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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-9, 11, 14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zou et al. (CN 108561762) citations from Applicant’s translation.
Regarding claim 1, Zou discloses a display substrate, comprising:
a base substrate (00, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063);
a plurality of light emitting elements (OLED, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063), wherein each light emitting element comprises a first electrode (111, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063), a light emitting functional layer (113, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063) and a second electrode (114, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063), the light emitting functional layer is located on a side of the first electrode away from the base substrate (fig. 2B), the
second electrode is located on a side of the light emitting functional layer away from the base substrate (fig. 2B);
a plurality of power supply signal lines, wherein each of the power supply signal lines is connected with at least one of the light emitting elements (13, fig. 2B and paragraph 0064);
wherein a thickness of the power supply signal line (13, fig. 2B) is greater than a thickness of the first electrode (111, fig. 2B);
the power supply signal line is located on a side of the first electrode away from the base substrate (fig. 2B), an orthographic projection of the power supply signal line on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the first electrode on the base substrate (fig. 2B); and
the power supply signal line (13, fig. 2B) is connected with the first electrode (111, fig. 2B and paragraph 0064).
Regarding claim 2, Zou further discloses wherein the plurality of power
supply signal lines extend along a first direction and a second direction respectively, and are connected into a grid (12, 13, fig. 1 and paragraph 0062);
the first electrode comprises a first sub-part (portion of 111 under 113, figs. 1-2B) and a second sub-part (portion of 111 under power supply line 13, figs. 1-2B), and the first sub-part is connected with the second sub-part (figs. 1-2B);
the first sub-part is in a block shape (corresponds to 11, fig. 1), and an orthographic projection of the first sub-part on the base substrate is located in the grid (fig. 1); and
the second sub-part is in a strip shape (portion of 111 under power supply line 13, figs. 1-2B) extending along the first direction and/or the second direction of the grid, and an orthographic projection of the second sub-part on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of a power supply signal line on the base substrate (portion of 111 under power supply line 13, figs. 1-2B).
Regarding claim 3, Zou further discloses wherein the plurality of power supply signal lines extend along a first direction and a second direction respectively, and are connected into a grid (12, 13 fig. 1);
the first electrode comprises a first sub-part (portion of 111 under 113, figs. 1-2B), a second sub-part (portion of 111 between 113 and 13 and under 112, figs. 1-2B) and a third sub-part (portion of 111 under power supply line 13, figs. 1-2B), and
the first sub-part, the second sub-part and the third sub-part are connected in sequence (fig. 2B);
an orthographic projection of the first sub-part and an orthographic projection of the
second sub-part on the base substrate are located in the grid (figs. 1-2B);
the first sub-part is in a block shape, the second sub-part is in a strip shape extending
along a direction parallel to the first direction and/or the second direction of the grid, and the second sub-part surrounds a periphery of the first sub-part (figs. 1-2B); and
an orthographic projection of the third sub-part on the base substrate is overlapped with an orthographic projection of a power supply signal line on the base substrate, and the third sub-part is in contact with and connected to the power supply signal line (figs. 1-2B).
Regarding claim 4, Zou further discloses wherein an extension length of the second sub-part along the first direction and/or the second direction is at least 1/4 of a perimeter of the grid (figs. 1-2B).
Regarding claim 5, Zou further discloses a passivation layer located between the first electrode and the power supply signal line (112, fig. 2B);
the passivation layer is provided with a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings (fig. 2B);
a first opening is located in an overlapped area between the orthographic projections of the second sub-part and the power supply signal line, and the power supply signal line is in contact and connected with the second sub-part through the first opening (fig. 2B); and an orthographic projection of a second opening on the base substrate is overlapped with the orthographic projection of the first sub-part on the base substrate (fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 6, Zou further discloses wherein a thickness of the power supply signal line (13, fig. 2B) is greater than a thickness of the passivation layer (112, fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 7, Zou further discloses wherein the power supply signal lines are divided into a plurality of groups (12, 13, fig. 1);
each group comprises a plurality of the power supply signal lines, and the plurality of the
power supply signal lines in each group are connected with one signal input line (fig. 1 and paragraphs 0062-0068)).
Regarding claim 8, Zou further discloses a pixel define layer located on a side of the power supply signal lines away from the base substrate (112, fig. 2B and paragraph 0063); and
the pixel define layer is provided with a plurality of third openings, and an orthographic
projection of a third opening on the base substrate is overlapped with the orthographic
projection of the first sub-part on the base substrate (fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 9, Zou further discloses wherein the light emitting functional layer of the plurality of light emitting elements are connected together as a whole;
the second electrodes of the plurality of light emitting elements are connected together as a whole (figs. 1-2B); and
the light emitting functional layer and the second electrode also extend to a side of the
pixel define layer away from the base substrate (fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 11, Zou further discloses wherein the second electrode is made of an opaque and conductive material (paragraph 0087); and the first electrode is made of a light-transmissive and conductive material (paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 14, Zou further discloses a display device, comprising the display substrate according to claim 1 (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 16, Zou discloses a method for manufacturing a display substrate, comprising:
manufacturing a plurality of light emitting elements and a plurality of power supply signal lines on a base substrate (figs. 1, 3 and paragraph 0070);
manufacturing the light emitting elements comprises sequentially manufacturing first electrodes (111, fig. 2B and paragraph 0078), a light emitting functional layer (113, fig. 2B and paragraphs 0083-0084) and second electrodes (114, fig. 2B and paragraph 0086) on the base substrate;
wherein the power supply signal lines are manufactured after the first electrodes are manufactured (13, fig. 2B and paragraph 0080); a thickness of the power supply signal lines is greater than a thickness of the first electrodes (fig. 2B); an orthographic projection of the power supply signal lines on the base substrate is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the first electrodes on the base
substrate (figs. 1-2B); and the power supply signal lines are connected with the first electrodes (fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 17, Zou further discloses wherein the display substrate further comprises a passivation layer located between the first electrodes and the power supply signal lines (112, fig. 2B);
the passivation layer is provided with a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings (112, fig. 2B);
a first opening is located in an overlapped area between orthographic projections of a
second sub-part and a power supply signal line, and the power supply signal line is in contact and connected with the second sub-part through the first opening (fig. 2B);
an orthographic projection of a second opening on the base substrate is overlapped with the orthographic projection of the first sub-part on the base substrate (fig. 2B);
the method comprises: after the first electrode are manufactured and before the power
supply signal lines are manufactured, the method further comprises: manufacturing a
passivation layer and patterns of a plurality of first openings and a plurality of second openings in the passivation layer (fig. 2B);
manufacturing the first electrodes comprises simultaneously forming patterns of first
sub-parts and second sub-parts (fig. 2B and paragraph 0078);
an orthographic projection of the second sub-parts on the base substrate is overlapped
with an orthographic projection of the power supply signal lines on the base substrate (fig. 2B); and
the power supply signal lines are in contact with and connected with the second sub-parts through the first openings respectively (fig. 2B).
Regarding claim 18, Zou further discloses wherein the plurality of power supply signal lines extend along a first direction and a second direction respectively, and are connected into a grid (12, 13, fig. 1);
the first electrode comprises a first sub-part (portion of 111 under 113, figs. 1-2B), a second sub-part (portion of 111 between 113 and 13 and under 112, figs. 1-2B) and a third sub-part (portion of 111 under power supply line 13, figs. 1-2B), and
the first sub-part, the second sub-part and the third sub-part are connected in sequence (fig. 2B);
an orthographic projection of the first sub-part and an orthographic projection of the
second sub-part on the base substrate are located in the grid (figs. 1-2B);
the first sub-part is in a block shape, the second sub-part is in a strip shape extending
along a direction parallel to the first direction and/or the second direction of the grid, and the second sub-part surrounds a periphery of the first sub-part (figs. 1-2B); and
an orthographic projection of the third sub-part on the base substrate is overlapped with an orthographic projection of a power supply signal line on the base substrate, and the third sub-part is in contact with and connected to the power supply signal line (figs. 1-2B).
Regarding claim 19, Zou discloses a method for driving a display substrate, comprising: a first electrode (111, figs. 1-2B) of a light emitting element receives a driving voltage signal inputted from a power supply signal line (13, figs. 1-2B);
And the light emitting functional layer of the light emitting element emits light under action of an electric field formed between the first electrode and a second electrode of the light emitting element (Abstract and paragraphs 0002-0013).
Regarding claim 20, Zou further discloses wherein the power supply signal lines are divided into a plurality of groups (fig. 1);
each group comprises a plurality of the power supply signal lines, and the plurality of the
power supply signal lines in each group are connected with one signal input line;
the method comprises: simultaneously inputting driving voltage signals to a plurality of
power supply signal lines through different signal input lines; or
inputting driving voltage signals to each group of the power supply signal lines through
different signal input lines at different times;
wherein the driving voltage signals inputted to different signal input lines have a same or
different amplitudes (paragraphs 0013-0038).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 10, 12, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zou et al. (CN 108561762) citations from Applicant’s translation.
Regarding claim 10, Zou discloses the display substrate according to claim 9, as mentioned above. Zou does not disclose an encapsulation layer located on a side of the second electrode away from the base substrate; and the encapsulation layer comprises a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer and a second inorganic encapsulation layer; the first inorganic encapsulation layer, the organic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer are sequentially stacked in a direction away from the base substrate. However, encapsulated OLED light emitting devices utilizing an inorganic layer/organic layer/inorganic layer was well known in the art and would therefore be deemed obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing. The Examiner takes official notice of such teachings.
Regarding claim 12, Zou discloses the display substrate according to claim 1, as mentioned above. Zou does not explicitly disclose wherein a thickness of the first electrode ≤ 2000 angstroms; and a thickness of the power supply signal lines ranges from 2 to 3 µm. However, such thickness ranges would be deemed conventional and as such would be deemed obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing.
Regarding claim 13, Zou further discloses wherein a material of the first
electrode comprises indium tin oxide or indium zinc oxide (paragraph 0079); and
a material of the power supply signal lines comprise aluminum and titanium (paragraph 0079).
Regarding claim 15, Zou disclose a lamp, comprising the display substrate according to claim 1 (fig. 4). Zou does not explicitly disclose a vehicle lamp. However, such implementation of Zou’s lamp would be deemed obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication 2002/0190661 discloses an OLED display with a thicker electrode placed over the first bottom electrode of the OLED.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS M MENZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1877. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jacob Choi can be reached at 469-295-9060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DOUGLAS M MENZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897 4/18/26
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