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, 8, 11-12, 14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu (CN 113745391 A).
Regarding claim 1, Wu discloses a display panel (Fig. 6), comprising: a substrate (201); a drive array layer (203), wherein the drive array layer is located on a side of the substrate and comprises a plurality of first grooves (40); a light-shielding layer (204), wherein the light-shielding layer (204) is located on a side of the drive array (203) layer facing away from the substrate (201), the light-shielding layer (204) comprises a plurality of first openings, the plurality of first openings penetrate through the light-shielding layer (Fig. 6), and an orthographic projection of a first groove (40) of the plurality of first grooves on the substrate (201) at least partially surrounds an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Fig. 6); and a plurality of light-emitting components (30), an orthographic projection of a light-emitting component (30) of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate (201) at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Fig. 6); wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (204) is located within the plurality of first grooves (40).
Regarding claim 8, Wu discloses a display panel wherein, the orthographic projection of the first groove (40) on the substrate is an annular structure (Fig. 2); and the orthographic projection of the first groove (40) on the substrate surrounds an orthographic projection of at least one of the plurality of light-emitting components (30) on the substrate.
Regarding claim 11, Wu discloses a display panel wherein the drive array layer comprises at least a first insulating layer (203), and the plurality of first grooves are located in the first insulating layer (203), wherein no other insulating layer is comprised between the first insulating layer and the light-shielding layer (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 12, Wu discloses a display panel wherein a depth of the first groove is less than or equal to a thickness of the first insulating layer in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the substrate is located (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 14, Wu discloses a display panel wherein a side wall of the first groove comprises one of a beveled shape or a stepped shape (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 20, Wu discloses a display device comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel, comprises: a substrate (201); a drive array layer (203), wherein the drive array layer is located on a side of the substrate and comprises a plurality of first grooves (40); a light-shielding layer (204), wherein the light-shielding layer (204) is located on a side of the drive array layer (203) facing away from the substrate (201), the light-shielding layer (204) comprises a plurality of first openings, the plurality of first openings penetrate through the light-shielding layer (Fig. 6), and an orthographic projection of a first groove (40) of the plurality of first grooves on the substrate at least partially surrounds an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Fig. 6); and a plurality of light-emitting components (30), an orthographic projection of a light-emitting component (30) of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate (201) at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Fig. 6); wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (204) is located within the plurality of first grooves (40).
Claim(s) 1-3, 7 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Deng (CN 114122234 A).
Regarding claim 1, Deng discloses a display panel (Fig. 2), comprising: a substrate (11); a drive array layer (¶[0039]), wherein the drive array layer is located on a side of the substrate and comprises a plurality of first grooves (¶[0033], Fig. 1); a light-shielding layer (30), wherein the light-shielding layer (30) is located on a side of the drive array layer facing away from the substrate (11), the light-shielding layer (30) comprises a plurality of first openings, the plurality of first openings penetrate through the light-shielding layer (Fig. 1), and an orthographic projection of a first groove of the plurality of first grooves on the substrate at least partially surrounds an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Figs. 1-3); and a plurality of light-emitting components (20), an orthographic projection of a light-emitting component (20) of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate (11) at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Fig. 1); wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (301) is located within the plurality of first grooves (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Deng discloses a display panel wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (302) is located outside the plurality of first grooves; outside a region where the plurality of first grooves are located, a thickness of the light-shielding layer (302) in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the substrate is located is D1; and in the region where the plurality of first grooves are located, a thickness of the light-shielding layer (301) in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located is D2, wherein D1< D2 (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Deng discloses a display panel wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (301) is located on a side of a first groove of the plurality of first grooves facing to a respective one of the plurality of light-emitting components (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Deng discloses a display panel wherein, the orthographic projection of the first groove on the substrate is a strip-like structure (Figs. 1-3; in a direction parallel to a plane where the substrate is located, the first groove is located between two adjacent light-emitting components (20) of the plurality of light-emitting components (Figs. 1-3).
Regarding claim 20, Deng discloses a display device comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel, comprises: a substrate (11); a drive array layer (¶[0039]), wherein the drive array layer is located on a side of the substrate and comprises a plurality of first grooves (¶[0033], Fig. 1); a light-shielding layer (30), wherein the light-shielding layer (301) is located on a side of the drive array layer facing away from the substrate (Fig. 1), the light-shielding layer (30) comprises a plurality of first openings (Figs. 1-3), the plurality of first openings penetrate through the light-shielding layer (Figs. 1-3), and an orthographic projection of a first groove of the plurality of first grooves on the substrate at least partially surrounds an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Figs. 1-3); and a plurality of light-emitting components (20), an orthographic projection of a light-emitting component (20) of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate (11) at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of a respective first opening of the plurality of first openings on the substrate (Figs. 1-3); wherein at least part of the light-shielding layer (301) is located within the plurality of first grooves (Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 9, 10 and 15-19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim(s) 4, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 4, and specifically comprising the limitation of a same first groove among the plurality of first grooves comprises a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion satisfy at least one of: in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the substrate is located, a depth of the first portion is different from a depth of the second portion; or in a direction parallel to a plane where the substrate is located and along a direction in which the same first groove is directed towards the light-emitting component, a width of the first portion is different from a width of the second portion.
Regarding claim(s) 5-6, claims(s) 5-6 is/are allowable for the reasons given in claim(s) 4 because of its/their dependency status from claim(s) 4.
Regarding claim(s) 10, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 10, and specifically comprising the limitation of a first groove of the plurality of first grooves comprises a first region and a second region; in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, a depth of the first groove in the first region is greater than a depth of the first groove in the second region, and the first signal line does not overlap with the first groove in the first region.
Regarding claim(s) 9, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 9, and specifically comprising the limitation of an orthographic projection of the first sub-groove on the substrate surrounds an orthographic projection of one light-emitting component of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate, and an orthographic projection of the second sub- groove on the substrate surrounds orthographic projections of two light-emitting components of the plurality of light-emitting components on the substrate; and the orthographic projection of the first sub-groove on the substrate at least partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the second sub-groove on the substrate.
Regarding claim(s) 13, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 13, and specifically comprising the limitation of in the direction perpendicular to the plane where the substrate is located, a depth of the first hollow portion is less than or equal to a thickness of the first insulating layer, and a depth of the second hollow portion is less than or equal to a thickness of the second insulating layer.
Regarding claim(s) 15, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 15, and specifically comprising the limitation of a thin film transistor of the plurality of thin film transistors comprises an active portion, and the first groove is located on a side of a film layer on which the active portion is located facing away from the substrate.
Regarding claim(s) 16, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 16, and specifically comprising the limitation of a transparent region and a non-transparent region, the plurality of light-emitting components are located in the non- transparent region, and a side of the substrate in the transparent region comprises a second opening; the second opening penetrates through a film layer on the side of the substrate in a direction facing to the substrate, and the second opening is filled with a transparent material.
Regarding claim(s) 17-19, claims(s) 17-19 is/are allowable for the reasons given in claim(s) 16 because of its/their dependency status from claim(s) 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pan et al. (CN 114038873 A) discloses a display panel comprising a substrate, a plurality of die bonding regions arranged on one side of the substrate; each die bonding region and the adjacent die bonding regions are spaced apart from each other by a preset interval; a groove having a light absorbing layer located in the groove.
Lee (US 2020/0111936 A1) discloses a light emitting device including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, at least one of the first and second surfaces having a concave part extending to the inside of the substrate, a plurality of light emitting cells disposed on the first surface of the substrate, and a light shielding layer filling at least a portion of the concave part and disposed between the plurality of light emitting cells.
Liu et al. (US 2023/0352457 A1) discloses a display panel including an array substrate and a light-emitting unit, the array substrate including a base substrate and an encapsulation layer located on a side of the base substrate, and a side surface of the encapsulation layer facing away from the base substrate is provided with an accommodation groove, the light-emitting unit is located in the accommodation groove, the accommodation groove is filled with a light-absorbing material.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood or implied from the texts of the references. To emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out. Each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mariceli Santiago whose telephone number is (571) 272-2464. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han, can be reached on (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Mariceli Santiago/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2879