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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/02/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of applicant’s amendment filed 01/15/2026. Claims 11-20 withdrawn to a non-elected invention, Claims 1-10 are pending and an action on the merits is as follows.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection in light of amendments made to claims 1 and 6.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al.( WO2020050467A1, machine translation) (Lee, hereafter).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a display device (Figures 1-12 and corresponding text) (Figures 1-6, 7a-7b,8) comprising: partition walls (PW1,PW2) overlapping an emission area (EMA) and spaced from each other; electrodes (ELT1, ELT2) on the partition walls (PW1,PW2) and spaced from each other; a first bank (BNK) on the electrodes and in a non-emission area (π127); light-emitting elements (LD) between the electrodes (ELT1, ELT2) in the emission area (EMA), wherein the electrodes(ELT1 ELT2)define a hole ((CH1), π121) overlapping the first bank(BNK) and wherein the first bank(BNK) does not overlap the light-emitting elements in a plan view. Lee fails to explicitly disclose a second bank,
Lee however discloses that the BNK is higher (H2) than the partition wall (H1, height of partition wall. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have various shapes. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a trapezoidal cross-section which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7A. For example, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, an inclined surface which is reduced in width upward. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, a curved surface which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. In otherward, in an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a shape which is reduced in width upward, and the shape thereof may be changed in various ways.(π163-π186).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the office before the effective filing date to modify the display device as Lee discloses to provide a second bank on top of the first bank the motivation being to create a dam-like structure to prevent overflow in manufacturing or crosstalk among subpixels that degrades emission.
Regarding claim 2, Lee discloses (Figure 7A-7B, 8 ) an insulating layer(INS1) between the electrodes (ELT1 ELT2) and the first bank (BNK).
Regarding claim 3, Lee discloses (Figure 7A-7B, 8 ) wherein the light emitting elements (LD) are on the insulating layer (INS1).
Regarding claim 4, Lee discloses (Figure 7A-7B, 8 ) wherein the insulating layer (INS1) includes defines a hole overlapping the hole of the electrodes (ELT1, ELT2).
Regarding claim 5, Lee fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first bank is in contact with the partition walls through the hole of the electrodes and the hole of the insulating layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the display device of Lee wherein the insulating layer (INS1) includes defines a hole overlapping the hole of the electrodes, since it been held hat rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 6, Lee discloses (Figures 7A-8) display device comprising: partition walls (PW1,PW2)overlapping an emission area (EMA) and spaced from each other; electrodes (ELT1, ELT2) above the partition walls (PW1,pw2), spaced from each other, and defining a hole (no number); wherein a first bank (BNK) above the electrodes, in a non-emission area ;light-emitting elements (LD) between the electrodes (ELT1, ELT2) in the emission area (EMA); wherein the first bank (BNK) does not overlap the light-emitting elements (LD)in a plan view.
Lee fails to explicitly disclose, and wherein the first bank is-in contact with one of the partition walls through the hole of the electrodes; and a second bank above the first bank,
Lee however discloses that the BNK is higher (H2) than the partition wall (H1, height of partition wall. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have various shapes. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a trapezoidal cross-section which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7A. For example, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, an inclined surface which is reduced in width upward. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, a curved surface which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. In otherward, in an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a shape which is reduced in width upward, and the shape thereof may be changed in various ways.(π163-π186).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the office before the effective filing date to modify the display device as Lee discloses wherein the first bank is-in contact with one of the partition walls through the hole of the electrodes, since it been held hat rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70. And where in there to provide a second bank on top of the first bank the motivation being to create a dam-like structure to prevent overflow in manufacturing or crosstalk among subpixels that degrades luminous efficiency.
Regarding claim 7 and 8 , Lee discloses (figures 7a-8, Figure 10) wherein the bank(BNK) defines an opening overlapping the emission area (See Figure 10: SPA1); color conversion layer (CCL)in the opening of the (BNK). Lee fails to explicitly disclose a second bank,
Lee however discloses that the (BNK) is higher (H2) than the partition wall (H1, height of partition wall. In an embodiment, the bank (BNK) may have various shapes. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a trapezoidal cross-section which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7A. For example, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, an inclined surface which is reduced in width upward. In an embodiment, the bank BNK may have, in an area bordering on the emission area EMA of each sub-pixel SPX, a curved surface which is reduced in width upward, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. In otherward, in an embodiment, the bank BNK may have a shape which is reduced in width upward, and the shape thereof may be changed in various ways.(π163-π186).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the office before the effective filing date to modify the display device as Lee discloses to provide a second bank on top of the first bank the motivation being to create a dam-like structure to prevent overflow in manufacturing or crosstalk among subpixels that degrades emission.
Regarding claim 9, Lee discloses (Figure 10:SPA1) a color filter layer (CF1) on the color conversion layer CCL1).
Regarding claim 10, Lee fails to explicitly disclose wherein the first bank is in contact with the partition walls through the hole of the electrodes and the hole of the insulating layer; wherein the first bank comprises a first area extending along a second direction crossing the first direction, and wherein the hole of the electrodes is at a crossing of the first area and the second area of the first bank. do not appear to contain any additional features which define more than slight constructional changes which come within the scope of the customary (design) practice followed by persons skilled in the art, especially as the advantages thus achieved can be readily contemplated in advance. Alternatively, these limitations are not deemed patentable since the applicant's disclosure fails to show such limitations to solve any problems or to yield any unobvious advantage that is not within the scope of the teachings applied. Therefore, such limitations would be a matter of design alternative.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to modify the display device of LI as disclosed with the teachings of Li to derive wherein the first bank comprises a first area extending along a first direction and a second area extending along a second direction crossing the first direction, and wherein the hole of the electrodes is at a crossing of the first area and the second area of the first bank, to further enhance compactness of devices while understanding that matters of design choice require routine skill.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the 892 and below:
US 20220068901 A1- General State of the Art-display device including a subminiature light emitting element
US 20210217739 A1-US Application for rejection of claims 1-10
US 20150044805 A1- organic electronic device manufacturing method
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACIE Y GREEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3104. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thursday, 10am-8pm.
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TRACIE Y. GREEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/TRACIE Y GREEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875