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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 5-10, filed 07/08/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 5, 9-13 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Okabe et al. (US 20220216288 A1) and Jin et al. (US 20150287751 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 9, 10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okabe et al. (US 20220216288 A1) in view of Jin et al. (US 20150287751 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Okabe discloses a display device comprising:
a display region (D) comprising a plurality of pixels (5) provided in a matrix ([0050], Fig. 1-2);
a plurality of capacitors (85a/85b) that is provided in a frame region located around the display region (D); and
a plurality of thin-film transistors (69), respectively, provided for the plurality of pixels (5), wherein:
each of the plurality of capacitors (85a/85b) includes a lower electrode (51) provided in a lower layer, an upper electrode (57) provided in an upper layer above the lower electrode (51), and an insulating portion (31) provided between the lower electrode and the upper electrode, ([0056], Fig. 7)
the lower electrode (51) comprises a material (metal) identical to a material of a source electrode (61) of each of the plurality of thin-film transistors (69), ([0064], [0060])
each of the plurality of pixels (5) includes a first electrode (91), a second electrode (103), and a light-emitting layer (100) provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, ([0105], Fig. 1)
the upper electrode (57) comprises a material (metal) identical to a material of the first electrode (91), ([0062], [0108])
in a plan view, the display region (D) has a rectangular shape with four sides, the frame region (F) includes a terminal (T) section facing one side of the four sides, and in the plan view, the plurality of capacitors (85a/85b) faces only another side of the four sides opposite the one side. ([0098], Fig. 1)
Okabe does not disclose:
The plurality of capacitors that is electrically floating
However, Jin discloses:
The plurality of capacitors (13) that is electrically floating ([0032], Fig. 2)
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Okabe and Jin to have the plurality of capacitors that is electrically floating in order to “reduce the wiring space of the gate drive circuit on the second substrate, for the purpose of narrowing a frame edge of the display device.” (Jin, [0032])
Regarding claim 2, Jin discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of capacitors (13) is not connected to, and is separated from, a routed wire routed from the display region (110) to the frame region (111).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to use the teachings of Jin for similar reasons mentioned beforehand.
Regarding claim 5, Jin discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of capacitors (13) is arranged along an end of the display region (110) in such a manner that in the plan view, the plurality of capacitors (13) is partly adjacent to each other in a direction of approach from the frame region (111) to the display region (110), or in a direction from the frame region outward. (Fig. 3)
Regarding claim 9, Okabe discloses the display device according to claim 1, further comprising an interlayer insulating layer (39) covering the plurality of thin-film transistors (69) and having a surface where the first electrode (91) is provided,
Okabe does not disclose:
wherein the insulating portion comprises a material identical to a material of the interlayer insulating layer.
However, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Regarding claim 10, Okabe discloses the display device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing layer (21) covering the display region (D), ([0130]) wherein the plurality of capacitors (85a/85b) is provided in a region (79) where the sealing layer (21) is provided. ([0102], Fig. 7)
Regarding claim 12, Jin discloses the display device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrode pads (132/133) connected to the plurality of capacitors (13). ([0033], Fig. 3)
Claim 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okabe et al. (US 20220216288 A1) in view of Jin et al. (US 20150287751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chao (CN 111366619 A).
Regarding claim 3, Okabe in view of Jin disclose the display device according to claim 1. Okabe in view of Jin do not disclose wherein the plurality of capacitors is arranged along a shorter side of the rectangular shape at an end of the display region.
However, Chao discloses:
the plurality of capacitors (1231) is arranged along (at least) a shorter side of the rectangular shape at an end of the display region (111). (Fig. 5)
It would have been obvious to ones killed in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Okabe, Jin and Chao to have the plurality of capacitors is arranged along a shorter side of the rectangular shape at an end of the display region in order to “detect the edge of the display panel if crack exists, when the crack exists may also determine the position of the crack, does not need additional new mask and the complex circuit.” (Chao, abstract)
Regarding claim 13, Okabe in view of Jin disclose the display device according to claim 1. Okabe in view of Jin do not disclose further comprising a connection wire electrically connected to the upper electrode, wherein: a line width of the connection wire is smaller than a line width of the upper electrode, and in the plan view, a part of the upper electrode and a part of the connection wire overlap the lower electrode.
However, Chao discloses:
a connection wire (1232) electrically connected to the upper electrode (1231), wherein:
a line width of the connection wire (1232) is smaller than a line width of the upper electrode (1231), and in the plan view, a part of the upper electrode (1231) and a part of the connection wire (1232) overlap the lower electrode (121). (Fig. 2 and 5)
It would have been obvious to ones killed in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Okabe, Jin and Chao to have a connection wire electrically connected to the upper electrode, wherein: a line width of the connection wire is smaller than a line width of the upper electrode, and in the plan view, a part of the upper electrode and a part of the connection wire overlap the lower electrode in order to “detect the edge of the display panel if crack exists, when the crack exists may also determine the position of the crack, does not need additional new mask and the complex circuit.” (Chao, abstract)
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okabe et al. (US 20220216288 A1) in view of Jin et al. (US 20150287751 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang (CN 111129101 A).
Regarding claim 11, Okabe in view of Jin disclose the display device according to claim 1. Okabe in view of Jin do not disclose wherein each of the plurality of capacitors is configured, such that a plurality of lower electrodes, including the lower electrode, is coupled to each other and a plurality of upper electrodes, including the upper electrode, is separated from each other, or such that the plurality of lower electrodes is separated from each other and the plurality of upper electrodes to each other.
However, Wang discloses:
wherein each of the plurality of capacitors (410/420) is configured, such that a plurality of lower electrodes (420), including the lower electrode, is coupled to each other (see Fig. 11a) and a plurality of upper electrodes (410), including the upper electrode, is separated from each other (See Fig. 11a). (The examiner is treating the limitation after or as optional)
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Okabe, Jin and Wang for each of the plurality of capacitors is configured, such that a plurality of lower electrodes, including the lower electrode, is coupled to each other and a plurality of upper electrodes, including the upper electrode, is separated from each other so as to “attract static flow…and avoid the phenomenon of electrostatic” (Wang, Abstract)
Conclusion
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/ASHLEY NICOLE BLACKWELL/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/JACOB Y CHOI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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