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
Acknowledgment is made that applicant's Amendment, filed on April 22nd, 2026, has been entered.
Upon entrance of the Amendment, claim 15 was amended. Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Claim 15 was objected to because of informalities. Claim 15 has been amended as suggested. The objections of claim 15 has been overcome and is withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 22nd, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant has argued:
Claim 1 recites at least in part the following distinguishing features:
"a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side
of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate" (Hereinafter referred to as Features-A for simplicity);
"wherein the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel (Hereinafter referred to as Features-B for simplicity);
… neither Choi nor Zhai discloses or teaches Features-A or Features-B, whether considered individually or in combination….
Choi and Zhai address different technical problems and disclose structurally different solutions. Accordingly, a person of ordinary skill in the art would not have been motivated to modify Choi in view of Zhai to arrive at the claimed Features-A and Features-B, absent impermissible hindsight. Hence, claim 1 involves an inventive step and is patentable over Choi and Zhai, whether taken alone or in combination.
The arguments are not persuasive, by the following reasons:
The Office Action stated that “Choi does not disclose a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate.” This claimed Feature-A is cured by Zhai.
Zhai does disclose a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate (Fig. 5, light-shielding structure 0162 is located in the bank disposition region and “on” a side of the first light-emitting portion 013 facing the substrate. Please note that the word “on” is not interpreted as direct contact or vertical overlap). This cures the missing of Feature-A.
As seen in Fig. 17, Choi discloses the light emitting layer presents on both display region and non-display portion. The non-display region includes the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate.
As being modified, first light-shielding structure is located on the non-display region.
As a result, the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel.
The claimed Feature-B was met as a result of modify Choi in view of Zhai.
Zhai was used as secondary refences for curing Feature-A. Zhai does not have to disclose Feature B, otherwise Zhai would be used for a 102 rejection.
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.
Claims 1-2, 11-13, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,417,864) in view of Zhai U.S. Patent No. 11,217,575).
Regarding to claim 1, Choi teaches a display panel, comprising a display region (Figs. 17-18, element DA) and a non-display region (Figs. 18-19, element OA/MA), wherein the display region surrounds at least part of the non-display region (Fig. 18);
the non-display region comprises an element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element OA; column 4, lines 66-67) and a bank disposition region surrounding at least part of the element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element MA), and the bank disposition region is provided with a bank (Figs. 17-18, element 510); and
the display panel further comprises:
a substrate (Fig. 17, element 101), wherein the bank is disposed on a side of the substrate (Fig. 17);
a light-emitting layer (Fig. 17, element 222; column 11, lines 28-33) located on a side of the bank facing away from the substrate and comprising a first light-emitting portion located in the bank disposition region (Fig. 17, portion of layer 222 in the bank region).
Choi does not disclose a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate, wherein the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel.
Zhai discloses a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate (Fig. 5, element 0162, column 8, line 64). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Choi in view of Zhai to locate a first light-shielding structure in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate in order to prevent interference. Choi as modified having the first light-shielding structure overlap the bank along a thickness direction of the display panel. As a result, the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel, because the first light-emitting portion is on top of the bank (Fig. 17).
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Regarding to claim 2, Choi as modified discloses the non-display region further comprises a barrier structure disposition region provided with a barrier structure, the light-emitting layer is located on a side of the barrier structure facing away from the substrate and comprises a second light-emitting portion located in the barrier structure disposition region (Fig. 17), and at least part of the second light-emitting portion is disconnected at the barrier structure (Fig. 17); and the display panel further comprises a second light-shielding structure located in the barrier structure disposition region and on a side of the second light-emitting portion facing the substrate (Fig. 17, as being modified, the light-shielding structure covers the non-display region, the portion of the light-shielding structure covering the barrier structure disposition region is second light-shielding structure), and the second light-emitting portion and the second light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along the thickness direction of the display panel (Fig. 17).
Regarding to claim 11, Choi as modified discloses the first light-shielding structure comprises a first overall light-shielding structure, and the second light-shielding structure comprises a second overall light-shielding structure (Fig. 17, as being modified, the light-shielding structure cover the non-display region, the portion of the light-shielding structure covering the bank disposition region is first light-shielding structure, the portion of the light-shielding structure covering the barrier structure disposition region is second light-shielding structure).
Regarding to claim 12, Choi as modified discloses the first light-shielding structure comprises at least one first light-shielding layer, and the second light-shielding structure comprises at least one second light-shielding layer; and the at least one first light-shielding layer and the at least one second light-shielding layer are in a same layer (Fig. 17, as being modified, the light-shielding structure cover the non-display region, the portion of the light-shielding structure covering the bank disposition region is first light-shielding structure, the portion of the light-shielding structure covering the barrier structure disposition region is second light-shielding structure, The first and second light-shielding structures are same layer).
Regarding to claim 13, Choi as modified discloses the display region comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, and a sub-pixel of the plurality of sub-pixels comprises a light-emitting element and a pixel circuit that are interconnected (Figs. 17-18, element P); the light-emitting element comprises an anode (Fig. 17, element 223), the pixel circuit comprises a transistor, and the transistor comprises an active layer, a gate and a source/ drain electrode (Fig. 17, element PC); the display panel further comprises a shield protection structure located between a film in which the substrate is located and a film in which the pixel circuit is located; and the first light-shielding structure is in a same layer as at least one of the anode, the active layer, the gate, the source/drain electrode, or the shield protection structure (Choi as modified results in a shield protection structure), wherein the first light-shielding structure is at least in a same layer as a structure having a minimum film thickness among the anode, the active layer, the gate, the source/drain electrode and the shield protection structure (Fig. 17).
Regarding to claim 16, Choi as modified is silent as to a fixed potential terminal. However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to connect the first light-shielding structure electrically to a fixed potential terminal, in order to secure the shielding structure, known as a common practice in the art.
Regarding to claim 17, Choi as modified discloses an encapsulation structure located on a side of the light-emitting layer facing away from the substrate (Fig. 17, element 310/320/330; column 17, lines 7-12), wherein the encapsulation structure comprises an organic encapsulation layer located between two inorganic encapsulation layers, and the organic encapsulation layer ends at a location of the bank (Fig. 17, the encapsulation structure comprises organic encapsulation layer 320 located between two inorganic encapsulation layers 310/330, and the organic encapsulation layer ends at a location of the bank).
Regarding to claim 18, Choi teaches a display panel, comprising a display region (Figs. 17-18, element DA) and a non-display region (Figs. 18-19, element OA/MA), wherein the display region surrounds at least part of the non-display region (Fig. 18);
the non-display region comprises an element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element OA; column 4, lines 66-67) and a barrier structure disposition region surrounding at least part of the element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element MA), and the barrier structure disposition region is provided with a barrier structure (Figs. 17-18, please see the attached figure); and
the display panel further comprises:
a substrate (Fig. 17, element 101), wherein the barrier structure is disposed on a side of the substrate (Fig. 17);
a light-emitting layer located on a side of the barrier structure facing away from the substrate (Fig. 17, element 222; column 11, lines 28-33) and comprising a second light-emitting portion located in the barrier structure disposition region (Fig. 17, portion of layer 222 in the MA region), wherein at least part of the second light-emitting portion is disconnected at the barrier structure (Fig. 17).
Choi does not disclose a second light-shielding structure located in the barrier structure disposition region and on a side of the second light-emitting portion facing the substrate, wherein the second light-emitting portion and the second light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel.
Zhai discloses a light-shielding structure located in the barrier disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate (Fig. 5, element 0162, column 8, line 64). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Choi in view of Zhai to locate a second light-shielding structure in the barrier disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate in order to prevent interference. Choi as modified having the second light-shielding structure overlap the barrier structure along a thickness direction of the display panel. As a result, the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel, because the first light-emitting portion is on top of the barrier structure (Fig. 17).
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Regarding to claim 19, Choi teaches a display device, comprising a display panel wherein the display panel comprises display region (Figs. 17-18, element DA) and a non-display region (Figs. 18-19, element OA/MA), wherein the display region surrounds at least part of the non-display region (Fig. 18);
the non-display region comprises an element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element OA; column 4, lines 66-67) and a bank disposition region surrounding at least part of the element disposition region (Figs. 17-18, element MA), and the bank disposition region is provided with a bank (Figs. 17-18, element 510); and
the display panel further comprises:
a substrate (Fig. 17, element 101), wherein the bank is disposed on a side of the substrate (Fig. 17);
a light-emitting layer (Fig. 17, element 222; column 11, lines 28-33) located on a side of the bank facing away from the substrate and comprising a first light-emitting portion located in the bank disposition region (Fig. 17, portion of layer 222 in the bank region).
Choi does not disclose a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate, wherein the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel.
Zhai discloses a first light-shielding structure located in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate (Fig. 5, element 0162, column 8, line 64). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Choi in view of Zhai to locate a first light-shielding structure in the bank disposition region and on a side of the first light-emitting portion facing the substrate in order to prevent interference. Choi as modified having the first light-shielding structure overlap the bank along a thickness direction of the display panel. As a result, the first light-emitting portion and the first light-shielding structure at least partially overlap along a thickness direction of the display panel, because the first light-emitting portion is on top of the bank (Fig. 17).
Regarding to claim 20, Choi teaches a photosensitive element, wherein the photosensitive element overlaps the element disposition region of the display panel along a thickness direction of the display panel (Fig. 15, element 40; column 24, lines 8-14).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10, 14-15 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 statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter were provided in the previous Office Action.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/VU A VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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