DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed , with respect to 11/19/2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous 35 U.S.C 102 and 35 U.S.C 103 rejection of claim 1 has been withdrawn. However a new 35 U.S.C 103 rejection of claim 1 has been made in view of Joo et al. (US 2020/0258944 A1).
The Examiner acknowledges the change of the title of the invention, the specification objection has been withdrawn.
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 1-2, 5-7, 14-16, 18 and 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Joo et al. (“US 2020/0258944 A1”; hereinafter “Joo”), and further in view of Shimoji et al. (US 2013/0334507 A1; hereinafter “Shimoji”).
In regard to claim 1, Joo teaches a display panel (a display device 9) (Fig. 17 and paragraph 192), comprising:
a substrate (a first base substrate 110) (Fig. 17 and paragraph 78), comprising a main surface (a top surface of the first base substrate 110 functions as the main surface) (Fig. 17);
a plurality of sub-pixels, arranged in an array on the main surface of the substrate (a plurality of pixels (e.g., PX1, PX2, and PX3) may be arranged in a matrix) (Fig. 17 and paragraph 66), wherein each of the plurality of sub-pixels comprises a light-emitting device (a pixel electrodes AE, an organic layer OL, and a common electrode CE functions as the light-emitting device of the pixels) and a color filter (color filters 330_2) on a light-emitting side of the light-emitting device (the color filters 330_2 are shown on the topside of the pixel electrodes AE, organic layer OL, and common electrode CE of the pixels in Fig. 17) (Fig. 17 and paragraphs 78 and 192); the color filter of the plurality of sub-pixels comprises a first color filter and a second color filter that are adjacent (the first and second color filters 331 and 332_2 are shown adjacent to each other in Fig. 17), light transmission color of the first color filter and light transmission color of the second color filter are different from each other (the color filters 330 may be absorptive filters that absorb light of a predetermined wavelength while transmitting light of another predetermined wavelength therethrough) (paragraph 94), and light transmittance of the second color filter is smaller than light transmittance of the first color filter (as the color filters transmit and absorb different colors of light, the second color filter 332_2 would transmit less light of the same wavelength the first color filter 331 transmits);
the first color filter comprises a first light-transmitting portion (light-outputting area PA1) and a first peripheral portion (a portion of the first color filter 331 in the non-light-outputting areas PB) (Fig. 17 and paragraph 69), the first light-transmitting portion is configured to allow light of the sub-pixel where the first light-transmitting portion is located to pass through to emit from the display panel (the light-outputting area PA1 is defined as an area that outputs light through a display surface of the display device) (paragraph 69); the first peripheral portion at least partially surrounds the first light-transmitting portion, and comprises a first portion located on a side of the first light-transmitting portion close to the second color filter (the non-light-outputting areas PB is shown partially surrounding the light-outputting area PA1 on a side close to the second color filter 332_2 in Fig. 17);
the second color filter comprises a second light-transmitting portion and a second peripheral portion (the light-outputting areas PA2 and non-light-outputting areas PB of the second color filter 332_2 is shown in Fig. 17), the second light-transmitting portion is configured to allow light of the sub-pixel where the second light-transmitting portion is located to pass through to emit from the display panel (the light-outputting area PA2 is defined as an area that outputs light through a display surface of the display device) (paragraph 69); the second peripheral portion at least partially surrounds the second light-transmitting portion, and comprises a first portion located on a side of the second light-transmitting portion close to the first color filter (the non-light-outputting areas PB is shown partially surrounding the light-outputting area PA2 on a side close to the first color filter 331 in Fig. 17) ;
the first portion of the second peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped and spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate (a plurality of sub-layers spaced apart longitudinally perpendicular to the top surface of the first base substrate 110 of the second color filter 332_2 are shown in Fig. 17), the plurality of sub-layers comprise a first sub- layer and a second sub-layer (the lower and upper portions of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB functions as the first and second sub-layer respectively) (Fig. 17),
the first sub-layer is on a side of the second sub-layer close to the substrate (the lower portion of the second color filter 332_2 is shown under the upper portion in Fig. 17);
an orthographic projection of the first sub-layer on the main surface of the substrate is within an orthographic projection of the second sub-layer on the main surface of the substrate (an orthographic projection of the lower and upper portions of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB are shown within each other in Fig. 17), and an area of the orthographic projection of the first sub-layer on the main surface of the substrate is smaller than an area of the orthographic projection of the second sub-layer on the main surface of the substrate the orthographic projection of the second sub-layer comprises a part overlapping with the orthographic projection of the first sub-layer and a part not overlapping with the orthographic projection of the first sub-layer (a smaller area of the lower portion and non-overlapping area of the upper portion is shown in Fig. 17);
a direction in which the first color filter and the second color filter are arranged is a lateral direction and a width of the first sub-layer in the lateral direction is smaller than a width of the second sub- layer in the lateral direction (as shown in Fig. 17 the width of the lower portion of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB is smaller than the width of the upper portion of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB).
However, Joo fails to explicitly teach and at least a part of the first portion of the first peripheral portion is located between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction.
Shimoji teaches a display panel (an organic EL light emitting device) (paragraph 382), and at least a part of the first portion of the first peripheral portion is located between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (the portion of 40R2 that forms TRB is shown between the first sub-layer formed of 40B1 and 40B2 and the second sub-layer formed of 40B3 in Fig. 8) (Fig. 8 and paragraphs 157-158).
It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Joo with the teachings of Shimoji to have at least a part of the first portion of the first peripheral portion is located between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction since this is a known method of color separating equivalent to a light blocking layer as taught in Shimoji (paragraph 161). This would allow the device to be manufactured with fewer materials resulting in overall reduced manufacturing cost.
In regard to claim 2, Joo teaches wherein the second color filter is a blue color filter that allows blue light to pass through (the second color filters 332_2 may be blue light) (paragraph 194).
In regard to claim 5, Joo wherein the first portion of the first peripheral portion comprises:
an inner portion (the portion of the first color filter 331 within the non-light-outputting area PB shown in annotated Fig. 17 below), sandwiched between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer, wherein the inner portion is overlapped with both the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction;
an outer portion (the portion of the first color filter 331 within the non-light-outputting area PB shown in annotated Fig. 17 below), integral with the inner portion and on a side of the inner portion close to the first light-transmitting portion in the lateral direction (the annotated first outer portion is shown integral with the inner portion), wherein the outer portion is not overlapped with the first sub-layer, and is overlapped with the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (the annotated outer portion is shown overlapped by the upper portion of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB and not overlapped by the lower portion of the second color filter 332_2 within the non-light-outputting area PB).
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However, Joo doesn’t explicitly teach the inner portion, sandwiched between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer, wherein the inner portion is overlapped with both the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction.
Shimoji teaches an inner portion, sandwiched between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer, wherein the inner portion is overlapped with both the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (the portion of 40R2 that forms TRB is shown between the first sub-layer formed of 40B1 and 40B2 and the second sub-layer formed of 40B3 in Fig. 8) (Fig. 8 and paragraphs 157-158).
It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Joo with the teachings of Shimoji to have the inner portion, sandwiched between the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer, wherein the inner portion is overlapped with both the first sub-layer and the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction since this layout allows for the device to have color separating equivalent to a light blocking layer as taught in Shimoji (paragraph 161). This would allow the device to be manufactured with fewer materials resulting in overall reduced manufacturing cost.
In regard to claim 6, Joo in view of Shimoji teaches wherein the outer portion covers a side surface of the first sub-layer and is in contact with the side surface of the first sub-layer (the portion of the color filter 40R1 outside of the blue color filter layer 40B1 is shown covering the side surface of the blue color filter layer 40B1) (Fig. 8), and the side surface of the first sub-layer is intersected with the lateral direction (the side surface is shown to intersect with the lateral direction in Fig. 8 due to its shape).
In regard to claim 7, Joo in view of Shimoji teaches wherein the first sub-layer is on a side of the second sub-layer close to the substrate (the lower portion of the second color filter 332_2 shown under the upper portion in Joo Fig. 17); and a thickness of the first sub-layer in the longitudinal direction is greater than a thickness of the second sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (since the thickness of the layer 40B1-40B2 are the same the first sublayer would be thicker) (as taught in Shimoji paragraph 177).
In regard to claim 14, Joo teaches wherein the color filter of the plurality of sub-pixels further comprises a third color filter (a third color filter 333) adjacent to the second color filter and on a side of the second color filter away from the first color filter (Fig. 17 and paragraph 90), light transmission colors of the first color filter, the second color filter and the third color filter are different from each other (the color filters 330 may be absorptive filters that absorb light of a predetermined wavelength while transmitting light of another predetermined wavelength therethrough) (paragraph 94), the light transmittance of the second color filter is smaller than a light transmittance of the third color filter (as the color filters transmit and absorb different colors of light, the second color filter 332_2 would transmit less light of the same wavelength the third color filter 333 transmits);
the third color filter comprises a third light-transmitting portion and a third peripheral portion (the light-outputting areas PA2 and non-light-outputting areas PB of the third color filter 333 is shown in Fig. 17), the third light-transmitting portion is configured to allow light of the sub-pixel where the third light-transmitting portion is located to pass through to emit from the display panel (the light-outputting area PA3 is defined as an area that outputs light through a display surface of the display device) (paragraph 69); the third peripheral portion at least partially surrounds the third light-transmitting portion, and the third peripheral portion comprises a first portion on a side of the third light-transmitting portion close to the second color filter (the non-light-outputting areas PB is shown partially surrounding the light-outputting area PA3 on a side close to the second color filter 332_2 in Fig. 17); the second peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the second light- transmitting portion close to the third color filter (the non-light-outputting areas PB is shown partially surrounding the light-outputting area PA2 on a side close to the third color filter 333 in Fig. 17); the second portion of the second peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of sub-layers of the second portion of the second peripheral portion comprises a third sub-layer and a fourth sub-layer (an upper and lower portion of the second color filter 332_2 in the non-light-outputting areas PB adjacent to the third color filter 333 function as the third sub-layer and fourth sub-layer that are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction) (Fig. 17).
However, Joo fails to explicitly teach at least a part of the first portion of the third peripheral portion is between the third sub-layer and the fourth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction.
Shimoji teaches at least a part of a first portion of a third peripheral portion is between a third sub-layer and a fourth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (the portion of 40G2 that forms TBG is shown between the first sub-layer formed of 40B1 and 40B2 and the second sub-layer formed of 40B3 in Fig. 8) (Fig. 8 and paragraphs 157-158).
It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Joo with the teachings of Shimoji to have at least a part of the first portion of the third peripheral portion is between the third sub-layer and the fourth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction since this is a known method of color separating equivalent to a light blocking layer as taught in Shimoji (paragraph 161). This would allow the device to be manufactured with fewer materials resulting in overall reduced manufacturing cost.
In regard to claim 15, Shimoji teaches wherein the first color filter is a green color filter that allows green light to pass through, and the third color filter is a red color filter that allows red light to pass through (the color filters 330 may include first, second, and third color filters 331, 332, and 333 may be a green, blue and red color filter respectively) (paragraphs 96-98).
In regard to claim 16, Joo teaches wherein the second color filter is substantially axisymmetric with respect to a symmetry axis along the longitudinal direction (the second color filter 332_2 is shown to be symmetrical in Fig. 17), and the first peripheral portion and the third peripheral portion are substantially axisymmetric with respect to the symmetry axis (the portions of the second color filters near the non-light-outputting areas PB adjacent to the first and third color filters 331 and 333 are shown to be symmetrical in Fig. 17); and
a cross section of the second color filter in the longitudinal direction is substantially in a shape of a Chinese word "I" (the shape of the second color filter 332_2 in the Chinese word is shown in Fig. 17).
In regard to claim 18, Joo does not explicitly teach wherein one of the first color filter, one of the second color filter, and one of the third color filter which are sequentially arranged in sequence constitute a repeating unit, and a plurality of the repeating units are repeatedly arranged to provide one of the color filter for each of the plurality of sub-pixels; in one of the repeating units, the first peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the first light-transmitting portion away from the second color filter, and the third peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the third light-transmitting portion close to the first color filter of an adjacent repeating unit; and the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of sub- layers of the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprise a fifth sub-layer and a sixth sub-layer, and at least a part of a second portion of the third peripheral portion of the third color filter in the repeating unit adjacent to the one of the repeating units is located between the fifth sub-layer and the sixth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction.
Shimoji teaches wherein one of the first color filter, one of the second color filter, and one of the third color filter which are sequentially arranged in sequence constitute a repeating unit (the repeating unit of the color filters 40R, 40B and 40G are shown in Fig. 10), and a plurality of the repeating units are repeatedly arranged to provide one of the color filter for each of the plurality of sub-pixels (the filters are applied to the R,B, G sub-pixels as shown in Fig. 4) (Fig. 4 and paragraph 142);
in one of the repeating units, the first peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the first light-transmitting portion away from the second color filter (the adjoining part TRG serves as the second portion of the first peripheral portion) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 158), and the third peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the third light-transmitting portion close to the first color filter of an adjacent repeating unit (the adjoining part TGR serves as the second portion of the second peripheral portion) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 158); and
the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of sub-layers of the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprise a fifth sub-layer and a sixth sub-layer (the layer of the adjoining part TRG of the color filter 40R which are 40R1 and 40R2) (Fig. 10 and paragraph 163), and at least a part of a second portion of the third peripheral portion of the third color filter in the repeating unit adjacent to the one of the repeating units is located between the fifth sub-layer and the sixth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction (the layers of the adjoining parts overlap and therefore the portions of 40R1 and 40R2 in TRG overlap the green color filter layers 40G1 and 40G2) (Fig. 10 and paragraph 163).
It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Joo with the teachings of Shimoji to have wherein one of the first color filter, one of the second color filter, and one of the third color filter which are sequentially arranged in sequence constitute a repeating unit, and a plurality of the repeating units are repeatedly arranged to provide one of the color filter for each of the plurality of sub-pixels; in one of the repeating units, the first peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the first light-transmitting portion away from the second color filter, and the third peripheral portion further comprises a second portion on a side of the third light-transmitting portion close to the first color filter of an adjacent repeating unit; and the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of sub- layers of the second portion of the first peripheral portion comprise a fifth sub-layer and a sixth sub-layer, and at least a part of a second portion of the third peripheral portion of the third color filter in the repeating unit adjacent to the one of the repeating units is located between the fifth sub-layer and the sixth sub-layer in the longitudinal direction since this allows the manufacture of a display device in various shapes while reducing cross talk between different colored pixels as taught by Shimoji (paragraphs 5-6, 170 and 172)
In regard to claim 23, Joo teaches a display apparatus (a tablet personal computer) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 54), comprising the display panel according to claim 1.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Joo in view of Shimoji as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Ota (US 2019/0006429 A1).
In regard to claim 20, Joo in view of Shimoji teaches wherein in one of the repeating units, a shape and a size of the second portion of the first peripheral portion are same as a shape and a size of the first portion of the second peripheral portion (as shown in Fig. 10 the TRG and TBR are shown to be the same size and shape due being a line approximately 0.8 micron to the approximately 1.2 microns in width) (Shimoji Fig. 10 and paragraphs 164 and 170), respectively;
a shape and a size of the second portion of the third peripheral portion are respectively same as a shape and a size of the first portion of the first peripheral portion as shown in Fig. 10 the TGR and TRB are shown to be the same size and shape due being a line approximately 0.8 micron to the approximately 1.2 microns in width) (Shimoji Fig. 10 and paragraphs 164 and 170); and
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However, Joo in view of Shimoji doesn’t explicitly teach a cross section of the third color filter in the longitudinal direction is in a shape of a Chinese word " ", and a protrusion of the shape of the Chinese word " " “protrudes toward the substrate.
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Ota teaches a display panel (a display panel 10) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 42), wherein a cross section of a third color filter (green color filter 81G) in the longitudinal direction is in a shape of a Chinese word " " “ and a protrusion of the shape of the Chinese word " " “ protrudes toward the substrate (the green color filter has a shape of the Chinese word “ “ protruding downward as shown in Fig. 9) (Fig. 9 and paragraph 57).
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It would be obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Joo in view of Shimoji with the teachings of Ota to have the color filter in the shape of the Chinese word “ “ protruding downward since it is known among those skilled the art that this layout allow for the overlap of the color filters and the overlap of filters results in better layer adhesion and pixel separation.
Claim Objections
Claims 8-13 and 22 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.
In regard to claim 8, Joo is considered a close prior art of record. However, Joo fails to teach “wherein the first portion of the first peripheral portion comprises a plurality of sub-layers that are at least partially overlapped in the longitudinal direction and are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction; and the plurality of sub-layers of the first portion of the first peripheral portion and the plurality of sub-layers of the first portion of the second peripheral portion are alternately stacked in the longitudinal direction”. Joo is silent to the regard of multiple layers within the element mapped as the first portion of the first peripheral portion.
Claims 9-13 and 22 are objected to due to their dependency on claim 8.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL whose telephone number is (571)270-0078. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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/SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893