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
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamazaki et al. (US 2015/0292716 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising: a display surface (301); a flexible non-rectangular substrate (310) over which part of the display surface is formed; and a light-emitting apparatus (350) formed over the flexible substrate, wherein the light-emitting apparatus (350) comprises pixel regions (302) formed in a matrix (Fig. 8A), and wherein the display surface (301) comprises a convex or concave region when part of the flexible non-rectangular substrate is bent (Figs. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 3, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising: a display surface (301); a plurality of flexible non-rectangular substrates (310) over which part of the display surface is formed; and light-emitting apparatuses (350) formed over the respective flexible substrates, wherein each of the light-emitting apparatuses (350) comprises pixel regions (302) formed in a matrix (Fig. 8A), wherein the pixel regions (302) have convex or concave regions when some of the plurality of flexible non-rectangular substrates are bent (Figs. 7A-7B), and wherein the plurality of flexible non-rectangular substrates (310) comprise regions where the substrates are connected to each other (Figs. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 4, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus further comprising a driver circuit (303g) electrically connected to the pixel regions (Fig. 8A).
Regarding claim 5, Yamazaki discloses display apparatus wherein the display surface comprises a curved surface (Figs. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 6, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus wherein the display surface comprises a spherical surface, a substantially spherical surface, a hemispherical surface, or a substantially hemispherical surface (Figs. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 7, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus wherein the driver circuit (303s) is provided on a rear side of the pixel regions (Fig. 8B).
Regarding claim 8, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising: a display surface (301); a flexible non-rectangular substrate (310) over which part of the display surface is formed; and a light-emitting apparatus (350) formed over the flexible substrate, wherein the light-emitting apparatus (350) comprises pixel regions (302) formed in a matrix (Fig. 8A), wherein the light-emitting apparatus comprises a first light-emitting device (380B) and a second light-emitting device (380G) positioned adjacent to the first light-emitting device, and wherein the display surface comprises a convex or concave region when part of the flexible non-rectangular substrate is bent (Figs. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 15, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus wherein light emitted from the first light-emitting device and light emitted from the second light-emitting device have the same color (Fig. 8C, ¶s[0255-0257]).
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) 10-14 and 16-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamazaki et al. (US 2015/0292716 A1) in view of Aoyama et al. (US 2012/0113632 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus wherein each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device comprises a lower electrode (351), a light-emitting layer (353) over the lower electrode, and an upper electrode (352) over the light-emitting layer, but fails to state a first functional layer over the lower electrode and a second functional layer over the light-emitting layer.
Aoyama discloses a display apparatus comprising: a display surface (Fig. 4A); a flexible non-rectangular substrate (Figs. 4A-4C, ¶[0084]) over which part of the display surface is formed; and a light-emitting apparatus (402) formed over the flexible substrate, wherein the light-emitting device comprises a lower electrode (403), a first functional layer (701/702) over the lower electrode, a light-emitting layer (703) over the first functional layer, a second functional layer (704/705) over the light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode (408) over the second functional layer, the functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer.
Regarding claim 11, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device. Aoyama discloses wherein each of the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device comprises a lower electrode (403), a first functional layer (701/702) over the lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer (800) over the first functional layer, a common layer (803) over the first light-emitting layer, a second light-emitting layer (801) over the common layer, a second functional layer (704/705) over the second light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode (408) over the second functional layer (¶[0145] and Figs. 5A-5B of Aoyama). The functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer and the stacked EL layers configuration reduces energy transfer and quenching problems in the display (¶[0145]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers and stacked configuration as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer and reduce energy transfer and quenching problems in the display.
Regarding claim 12, Yamazaki in view of Aoyama discloses a display apparatus wherein the first functional layer comprises one or both of a hole-injection layer and a hole-transport layer, and wherein the second functional layer comprises one or both of an electron-transport layer and an electron-injection layer (¶[0145] of Aoyama). The functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer.
Regarding claim 13, Yamazaki in view of Aoyama discloses a display apparatus wherein a side surface of the first functional layer (701/702) and a side surface of the light-emitting layer (703) are aligned or substantially aligned in a cross-sectional view (Figs. 5A-5B of Aoyama).
Regarding claim 14, Yamazaki in view of Aoyama discloses a display apparatus wherein a side surface of the first functional layer (701/702), a side surface of the first light-emitting layer (800), and a side surface of the second light-emitting layer (801) are aligned or substantially aligned in a cross-sectional view (Figs. 5A-5B of Aoyama).
Regarding claim 16, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising a first and second light-emitting device. Aoyama discloses a display apparatus wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first lower electrode (403), a first functional layer (701/702) over the first lower electrode, a first light-emitting layer (703) over the first functional layer, a second functional layer (704/705) over the first light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode (408) over the second functional layer, and wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second lower electrode (403), a third functional layer (701/702) over the second lower electrode, a second light-emitting layer (703) over the third functional layer, and a fourth functional layer (704/705) over the second light-emitting layer (Fig. 5A). The functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer.
Regarding claim 17, Yamazaki discloses a display apparatus comprising a first and second light-emitting device. Aoyama discloses a display apparatus wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first lower electrode (403), a first functional layer (701/702) over the first lower electrode, a third light-emitting layer (703) over the first functional layer, a first common layer (803) over the third light-emitting layer, a fourth light-emitting layer (703) over the first common layer, a second functional layer (704/705) over the fourth light-emitting layer, and an upper electrode (408) over the second functional layer (¶[0145] and Figs. 5A-5B of Aoyama), and wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second lower electrode (403), a third functional layer (701/702) over the second lower electrode, a fifth light-emitting layer (800) over the third functional layer, a third common layer (803) over the fifth light-emitting layer, a sixth light-emitting layer (801) over the third common layer, a fourth functional layer (704/705) over the sixth light-emitting layer, and the upper electrode (408) over the fourth functional layer (¶[00145], Figs. 5A-5B of Aoyama). The functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer and the stacked EL layers configuration reduces energy transfer and quenching problems in the display (¶[0145]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers and stacked configuration as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer and reduce energy transfer and quenching problems in the display.
Regarding claim 18, Yamazaki in view of Aoyama wherein each of the first functional layer and the third functional layer comprises one or both of a hole-injection layer and a hole-transport layer, and wherein each of the second functional layer and the fourth functional layer comprises one or both of an electron-transport layer and an electron-injection layer (¶[0145] of Aoyama). The functional layers improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the functional layers as disclosed by Aoyama in the display apparatus of Yamazaki in order to improve mobility of holes or electrons charges toward the light-emitting layer.
Regarding claim 19, Yamazaki wherein light emitted from the first light-emitting device and light emitted from the second light-emitting device have different colors (Fig. 8C, ¶s[0255-0257]).
Regarding claims 20-23, Yamazaki in view of Aoyama fails to state a region with a distance between a side surface of the first light-emitting device and a side surface of the second light-emitting device of less than or equal to 1µm (claims 20, 22 and 23) or, less than or equal to 100 nm (claim 21). One skilled in the art would reasonably contemplate optimization of the distances between the light-emitting devices within the claimed ranges in order to adjust the density of the light emitting devices and optimize brightness of the display apparatus.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Godo et al. (US 2024/0215425 An) discloses a display device having multiple display panels, a fixing component having a curved surface, and a casing (30) for storing the fixing component, the display panel is provided with a display portion having a pixel circuit, and a non-display portion that is provided so as to surround the display portion.
Pan et al. (CN 103258482 B) discloses a dot matrix display screen having a substantially spherical shape and comprising triangle spherical screen dot matrix display elements arranged in a lattice forming a sphere.
Liu et al. (US 2008/0007936 A1) discloses an illumination source including a three-dimensional structure having at least one interior surface including at least one OLED panel which defines and encloses a port for outlet of light produced by the at least one OLED panel and having a surface area greater than area of the port.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood or implied from the texts of the references. To emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out. Each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mariceli Santiago whose telephone number is (571) 272-2464. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han, can be reached on (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Mariceli Santiago/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2879