DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
This Office Action is in response to Amendments/Remarks filed on June 24, 2026.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 10-15, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0190672 A1 to Lee et al. (“Lee”).
As to claim 1, Lee discloses a display device comprising: a first pixel electrode (120) disposed on a base layer (101) and extending in a second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’); a first insulating layer (107) disposed on the first pixel electrode (120) and defining an opening (at 140) exposing the first pixel electrode (120); a first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and a second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) extending in the second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’), disposed on the first insulating layer (107), and spaced apart from each other with the opening (at 140) disposed between the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in plan view; a light-emitting element (130) disposed in the opening (at 140) and including a first end portion (at 138b) electrically contacting the first pixel electrode (120) and a second end portion (at 138a); a second insulating layer (108/140/109) covering the first insulating layer (107), the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”), and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and exposing the second end portion (at 138a) of the light-emitting element (130); and a second pixel electrode (150) disposed on the second insulating layer (108/140/109) and electrically contacting the second end portion (at 138a) of the light-emitting element (130), wherein the light-emitting element (130) is between the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in plan view along a first direction (A-C’) that is orthogonal to the second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’), and overlaps the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in the first direction (A-C’) (See Fig. 2, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, ¶ 0040, ¶ 0041, ¶ 0042, ¶ 0049, ¶ 0050, ¶ 0051, ¶ 0052, ¶ 0053, ¶ 0054, ¶ 0055, ¶ 0056, ¶ 0057, ¶ 0062) (Notes: the first and second electrodes are made of the same material as the pixel electrode. Further, the three dimensional elements extend in the second direction). As to claim 2, Lee further discloses wherein the light-emitting element (130) includes an n-type semiconductor layer (136), an active layer (134), and a p-type semiconductor layer (132), which are sequentially stacked, and wherein the p-type semiconductor layer (132) electrically contacts the second pixel electrode (150) (See Fig. 9, ¶ 0052).
As to claim 3, Lee further discloses wherein the first pixel electrode (120) is a cathode electrode (120), and wherein the second pixel electrode (150) is an anode electrode (150) (See Fig. 9, ¶ 0051, ¶ 0052).
As to claim 4, Lee further discloses wherein the light-emitting element (130) further includes a contact electrode layer (138b) disposed on the n-type semiconductor layer (136), and wherein the contact electrode layer (138b) electrically contacts the first pixel electrode (120) (See Fig. 9, ¶ 0052). As to claim 5, Lee further discloses wherein the opening (at 140) is disposed more adjacent to the first electrode (AM1”) than to the second electrode (AM2”) in plan view (See Fig. 9). As to claim 6, Lee further discloses wherein a thickness of the first insulating layer (107) in a cross-sectional view is in a range of about 40% to about 75% of a length of the light-emitting element (130) (See Fig. 9) (Notes: FIG. 9 conveys the range is met and also in view of the limitation “about” and “a length”). As to claim 10, Lee further discloses wherein the second insulating layer (108, 140) is filled in the opening (at 140) of the first insulating layer (107) (See Fig. 9). As to claim 11, Lee discloses further comprising a third insulating layer (140) disposed between the first (AM1”, AM2”) and second (AM1”, AM2”) electrodes and the second insulating layer (108) (See Fig. 9). As to claim 12, Lee discloses further comprising a bank (140) disposed between the first (AM1”, AM2”) and second (AM1”, AM2”) electrodes and the second insulating layer (108), the bank (140) defining an emission area (surrounding 130) in plan view (See Fig. 9) (Notes: the bank defines and supports the emission area). As to claim 13, Lee discloses further comprising color conversion particles (quantum dot, fluorescent powder, phosphor powder) disposed on the second pixel electrode (150), the color conversion particles (quantum dot, fluorescent powder, phosphor powder) converting a wavelength band of light emitted from the light-emitting element (130) (See Fig. 9, ¶ 0053, ¶ 0062). As to claim 14, Lee discloses further comprising a color filter (¶ 0062) disposed on the color conversion particles (quantum dot, fluorescent powder, phosphor powder) (See Fig. 9, ¶ 0053, ¶ 0062) (Notes: the arrangement is commonly known as evidenced by FIG. 14 of Pak et al. (US 2022/0173160 A1)).
As to claim 15, Lee further discloses wherein the first pixel electrode (120) includes a first sub-pixel electrode (120) and a second sub-pixel electrode (120), spaced apart from each other with the second electrode (AM2”) disposed between the first sub-pixel electrode (120) and the second sub-pixel electrode (120) in plan view and electrically connected with each other, and wherein the first electrode (AM1”) includes a first sub-electrode (AM1”) spaced apart from the second electrode (AM2”) with the first sub-pixel electrode (120) disposed between the first sub-electrode (AM1”) and the second electrode (AM2”) in plan view and a second sub-electrode (AM2”) spaced apart from the second electrode (AM2”) with the second sub-pixel electrode (120) disposed between the second sub-electrode (AM2”) and the second electrode (AM2”) (See Fig. 2, ¶ 0054) (Notes: the sub-pixel electrodes are electrically connected when the display units are all turned on). As to claim 21, Lee discloses an electronic device comprising: a display device including: a first pixel electrode (120) disposed on a base layer (101) and extending in a second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’); a first insulating layer (107) disposed on the first pixel electrode (120) and defining an opening (at 140) exposing the first pixel electrode (120); a first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and a second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) extending in the second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’), disposed on the first insulating layer (107), and spaced apart from each other with the opening (at 140) disposed between the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in plan view; a light-emitting element (130) disposed in the opening (at 140) and including a first end portion (at 138b) electrically contacting the first pixel electrode (120) and a second end portion (at 138a); a second insulating layer (108/140/109) covering the first insulating layer (107), the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”), and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and exposing the second end portion (at 138a) of the light-emitting element (130); and a second pixel electrode (150) disposed on the second insulating layer (108/140/109) and electrically contacting the second end portion (at 138a) of the light-emitting element (130), wherein the light-emitting element (130) is between the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in plan view along a first direction (A-C’) that is orthogonal to the second direction (vertical/orthogonal to A-C’), and overlaps the first electrode (AM1”, AM2”) and the second electrode (AM1”, AM2”) in the first direction (A-C’) (See Fig. 2, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, ¶ 0040, ¶ 0041, ¶ 0042, ¶ 0049, ¶ 0050, ¶ 0051, ¶ 0052, ¶ 0053, ¶ 0054, ¶ 0055, ¶ 0056, ¶ 0057, ¶ 0062) (Notes: the first and second electrodes are made of the same material as the pixel electrode. Further, the three dimensional elements extend in the second direction).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 21 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Response to Amendment
The shapes of ALE1 and ALE2 may be further defined to distinguish over AM1 and AM2 of Lee.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7438. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-6.
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/DAVID CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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