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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to the amendments filed on 04/14/2026.
Applicant’s amendments filed 04/14/2026 have been fully considered and reviewed by the examiner. The examiner notes the amendment of claims 1, 3, 10, and 11.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “the micro-LED” (lines 12-13) which should be replaced with “each of the plurality of micro-LEDs” for consistence with claim language.
Claim 3 (claim 11) recites “the plurality of the link wire lines” which should be replaced with “the plurality of link wire lines”.
Claim 10 recites “the plurality of the display units” which should be replaced with “the plurality of display units”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4, 6-7, 9-10, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 10,199,443 to Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee) in view of Jeong et al. (KR 102288309 B1, hereinafter Jeong) and Lee et al. (US 2021/0351322, hereinafter Lee’322).
With respect to claim 1, Lee discloses a display device (Lee, Figs. 9-10, Col. 1, lines 16-19; lines 52-67; Col. 2, lines 1-40; Cols. 7-16) comprising:
a wiring substrate (SUB2, see the annotated Fig. 10 of Lee below) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 7, lines 28-33; Col. 10, lines 20-40; Col. 11, lines 18-42; Col. 12, lines10-34; Col. 14, lines 46-48; Col. 15, lines 49-67) on which a plurality of link wire lines (e.g., extensions of the drain electrode DE on the wiring substrate SUB2 connected to the contact electrode CNE and the extensions of the source electrode SE on the wiring substrate SUB2) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 52-67) are disposed;
a plurality of display units (e.g., a plurality of pixel areas in which display devices, OLED or other display devices, to display images are provided) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 8, lines 2-12; Col. 12, lines 4-9; Col. 14, lines 12-45) including a plurality of light-emitting elements (OLEDs) and a plurality of signal lines (e.g., portions of the second electrode EL2 on the protruded pixel defining layers PDL to receive a driving signal form a TFT transistor is interpreted as a plurality of signal lines) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 11, lines 66-67; Col. 12, lines 1-3), wherein the
plurality of display units are disposed on the wiring substrate (SUB2) and spaced apart from each other (e.g., pixel defining layer PDL and the adhesive CA on the PDL dividing the plurality of pixel areas) (Lee, Figs. 9-10, Col. 9, lines 48-55; Col. 13, lines 36-59);
a reflective layer (e.g., the second electrode EL2 between the protruded pixel defining layers PDL includes a conductive material such as Ag or Al to reflect light generated in the light emitting layer EML in a direction of the first substrate SUB1) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 9, lines 64-67; Col. 10, lines 1-19) positioned on the wiring substrate (SUB2); and
a plurality of bonding members (e.g., contact electrode CNE and the conductive adhesive CA on the PDL covered with portions of the second electrode EL2) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 63-67; Col. 16, lines 1-14) positioned between the reflective layer (e.g., the reflective material of the second electrode EL2 between the protruded PDLs) and the wiring substrate (SUB2) and electrically connecting the plurality of link wire lines (e.g., extensions of the drain electrode DE on the wiring substrate SUB2 connected to the contact electrode CNE) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 52-67) and the plurality of signal lines (e.g., portions of the second electrode EL2 on the protruded pixel defining layers PDL to receive a driving signal form a TFT transistor is interpreted as a plurality of signal lines) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 11, lines 66-67; Col. 12, lines 1-3) to each other.
Further, Lee does not specifically disclose (1) a plurality of micro light-emitting diodes (micro- LEDs), wherein each of the plurality of micro-LEDs includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed on a same surface of the micro-LED and are spaced apart from each other; (2) a reflective layer positioned between the wiring substrate and the plurality of display units.
Regarding (1), Jeong teaches forming micro-LED display device (Jeong, Fig. 8, pp.1-5) comprising a plurality of micro-LEDs (200) connected to the wiring substrate (500/600), wherein each of the plurality of micro-LEDs (200) includes a first electrode (210) (Jeong, Figs. 4-5, p.3) and a second electrode (220), the first electrode (210) and the second electrode (220) being disposed on a same surface of the micro-LED (200) and are spaced apart from each other, and the wiring substrate (500/600) disposed on the plurality of micro- LEDs (200), to provide back light emitted micro-LED display device having longer lifespan, advantageous light efficiency and fast response speed (Jeong, Abstract, pp.1-5).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee forming micro-LED display device as taught by Jeong to have the display device comprising: a plurality of micro light-emitting diodes (micro- LEDs), wherein each of the plurality of micro-LEDs includes a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed on a same surface of the micro-LED and are spaced apart from each other, in order to provide back light emitted micro-LED display device having longer lifespan, advantageous light efficiency, and fast response speed (Jeong, Abstract, pp.1-5).
Regarding (2), Lee’322 teaches forming a rear surface emission display device (Lee’322, Figs. 5-8, ¶0005-¶0017, ¶0123-¶0049, ¶0177-¶0181) comprising a reflective layer (REL, see the annotated Fig. 8 of Lee’322 below) (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0177-¶0181) positioned between the second substrate (e.g., encapsulation substrate ECP) (Lee’322, Figs. 5, 8, ¶0183) and the plurality of display units (e.g., display element units DPL including pixels PXL) (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0139-¶0149) formed on the first substrate (SUB), to improve light emission efficiency for the rear surface emission display device.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Jeong forming a reflective layer over the plurality of display units between the second substrate and the first substrate as taught by Lee’322, wherein the second substrate is the wiring substrate of Lee/Jeong and the first substrate is light transmitting substrate for the rear surface emission display device of Lee/Jeong to have a reflective layer positioned between the wiring substrate and the plurality of display units, in order to improve light emission efficiency for the rear surface emission display device (Lee’322, ¶0005, ¶0177-¶0181).
Regarding claim 2, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 1. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the wiring substrate (SUB2) includes a single substrate (e.g., a metal substrate) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 10, lines 22-26; Col. 14, lines 46-48), wherein the plurality of display units (e.g., a plurality of pixel areas) (Lee, Figs. 9-10, Col. 13, lines 36-46) are disposed on the wiring substrate (SUB2) and spaced apart (e.g., pixel defining layer PDL and the adhesive CA on the PDL dividing the plurality of pixel areas, as in Fig. 9) (Lee, Figs. 9-10, Col. 9, lines 48-55; Col. 13, lines 36-59) from each other in each of transverse and longitudinal directions of the wiring substrate (SUB2).
Regarding claim 3, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 1. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein each of the plurality of bonding members (e.g., contact electrode CNE and the conductive adhesive CA on the protruded PDL) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 63-67; Col. 16, lines 1-14) includes: a spacer pattern (e.g., the protruded PDL covered with the reflective material of the second electrode EL2) having a lower surface in contact the reflective layer (e.g., the reflective material of the second electrode EL2 between the protruded PDLs); a conductive connection pattern (e.g., the contact electrode CNE) covering upper and outer side surfaces of the spacer pattern (e.g., the protruded PDL) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 63-67); and an adhesive pattern (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 16, lines 1-14) disposed on the conductive connection pattern (CNE) and connected to the plurality of the link wire lines (e.g., extensions of the drain electrode DE on the wiring substrate SUB2 connected to the contact electrode CNE) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 52-67) .
Regarding claim 4, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the spacer pattern (e.g., the protruded PDL) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 33-38) has a taper shape in which a width of the lower surface thereof in contact with the reflective layer (e.g., the reflective material of the second electrode EL2 covering the protruded PDL) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 10, lines 1-19) is larger than a width of an upper surface thereof in contact with the link wire line (e.g., extensions of the drain electrode DE on the wiring substrate SUB2) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 52-67).
Regarding claim 6, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee does not specifically disclose the display device, further comprising a sealing layer as a top layer thereof, wherein the reflective layer is in contact with the sealing layer.
However, Lee’322 teaches the display device, further comprising a sealing layer (ILP) (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0174-¶0176) as a top layer thereof, wherein the reflective layer (REL) (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0177-¶0181) is in contact with the sealing layer (ILP), wherein the sealing layer (ILP) comprises a light-transmitting material so as to guide light efficiency (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0176), and to reflect light without leakage.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Jeong/Lee’322 forming a sealing layer under the reflective layer as taught by Lee’322 to have the display device, further comprising a sealing layer as a top layer thereof, wherein the reflective layer is in contact with the sealing layer, in order to provide a light-transmitting material so as to guide light efficiency; and to reflect light without leakage to improve light emission efficiency for the rear surface emission display device (Lee’322, ¶0005, ¶0176, ¶0181).
Regarding claim 7, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee discloses the display device, further comprising a sealing layer (e.g., passivation layer PSV) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 11, lines 32-42) as a top layer thereof, wherein the adhesive pattern (CA) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 16, lines 1-14) is in contact with the sealing layer (PSV).
Regarding claim 9, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the spacer pattern (e.g., the protruded PDL covered with the reflective material of the second electrode EL2) and the reflective layer (e.g., the reflective material of the second electrode EL2 between the PDLs) are made of a same material (e.g., Al) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 10, lines 1-19).
Regarding claim 10, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 1. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the display device further comprises a filler (e.g., passivation layer PSV) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 11, lines 32-42) disposed between the wiring substrate (SUB2) and the plurality of the display units (OLEDs), but does not specifically disclose that the filler includes a transparent resin.
However, Lee’322 teaches forming a filler (ILP) (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0174-¶0176) disposed between the second substrate (ECP) and the display units DPL), wherein the filler (ILP) includes a transparent resin (e.g., a light-transmitting material including an acrylic resin or epoxy resin) so as to guide light efficiency (Lee’322, Fig. 8, ¶0176), and to reflect light without leakage.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Lee’322 forming a filler including a light-transmitting material between the display units and the second substrate as taught by Lee’322 to have the display device, wherein the filler includes a transparent resin, in order to provide a light-transmitting material so as to guide light efficiency; and to reflect light without leakage to improve light emission efficiency for the rear surface emission display device (Lee’322, ¶0005, ¶0176, ¶0181).
Regarding claim 12, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 1. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the plurality of link wire lines (e.g., extensions of the source electrode SE on the wiring substrate SUB2) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 15, lines 52-67) are disposed to respectively overlap each of the plurality of display units (OLEDs).
Regarding claim 13, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee discloses the display device, wherein the spacer pattern (e.g., the protruded PDL covered with the reflective material of the second electrode EL2) includes a metal material (e.g., Ag, the silver material is well-known as a high reflectance material) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 10, lines 1-15) having high reflectance.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 10,199,443 to Lee in view of Jeong (KR 102288309 B1) and Lee’322 (US 2021/0351322) as applied to claim 3, and further in view of Choi (KR 20090094692).
Regarding claim 5, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 3. Further, Lee does not specifically disclose that the spacer pattern has a reverse taper shape in which a width of the lower surface in contact with the reflective layer is smaller than a width of an upper surface thereof in contact with the link wire line.
However, Choi teaches forming display device (Choi, Figs. 1c-1d, 2, pp.1-6) comprising the spacer pattern (191b/191c) (Choi, Figs. 1c-1d, 2, p.5) having a reverse taper shape in which a width of the lower surface in contact with the reflective material (e.g., Al, for the bottom emission substrate to display image in the direction of the first substrate 110) of the second electrode layer (170) is smaller than a width of an upper surface thereof in contact with the link wire line (e.g., 191a) of the second substrate (180), to reduce the contact area with the second electrode of the OLEDs, to improve the display quality, and to provide improved bottom emission display device having uniform display quality and capable of implementing a large area light emitting display device.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Jeong/Lee’322 forming the spacer pattern having a shape as taught by Choi to have the display device, wherein the spacer pattern has a reverse taper shape in which a width of the lower surface in contact with the reflective layer is smaller than a width of an upper surface thereof in contact with the link wire line, in order to reduce the contact area with the second electrode of the OLEDs, to improve the display quality, and to provide improved bottom emission display device having uniform display quality and capable of implementing a large area light emitting display device (Choi, Abstract, pp. 1-6).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 10,199,443 to Lee in view of Jeong (KR 102288309 B1) and Lee’322 (US 2021/0351322) as applied to claim 7, and further in view of You et al. (CN 109285855, hereinafter You).
Regarding claim 8, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322discloses the display device of claim 7. Further, Lee does not specifically disclose the display device, wherein the adhesive pattern includes a silver paste.
However, Lee teaches the conductive adhesive pattern (CA) (Lee, Fig. 10, Col. 8, lines 13-26) between the wiring substrate (SUB2) and the first substrate (SUB1).
Further, You teaches a conductive adhesive pattern (152a/152b) (You, Fig. 1G, pp.6-7) including silver paste between a first substrate (110) and the second substrate (160), to provide a reliable electrical connection between different elements of the first and the second substrates, and to obtain a display device with improved resolution.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Jeong/Lee’322 forming a conductive adhesive pattern comprised of a specific conductive polymer as taught by You to have the display device, wherein the adhesive pattern includes a silver paste, in order to provide a reliable electrical connection between different elements of the first and the second substrates, and to obtain a display device with improved resolution (You, Abstract, pp. 1-2, 6-7).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 10,199,443 to Lee in view of Jeong (KR 102288309 B1) and Lee’322 (US 2021/0351322) as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Chuang et al. (US Patent No. 11,635,838, hereinafter Chuang).
Regarding claim 11, Lee in view of Jeong and Lee’322 discloses the display device of claim 1. Further, Lee does not specifically disclose the display device, further comprising: a circuit film disposed at at least one side end of the wiring substrate, and connected to the plurality of the link wire lines; an integrated circuit chip mounted on the circuit film for transmitting a driving signal to the plurality of display units; and a printed circuit board connected to the circuit film.
However, Chuang teaches forming a display device (Chuang, Figs. 1-2, Col. 2, lines 32-67; Col. 3, lines 1-24; Col. 4, lines 28-47) comprising a circuit film (e.g., wire 142/130) disposed at at least one side end (e.g., at a bottom side end and a top side end) of the second substrate (100), and connected to the link wire line (e.g., wire 102); an integrated circuit chip (e.g., a driving chip 128) (Chuang, Figs. 1-2, Col. 4, lines 28-44) mounted on the circuit film (130) for transmitting a driving signal to the plurality of display units (104); and a printed circuit board (e.g., PCB 114) (Chuang, Figs. 1-2, Col. 2, line 67; Col. 3, lines 1-10) connected to the circuit film (142), to provide improved display device having circuit elements (e.g., driving chip or PCB) on the top/bottom side of the substrate to reduce the thickness of the display device.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Lee/Jeong/Lee’322 forming the circuit elements on the top/bottom end of the substrate as taught by Chuang to have the display device, further comprising: a circuit film disposed at at least one side end of the wiring substrate, and connected to the plurality of the link wire lines; an integrated circuit chip mounted on the circuit film for transmitting a driving signal to the plurality of display units; and a printed circuit board connected to the circuit film, in order to reduce the contact area with the second electrode of the OLEDs, to improve the display quality, and to provide improved display device having circuit elements (e.g., driving chip or PCB) on the top/bottom side of the substrate to reduce the thickness of the display device (Chuang, Col. 1, lines 23-25; Col. 2, line 67; Col. 3, lines 1-3; Col. 4, lines 28-47).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant's argument that “[n]o indication within the cited portions of Lee '322 of a configuration in which each of the plurality of light emitting elements includes a "first electrode and a second electrode disposed on a same surface of the [light emitting element] and spaced apart from each other," as now recited in amended claim 1” and “[n]o indication within Lee of a display architecture that includes "a plurality of display units including a plurality of micro light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs)" as now recited in amended claim 1”, the examiner submit that newly discovered prior art by Jeong teaches forming micro-LED display device comprising a plurality of micro-LEDs including a "first electrode and a second electrode disposed on a same surface of the [light emitting element] and spaced apart from each other bonded to the wiring substrate” as required by claim 1, and that forming micro-LED display device is advantageous over the LCDs and OLEDs because of longer lifespan, better light efficiency, and fast response speed. Thus, the above Applicant's argument is not persuasive, and the rejection of claim 1 under 35 USC 103 over Lee in view Jeong and Lee’322 is maintained.
Regarding dependent claims 2-13 which depend on the independent claim 1, the examiner respectfully submits that the applicant’s arguments with respect to dependent claims are not persuasive for the above reasons, thus, the rejections of the dependent claims are sustained.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATALIA GONDARENKO whose telephone number is (571)272-2284. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 AM-7:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NATALIA A GONDARENKO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
Prosecution Insights