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 .
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, 2, 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (WO 2020/145461 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a display device (Fig. 8) comprising a plurality of pixels (PXL) on a substrate (BSL), wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: a first alignment electrode (ET1) and a second alignment electrode (ET2) located on the substrate and spaced from each other; a first insulating layer (INS1) on the first alignment electrode (ET1) and the second alignment electrode (ET2); a light emitting element (LD) located on the first insulating layer (INS1) between the first alignment electrode (ET1) and the second alignment electrode (ET2); a dummy pattern (INP) located between the first insulating layer (INS1) and the light emitting element (LD); a second insulating layer (INP) located on the light emitting element (LD) and exposing a first end (EP1) and a second end (EP2) of the light emitting element (LD); a first electrode (CE1) electrically connected to the first end (EP1) of the light emitting element; and a second electrode (CE2) spaced from the first electrode (CE1), and electrically connected to the second end (EP2) of the light emitting element, wherein the dummy pattern (INP) comprises a same material as the second insulating layer (¶s[0216-0217]).
Regarding claim 2, Lee discloses a display device wherein the dummy pattern (INP) is located in a space enclosed by the first insulating layer (INS1) and the light emitting element (LD).
Regarding claim 14, Lee discloses a display device wherein the first electrode (CE1) and the second electrode (CE2) are spaced from each other with the second insulating layer (INP) interposed therebetween (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 15, Lee discloses a display device wherein the first electrode (CE1) and the second electrode (CE2) are spaced from each other with the dummy pattern (INP) therebetween in the space (Fig. 8).
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.
Claim(s) 3-5, 8 and 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (WO 2020/145461 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Lee discloses a display device wherein the dummy pattern is formed during formation of the second insulating layer by filling the separation space between the first insulating layer and the light emitting element to provide a stable support (¶s[0216-0217]), but fails to state wherein the dummy pattern and the second insulating layer have a same width. One skilled in the art would have reasonable contemplate customizing the width of the dummy pattern to be the same width as the second insulating layer in order to provide a stable support of the light emitting element, as an obvious matter of design engineering. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to provide the dummy pattern and the second insulating layer having a same width in order to establish a stable support of the light emitting element.
Regarding claim 4, Lee discloses a display device wherein the dummy pattern has a multilayer structure (¶[0216]) stacked in the space, but fails to explicitly state a first dummy layer, a second dummy layer, and a third dummy layer that are successively stacked. One of ordinary skills in the art would have reasonably contemplate provide the multilayer structure disclosed by Lee with a first dummy layer, a second dummy layer, and a third dummy layer that are successively stacked in order to combine various types of organic/inorganic insulating materials, as an obvious matter of design engineering. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate a first dummy layer, a second dummy layer, and a third dummy layer that are successively stacked as the multilayer structure in order to combine various types of organic/inorganic insulating materials.
Regarding claim 5, Lee discloses a display device wherein the first dummy layer contacts the first insulating layer and the rear surface of the light emitting element (Fig. 8,¶[0216]), accordingly, the multilayer structure provides for the first dummy layer located on the first insulating layer and contacting the first insulating layer, the third dummy layer located on a rear surface of the light emitting element and contacting the rear surface of the light emitting element, and the second dummy layer located between the first dummy layer and the third dummy layer.
Regarding claim 8, Lee discloses a display device wherein the dummy pattern (INP) is located to correspond to the second insulating layer (INP) in the space (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Lee discloses a display device wherein the space is filled with the dummy pattern (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 12, Lee discloses a display device wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises a third insulating layer (INS3) on the second insulating layer (INP), wherein the third insulating layer (INS3) covers one of the first (CE1) and the second electrodes, and wherein a remaining one of the first and the second electrodes (CE2) is located on the third insulating layer (INS3, Fig. 10).
Regarding claim 13, Lee discloses a display device wherein the dummy pattern (INP) is located adjacent to one of the first (CE1) and the second (CE2) alignment electrodes in the space (Fig. 8).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (WO 2020/145461 A1) in view of Yun et al. (WO 2021/149863 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Lee discloses a display device wherein each of the plurality of pixels (PXL) comprises: an emission area (EMA) and a non-emission area; a first bank (BNK, Fig. 13) located in the non-emission area, and including an opening corresponding to the emission area (Fig. 13); the light emitting element (LD) located in the emission area. Lee fails to exemplify a color conversion layer over the first and the second electrodes and located in the emission area to correspond to the light emitting element, the color conversion layer comprising color conversion particles; a second bank on the first bank in the non-emission area, and configured to enclose the color conversion layer; and a color filter layer located on the color conversion layer and configured to allow light emitted from the color conversion layer to selectively pass therethrough.
Yun discloses a display device comprising a display device (Figs. 22 & 23) comprising a plurality of pixels (PX) on a substrate (101), wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises: a first alignment electrode (210) and a second alignment electrode (220) located on the substrate and spaced from each other; a first insulating layer (IL1) on the first alignment electrode (120) and the second alignment electrode (220); a light emitting element (300) located on the first insulating layer (IL1) between the first alignment electrode (120) and the second alignment electrode (220); a second insulating layer (IL2) located on the light emitting element (300) and exposing a first end and a second end of the light emitting element (300); a first electrode (261) electrically connected to the first end of the light emitting element; and a second electrode (262) spaced from the first electrode (261), and electrically connected to the second end of the light emitting element; wherein each of the plurality of pixels (PXL) comprises: an emission area (TA1) and a non-emission area (BA); a first bank (450) located in the non-emission area, and including an opening corresponding to the emission area; the light emitting element (300) located in the emission area; a color conversion layer (WCL) over the first and the second electrodes and located in the emission area (TA1) to correspond to the light emitting element (300), the color conversion layer (WCL) comprising color conversion particles (WCP1);a second bank (MBM) on the first bank in the non-emission area, and configured to enclose the color conversion layer (WCL); and a color filter layer (CFL) located on the color conversion layer (WCL) and configured to allow light emitted from the color conversion layer to selectively pass therethrough. The disclosed color conversion layer and color filter layer act as color control layers to enhance the contrast and color purity of the display. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the color conversion layer and the color filter layer disclosed by Yun in the display device of Lee in order to enhance the contrast and color purity of the display.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 9-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim(s) 6, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 6, and specifically comprising the limitation of each of the first dummy layer and the third dummy layer comprises a same material as the second insulating layer, and the second dummy layer comprises a different material from the second insulating layer.
Regarding claim(s) 7, claims(s) 7 is/are allowable for the reasons given in claim(s) 6 because of its/their dependency status from claim(s) 6.
Regarding claim(s) 9, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 9, and specifically comprising the limitation of the space includes a first void and a second void with the dummy pattern interposed therebetween, and wherein the first void is located to correspond to the first end of the light emitting element, and the second void is located to correspond to the second end of the light emitting element.
Regarding claim(s) 10, claims(s) 10 is/are allowable for the reasons given in claim(s) 9 because of its/their dependency status from claim(s) 9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bae et al. (WO 2022/225189 A1) discloses a display device comprising: a first light emitting element aligned between a first pattern and a second pattern; a first alignment electrode located on the first pattern and having a first inclined surface facing the first light emitting element; a first connection electrode disposed in the same layer as the first alignment electrode; a first electrode and a second electrode connected to both ends of the first light emitting element, and an insulating layer provided in a separation space for supporting the light emitting element.
Park et al. (US 2022/0130922 A1) discloses a pixel including: a first bank pattern on a substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode on the first bank pattern and extending in a first direction; an insulating layer on the first electrode and the second electrode; a plurality of light emitting elements on the insulating layer between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first contact electrode electrically connecting the first electrode and the light emitting elements; and a second contact electrode electrically connecting the second electrode and the light emitting elements.
Song et al. (US 2022/0059609 A1) discloses a pixel including a substrate, a dummy insulating pattern on the substrate, a first electrode on the substrate and including a (1-1)th electrode and a (1-2)th electrode that are spaced from each other and aligned with each other along a first direction, a second electrode spaced from the first electrode in a second direction different from the first direction, and including a (2-1)th electrode and a (2-2)th electrode that are spaced from each other and aligned with each other along the first direction, a plurality of light emitting elements electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode and emitting light, and a first insulating layer on each of the light emitting elements.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood or implied from the texts of the references. To emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out. Each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mariceli Santiago whose telephone number is (571) 272-2464. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James R. Greece, can be reached on (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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/Mariceli Santiago/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2879
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