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 Amendment
Applicant’s amendment and remarks received on 18 June 2026 have been entered.
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 1-8 and 10-17 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), wherein the reflective metal is disposed on a same layer as the first anode and the second anode (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 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 comprising 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).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 25 is 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 25, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a light emitting display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a bottom surface of the reflective metal facing the substrate directly contacting the same layer as a bottom surface of the first anode facing the substrate and a bottom surface the second anode facing the substrate.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 18 June 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument that Lim fails to teach the reflective metal disposed on a same layer as the first anode and the second anode, the Examiner notes that Fig. 2 of Lim shows elements from the first insulating film (112) up to the color filter (160) all disposed on the substrate (110). The reflective metal of Lim disposed in trenches (T), the first anode, and the second anode are each ultimately disposed on the substrate. Thus, Lim teaches the reflective metal disposed on a same layer (e.g., substrate 110) as the first anode and the second anode, as claimed in the instant application.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 1 September 2026
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