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 06/30/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US. Pub: 2021/0143236 A1) in view of Hwang et al. (US. Pub: 2021/0111363 A1~ hereinafter “Hwang”).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses (in at least figs. 1-11) a display device comprising: a substrate (10) including a display area (AA) and a non-display area (NA); a first pixel disposed at an outermost side of the display area of the substrate (best seen in at least figs. 4-6); a dummy pattern (40) extending from the first pixel to the non-display area (best seen in at least fig. 6); and a signal pad (13; [0045]) disposed outside the dummy pattern and electrically connected to the first pixel (see at least fig. 1), wherein the first pixel comprises: a pixel circuit layer (see at least figs. 2-6) including a transistor disposed on the substrate; a display element layer (50) disposed on the pixel circuit layer and including light emitting elements (see at least figs3. 2 and 6)
Kim does not expressly disclose a first color conversion layer disposed on the display element layer, the dummy pattern is disposed on the pixel circuit layer in the non-display area adjacent to the first color conversion layer, and an upper surface of the dummy pattern is lower than an upper surface of the first color conversion layer.
Hwang in the same field of a display device discloses (in at least 2) a first conversion layer (232; [0095]) disposed on the display element layer (see fig. 2) the dummy pattern (250) is disposed on the pixel circuit layer in the non-display area adjacent to the first color conversion layer (232), and an upper surface of the dummy pattern (250) is lower than an upper surface of the first color conversion layer (see fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Kim with the first conversion layer teaching of Hwang for the benefit of converting light from the light emitting layer to a different wavelength.
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses (in at least fig. 6) the dummy pattern (40) has a plurality of step differences (see at least fig. 6), but fails to disclose the plurality of step differences become lower in height toward an outside of the non-display area.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the dummy pattern steps of Kim such that the plurality of step differences become lower in height toward an outside of the non-display area, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses (in at least figs. 1-11) the dummy pattern includes an inorganic insulating material ([0059]).
Regarding claim 4, Hwang discloses (in at least fig. 2) the dummy pattern (250) includes a black material having a light blocking property ([0114]).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses (in at least figs. 1-11) the dummy pattern (40) comprises: a first pattern layer (41) disposed in the non-display area; and a second pattern layer (43) disposed on at least a portion of an upper surface of the first pattern layer (best seen in at least figs. 5b and 6).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses (in at least figs. 1-11) the dummy pattern (40) comprises: a first pattern layer (41) disposed in the non-display area; and a second pattern layer (43) that is in physical contact with a side surface of the first pattern layer (see figs. 5b and 6), and an upper surface of the first pattern layer (41) has a step difference from an upper surface of the second pattern layer (43).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel and including the pixel circuit layer, the display element layer, and a second color conversion layer on the display element layer; and a bank disposed between the first pixel and the second pixel. Claims 8-12 are objected due to their dependency upon claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELMITO BREVAL whose telephone number is (571)270-3099. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th~ 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James R. Greece can be reached at 571-272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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ELMITO BREVAL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/ELMITO BREVAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875