DETAILED ACTION
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
The Amendment filed December 19, 2025 has been entered.
A response to the Objection to the Specification was not received, and the Objection is repeated below.
Applicant' s amendments to claims 11 and 13 have been considered, and the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections are hereby withdrawn.
Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 and 35 U.S.C. § 103 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Display Panel With Reflection Compensation Structures and Display Device
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)(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 1-5, 8-10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee; Jun Hee et al. (US 2023/0217717; hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a display panel (DP; Fig 2; ¶ [0094,0113-115]) comprising:
a substrate (110; Figs {20},28; ¶ [0140,0245]; {please refer to Fig. 20 for additional elements which are not included in Figs 27-28, as further referenced below}),
a plurality of anodes (Anode; Figs {20},28; ¶ [0115,0117]; and addition anodes corresponding to the plurality of light emitting diodes in the display panel DP) disposed on a side of the substrate, and
one or more dedicated reflection compensation structures (155-dummy; Figs 27-28; ¶ [0269]) configured to balance reflection effects on incident light (¶ [0028, 0268-276]; that is, 155-dummy is added specifically to enable a symmetry of structures beneath the anode, so that the anode is evenly flattened {¶ [0028]}, thereby preventing asymmetrical spreading of reflected light), wherein:
the plurality of anodes include a first anode (the Anode of Figs 27-28 and associated description),
along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the substrate is located (DR3 direction; Figs {20},28), the first anode overlaps (as shown in Fig 28) with a reflection compensation structure (155-dummy of Figs 27-28) of the one or more dedicated reflection compensation structures, wherein the reflection compensation structure is specifically positioned to compensate for asymmetric distribution of one or more conductive pads (comprising at least 128a{/GAT3}, 1153{/GAT2}, and additional conductive patterns included in Fig 20; Figs 20,27-28; ¶ [0248,268]) beneath the first anode and is distinct from the one or more conductive pads or functional signal traces (155-dummy is distinct because it is a dummy conductive pattern formed in addition to 128a,155,1153 in order to prevent asymmetrical spreading of reflected light; ¶ [0268,0275-276]) and
the reflection compensation structure is disposed on a side of the first anode facing towards the substrate (as shown in Fig 28).
Regarding claim 2, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, further including:
a plurality of pixel opening regions (OP; Figs 27-28; ¶ [0172,0276], and in the additional light emitting diodes of the display panel DP), wherein:
the plurality of pixel opening regions include a first pixel opening region (OP; Figs 27-28), and
along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, the reflection compensation structure (155-dummy; Figs 27-28) overlaps with the first pixel opening region (as shown in Fig 28).
Regarding claim 3, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, further including:
a first signal trace (155; Figs 17,27-28; ¶ [0148]) extended along a first direction (DR1; Figs 17,27 {DR1,DR2 are mis-labeled oppositely in Fig 28}) and a second signal trace (171; Fig 17; ¶ [0200]) extended along a second direction (DR2; Figs 17,27), wherein:
the first direction intersects the second direction,
along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located (DR3; Fig 28), the first signal trace overlaps with the first anode and is located on the side of the first anode facing towards the substrate (as shown in Fig 28), and
the reflection compensation structure (155-dummy; Fig 28) is at least located on a first side (a side to the left of 155; Fig 28) of the first signal trace along the second direction.
Regarding claim 4, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 3, wherein:
along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located (DR3; Fig 28), a conductive pad (1153; Fig 28) of the one or more conductive pads overlaps with the first anode (Anode; Fig 28), and is located on the side of the first anode facing towards the substrate,
at least one conductive pad (1153; Fig 28) of the one or more conductive pads is located on a second side (a side to the right of 155; Fig 28) of the first signal trace (155) along the second direction, wherein the first side of the first signal trace is opposite to the second side of the first signal trace.
Regarding claim 5, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 4, further including:
a third signal trace (172; Figs 16-17; ¶ [0200]) wherein:
the third signal trace and the second signal trace (171; Figs 16-17) are extended in a same direction (DR2; Figs 16-17) and disposed on a same layer (see Fig 16; ¶ [0197]), and
the conductive pad (1153{/Cst}; Figs 28,{6}) is electrically connected to one of the second signal trace and the third signal trace (as shown in Fig 6, Cst is electrically connected to ELVDD/172).
Regarding claim 8, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 4, further including:
a first through-hole, wherein:
the one or more conductive pads include a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad, and
the first through-hole is in contact with the first conductive pad, and is disposed on a side of the first conductive pad facing towards the substrate (as labeled in the figure below).
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Regarding claim 9, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, wherein:
the reflection compensation structure (155-dummy; Figs 27-28) includes a plate structure (as shown in Figs 27-28, 155-dummy has a planar, plate-like structure).
Regarding claim 10, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, wherein:
the reflection compensation structure (155-dummy; Figs 27-28) is floated (as depicted and described {¶ [0269]}, 155-dummy is an unconnected (floating) dummy pattern).
Regarding claim 20, Lee discloses a display device (1000; Figs 1-3; ¶ [0069-86]), comprising:
a display panel (DP; Fig 2; ¶ [0094,0113-115]), the display panel including:
a substrate (110; Fig 28; ¶ [0140]),
a plurality of anodes (Anode; Fig 28; ¶ [0115,0117]; and addition anodes corresponding to the plurality of light emitting diodes in the display panel DP) disposed on a side of the substrate, and
one or more dedicated reflection compensation structures (155-dummy; Figs 27-28; ¶ [0269]) configured to balance reflection effects on incident light (¶ [0028, 0268-276]; that is, 155-dummy is added specifically to enable a symmetry of structures beneath the anode, so that the anode is evenly flattened {¶ [0028]}, thereby preventing asymmetrical spreading of reflected light), wherein:
the plurality of anodes include a first anode (the Anode of Figs 27-28 and associated description),
along a direction perpendicular to a plane where the substrate is located, the first anode overlaps (as shown in Fig 28) with a reflection compensation structure (155-dummy of Figs 27-28) of the one or more dedicated reflection compensation structures, wherein the reflection compensation structure is specifically positioned to compensate for asymmetric distribution of one or more conductive pads (128a,155, and 1153; Figs 27-28; ¶ [0248,268]) beneath the first anode and is distinct from the one or more conductive pads or functional signal traces (155-dummy is distinct because it is a dummy conductive pattern formed in addition to 128a,155,1153 in order to prevent asymmetrical spreading of reflected light; ¶ [0268,0275-276]) and
the reflection compensation structure is disposed on a side of the first anode facing towards the substrate (as shown in Fig 28).
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 6-7, and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee; Jun Hee et al. (US 2023/0217717; hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 6, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 5, but does not disclose wherein: the reflection compensation structure is electrically connected to one of the second signal trace and the third signal trace.
However, Lee discloses a number of additional example embodiments (Figs 21-26) directed towards preventing light reflected from the anode from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]), including an example wherein a reflection compensation structure (154; Figs 23-24; ¶ [0257-258]) may be electrically connected to receive various signals or voltages. Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have combined the embodiments of Lee to satisfy the limitation of claim 6. One may have been motivated to do this in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application, and would have had a reasonable expectation of success because of Lee’s disclosure of the various embodiments and because such routing and layout considerations and configurations are well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 7, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 4, but does not disclose wherein: the reflection compensation structure is disposed on a same layer as the conductive pad.
However, Lee discloses a number of additional example embodiments (Figs 21-26) directed towards preventing light reflected from the anode from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]), including an example wherein a reflection compensation structure (154; Figs 23-24; ¶ [0257-258]) is disposed on a same layer as a conductive pad (128a; Fig 24; ¶ [0248,268]). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have combined the embodiments of Lee to satisfy the limitation of claim 7. One may have been motivated to do this in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application, and would have had a reasonable expectation of success because of Lee’s disclosure of the various embodiments and because such routing and layout considerations and configurations are well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 14, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 4, but does not disclose wherein: along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, at least one of the one or more conductive pads and at least one of the one or more reflection compensation structures that are overlapped with a same first anode together are symmetrically located in a region corresponding to the same first anode.
However, Lee discloses this in another embodiment: in Figs 23-24, along the direction (DR3; Fig 24) perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, at least one of one or more conductive pads (128a,1153; Figs 23-24; ¶ [0257]) and at least one of the one or more reflection compensation structures (154; Figs 23-24; ¶ [0257-258]) that are overlapped with a same first anode (Anode; Fig 24) together are symmetrically located in a region corresponding to the same first anode (154 is symmetrically located between 128a,1153; Figs 23-24). Accordingly, it would have been obvious to have used the configuration of Figs 23-24, in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application. One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because Lee has disclosed it as another of a number of additional example embodiments for preventing light reflected from an anode (Anode) from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]).
Regarding claim 15, Lee discloses an embodiment wherein, along the direction perpendicular to the plane where a substrate is located (DR2; Fig 22), a third anode (Anode; Fig 22) which overlaps with a conductive pad (128a; Fig 22; ¶ [0248]) analogous to one of the one or more conductive pads, and does not overlap with a reflection compensation structure (no reflection compensation structure is present along with the same three structures 128a,155,1153 as applied to claim 1), and the conductive pad is located on a side of the third anode facing towards the substrate.
Lee does not disclose that the plurality of anodes according to claim 1 include the third anode of Fig 22. However, it would have been obvious to have included it. One may have been motivated to do this in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application. One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because of Lee’s disclosure of the embodiment as one of a number of additional example embodiments (Figs 21-26) for preventing light reflected from an anode (Anode) from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]), and because such routing and layout considerations and configurations are well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 16, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 15, wherein: along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located (DR3; Fig 22), at least one of the one or more conductive pads (128a; Figs 21-22) overlapped with a same third anode (Anode; Fig 22) is symmetrically located in a region corresponding to the same third anode (128a is symmetrically located with respect to conductive pad 1153 about the line 155 {gap 1 is the same as gap 2}; Figs 21-22 ; ¶ [0253]).
Regarding claim 17, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, but does not disclose further including:
a first signal trace extended along a first direction, and a second signal trace and a first sub-trace that are extended along a second direction, wherein the first direction intersects the second direction, and the first signal trace is electrically connected to the first sub-trace for transmitting an electrical signal to the second signal trace, and a second sub-trace one-to-one corresponding to the first sub-trace, wherein an extension direction of the second sub-trace is the same as an extension direction of the first sub-trace, and the second sub-trace is floated or is electrically connected to a signal line.
However, Lee discloses a plurality of signal traces (for example, scan lines, data lines, initialization control lines, light emitting control lines, and others {Fig 17; ¶ [0123]}, throughout the document), some of which intersect with one another, connect with a sub-trace, and make various connections with one another. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have routed the plurality of traces and sub-traces required to complete a display panel with its associated circuitry according to numerous design rule requirements, manufacturing requirements, and particular requirements of a particular display panel and circuit design, in consideration of the need identified by Lee to provide a symmetry of patterned elements beneath the anode so as to provide a flatness of the anode (for example, Figs 21-28; ¶ [0276]), such as to satisfy the requirements of claim 17. One would have been motivated to do this in order to prevent light reflected from the anode from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]). One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because such trace routing and manufacturing considerations are well-known and routine in the art.
Regarding claim 18, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 4, further including: a first metal layer (GAT1, on layer 141; Fig 28; ¶ [0241]) and a second metal layer (GAT3, on layer 161; Fig 28; ¶ [0241]) that are disposed between the substrate and the anode (Anode; Fig 28) along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, wherein the second metal layer is located between the first metal layer and the anode.
Lee does not disclose in the Fig 28 embodiment that the conductive pad and at least one of the one or more reflection compensation structures are formed in the second metal layer. However, Lee does disclose in one of a number of additional example embodiments (Figs 21-26), a conductive pad (128a; Fig 24; ¶ [0257]) and a reflection compensation structure (154; Fig 24; ¶ [0257]) formed in the second metal layer (GAT3, on layer 161; Fig 24; ¶ [0241]).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to have used the configuration of Figs 23-24, in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application. One would have had a reasonable expectation of success because Lee has disclosed it as another of a number of additional example embodiments for preventing light reflected from an anode (Anode) from asymmetrically spreading (¶ [0276]).
Regarding claim 19, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 18, further including:
a pixel definition layer (380; Figs 24,28; ¶ [0173]), wherein the pixel definition layer is disposed on a side of the anode away from the second metal layer (GAT3, on layer 161; Figs 24,28), and
a plurality of pixel opening regions (OP; Figs 24,28; ¶ [0173]), wherein a pixel opening region of the plurality of pixel opening regions penetrates through the pixel definition layer, and exposes the anode (as shown in Figs 24,28).
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee; Jun Hee et al. (US 2023/0217717; hereinafter Lee) in view of Li, Man-man et al. (CN 113078196; hereinafter Li.)
Regarding claim 11, Lee discloses the display panel according to claim 1, wherein:
along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, at least one conductive pad (128a; Fig 28) of the one or more conductive pads overlaps with the first anode (Anode; Fig 28), and is located on the side of the first anode facing towards the substrate,
the plurality of anodes include a second anode (another of the plurality of anodes corresponding to the plurality of light emitting diodes).
Lee does not disclose, along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, the second anode overlaps with at least one reflection compensation structure of the one or more reflection compensation structures and does not overlap with any of the one or more conductive pads, and the at least one reflection compensation structure is located on a side of the second anode facing towards the substrate.
In the same field of endeavor, Li discloses a display panel comprising a plurality of reflection compensation structures (41,42,43; Figs 2,3; ¶ [0035]), where each is a dummy metal line symmetrically positioned beneath an anode 21 (Figs 2,3; ¶ [0036-37]) in order to provide a flatness in the anode (¶ [0040]), and does not overlap with any conductive pads; that is, each of the structures beneath the anode and configured to provide a flatness to the anode may be a dummy structure.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have configured the display panel of Lee in a manner to satisfy the limitation of claim 11. One may have been motivated to do this in order to accommodate specific design, manufacturing, or performance requirements for a particular application, and would have had a reasonable expectation of success because of Li’s disclosure of the anode flatness being enabled solely by reflection compensation (dummy) structures and because such routing and layout considerations and configurations are well-known in the art.
Regarding claim 12, Lee in view of Li discloses the display panel according to claim 11, further including: a green pixel, wherein the green pixel includes the first anode (G; Fig 18; ¶ [0230]).
Regarding claim 13, Lee in view of Li discloses the display panel according to claim 11, wherein: along the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, the one or more reflection compensation structures (Li; 41,42,43; Figs 2-3) overlapped with a same second anode are symmetrically located in a region corresponding to the same second anode such that the second anode has substantially uniform reflection effect on incident light across the region (as applied to claim 13; Li; ¶ [0036-37]).
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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/B.A.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817