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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-3, 6 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwak et al (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0020721) in view of Li et al (US PG Pub. No. 2019/0363276).
Regarding Claim 1, Kwak discloses , at least in figure 6, A display apparatus (title) comprising a first light-emitting device (R on left) and a second light-emitting device (G in the middle), wherein the first light-emitting device (red) comprises a first conductive layer (160, ¶ [0072]), a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer(160) , a first light-emitting layer(175, ¶ [0072]) over the second conductive layer, and a common electrode (180,¶ [0072]) over the first light-emitting layer(175), wherein the second light-emitting device (G) comprises a third conductive layer (160), a fourth conductive layer over the third conductive layer (160), a second light-emitting layer(175) over the fourth conductive layer, and the common electrode(180) over the second light-emitting layer(175),
Kwak fails to disclose a two-part anode and thus fails to disclose: wherein the second conductive layer covers a side surface of the first conductive layer(160) wherein the fourth conductive layer covers a side surface of the third conductive layer, wherein an end portion of the first light-emitting layer(175) is aligned or substantially aligned with an end portion of the second conductive layer, and wherein an end portion of the second light-emitting layer is aligned or substantially aligned with an end portion of the fourth conductive layer.
Li teaches, at least in figure 3, a multi part anode (102, ¶ [0043]) wherein the second conductive layer (1022, ¶ [0043], metal, left sub-pixel) covers a side surface (top side) of the first conductive layer(1021,¶ [0043]) wherein the fourth conductive layer (1022, center sub-pixel) covers a side surface (top) of the third conductive layer (1021, center sub-pixel),
Regarding the limitation: wherein an end portion of the first light-emitting layer (175) is aligned or substantially aligned with an end portion of the second conductive layer, and wherein an end portion of the second light-emitting layer is aligned or substantially aligned with an end portion of the fourth conductive layer.
As shown in figure 6 of Kwak, the first electrode aligns substantially with the end portion of the light emitting layer and there would be no reason to make it different when the electrode is made two-part.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to try multi part anodes in the device of Kwak, as taught by Li, since it involves combining known Prior Art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results (MPEP 21431A).
Regarding Claim 2, Kwak discloses in figure 6: further comprising a first insulating layer (170,2nd from left, since the bank is contact with adjacent anodes, it has to be insulating) wherein the first insulating layer (170, 2nd from left) covers side surfaces (right side) of the first light-emitting layer(175 in red sub-pixel), the second light-emitting layer (left side of Green sub-pixel) and when combined with the second and fourth conductive layers of Li, would also contact the top sides of those layers which are on top of the first in Li, i.e. the second conductive layer, and the fourth conductive layer, and wherein the common electrode (180) is positioned over the first insulating layer(170).
Same motivation as claim 1.
Regarding Claim 3 , Kwak discloses in figure 6: further comprising a second insulating layer (170,center, also in contact with anodes so has to be insulating), wherein the first insulating layer (170,2nd from left) comprises an inorganic material(170 , which comprises 176 and 172, ¶ [0083]), and wherein the second insulating layer (170 center) comprises an organic material (176 is organic,¶ [0086]) and overlaps with the side surfaces (right side of the first light-emitting layer(175, Red) and the second light-emitting layer (left side of 175 G) with the first insulating layer therebetween.
Regarding Claim 6 , Kwak fails to disclose: wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a common layer between the first light-emitting layer(175) and the common electrode, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises the common layer between the second light-emitting layer and the common electrode, and wherein the common layer comprises at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-transport layer, an electron-transport layer, and an electron-injection layer.
Kwak does disclose at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-transport layer, an electron-transport layer, and an electron-injection layer (¶ [0075]) but not common to all sub-pixels.
However, since all of the OLEDs could benefit from these layers, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide any of those layers as a common layer in all sub-pixels, to simplify fabrication of the device and to improve transport of electrons and holes into the light emission region.
Regarding Claim 13, Kwak discloses in paragraph [0050]) and at least one of an integrated circuit.
Regarding Claim 14; Kwak discloses in paragraph [0003], and at least one of a housing, a battery, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone (an LCD requires a sealed housing to accommodate it and its backlight).
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-12 and 15-22 are allowed.
Claims 4-5 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.
Regarding Claim 4, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in Claim 4, and specifically comprising the limitation of “further comprising a first layer, wherein the first layer is positioned over the first light-emitting layer, wherein in a cross-sectional view, one end portion of the first layer is aligned or substantially aligned with the end portion of the first light-emitting layer(175) and the end portion of the second conductive layer, and the other end portion of the first layer is positioned over the first light-emitting layer, and wherein the first insulating layer covers a top surface of the first layer. ” including the remaining limitations.
Claim 5 is allowable, at least, because of its dependency on claim 4.
Regarding Claim 7, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in Claim 7, and specifically comprising the limitation of “wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer over the first conductive layer, a first EL layer over the second conductive layer, and a common electrode over the first EL layer, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a third conductive layer, a fourth conductive layer over the third conductive layer, a second EL layer over the fourth conductive layer, and the common electrode over the second EL layer, wherein the first EL layer comprises a first light-emitting unit over the second conductive layer, a first charge-generation layer over the first light-emitting unit, and a second light-emitting unit over the first charge-generation layer, wherein the second EL layer comprises a third light-emitting unit over the fourth conductive layer, a second charge-generation layer over the third light-emitting unit, and a fourth light-emitting unit over the second charge-generation layer” including the remaining limitations.
Claims 8-12 and 21-22 are allowable, at least, because of their dependencies on claim 7.
Examiner Note: Unlike claim 1, claim 7 requires multiple stacked light emitting units in tandem sharing a common cathode, separate anodes and separate charge generation layers shared within the individual stacks. Stacks of the Prior Art share all three or else lack charge generation layers with a motivation to provide.
Regarding Claim 15, A method of manufacturing a display apparatus, comprising: forming an island-shaped first conductive layer(160) and an island-shaped second conductive layer over an insulating surface; forming a first conductive film over the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer; forming a first layer over the first conductive film; forming a first sacrificial layer over the first layer; processing the first layer and the first sacrificial layer so that an end portion of the first layer and an end portion of the first sacrificial layer are positioned outward from an end portion of the first conductive layer and a region of the first conductive film that overlaps with the second conductive layer is exposed at least partly; forming a second layer over the first sacrificial layer and the first conductive film; forming a second sacrificial layer over the second layer; processing the second layer and the second sacrificial layer so that an end portion of the second layer and an end portion of the second sacrificial layer are positioned outward from an end portion of the second conductive layer and the first sacrificial layer is exposed at least partly; processing the first conductive film with the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer used as hard masks to form a third conductive layer between the first conductive layer and the first layer and a fourth conductive layer between the second conductive layer and the second layer; removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer at least partly so that the first layer and the second layer are exposed at least partly; and forming a common electrode over the first layer and the second layer.
Claims 16-20 are allowable, at least, because of their dependencies on claim 15.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONALD L RALEIGH whose telephone number is (571)270-3407. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM -3 PM.
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/DONALD L RALEIGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875