DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s Remarks filed on 03/20/2026.
Currently, claims 1-6, 8-10, 12-13, and 15-19 are pending in the application. Currently, claims 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, and 16-17 are withdrawn.
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 .
Response to Amendments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 6, 8, 13, 15, and 18-19 have been considered. Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not teach all of the limitations of the amended independent claim 1, namely the limitation “each of the third-subpixels is rectangular in shape and has a same size”. This argument is not found persuasive because cited prior art Luo does teach an embodiment (Fig. 12) where their subpixels 02 are rectangular in shape and have a same size (see prior art rejection below).
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 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.
Claims 1-3, 6, 8, 13, 15, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over LUO et al. (US Pub. No. 2022/0336539) in view of XIAO et al. (US Pub. No. 2020/0273924).
Regarding independent claim 1, Luo teaches a pixel arrangement structure (Fig. 2), comprising:
a plurality of first pixel units (Fig. 2, top left and bottom right groups of 5 sub pixels) each comprising at least two first sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]), at least two second sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) and at least one third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 02, ¶ [0171]) with different colors (¶ [0146]), wherein;
a ratio of numbers of the at least two first sub-pixels, the at least two second sub-pixels and the at least one third sub-pixel is 2:2:1 (Fig. 2, a single subpixel 02 is surrounded by two subpixels 01 and two subpixels 03),
the at least two first sub-pixels and the at least two second sub-pixels are arranged alternately around the at least one third sub-pixel (Fig. 2),
connecting lines between central points of the at least two first sub-pixels and central points of the at least two second sub-pixels form a polygon (Fig. 2, T, ¶ [0171]),
wherein connecting lines between central points of the at least two first sub-pixels and central points of the at least second sub-pixels adjacent to the at least two first sub-pixels form polylines along at least one of a row direction and a column direction (Fig. 2, dotted lines through subpixels 01 and 03); and
a plurality of second pixel units (Fig. 2, bottom left and top right subpixels 02) each arranged between adjacent first pixel units along the row direction and the column direction, wherein:
extending directions of two adjacent second pixel units (Fig. 2, bottom left and top right subpixels 02) located on a same column are parallel (the Examiner notes that Fig. 2 of Luo only shows a single repetition unit of subpixels. However, ¶ [0135] teaches that Luo’s subpixels can be repeated throughout Luo’s display substrate. Therefore, Luo display substrate with multiple repetition units would have multiple second pixel units in a same column that extend in parallel directions in a similar manner to pertinent prior art Xiao (see Fig. 14, 02, ¶ [0047])),
each second pixel unit (Fig. 2, bottom left and top right subpixels 02) of the plurality of second pixel units comprises one third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 02, ¶ [0171]),
connecting lines between central points of third sub-pixels form straight lines along at least one of the row direction and the column direction (Fig. 2, center points of top left and top right subpixels 02 would form a straight line).
However, Fig. 2 of Luo does not explicitly teach that each of the third sub-pixels is rectangular in shape and has a same size.
However, Fig. 12 of Luo is an embodiment that teaches that each of the third sub-pixels is rectangular (Fig. 12, subpixels 02 appear to be squares/rectangular) in shape and has a same size (Fig. 12, ¶ [0250] teaches that subpixels 02 can be formed to have a same shape and thus same size).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the embodiment of Luo Fig. 2 to have the subpixels 02 be a same shape and size according to the teaching of Luo Fig. 12 in order to simplify manufacturing (Luo ¶ [0250]).
Regarding claim 2, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, and Luo teaches that the first pixel unit (Fig. 2, top left and bottom right groups of 5 sub pixels) comprises two first sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]), two second sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) and one third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 02, ¶ [0171]), central points of the two first sub-pixels constitute vertices of one set of diagonal angles of a parallelogram (Fig. 2, T, ¶ [0171]), central points of the two second sub-pixels constitute vertices of the other set of diagonal angles of the parallelogram (Fig. 2, T, ¶ [0171]), and the third sub-pixel is located in a region surrounded by the first sub-pixels and the second sub-pixels (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 3, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, and Luo teaches that the connecting lines between the central points of the first sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]) and the central points of the second sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) adjacent to the first sub-pixels form polylines (Fig. 2, dashed lines through subpixels 01 and 02 along the row direction) along the row direction, and the connecting lines between the central points of the first sub-pixels and the central points of the second sub-pixels adjacent to the first sub-pixels form straight lines (Fig. 2, dashed lines through subpixels 01 and 02 along the column direction) along the column direction.
Regarding claim 6, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, and Luo teaches that the connecting lines between the central points of the at least two first sub-pixels (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]) and the central points of the at least two second sub-pixels(Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) form a trapezium or a parallelogram (¶ [0030]).
Regarding claim 8, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, and Luo teaches that the plurality of first pixel units (Fig. 2, top left and bottom right groups of 5 sub pixels) is arranged in an array along the row direction and the column direction, and the plurality of second pixel units (Fig. 2, bottom left and top right subpixels 02) comprise a plurality of first type pixel units (Fig. 2, top right subpixel 02) arranged in rows and each located between two adjacent rows of the first pixel units along the column direction as well as a plurality of second type pixel units (Fig. 2, bottom left subpixel 02) each located between two adjacent first pixel units along the row direction, and extending directions of two adjacent first type pixel units located on a same row intersect with each other (the Examiner notes that Fig. 2 of Luo only shows a single repetition unit of subpixels. However, ¶ [0135] teaches that Luo’s subpixels can be repeated throughout Luo’s display substrate. Therefore, Luo display substrate with multiple repetition units would have multiple rectangular and square second pixel units 02 repeated in multiple rows and columns in a similar manner to pertinent prior art Xiao (see Fig. 14, 02, ¶ [0047]). Further, extending directions of the top right subpixels unit 02 and bottom left subpixel unit 02 intersect each other (the bottom left square subpixel unit 02 extends in multiple directions)).
Regarding claim 13, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1, and Luo teaches that the first sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]) is a red sub-pixel (¶ [0146]), the second sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) is a blue sub-pixel (¶ [0146]), the third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 02, ¶ [0171]) is a green sub-pixel (¶ [0146]), and an opening of the second sub-pixel is greater than an opening of the first sub-pixel and an opening of the third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, subpixel 03 is comparatively larger than subpixels 01 and 02).
Regarding claim 15, Luo teaches the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 14, and Luo teaches that each of the first sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 01, ¶ [0171]), the second sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 03, ¶ [0171]) and the third sub-pixel (Fig. 2, 02, ¶ [0171]) is rectangular in shape (Fig. 2, subpixels 01, 02, and 03 are squares/rectangles).
Regarding claim 18, Luo teaches a display panel (¶ [0053] teaches that Luo’s pixel arrangement is part of a display panel) comprising the pixel arrangement structure according to claim 1 (see Regarding independent claim 1).
Regarding claim 19, Luo teaches a display apparatus (¶ [0246] teaches that Luo’s display panel can be used in a mobile phone or other such display devices) comprising the display panel of claim 18.
Cited Prior Art
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant.
Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/R.P.S./
Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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