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 § 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) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2022/0328578, hereinafter Li et al.’578) in view of Li et al. (CN 113224110A, of record, hereinafter Li et al.’110).
Li et al.’578 discloses, as shown in Figures 3B-16C, a display substrate comprising:
a base substrate (21);
a light emitting element (23), located on the base substrate and comprising a first electrode (231), a second electrode (232), and a light emitting functional layer (233) located between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a pixel defining layer (PDL), comprising a pixel defining part and an opening configured to expose at least a part of the first electrode (231); and
a filling layer (EPL), located on a side of the second electrode away from the base substrate.
Li et al.’578 does not disclose the pixel defining part comprises a light extraction structure, and a refractive index of the filling layer is greater than a refractive index of the light extraction structure. However, Li et al.’110 discloses a pixel defining part comprises a light extraction structure (300). Note Figures 1-8 and [0073]-[0079]of Li et al. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was made to form the pixel defining part of Li et al.’578 comprising a light extraction structure, such as taught by Li et al.’110 in order to further improve the light emitting uniformity of the light emitting device.
Regarding claim 2, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose a lateral surface of the light extraction structure is a total reflection interface (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the pixel defining part further comprises a main body (210, polymer), and a refractive index of the main body is different from the refractive index of the light extraction structure (Ag) ([0073]-[0079] polymer and Ag have different refractive index).
Regarding claim 4, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the light extraction structure is at least located on a lateral surface of the main body (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the main body is at least located on a lateral surface of the light extraction structure (Figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the light extraction structure comprises a conductive reflective layer (Ag) ([0073]-[0079]).
Regarding claim 7, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the display substrate further comprising a first conductive element (transistor, source electrode, drain electrode 24,243,244), wherein the second electrode is connected with the first conductive element through the light extraction structure (Figures 3B,6,9,16C).
Regarding claim 8, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the first conductive element and the first electrode are located in the same layer (22) (Figures 3B,6,9,16C).
Regarding claim 9, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose further comprising a second conductive element (active layer 242), wherein the first conductive element is connected with the second conductive element
Regarding claim 10, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose further comprising a pixel circuit (not shown, [0075]), wherein the first electrode is connected with the pixel circuit, the pixel circuit is configured to drive the light emitting element, and the second conductive element is insulated from the pixel circuit.
Regarding claim 11, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose area of a surface of the light extraction structure away from the base substrate is smaller than area of a surface of the light extraction structure close to the base substrate, and area of an end of the opening away from the base substrate is larger than area of an end of the opening close to the base substrate (Figure 3B of Li et al.’578 and Figure 1 of Li et al.’110)
Regarding claim 12, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the main body is located on a side of the light extraction structure away from the base substrate (Figures).
Regarding claim 13, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose a maximum thickness of the main body is smaller than a maximum thickness of the light extraction structure (Figures).
Regarding claim 14, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose a largest dimension of a part of the filling layer located in the opening in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the base substrate is greater than or equal to a smallest dimension of the light emitting element in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate (Figure 3B).
Regarding claim 15, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the largest dimension of the part of the filling layer located in the opening in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate is greater than or equal to 1.2 times the smallest dimension of the light emitting element in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate (Figure 3B).
Regarding claim 16, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose a difference between the refractive index of the filling layer and the refractive index of the light extraction structure is greater than or equal to 0.2 (refractive index of EPL (SiN, [0093]) is 1.7, refractive index of Ag is 0.135).
Regarding claim 17, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the refractive index of the filling layer (SiN, [0093]) is greater than or equal to 1.7, and the refractive index of the light extraction structure (Ag) is less than or equal to 1.5.
Regarding claim 18, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose the display substrate further comprising an encapsulation layer (35, Figure 9), wherein the encapsulation layer is configured to encapsulate the light emitting element, and the encapsulation layer is located on a side of the filling layer away from the base substrate.
Regarding claim 19, Li et al.’578 and Li et al.’110 disclose a display device comprising the display substrate according to claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG K VU whose telephone number is (571)272-1666. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 7am - 5pm.
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, 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.
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.
/HUNG K VU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897