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 § 112
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 3-11 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 3 (claims 4-5) recites limitation “the link wire line”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because it is unclear whether “the link wire line” relates back to “a plurality of link wire lines” (line 2 of claim 1) or to set forth an additional link wire line.
Claim 10 recites limitation “the display units”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because it is unclear whether “the display units” relates back to “a plurality of display units” (line 3 of claim 1) or to set forth additional display units.
Claim 11 recites limitation “the link wire line”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because it is unclear whether “the link wire line” relates back to “a plurality of link wire lines” (line 2 of claim 1) or to set forth an additional link wire line.
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 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
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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 a reflective layer positioned between the wiring substrate and the plurality of display units.
However, 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.
[AltContent: textbox (Lee’322 (US 2021/0351322) - Fig. 8
Bottom emission display)]
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[AltContent: textbox (REL –reflective layer)][AltContent: textbox (DPL –display units)][AltContent: rect][AltContent: textbox (ECP- second substrate)]
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 a reflective layer over pixel areas of 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 and the first substrate is light transmitting substrate for the rear surface emission display device of Lee 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 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 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 link wire line (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 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 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/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 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 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) 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 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 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 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 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 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 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/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 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 Lee’322 discloses 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/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 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 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 link wire line; 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/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 link wire line; 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).
Conclusion
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/NATALIA A GONDARENKO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891