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 claims 1-10 in the reply filed on 12/9/2025 is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by OH et al. (US 20160240810 A1, hereinafter Oh)
With regards to claim 1, Oh discloses a display device (FIG. 12) comprising:
an emission lower electrode (horizontal portion of anode 750a) disposed in a display area on a substrate;
a first lower pattern (electrode 755) disposed in a first area adjacent to the display area and disposed in a same layer as the emission lower electrode; (see FIG. 12)
a second lower pattern (anode 750b) disposed in a second area adjacent to the first area and disposed in a same layer as the first lower pattern; (see FIG. 12) and
an upper electrode (lower cathode 790) disposed on the first lower pattern and the second lower pattern, contacting the first lower pattern in the first area, and overlapping the second lower pattern in the second area. (see FIG. 12, showing the contact and the overlap)
With regards to claim 2, Oh discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the upper electrode doesn't contact the second lower pattern. (See FIG. 12, showing the lack of contact)
With regards to claim 3, Oh discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
a pixel defining layer (pixel defining layer 760/765) disposed on the first lower pattern and the second lower pattern, wherein the pixel defining layer does not include an opening in an area overlapping the second lower pattern. (see FIG. 12, where the pixel defining layer 760 does not have an opening on the far left of the image overlapping the layer 750b)
With regards to claim 4, Oh discloses the display device of claim 3, wherein the pixel defining layer entirely covers the second lower pattern. (See FIG. 12, where the pixel defining layer 760/765 covers the entire layer 750b)
With regards to claim 5, Oh discloses the display device of claim 3, wherein the pixel defining layer includes an opening disposed in an area corresponding to the first lower pattern in a plan view. (See FIG. 12, showing the opening over layer 755)
With regards to claim 6, Oh discloses the display device of claim 3, wherein the pixel defining layer includes an opening (opening in layer 760 over anode 750a) disposed in an area corresponding to the emission lower electrode in a plan view, and
an emission layer (organic light emitting layer 775) is disposed between the emission lower electrode and the upper electrode. (See FIG. 12)
With regards to claim 7, Oh discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the emission lower electrode, the first lower pattern, and the second lower pattern have a same shape as each other. (See FIG. 12, showing the same shape, i.e. rectangular shape)
With regards to claim 10, Oh discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
a transistor (transistor including electrode 725) disposed under the emission lower electrode, wherein the transistor includes:
a lower metal pattern (source/drain electrode 740/735) disposed on the substrate;
an active pattern (active pattern 715) disposed on the lower metal pattern;
a gate electrode (gate electrode 725) disposed on the active pattern; and
a connection electrode (vertical portion of anode 750a) disposed on the gate electrode, and
wherein the emission lower electrode is electrically connected to the active pattern through the connection electrode. (See FIG. 12)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Oh et al. (US 10096671 B2) - Multiple layers for a display device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN M Page whose telephone number is (571)272-3249. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine S. Kim can be reached at 571-272-8548. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEVEN M PAGE/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812