the one or more defective sub pixels (Fig. 17, Park).
Regarding claim 14, Beak & Park disclose that a display device comprising:
a plurality of sub pixels 3 formed on a substrate 111 (Beak in view of Park’s Fig. 17);
a bonding layer 113/114 on the substrate 111;
a plurality of light-emitting elements 130 formed on the bonding layer 111 (Fig. 2, Beak);
a planarization layer 116/117 on the bonding layer 111 and the plurality of light-emitting elements 130 ; and
at least one additional light emitting element 130 formed on the planarization layer a bank BNK2 formed of an opaque material (para. 0176, Park) and disposed between the plurality of sub pixels on the planarization layer (Fig. 9, Park).
Reclaim 15, Beak & Park disclose that at least one additional light-emitting element formed above the planarization layer, wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements and the at least one additional light- emitting element are formed in different subsets of the plurality of sub pixels (Beak’s Fig. 2 in view of Park’s Fig. 9).
Reclaim 16 , Beak & Park disclose that the plurality of sub pixels comprises a plurality of first sub pixels, a plurality of second sub pixels, a plurality of third sub pixels, and one or more defective sub pixels, the plurality of light-emitting elements is formed in the plurality of first sub pixels, the plurality of second sub pixels, and the plurality of third sub pixels, and the additional light-emitting element is formed in the one or more defective sub pixels (Beak’s Fig. 2 in view of Park’s Fig. 8-9).
Reclaim 18, Beak & Park disclose that the plurality of light-emitting elements each comprises:
a first semiconductor layer 131 on the bonding layer 113/114; a second semiconductor layer 132 on the first semiconductor layer 131; a light-emitting layer 133 between the first semiconductor layer 131 and the second semiconductor layer 133; a first electrode 135 on the first semiconductor layer 131; and a second electrode 134 on the second semiconductor layer 133 (Fig. 2, Beak).
Reclaim 19 , Beak & Park disclose that the additional light-emitting element comprises: a first additional semiconductor layer; a second additional semiconductor layer below the first additional semiconductor layer; an additional light-emitting layer between the first additional semiconductor layer and the second additional semiconductor layer; a first additional electrode disposed below the first additional semiconductor layer; and a second additional electrode disposed below the second additional semiconductor layer (Fig. 2 in view of Park’
S Fig. 17).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-13 & 17 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.
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.
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/SU C KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899