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 .
Election/Restrictions
In response to a Restriction Requirement filed on 10/22/2025, the Applicant elected without traverse Group I (claims 1-16 and 20) and withdrew claims 17-19 of the non-elected Group II in a reply filed on 12/22/2025.
Currently, claims 1-16 and 20 are examined as below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) filed on 05/26/2023 and 06/13/2025. The IDS have been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested:
(Marked-Up Version) Display Panel and Display Device With Reduced Reflectivity
(Clean Version) Display Panel and Display Device With Reduced Reflectivity
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 is indefinite, because:
(1) The limitation “a first end surface” in line 2 renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether such first end surface is a first end surface of the display panel or of the connection terminal. The limitation will be interpreted as a first end surface of the connection terminal.
(2) The limitation “a second end surface” in lines 3-4 renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether such second end surface is a second end surface of the display panel or of the connection terminal. The limitation will be interpreted as a second end surface of the connection terminal.
Claim 14 is indefinite, because the limitation “the same light-emitting color” in line 3 is not mentioned before. There is insufficient antecedent basis.
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 1-5, 7, 10, 13-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2021/0408104 A1 to Lee et al. (“Lee”).
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Regarding independent claim 1, Lee in Figs. 5A, 12A-12B and Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A teaches a display panel PNL (Figs. 12A-12B & ¶ 272, display panel PNL), comprising:
a driving substrate PCL (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B & ¶ 154, circuit layer PCL includes transistor TR);
a light-shielding layer BNK2/BNK1 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 142, ¶ 145 & ¶ 150, second bank BNK2 includes light-blocking material, and first bank BNK1 is a reflective bank that sends incoming light away instead of letting it pass through or get absorbed, which makes the bank BNK1 a light-shielding layer), located on a side (Figs. 5A, upper side) of the driving substrate PCL, wherein the light-shielding layer BNK2/BNK1 comprises a first shielding structure BNK2 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 142 & ¶ 150, second bank BNK2) and a second shielding structure BNK1 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B & ¶ 145, first bank BNK1), the first shielding structure BNK2 comprises a first opening OP1 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), the second shielding structure BNK1 is located in the first opening OP1 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), and a thickness of the second shielding structure BNK1 is less than a thickness of the first shielding structure BNK2 in a first direction (Figs. 5A & 12A-12B), wherein the first direction is vertical to a plane where the driving substrate PCL is located and points to a light-emergent surface (Figs. 5A & 12A-12B, upper surface) of the display panel PNL (Figs. 5A & 12A-12B); and
a plurality of pixel units PXU1, PXU2 (Figs. 12A-12B & ¶ 272, first pixel unit PXU1 and second pixel unit PXU2), wherein a pixel unit PXU1, PXU2 of the plurality of pixel units PXU1, PXU2 comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements LD (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 156 & ¶ 242, light emitting elements LD includes light emitting elements LDr, LDg, and LDb), wherein a light-emitting element LD of the plurality of light-emitting elements LD is located in the first opening OP1 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), and the driving substrate PCL provides driving signals for the plurality of light-emitting elements LD (Fig. 5A & ¶ 154 disclose the light emitting elements LD would be driven by the transistor TR in the circuit layer PCL).
Regarding claim 2, Lee in Figs. 5A, 12A, Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches the light-emitting element LD comprises a light-emitting body ACT (Fig. 1B & ¶ 49, active layer ACT) and a connection terminal CNE1, CNE2 or EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 (Figs. 5A, 12A & ¶ 110, first contact electrode CNE1, second contact electrode CNE2; Figs. 5A, 12A, ¶ 49 & ¶ 133, electrode layer ETL at first end portion EP1, first semiconductor layer SCL1 at second end portion EP2), the second shielding structure BNK1 comprises a second opening OP2 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), the connection terminal CNE1, CNE2 or EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 is at least partially disposed in the second opening OP2 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A) and is electrically connected to the driving substrate PCL (Figs. 5A, 12A, ¶ 133 & ¶ 154), and the second shielding structure BNK1 is at least partially disposed between the light-emitting body LD and the driving substrate PCL (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A, the structure BNK1 is at least partially disposed between the body LD and the substrate in PCL in a diagonal direction DD).
Regarding claim 3, Lee in Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches the connection terminal CNE1, CNE2 has a first end surface (Figs. 5A & 12A, end surface connecting the first electrode ELT1 or the second electrode ELT2) and a second end surface (Figs. 5A & 12A, end surface connecting the light emitting element LD) opposite to each other in the first direction, the first end surface is connected to the driving substrate PCL (Figs. 5A, 12A, ¶ 133 & ¶ 154, end surface of the terminal CNE1 electrically connects to the transistor TR through the first electrode ELT1, and the upper end surface of the terminal CNE2 electrically connects to the second power line PL2 through the second electrode ETL2), the second end surface is connected to the light-emitting body ACT (Figs. 5A, 12A, ¶ 133 & ¶ 154, end surface of the terminal CNE1 electrically connects to the first end portion EP1 of the light emitting element LD including the body ACT), and an area of a cross section of the connection terminal CNE1, CNE2 increases in the first direction (Fig. 5A, at least a portion of the CNE1, CNE2 includes a cross section having an area increases in the first (i.e., vertical) direction).
Regarding claim 4, Lee in Fig. 5A further teaches the area of the cross section of the connection terminal CNE1, CNE2 increases gradually in the first direction (Fig. 5A).
Regarding claim 5, Lee in Figs. 1B, 5A and 12A further teaches the connection terminal EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 extends in the first direction (Figs. 5A & 12A, the electrode ETL and the first semiconductor layer SCL1 at respective end portions EP1, EP2 extend in vertical direction), a first end surface is connected to the driving substrate PCL (Figs. 1B, 5A, 12A, ¶ 64, ¶ 133 & ¶ 154, one of the end surfaces of EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 electrically connects to the substrate PCL through the electrodes CNE1 and ELT1, or through the electrode CNE2 and ELT2), a second end surface is connected to the light-emitting body ACT (Figs. 1B, 5A, 12A & ¶ 64, the other one of the end surfaces of EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 electrically connects to the body ACT), and the connection terminal EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 is a structure with a constant cross section from the first end surface to the second end surface in the first direction (Figs. 1B, 5A & 12A).
Regarding claim 7, Lee in Figs. 1B, 5A, Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches an aperture diameter of the second opening OP2 is greater than an outer diameter of the connection terminal EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 (Figs, 1B, Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), and a gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the connection terminal EP1/ETL, EP2/SCL1 and a wall surface enclosing the second opening OP2 (Figs. 1B, Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A).
Regarding claim 10, Lee in Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches a single light-emitting element LD/LDr/LDg/LDb is disposed in the first opening OP1.
Regarding claim 13, Lee in Annotated Fig. 12A further teaches at least two light-emitting elements LDr, LDg, LDb (¶ 241-¶ 242, first color light emitting element LDr, second color light emitting element LDg, and third color light emitting element LDb) are disposed in the first opening OP1.
Regarding claim 14, Lee in Annotated Fig. 12A further teaches at least two of the light-emitting elements LDr, LDg, LDb disposed in the first opening OP1 have different light-emitting colors (¶ 241-¶ 242, the first color light emitting element LDr emits red light, the second color light emitting element LDg emits green light, and the third color light emitting element emits blue light).
Regarding claim 15, Lee in Fig. 12B further teaches a barrier layer LBP2 (¶ 260, second light blocking pattern LBP2), disposed on a side of the light-shielding layer BNK2/BNK1 facing away from the driving substrate PCL and protruding from the light-emitting element LD in the first direction (Fig. 12B), wherein adjacent pixel units PXU1, PXU2 are separated by the barrier layer LBP2 (Fig. 12B).
Regarding claim 16, Lee in Fig. 12B further teaches an orthographic projection of the barrier layer LBP2 on the driving substrate PCL is located within an orthographic projection of the first shielding structure BNK2 in the first direction (Fig. 12B).
Regarding independent claim 20, Lee in Figs. 2, 5A, 12A-12B, Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A teaches a display device (Fig. 2 & ¶ 70, display device includes a display panel PNL), comprising a display panel PNL (Fig. 12A & ¶ 272, display panel PNL),
wherein the display panel PNL comprises:
a driving substrate PCL (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B & ¶ 154, circuit layer PCL includes transistor TR);
a light-shielding layer BNK2/BNK1 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 142, ¶ 145 & ¶ 150, second bank BNK2 includes light-blocking material, and first bank BNK1 is a reflective bank that sends incoming light away instead of letting it pass through or get absorbed, which makes the bank BNK1 a light-shielding layer), located on a side (Figs. 5A, upper side) of the driving substrate PCL, wherein the light-shielding layer BNK2/BNK1 comprises a first shielding structure BNK2 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 142 & ¶ 150, second bank BNK2) and a second shielding structure BNK1 (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B & ¶ 145, first bank BNK1), the first shielding structure BNK2 comprises a first opening OP1 (Annotated Fig. 12A), the second shielding structure BNK1 is located in the first opening OP1 (Annotated Fig. 12A), and a thickness of the second shielding structure BNK1 is less than a thickness of the first shielding structure BNK2 in a first direction (Figs. 5A & 12A-12B), wherein the first direction is vertical to a plane where the driving substrate PCL is located and points to a light-emergent surface (Figs. 5A & 12A-12B, upper surface) of the display panel PNL; and
a plurality of pixel units PXU1, PXU2 (Figs. 12A-12B & ¶ 272, first pixel unit PXU1 and second pixel unit PXU2), wherein the pixel unit PXU1, PXU2 comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements LD (Figs. 5A, 12A-12B, ¶ 156 & ¶ 242, light emitting elements LD includes light emitting elements LDr, LDg, and LDb), the light-emitting element LD is located in the first opening OP1 (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A), and the driving substrate PCL provides driving signals for the light-emitting elements LD (Fig. 5A & ¶ 154 disclose the light emitting elements LD would be driven by the transistor TR in the circuit layer PCL).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6, 8-9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable and obvious over Lee.
Regarding claim 6, Lee does not explicitly disclose an aperture diameter of the second opening is equal to an outer diameter of the connection terminal.
However, it would have been obvious to form the aperture diameter of the second opening and the outer diameter of the connection terminal within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Regarding claim 8, Lee in Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches the pixel unit PXU1, PXU2 comprises a first-color light-emitting element LD/LDr (¶ 241-¶ 242, light emitting element LD includes first color light emitting element LDr) and a second-color light-emitting element LD/LDg (¶ 241-¶ 242, light emitting element LD includes second color light emitting element LDg), a first gap (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A) is formed between the first-color light-emitting element LDr and a wall surface of the seconding opening OP2 where the first-color light-emitting element LDr is located, a second gap (Annotated Figs. 5A & 12A) is formed between the second-color light-emitting element LDg and a wall surface of the seconding opening OP2 where the second-color light-emitting element LDg is located.
Lee does not explicitly disclose the first gap is greater than the second gap.
However, it would have been obvious to form the first gap and the second gap within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Regarding claim 9, Lee does not explicitly disclose a ratio of a thickness of the connection terminal to the thickness of the second shielding structure in the first direction is greater than 1.
However, it would have been obvious to form the ratio within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Regarding claim 11, Lee in Annotated Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches the pixel unit comprises a first-color light-emitting element LDr (¶ 241-¶ 242, first color light emitting element LDr), a second-color light-emitting element LDg (¶ 241-¶ 242, second color light emitting element LDg) and a third-color light-emitting element LDb (¶ 241-¶ 242, third color light emitting element LDb);
in the first direction, a portion of the first shielding structure BNK2 located between the first-color light-emitting element LDr and the second-color light-emitting element LDg has a first height (Annotated Fig. 12A), and a portion of the first shielding structure BNK2 located between the second-color light-emitting element LDg and the third-color light-emitting element LDb has a second height (Annotated Fig. 12A).
Lee does not explicitly disclose the first height is greater than the second height.
However, it would have been obvious to form the first height and the second height within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Regarding claim 12, Lee in Figs. 5A and 12A further teaches the display panel PNL has a first region PXU1 (Fig. 12A & ¶ 272, first pixel unit PXU1) and a second region PXU2 (Fig. 12A & ¶ 272, second pixel unit PXU2), and the pixel unit PXU1, PXU2 comprises a first-color light-emitting element LDr (¶ 241-¶ 242, first color light emitting element LDr) and a second-color light-emitting element LDg (¶ 241-¶ 242, second color light emitting element LDg);
in the first region PXU1, the first shielding structure BNK2 between at least one first-color light-emitting element LDr and an adjacent second-color light-emitting element LDg has a third height in the first direction (Fig. 12A); in the second region PXU2, the first shielding structure BNK2 between at least one first-color light-emitting element LDr (Fig. 12A) and an adjacent second-color light-emitting element LDg (Fig. 12A) has a fourth height in the first direction (Fig. 12A).
Lee does not explicitly disclose the third height is greater than the fourth height.
However, it would have been obvious to form the third height and the fourth height within the claimed range, since it has been held by the Federal circuit that, where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device. (In Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2022/0336707 A1 to Shin et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIKKA LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-2568. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-5AM EST M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached on 571-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817