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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) rejected have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. 20220005903.
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Regarding claim 1, figs. 1-8 of Kim discloses display apparatus comprising:
a substrate 100 including an opening area OA, a display area DA surrounding at least a portion of the opening area, and a middle area NDA1 between the opening area and the display area;
a display element OLED arranged in the display area and comprising a pixel electrode 221, an opposite electrode 223 on the pixel electrode, and an intermediate layer 222 arranged between the pixel electrode and the opposite electrode;
a data line unit DL arranged in the middle area and arranged between the substrate and the intermediate layer extending to the middle area; and
a first partition wall (right wall of 240) arranged in the middle area to surround the opening area, wherein the data line unit DL is arranged between the first partition wall 240 and the display area DA,
wherein in the middle area NDA1 the opposite electrode 223 extends further towards the opening area than the data line unit DL to cover the first partition wall.
Kim does not disclose that the data line is metal.
However, fig. 8 of Kim discloses that the Data line unit DL is on a same layer as a source electrode S2 and a drain D2, and par [0124] of Kim discloses that the second source electrode S2 and the second drain electrode D2 may include a conductive material including molybdenum (Mo), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), and titanium (Ti) and include a single layer or a multi-layer.
As such it would have been obvious to form a display apparatus of Kim comprising wherein the data line is metal in order to use a same process steps for both the source/drain electrodes and data line unit in order to meet the applicant production specification.
Regarding claim 2, fig. 8 of Kim discloses further comprising an inorganic insulating layer 206 arranged between the substrate and the intermediate layer to correspond to the display area and the middle area, wherein the metal unit is arranged between the inorganic insulating layer and the intermediate layer.
Regarding claim 3, par [0124] of Kim disclose wherein the second source electrode S2 and the second drain electrode D2 may include a conductive material including aluminum (Al). As such the resulting structure would have been one meeting the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 5, fig. 8 of Kim discloses wherein an opening portion (region between 810 and that on 240) penetrating the intermediate layer is defined in the intermediate layer, and the opening portion is arranged between the first partition wall and the opening area.
Regarding claim 6, fig. 8 of Kim discloses wherein the metal unit is arranged to be apart from the opening portion.
Regarding claim 7, par [0084] of Kim discloses that the dam 240 may be provided in plural. As such it would have been obvious to form a display apparatus further comprising a second partition wall arranged in the middle area to be apart from the first partition wall, wherein the opening portion includes a first opening arranged between the first partition wall and the second partition wall and a second opening arranged between the second partition wall and the opening area so that the penetration of foreign substances such as moisture, or other contaminants through the opening area OA may be prevented or reduced
Regarding claim 8, fig. 8 of Kim discloses further comprising an inorganic encapsulation layer 310 arranged on the intermediate layer to correspond to the display area and the middle area, wherein the inorganic encapsulation layer is in direct contact with an inorganic insulating layer 207bexposed through the opening portion.
Regarding claim 9, fig. 8 of Kim discloses further comprising a capping layer 241 arranged between the opposite electrode and the inorganic encapsulation layer.
Regarding claim 10, par [0085] of Kim discloses wherein the intermediate layer comprises a first common layer 222a, an emission layer, and a second common layer 222c, which are sequentially arranged on the pixel electrode.
Regarding claim 11, fig. 5 of Kim discloses further comprising a line portion SL arranged in the display area to be adjacent to the middle area so as to bypass the opening area.
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 VONGSAVANH SENGDARA whose telephone number is (571)270-5770. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM EST.
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/VONGSAVANH SENGDARA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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