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 .
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(s) (IDS) submitted on 10/26/23 & 08/19/24 was/were received by the Examiner before the issuance/mailing date of the first office action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) has/have been considered (except for anything in foreign language non-accompanied by an English translation) by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 19 and 20 each recites “a display device formed on the base layer”. There is no support for this limitation in the original disclosure. There is no description with associated drawings to support this. The display device is item DD shown in fig. 1 and it is not shown to be formed on a base layer. The closest thing to this limitation is the display base layer DBSL, and it is part of the display device, and therefore, the display device cannot be formed on it.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 19 recites on lines 1-2 “the base layer” and “the display part”, and claim 20 recites on lines 1-2 “the base layer” and “the display part”. There is insufficient basis for those limitations in the claims.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5-13 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and also under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KIM et al. (US 2023/0276681).
a. Re claim 1, KIM et al. disclose a display device, comprising sub-pixels (as defined in annotated fig. 7B below; see figs. figs. 1A-11 and related text; see remaining of disclosure for more details) forming respective sub-pixel areas (areas occupied by the sub-pixels), wherein each of the sub-pixels comprises: a display part 100 (in a sub-pixel area; [0058]-[0061]); a sensor part 200-1 (in a sub-pixel area; [0191]-[0192]) disposed on the display part, and including a reflective electrode (FP-1 or PP; [0192]-[0199]) overlapping the sub-pixel areas; and an outer part 300 (see [0074]-[0075], [0148]) disposed on the sensor part, and including a light blocking member (P1&P2; [0149]-[0151]) overlapping the reflective electrode.
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b. Re claim 2, the sensor part includes a first conductive pattern layer ME ([0104]), a second conductive pattern layer PP&FP-1, and an insulating layer IL2 ([0069]) disposed between the first conductive pattern layer and the second conductive pattern layer, and wherein the reflective electrode is formed of the second conductive pattern layer (explicit on fig. 7B).
In the alternative to the above: the sensor part includes a first conductive pattern layer PP ([0019], [0192]), a second conductive pattern layer ME&FP-1 ([0145]-[0146], [0104]), and an insulating layer IL2 ([0069]) disposed between the first conductive pattern layer and the second conductive pattern layer, and wherein the reflective electrode (when it is FP-1) is formed of the second conductive pattern layer (explicit on fig. 7B).
c. Re claim 5, the display part comprises a base layer 120 disposed on a planar surface (planar top surface of 110; [0062]; in the alternative, the base layer is 110 disposed on a planar bottom surface of 120), and a light emitting element LD ([0127]) disposed on the base layer and including an emission layer EL, wherein the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P2 and a second light blocking member P1 spaced apart from each other in a direction in which the planar surface extends, and wherein, in a plan view, the first light blocking member is disposed in the sub-pixel areas (this is implicit from fig. 7B), and the second light blocking member is disposed in an area between the sub-pixel areas (explicit as per fig. 7A and annotated fig. 7B).
d. Re claim 6, a lower surface of the reflective electrode faces the emission layer, and an upper surface of the reflective electrode faces the second light blocking member (explicit in fig. 7B).
e. Re claim 7, in a plan view, the reflective electrode does not overlap the first light blocking member, and overlaps the second light blocking member (implicit as per figs. 7A-7B).
f. Re claim 8, the display device further comprises a pixel defining layer PDL ([0096]) formed to define an area where the emission layer is disposed, wherein the sensor part comprises a sensing electrode ME ([0104]) disposed on a same layer as the reflective electrode, wherein the reflective electrode and the second light blocking member overlap the emission layer, in a plan view (explicit as per figs. 7A-B), and wherein the sensing electrode and the first light blocking member overlap the pixel defining layer, in a plan view (explicit as per figs. 7A-B).
g. Re claim 9, the outer part further comprises a color filter 320 ([0148])configured to allow a color of light to selectively pass therethrough, and wherein the color filter contacts (indirectly) the reflective electrode.
h. Re claim 10, the color filter covers an overall upper surface of the reflective electrode (explicit as per figs. 7A-B).
i. Re claim 11, the second light blocking member is disposed on (i.e. contacts) the color filter, and brought into contact with the color filter (fig. 7A).
j. Re claim 12, first light blocking member is brought into contact with the color filter, and spaced apart from the reflective electrode, in a plan view (explicit as per figs. 7A-B).
k. Re claim 13, the light blocking member includes a light absorbent material (this is explicit since it is formed of the black die or pigment as per [0164]), wherein light provided from the display part includes first light (represented by a bold array extending upward through opening OP-310 on annotated fig. 7B above) and second light (represented by finer arrows and reflecting off FP-1 and PP downward and reflecting off layers of 100 upwards on annotated fig. 7B above), the first light is emitted outward through an area where the reflective electrode is not disposed (see explanations above and annotated fig. 7B), and the second light is reflected by a lower surface of the reflective electrode, and reflected by at least some layers of the display part, and then emitted outward (see explanations above and annotated fig. 7B), and wherein external light introduced from an outside of the display device is reflected by an upper surface of the reflective electrode and absorbed by the light blocking member (the external light is shown by arrows reflecting off FP-1 towards the lower surface of P2 on annotated fig. 7B above).
l. Re claim 16, the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P1 disposed between the sub-pixel areas, and a second light blocking member P2 (i.e. all the P2 as a whole, noting that fig. 7B is merely a partial view of a repeating pattern; see fig. 5 for an example of the plurality of P2) disposed in the sub-pixel areas, and wherein the second light blocking member comprises a plurality of components disposed in any one of the sub-pixel areas (explicit as per figs. 7A-B noting that fig. 7B is merely a partial view of a repeating pattern).
m. Re claim 17, the sub-pixel areas include a first sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-G’ on fig. 5; see [0155]) and a second sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-B’ on fig. 5), wherein the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P1 disposed between the first sub-pixel area and the second sub-pixel area, and a second light blocking member P2-B’&P2-G’ disposed in the first sub-pixel area and the second sub-pixel area, wherein the second light blocking member comprises a 2_1-th light blocking member P2-G’ disposed in the first sub-pixel area, and a 2_2-th light blocking member P2-B’ disposed in the second sub-pixel area, and wherein a width of the 2_2-th light blocking member is greater than a width of the 2_1-th light blocking member (explicit on fig. 5).
n. Re claim 18, the sub-pixel areas include a first sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-B on fig. 5) and a second sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-G on fig. 5), wherein the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P1 disposed between the first sub-pixel area and the second sub-pixel area, and a second light blocking member P2-G’ disposed in the second sub-pixel area, and wherein the second light blocking member is not disposed in the first sub-pixel area (explicit on fig. 5, noting that P2-G’ is not in the first sub-pixel area corresponding to OP2-B).
o. Re claim 19, KIM et al. disclose a display device, comprising: a display device (structure on fig. 7B excluding layer 110; see figs. 7A-B and related text; see remaining of disclosure for more details) formed on a base layer 110, and provided to form sub-pixels (as identified in annotated fig. 7B above); a sensor part 200-1 disposed on a display part 100, and including a first conductive pattern layer PP (or BE or PP&BE), a second conductive pattern layer ME&FP-1, and an insulating layer IL2 disposed between the first conductive pattern layer and the second conductive pattern layer; and an outer part 300 disposed on the sensor part, and including a color filter 320 and a light blocking member 310, wherein the sub-pixels respectively form sub-pixel areas (areas occupied by the sub-pixels) each providing a color of light, wherein the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P2 disposed in the sub-pixel areas (see fig. 5 as to how P2 are distributed in the sub-pixel areas), and a second light blocking member P1 disposed between the sub-pixel areas, wherein the second conductive pattern layer includes a reflective electrode FP-1 overlapping the sub-pixel areas in a plan view (explicit as per figs. 7A-B), wherein the second light blocking member is disposed on one (lower) surface of the color filter and brought into contact with the color filter, and wherein the color filter covers an overall upper surface of the reflective electrode (explicit as per figs. 7A-B).
p. Re claim 20, KIM et al. disclose a display device, comprising: a display device (structure on fig. 7B excluding layer 110; see figs. 7A-B and related text; see remaining of disclosure for more details) formed on a base layer 110, and provided to form sub-pixels (as defined in annotated fig. 7B above); a sensor part 200-1 disposed on a display part 100, and including a first conductive pattern layer (PP or BE or PP&BE), a second conductive pattern layer ME&FP-1, and an insulating layer IL2 disposed between the first conductive pattern layer and the second conductive pattern layer; and an outer part 300 disposed on the sensor part, and including a color filter 320 and a light blocking member 310, wherein the sub-pixels respectively form sub-pixel areas (areas occupied by the sub-pixels) each providing a color of light, wherein the sub-pixel areas include a first sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-B on fig. 5) and a second sub-pixel area (corresponding to OP2-G), wherein the light blocking member comprises a first light blocking member P1 disposed between the sub-pixel areas, and a second light blocking member P2-G’ disposed in the second sub-pixel area, wherein the second light blocking member is not disposed in the first sub-pixel area (P2-G’ is not disposed in the sub-pixel area corresponding to OP2-B), wherein the second conductive pattern layer includes a sensing electrode ME and a reflective electrode FP-1, and wherein the reflective electrode overlaps the second light blocking member in a plan view (explicit as per figs. 7A-B).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 3-4, 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al. (US 2023/0276681).
a. Re claim 3 and in view of the alternative rejection of claim 2 above, KIM et al. disclose all the limitations of claim 2 as stated above including that the sensor part includes a sensing electrode ME formed of the second conductive pattern layer, except explicitly that the sensing electrode and the reflective electrode include an identical material. However, the sensing electrode ME and the reflective layer FP-1 are formed at the same level, and as such, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have formed them from a same metallic material in a same patterning/deposition step in order to save time and cost (see MPEP 2144.I&II).
b. Re claim 4, the insulating layer and the reflective electrode contact each other (explicit on fig. 7B).
c. Re claim 14, KIM et al. disclose all the limitations of claim 5 as stated above including that the first light blocking member has a first light blocking width (width of P2 on fig. 7B), wherein the second light blocking member has a second light blocking width (width of P1 on fig. 7B), except explicitly that the second light blocking width is less than the first light blocking width. However, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have provided, via a non-inventive change in size (see MPEP 2144.04.IV), the second light blocking width to be less than the first light blocking width as required or desired for increasing incoming light input or outgoing light output (a smaller width of P2 means less absorbing obstacle on the light path through opening OP-310) for better optical performance of the device (see MPEP 2144.I&II).
d. Re claim 15, the reflective electrode has an electrode width (width in fig. 7B), and wherein the electrode width is less than the second light blocking width (explicit on fig. 7B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kang et al. (US 2019/0146622) disclose a display device similar to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PENIEL M GUMEDZOE whose telephone number is (571)270-3041. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:00AM - 5:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dale Page can be reached at 5712707877. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PENIEL M GUMEDZOE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899