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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-17, in the reply filed on 21 November 2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-24 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 21 November 2025.
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 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lim (US 2020/0044001).
Regarding independent claim 1, Lim teaches a light emitting display device comprising a first anode (Fig. 2, Element 120 of pixel P1; ¶ [0043]) and a second anode (Fig. 2, Element 120 of pixel P2) spaced apart from each other on a substrate (Fig. 2, Element 110; ¶ [0030]); a reflective metal (Fig. 3, Element 120 in trench T2) between the first anode and the second anode; and a bank (Fig. 3, Element B; ¶ [0030]) above the reflective metal at a non-emission area (¶ [0054]) to expose an emission area of each of the first anode and the second anode, the bank comprising a trench (Fig. 2, Element T; ¶ [0037]) having a width gradually increasing while extending downwards toward the reflective metal (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Lim teaches the trench comprising a first trench (Fig. 3, Element T1; ¶ [0030]) exposing the reflective metal, the first trench overlapping with the reflective metal; and a second trench (Fig. 3, Element T2; ¶ [0030]) disposed under the first trench, the second trench forming a space extending from an upper surface of the reflective metal to an inner surface of the bank by a first distance (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 3, Lim teaches the inner surface of the bank having an arch shape in cross-section (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 4, Lim teaches the reflective metal having an area gradually increasing as the reflective metal extends downwards (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, Lim teaches the upper surface of the reflective metal being curved or rounded in cross-section (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Lim teaches the reflective metal having a shape surrounding at least one of the first anode or the second anode (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Lim teaches the reflective metal comprising a reflective metal (¶ [0045]) surrounding the first anode and a reflective metal surrounding the second anode, the reflective metal surrounding the first anode and the reflective metal surrounding the second anode being interconnected by a connector; and the reflective metals are integrated with the connector (¶ [0044]).
Regarding claim 8, Lim teaches the trench extending along the reflective metals and the connector, and exposes the reflective metals and the connector (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 9, Lim teaches the reflective metal as a same layer as the first anode and the second anode (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10, Lim teaches the reflective metal comprises at least one of materials constituting the first anode and the second anode (¶ [0045]).
Regarding claim 11, Lim teaches the first trench having a width corresponding to a maximum width of the reflective metal (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Lim teaches the reflective metal comprises at least one of aluminum, silver, or titanium (¶ [0045]).
Regarding claim 13, Lim teaches the reflective metal provided in plural, and the plural reflective metals are spaced apart from one another between the first anode and the second anode (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 14, Lim teaches an organic layer (Fig. 2, Element 130; ¶ [0047]) on the first anode, the second anode, and the bank; and an organic layer dummy pattern (Fig. 3, Element 130 in trench T2) separated from the organic layer on the reflective metal at the trench (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 15, Lim teaches the reflective metal formed to have an island shape (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 16, Lim teaches the reflective metal formed to have a straight shape (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 17, Lim teaches the reflective metal formed to have a frustoconical or a frustum-of-pyramid shape having trapezoidal side surfaces (Fig. 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Choi (US 12,550,535) teaches a display panel with electrodes disposed on a via-layer. Kang (US 11,785,799) teaches a display apparatus including multi-barrier layer substrate. Lee (US 2023/0077299) teaches a light emitting display device with an eaves structure having an undercut region. Ye (US 11,494,017) teaches a touch display device with a common cathode and redundant cathodes located in a same conductive layer. Seo (US 11,444,140) teaches a display apparatus with holes disposed between a plurality of pixels. Shim (US 2016/0293888) teaches auxiliary lines reducing resistance in a cathode of an organic light emitting display device. Heo (US 2016/0043341) teaches an organic light emitting display with a first bank including an undercut.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Quarterman whose telephone number is (571)272-2461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 10 March 2026