DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/22/23 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
In response to the restriction requirement dated 12/16/25, the Applicant has elected species A (fig. 3) without traverse, and has indicated that claims1-3, 5, 11-14, and 16 pertain to species A. However, claims 5 and 16 do NOT pertain to species A (fig. 3). Claims 5 and 16 cite a the “high refractive index pattern between the micro-LED and the upper refractive layer”. According to paragraph [0117] - [0119] of the specification, the high refractive index pattern is numeral 487, which is NOT in fig. 3, and it is different and separate from the planarization film (which contains the groove pattern) and the upper reflective layer. Therefore, only claims 1-3 and 11-14 read on the elected species and are hereby considered. The remaining claims are withdrawn from consideration.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tezcan (US 2021/0202789).
As to claim 1, Tezcan teaches a display device (fig. 34), comprising:
a substrate (20) having a first surface (upper) and a second surface (lower) opposite to the first surface ([0165]);
a micro-LED (10) on the first surface (upper) of the substrate (20), the micro-LED including a light- emitting area ([0211]);
a reflective electrode (70) at least one side surface of the micro-LED ([0208]); and
an upper reflective layer (50) facing and overlapping the light-emitting area of the micro- LED ([0198] – [0200]), wherein the upper reflective layer (50) is configured to reflect light emitted from the light- emitting area of the micro-LED (10) to be directed toward the second surface of the substrate ([0242] teaches the LED is bottom-emitting through layer 904 and [0165] teaches layer 26 is the same as 904).
As to claims 2 and 3, Tezcan further teaches the upper reflective layer includes a plurality of protrusion patterns protruding toward the substrate (Fig. 34, [0190] “The horizontally extending portion of the second conductivity type semiconductor material layer 36… has a resulting roughened or faceted surface” and the metallic material that forms reflective electrode layer 50 is deposited over the layer 36 [0198]. Thus, the metallic material filling the roughened surface forms protrusions that have the same width and depth, and are arranged in one direction).
As to claim 11, Tezcan teaches a display device (fig. 34), comprising:
a substrate (22, [0165]);
a protective layer (24) on the substrate (22, [0167]);
a micro-LED (10) on the protective layer (24, [0211]);
a contact-hole on at least one side surface of the micro-LED (see annotated figure below, [0208], “a reflector layer 70, which can be topologically homeomorphic to a ring.”);
a reflective electrode (70) on an exposed surface of the contact-hole ([0208], the reflective electrode 70 defines the hole, thus it is the side surface);
a bank (60) in the contact-hole, wherein the bank (60) has a bank hole defined therein exposing a light-emitting area of the micro-LED (see annotated figure below);
a planarization film (36) on the light-emitting area of the micro-LED and the bank ([0204]); and
an upper reflective layer (50) on the planarization film to vertically overlap the light-emitting area of the micro-LED (fig. 35, [0198] – [0200]).
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As to claim 12, Tezcan further teaches the planarization film (36) further comprises a groove pattern including a plurality of recesses in an area corresponding to the bank hole, and wherein the upper reflective layer (50) includes protrusion patterns respectively filling the recesses of the groove pattern and protruding toward the substrate (see annotated figure above).
As to claim 13, Tezcan further teaches the groove pattern has a structure in which the plurality of recesses having a same width and a same depth are consecutively arranged in one direction, and wherein the plurality of recesses are connected to each other, and wherein each of the recesses has an inclined side surface (fig. 35).
As to claim 14, Tezcan further teaches the upper reflective layer (50) has a width larger than a width of the bank hole (see annotated figure above).
Conclusion
Any response to this Office Action should be faxed to (571) 273-8300 or mailed to:
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAREN M KUSUMAKAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3520. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 7:30a – 4:30p EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fernando Toledo can be reached on 571-272-1867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KAREN KUSUMAKAR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
2/20/26