DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/27/2023 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
(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) 1-4, 8-12, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1/a2 as being anticipated by Seong et al. (US 20200287157 A1) (Seong, hereafter).
Regarding claim 1, Seong discloses, a display panel (Figures 1-21 and corresponding text) comprising: a substrate (100) comprising an opening area (OA), a display area (DA) surrounding at least a portion of the opening area (OA), and an intermediate area (MA) between the opening area( OA) and the display area (DA); a light-emitting diode(OLED) disposed on the display area (DA), and comprising a pixel electrode (221), an opposite electrode (223), and an intermediate layer(222)(π122) between the pixel electrode(221) and the opposite electrode(223); an inorganic insulating layer (207) (π203-π205) disposed on the intermediate area (MA), and (Figure 16) defining a trench surrounding the opening area (OA); and a separator (SP) disposed on an upper surface of the inorganic insulating layer (207)and a side surface of the inorganic insulating layer, the side surface defining the trench, in the intermediate area(MA), wherein the separator ((SP) includes a protrusion at a corner portion of the inorganic insulating layer where the upper surface meets the side surface (see figure18) (π84-π185).
Regarding claim 2, Seong discloses (Figure 18) wherein the protrusion(no number) protrudes toward an inside of the trench(no number).
Regarding claim 3, Seong discloses (Figure 18) wherein an inclined surface of the separator, located inside the trench, is reversely tapered by the protrusion.
Regarding claim 4, Seong discloses wherein the side surface of the inorganic insulating layer, defining the trench, is forward tapered.
Regarding claim 8,Seong discloses wherein the intermediate layer(222) comprises: an emission layer (222b)disposed to correspond to the pixel electrode (221); and a functional layer(222a/222c) extending from the display area(DA) to the intermediate area (MA), wherein the functional layer (222a/222c) is disposed on the separator (sp).
Regarding claim 9, Seong also discloses wherein the functional layer (222) comprises: a first portion (222c) disposed outside the trench; and a second portion(222a) disposed inside the trench and separated from the first portion(222c) (π122-π125).
Regarding claim 10, Seong also discloses wherein the opposite electrode (223 )comprises: a first portion disposed outside the trench; and a second portion disposed inside the trench and separated from the first portion (π137).
Regarding claim 11, Seong discloses(Figures 1-21) an electronic device (1, display apparatus) comprising: a display panel(10)( comprising an opening area (OA), a display area (DA)surrounding at least a portion of the opening area (OA), and an intermediate area (MA) between the opening area(OA) and the display area(DA); and a component (20) (π78) disposed to overlap the opening area(OA) of the display panel (10) wherein the display panel(10) comprises (Figure 18): a substrate (100); a light-emitting diode(221-223)(OLED) disposed on the substrate (100)to overlap the display area (DA) and comprising a pixel electrode (221), an opposite electrode (223), and an intermediate layer(222) between the pixel electrode(221) and the opposite electrode(223); an inorganic insulating layer(207) disposed on the substrate(100) to overlap the intermediate area (MA) and defining a trench(no number) surrounding the opening area (OA); and a separator(SP) disposed on the substrate(100) to overlap the intermediate area (MA)and defining a groove overlapping the trench, wherein a width of the groove increases as being toward the substrate (Figure 18)
Regarding claim 12, Seong discloses wherein an inclined surface of the separator, defining the groove, is reversely tapered.
Regarding claim 18 Seong discloses wherein the intermediate layer 222 comprises: an emission layer(222b) disposed to correspond to the pixel electrode 221; and a functional layer(222a/222c )extending from the display area (DA) to the intermediate area(MA), wherein the functional layer(222a/222c) is disposed on the separator(SP).
Regarding claim 19, Seong discloses wherein the functional layer(222a/222c) comprises: a first portion (222c) disposed outside the groove; and a second portion(222a) disposed inside the groove and separated from the first portion(222c) (π122-π125).
Regarding claim 20 Seong discloses wherein the opposite electrode(223) comprises: a first portion disposed outside the groove; and a second portion disposed inside the groove and separated from the first portion (π137).
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.
Claims 5-7 and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seong et al. (US 20200287157 A1) (Seong, hereafter).
Regarding claims 5-7, the limitations, wherein the separator comprises a plurality of metal layers(claim 5);wherein a width of the trench is less than or equal to 3.5 μm(Claim6);wherein a depth of the trench is greater than or equal to 0.5 μm (claim 7) do not appear to contain any additional features which define more than slight constructional changes which come within the scope of the customary (design) practice followed by persons skilled in the art, especially as the advantages thus achieved can be readily contemplated in advance. Alternatively, these limitations are not deemed patentable since the applicant’s disclosure fails to show such limitations to solve any problems or to yield any unobvious advantage that is not within the scope of the teachings applied. Therefore, such limitations would be a matter of design alternative.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the electronic device of Seong with ordinary skill could derive wherein the separator comprises: a first metal layer defining a first groove; and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer and defining a second groove, wherein the first groove and the second groove overlap each other; wherein each of a first thickness of the first metal layer in the first groove and a second thickness of the second metal layer in the second groove decreases as being toward the substrate the motivation being to provide more flexibility in the device.
Regarding claims 13 and 14, the limitations wherein the separator comprises: a first metal layer defining a first groove; and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer and defining a second groove, wherein the first groove and the second groove overlap each other; wherein each of a first thickness of the first metal layer in the first groove and a second thickness of the second metal layer in the second groove decreases as being toward the substrate with etc do not appear to contain any additional features which define more than slight constructional changes which come within the scope of the customary (design) practice followed by persons skilled in the art, especially as the advantages thus achieved can be readily contemplated in advance. Alternatively, these limitations are not deemed patentable since the applicant’s disclosure fails to show such limitations to solve any problems or to yield any unobvious advantage that is not within the scope of the teachings applied. Therefore, such limitations would be a matter of design alternative.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the electronic device of Seong with ordinary skill could derive wherein the separator comprises: a first metal layer defining a first groove; and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer and defining a second groove, wherein the first groove and the second groove overlap each other; wherein each of a first thickness of the first metal layer in the first groove and a second thickness of the second metal layer in the second groove decreases as being toward the substrate the motivation being to provide more flexibility in the device.
Regarding claims 15-17, Seong discloses the invention set forth above along with teaching surrounding thickness and depth. Seong fails to explicitly disclose wherein each of the first thickness and the second thickness is in a range of about 0.01 μm to about 0.45 μm(claim 15);wherein a width of the trench is less than or equal to 3.5 μm (claim 16);wherein a depth of the trench is greater than or equal to 0.5 μm (claim 17).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to modify the electronic device of Seong along with the disclosure of Seong to derive wherein each of the first thickness and the second thickness is in a range of about 0.01 μm to about 0.45 μm; wherein a width of the trench is less than or equal to 3.5 μm; wherein a depth of the trench is greater than or equal to 0.5 μm; since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Can be found in the 892 and below:
US 20220223673 A1-General state of the art- The display panel includes first and second display
US 20210408508 A1-General state of the art- a method of fabricating a display substrate
US 10879491 B1—General state of the art- display apparatus having an inorganic encapsulating layer with a rough surface
US 20190197961 A1-Generasl state of the art- a display device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRACIE Y GREEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3104. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thursday, 10am-8pm.
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TRACIE Y. GREEN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/TRACIE Y GREEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875