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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-23 in the reply filed on April 14, 2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 5, and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choung et al. (US 2023/0301139).
Regarding claim 1, Choung discloses a display panel (Fig. 1B) comprising: a base layer (102; Paragraph [0029]); a pixel defining layer defining a first emission opening and disposed on the base layer (126; Paragraph [0029]); a partition defining a first partition opening corresponding to the first emission opening and disposed on the pixel defining layer (110A; Paragraph [0037]); a first light-emitting element (106; Paragraph [0031]) including a first anode (104; Paragraph [0030]) at least partially exposed by the first emission opening, a first cathode including at least a portion disposed within the first partition opening and contacting the partition (114; Paragraph [0038]), and a first emission pattern disposed between the first anode and the first cathode (112; Paragraph [0031]); a first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern partially overlapping the first emission opening and disposed on the first light-emitting element and the partition (116; Paragraph [0042]); and a first cover layer partially overlapping the first emission opening and disposed on the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern (122; Paragraph [0045]).
Regarding claim 5, Choung further discloses wherein the first cover layer entirely overlaps the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern in a plan view (Fig. 1B, 116 & 122).
Regarding claim 7, Choung further discloses wherein the first cover layer comprises a first upper cover pattern spaced apart from the partition, and wherein an outer surface of the first upper cover pattern is substantially aligned with an outer surface of the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern (Fig. 1B, 116 & 122).
Regarding claim 8, Choung further discloses a second light-emitting element including a second anode, a second emission pattern, and a second cathode; and a second lower encapsulation inorganic pattern, wherein a second emission opening exposing at least a portion of the second anode is defined in the pixel defining layer, wherein a second partition opening corresponding to the second emission opening and having the second emission pattern and the second cathode disposed therein is defined in the partition, and wherein the second lower encapsulation inorganic pattern partially overlaps the second emission opening and is disposed on the second light-emitting element and the partition (Fig. 1B, structure associated with sub-pixel 108b).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 6, and 9-23 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.
Specifically, in claim 2, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the first cover layer comprises a transparent conductive oxide.
Specifically, in claim 3, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein a refractive index of the first cover layer is about 1.5 or more and about 2.0 or less.
Specifically, in claim 4, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein a difference between a refractive index of the first cover layer and a refractive index of the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern is about 0.4 or less.
Specifically, in claim 6, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the first cover layer contacts an outer surface of the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern and an upper surface of the partition.
Specifically, in claim 9, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the first cover layer comprises: a first portion covering the first and second lower encapsulation inorganic patterns and a non-overlapping area with the first and second lower encapsulation inorganic patterns of an upper surface of the partition; and a second portion connected to the first portion, disposed between the partition and the second lower encapsulation inorganic pattern, and defining a first sub opening corresponding to the second emission opening.
Claims 10-16 are objected to based on their dependence from claim 9.
Specifically, in claim 17, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein a second cover layer including a first lower cover pattern disposed between the partition and the second lower encapsulation inorganic pattern and defining a first sub opening corresponding to the second emission opening, wherein the first cover layer comprises: a first upper cover pattern partially overlapping the first emission opening and disposed on the first lower encapsulation inorganic pattern; and a second upper cover pattern partially overlapping the second emission opening and disposed on the second lower encapsulation inorganic pattern, and wherein the second upper cover pattern overlaps the first lower cover pattern in a plan view.
Claims 18-22 are objected to based on their dependence from claim 17.
Specifically, in claim 23, the prior art of record fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the partition comprises: a first layer including a first inner surface defining a first area of the first partition opening and having a first conductivity; and a second layer including a second inner surface defining a second area of the first partition opening and having a second conductivity and disposed on the first layer, wherein the first conductivity is higher than the second conductivity, and wherein the first inner surface is recessed inward than the second inner surface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNE M HINES whose telephone number is (571)272-2285. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8:00-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece, can be reached on 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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/Anne M Hines/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2879
Prosecution Insights