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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-11, 20-23, and 25-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heo et al, US Patent Application Publication 2016/0043341 (newly submitted).
Regarding claim 1, Heo teaches a display device comprising:
an auxiliary power line 920 in a display area on a substrate 910;
a protective layer 941 on the substrate, and having an opening 960/961 exposing at least a part of an upper surface of the auxiliary power line;
a via insulating layer 942 in the display area on the protective layer, the via insulating layer having a via contact hole 960/962 connected to the opening, and an end part of the via insulating layer including a protrusion (portion of 942 over 970) protruding toward a center of the via contact hole; and
a common electrode 923 on the via insulating layer, and electrically connected to the auxiliary power line, a part of the common electrode being located on the protrusion while disconnected from another part of the common electrode by an undercut shape 970 of the protrusion (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 2, Heo teaches the protrusion of the via insulating layer defines the undercut shape together with a first side surface of the opening of the protective layer (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 3, Heo teaches a pixel defining layer 980 on the via insulating layer, the pixel defining layer extending into the opening of the protective layer, and covering a second side surface of the opening facing the first side surface (figure 9F).
Regarding claims 7-8, Heo teaches a light emitting layer 952 on the via insulating layer and the auxiliary power line, wherein the light emitting layer is disconnected by the protrusion, wherein the common electrode covers a side surface of the light emitting layer (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 9, Heo teaches the common electrode directly contacts a part of the upper surface of the auxiliary power line (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 10, Heo teaches an organic layer 952 filling an empty space between the auxiliary power line and the protrusion.
Regarding claim 11, Heo teaches a lower surface of the protrusion that does not contact the protective layer has a curved shape [0070].
Regarding claim 20, Heo teaches a display device comprising:
an auxiliary power line 920 in a display area on a substrate 910;
a first protective layer 941 on the substrate, and having an opening exposing 960/961 at least a part of an upper surface of the auxiliary power line;
a second protective layer 942 on the first protective layer, the second protective layer having a contact hole 960/962 connected to the opening, and an end part of the second protective layer including a protrusion (portion of 942 over 970) protruding toward a center of the contact hole;
a via insulating layer 990 in the display area on the second protective layer; and
a common electrode 953 on the via insulating layer, and electrically connected to the auxiliary power line, a part of the common electrode being located on the protrusion while disconnected from another part of the common electrode by an undercut shape 970 of the protrusion (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 21, Heo teaches the protrusion of the second protective layer defines the undercut shape together with a first side surface of the opening of the first protective layer (figure 9F).
Regarding claims 22-23, Heo teaches a pixel defining layer 980 on the via insulating layer, the pixel defining layer extending into the opening of the first protective layer, and covering a second side surface of the opening facing the first side surface, wherein the second side surface of the opening has a step (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 25, Heo teaches the common electrode is disconnected by the protrusion, and directly contacts a part of the upper surface of the auxiliary power line (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 26, Heo teaches an organic layer 952 filling an empty space between the auxiliary power line and the protrusion of the second protective layer (figure 9F).
Regarding claim 27, Heo teaches a lower surface of the protrusion that does not contact the first protective layer has a curved shape [0070].
Regarding claim 28, Heo teaches
a transistor 930 in the display area on the substrate;
a pixel electrode 951 electrically connected to the transistor; and
a cover pattern 980 on the auxiliary power line, the cover pattern being disconnected by the protrusion of the second protective layer, and comprising the same material as that of the pixel electrode (figure 9F).
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heo as applied to claims 1 and 20 above, and further in view of Choi, US Patent Application Publication 2019/0172898 (as cited in previous Office Action).
Regarding claims 4 and 24, Heo fails to teach the protective layer comprises an inorganic material, and the via insulating layer comprises an organic material and the first and second protective layers comprise an inorganic material, and the via insulating layer comprises an organic material.
However, Choi teaches that protective layers 118/119 comprises an inorganic material [0081] and the via insulating layer comprises an organic material [0083].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Choi with that of Heo because it is generally-known in the art that protective layers and via insulating layers may be made of either inorganic or organic materials.
Claim(s) 12, 13, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heo as applied to claims 1 above, and further in view of Won et al, US Patent Application Publication 2021/0028272 (as cited in previous Office Action)
Regarding claim 12, Heo teaches an active pattern 925; a gate electrode 931 on the active pattern; a first electrode 934 connected to the active pattern; and a second electrode 934 in the same layer as that of the first electrode, and connected to the active pattern, and a pixel electrode 951 connected to the second electrode (Figure 9F).
Heo fails to teach a lower metal layer in the display area on the substrate; wherein the active pattern is on the lower metal layer and the second electrode is connected to the lower metal layer.
However, Won teaches the use of a bias electrode BSM that is used under the driving thin film transistor T1, in which a lower metal layer BSM in the display area on the substrate, the active pattern A1 is on the lower metal electrode, and the second electrode D1 is connected to the lower electrode (figure 3). The bias electrode may receive a voltage associated with an electric potential of the source electrode S3 of the sensing thin-film transistor T3, and thus, the driving thin-film transistor T1 may be stabilized, which improves the device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Won with that of Heo because the bias electrode is used to stabilize the driving transistor, which improves the electronic device formed.
Regarding claim 13, Heo teaches the auxiliary power line comprises the same material as that of the first electrode and the second electrode (figure 9A and [0136]).
Regarding claims 18-19, Heo teaches a cover pattern 980 on the auxiliary power line, the cover pattern being disconnected by the protrusion of the protective layer, and comprising the same material as that of the pixel electrode, wherein the common electrode is electrically connected to the auxiliary power line through the cover pattern. (figure 9F)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 14-17 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 6, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed invention including “...the protective layer comprises: a bank part covering an edge of the auxiliary power line, and having a second thickness; and a flat part except for the bank part of the protective layer, and having a first thickness less than the second thickness...” in combination with the remaining limitations.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed invention including “...an interlayer insulating layer between the substrate and the protective layer, the interlayer insulating layer covering an edge of the auxiliary power line, and having an opening exposing at least a part of the upper surface of the auxiliary power line....” in combination with the remaining limitations. Claims 15-17 are dependent upon claim 14 and are therefore allowable.
With regards to claims 6 and 14, the cited prior art(s) of record teach all of the limitations presented, but fail to recite the limitation above. Further, no other prior art was found that would meet the limitations of this claims, either in anticipatory or in combination with other references. Therefore, claims 6 and 14-17 have been found to be allowable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 10-11, filed 11 June 2026, with respect to the Drawings Objection and 35 USC 112have been fully considered and are persuasive. Both rejections has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 QUOVAUNDA JEFFERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5051. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM-4PM.
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QVJ
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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