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 .
Specification
The specification is objected to because of the following informalities:
The specification does not clearly describe how the unit cells UC1 and UC2 are described in Fig.3. How are the metes and bounds of the unit cells been defined. How are the unit cells defined from the Figure 3 below:
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The specification does not describe how the unit cells are defined. The unit cells are not shown as the hexagonal units. They are shown in the Drawings as the gap between the hexagonal units. Therefore, it is not clear how the unit cells are defined? And what are they?
Claim Objection
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities:
For claim 9, for the limitation of “a gap length between centers of the first and second unit cells is smaller than a coherence length of an external light”, it is not clear how the unit cells are different from the claimed micro-lenses. And is the gap length between the centers of the unit cells the same as the gap length between the centers of the microlenses ?. What is the difference between the unit cells and the microlenses, and what is the correspondence/relation between them. Appropriate correction is needed.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore,
For claim 4, wherein a width of both sides of the phase retardation pattern along another of the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the diagonal direction is not constant;
And
For claim 8, wherein the phase retardation pattern extends along a first diagonal direction, and wherein a width of both sides of the phase retardation pattern along a second diagonal direction crossing the first diagonal direction is not constant.
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s).
It is not clear how the unit cells look and where they are located. The Unit cells are not shown in the drawings.
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Jang (TW 201709500 A) in view of Song (KR 20210116108 A)
Regarding claim 1, Jang teaches an organic light emitting diode display device (Fig.7-11) , comprising: a substrate 100 having a subpixel (see in Jang: The display panel 1100 is provided with a plurality of sub-pixels); a phase retardation plate 110 in the subpixel; a plurality of microlenses (Abstract, and in : The microlens structure 180 has a plurality of first ranges 150 corresponding to the recesses, respectively) on the phase retardation plate; and a light emitting diode EL (see in Jang: Thereby, the light generated by the organic light emitting element EL) on the plurality of microlenses, wherein the plurality of microlenses include a first unit cell and a second unit cell (from the teachings of Jang: the sidewalls of the microlens structure may be recesses that surround the microlens structure in a hexagonal or elliptical shape), and wherein the phase retardation plate is disposed to correspond to the first unit cell.
Jang teaches a phase retardation plate and does not teach a phase retardation pattern and wherein the phase retardation pattern is disposed to correspond to the first unit cell.
However, Jang already teach a phase retardation plate, and further Song teaches a phase retardation pattern (see in Song: The phase modulation surface includes a plurality of protrusions 112 and a plurality of concave portions 113 periodically provided) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the phase retardation pattern as disclosed in Song, in the device of Jang, in order to achieve the desired resonation of light (see in Song: As will be described later, the plurality of protrusions 112 may serve to resonate light (eg, red light or green light) of a first wavelength for which resonance is desired, and the plurality of concave portions 113 do not want resonance. It may serve to absorb light of the second wavelength (eg, blue light)
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20170052467 A) in view of Jang (TW 201709500 A) and Song (KR 20210116108 A)
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches an organic light emitting diode display device (Fig.2; Fig.14 and all other Figures) , comprising: a substrate having a subpixel (see in Kim: in the organic light emitting diode display according to the first embodiment of the present invention, one pixel includes two to four sub-pixels, and the configurations illustrated in FIG. 2 include at least one of sub-pixels constituting one pixel Pixel sub-pixel); a plurality of microlenses (see in Kim: A plurality of microlenses are arranged in the light emitting area EA); and a light emitting diode on the plurality of microlenses (EL: 120,130,140), wherein the plurality of microlenses include a first unit cell and a second unit cell (the hexagonal shapes in Fig.2; see in Kim: the microlenses have a hexagonal shape in plan view).
Kim does not teach: a phase retardation pattern in the subpixel; a plurality of microlenses on the phase retardation pattern and a phase retardation pattern.
Jang teaches a phase retardation plate (110 in Fig.7-11) in the subpixel; a plurality of microlenses (180 in Fig.11 that applies to Fig.7-11) on the phase retardation plate; and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the phase retardation plate as disclosed in Jang, in the device of Kim, in order to improve light extraction efficiency, reduce light reflectance, and prevent light leakage (see in Jang: In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an organic light emitting diode display device which contributes to improving light extraction efficiency, reducing light reflectance, and preventing light leakage).
Further Kim in view Jang teaches a phase retardation plate and does not teach a phase retardation pattern and wherein the phase retardation pattern is disposed to correspond to the first unit cell.
However, Kim in view of Jan already teach a phase retardation plate, and further Song teaches a phase retardation pattern (Fig.9, other figures and also see in Song: The phase modulation surface includes a plurality of protrusions 112 and a plurality of concave portions 113 periodically provided) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the phase retardation pattern as disclosed in Song, in the device of Kim in view of Jang, in order to achieve the desired resonation of light (see in Song: As will be described later, the plurality of protrusions 112 may serve to resonate light (eg, red light or green light) of a first wavelength for which resonance is desired, and the plurality of concave portions 113 do not want resonance. It may serve to absorb light of the second wavelength (eg, blue light)).
Regarding claim 15, Kim teaches an organic light emitting diode display device, (Fig.1 and 2) comprising: a plurality of subpixels, each of the plurality of subpixels including an emission area (see EA in Fig.2 and 3, and non-emission area NEA in Fig.3; see light emitting region in : The connection portion 112a connecting the plurality of recesses 111a and the recesses 111a adjacent to each other may be disposed at a position corresponding to the light emitting region of each sub-pixel) and a non-emission area adjacent to the emission area (NEA and EA in Fig.2 and 3), a plurality of microlenses disposed in the emission area (see in Kim: the light can be extracted to the outside of the first substrate 100 through the microlenses arranged in the light emitting region EA and The overcoat layer 610 may include a plurality of microlenses including a plurality of erect portions and a plurality of convex portions in a region corresponding to the light emitting region EA) ; and a light emitting diode (EL: 120,130 and 140) disposed on the plurality of microlenses and in the emission area, wherein the plurality of microlenses include a first unit cell and a second unit cell adjacent to each other (each of the hexagonal section in Fig.2,4 and 8 are considered as the cells).
Kim does not teach: a phase retardation pattern in the subpixel; a plurality of microlenses on the phase retardation pattern and a phase retardation pattern.
Jang teaches a phase retardation pattern (110 in Fig.7-11) disposed on a substrate and in the emission area; a plurality of microlenses (180 in Fig.11 that applies to Fig.7-11) disposed on the phase retardation plate and in the emission area; and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the phase retardation plate as disclosed in Jang, in the device of Kim, in order to improve light extraction efficiency, reduce light reflectance, and prevent light leakage (see in Jang: In view of the above problems, the present invention provides an organic light emitting diode display device which contributes to improving light extraction efficiency, reducing light reflectance, and preventing light leakage).
Further Kim in view Jang teaches a phase retardation plate and does not teach a phase retardation pattern and wherein the phase retardation pattern is disposed to correspond only to one of the first unit cell and the second unit cell.
However, Kim in view of Jan already teach a phase retardation plate, and further Song teaches a phase retardation pattern (Fig.9, other figures and also see in Song: The phase modulation surface includes a plurality of protrusions 112 and a plurality of concave portions 113 periodically provided) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the phase retardation pattern as disclosed in Song, in the device of Kim in view of Jang, in order to achieve the desired resonation of light (see in Song: As will be described later, the plurality of protrusions 112 may serve to resonate light (eg, red light or green light) of a first wavelength for which resonance is desired, and the plurality of concave portions 113 do not want resonance. It may serve to absorb light of the second wavelength (eg, blue light)
Regarding claim 2, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the first and second unit cells are adjacent to each other (see the cells in Fig.2 of Kim).
Regarding claim 3, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the plurality of microlenses have a honeycomb shape of a hexagon, and wherein each of the first and second unit cells includes a first microlens and second to seventh microlenses surrounding the first microlens ((see the cells in Fig.2 of Kim).
Regarding claim 4, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the phase retardation pattern extends along one of a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a diagonal direction, and wherein a width of both sides of the phase retardation pattern along another of the horizontal direction, the vertical direction and the diagonal direction is not constant (see Objection to Drawings and see shape of 112 in at least Fig.1 of Song).
Regarding claim 5, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the phase retardation pattern has a shape of a plurality of rectangles disposed along one of a horizontal direction, a vertical direction and a diagonal direction (412 in Fig.7 of Song, also see all other drawings of Song).
Regarding claim 6, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the plurality of microlenses have a honeycomb shape of a rectangle, and wherein each of the first and second unit cells includes a first microlens and second to fifth microlenses surrounding the first microlens (from Fig.2,4,8 of Kim).
Regarding claim 7, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the phase retardation pattern has a shape of a plurality of rectangles disposed along one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction (412 in Fig.7 of Song, also see all other drawings of Song).
Regarding claim 8, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the phase retardation pattern extends along a first diagonal direction, and wherein a width of both sides of the phase retardation pattern along a second diagonal direction crossing the first diagonal direction is not constant (see Objection to Drawings and see shape of 112 in at least Fig.1 of Song).
Regarding claim 9, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein a gap length between centers of the first and second unit cells is smaller than a coherence length of an external light (see claim objection above). Further, the coherence length is associated with the wavelength.
Song teaches: The resonance wavelength of the micro-cavity L may be determined by the optical length of the micro-cavity L. For example, when the resonance wavelength of the micro-cavity L is λ, the optical length of the micro-cavity L may be nλ/2 (n is a natural number). The optical length of the micro-cavity (L) is determined by the optical thickness of the layers forming the micro-cavity (L) between the metal reflective layer 110 and the second electrode 132, the phase delay by the second electrode 132, and the metal It may be determined as the sum of the phase shifts (eg, phase delay) caused by the reflective layer 110 .
Here, the phase modulation surface may have a meta structure in which nanopatterns having a size smaller than the wavelength of incident light (eg, visible light) are periodically disposed.
Therefore, from the teachings of Kim in view of Jang and Song, the size and gap between the unit cells is a result effective design variable, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to achieve gap length between centers of the first and second unit cells is smaller than a coherence length of an external light, by routine experimentation and simulation, in order to optimize the display characteristics such as a wide viewing angle, a fast response speed, a thin thickness, and high contrast.
Regarding claim 10, Kim in view of Jang and Song teaches a planarizing layer 1120 (in Fig.5 of Song) on the phase retardation pattern but does not teach: the phase retardation pattern has a first refractive index and a first thickness, wherein the planarizing layer has a second refractive index, and wherein the first thickness is determined according to a below equation,
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where tl: first thickness,
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wavelength of external light, nl: first refractive index, n2: second refractive index.
However, Kim in view of Jang and Song discloses (in Song):
Here, the optical thickness of the layers forming the microcavity L means a thickness in consideration of the refractive index constituting the layers, not a simple physical thickness
And
However, in the microcavity in which the surface of the metal reflective layer has a meta-structure, the third resonance of the blue light wavelength may occur due to the modulation of the phase. In addition, since the optical length varies depending on the refractive index and thickness of the dielectric layer provided to protect the surface of the metal reflective layer of the meta-structure, the resonance wavelength may change, and thus, the wavelength of green light is not desired even in the resonant green light emitting device.
Therefore, the refractive index of the various layers are result effective variables, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to achieve the relation of
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, by routine experimentation and simulation, in order to optimize the display characteristics such as a wide viewing angle, a fast response speed, a thin thickness, and high contrast.
Regarding claim 11, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, further comprising: a planarizing layer on the phase retardation pattern; and an overcoat layer on the planarizing layer, wherein the plurality of microlenses are disposed on a top surface of the overcoat layer (layers buffer: 101, interlayer insulating layer: 105, in Fig.2 of Jang with respect of phase retardation layer 110).
Regarding claim 12, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, further comprising: a thin film transistor (Tr in Fig.2 of Jang; see in Jang: and the thin film transistor Tr includes an active layer 102) in the subpixel and connected to the light emitting diode; a protecting layer (protective layer:108 in Jang) disposed between the thin film transistor Tr and the phase retardation pattern (110 in Jang); and a face seal and a protecting film (1160, 160 in Song; Note: the face seal is considered as an additional protective sealing layer on top of the display device, and it is a well-known technique to add a single or multiple top sealing/protective layers on the top of the display device in order to provide robust protection from external elements) on the light emitting diode (160 above the light emitting layer 140 in Song).
but does not teach a passivation layer disposed between the phase retardation pattern and the overcoat layer.
However, passivation layers are well known layers used in display devices in order to provide resistance to environmental damage and as a critical barrier preventing encroaching of contaminant agents and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use a passivation layer disposed between the phase retardation pattern and the overcoat layer in order to improve life span of the display device.
Regarding claim 13, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the phase retardation pattern overlaps the first unit cell and is separated from the second unit cell (from the shape of 112 in Song, wherein Song discloses: the plurality of protrusions 112 may serve to resonate light (eg, red light or green light) of a first wavelength for which resonance is desired, and the plurality of concave portions 113 do not want resonance. It may serve to absorb light of the second wavelength (eg, blue light). also see in Song: Referring to FIG. 9, the red light R in the micro-cavity L resonates while being reflected from the phase modulation surface of the metal reflective layer 210. However, it can be seen that the blue light B also resonates while being reflected from the phase modulation surface of the metal reflective layer 210).
Regarding claim 14, Kim in view of Jang and Song teach the organic light emitting diode display device, wherein the first and second unit cells are disposed to contact each other (from Fig.2,4,8 of Kim).
Other art
US 20220187505 A1
TW 201721859 A: In some embodiments, the polarizing plate may include another polarizing layer having a phase retardation in addition to a polarizing layer having a polarization axis of a predetermined direction.
KR 20210116108 A, CN 113346030 A; KR 20220009216 A
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875